May 20, 2026
Aurora, Colo. – After changes to food and healthcare assistance programs in 2025, the Community College of Aurora (CCA) saw a significant increase in students facing urgent financial hardships. To help students remain enrolled and supported for the full academic year, three local credit unions contributed funding and special resources to the Community College of Aurora Foundation (CCAF) Student Emergency Assistance Fund.
- The District Credit Union issued $15,000 in gift cards and Aurora Federal Credit Union issued $10,000 in gift cards, both funded by the Student Emergency Assistance Fund. Although issuing gift cards is not a regular service at these credit unions, their partnership with CCAF made it possible.
- Ent Credit Union, soon becoming Wings Credit Union, donated $3,000 to the Student Emergency Assistance Fund to cover the fees associated with activating each gift card.
The District Credit Union, a longtime CCAF partner, initially issued $10,000 in gift cards during the fall 2025 semester. But after an unprecedented increase in student referrals, the college exhausted its budget by October. The District quickly responded with an additional $5,000 contribution. Ent Credit Union and Aurora Federal Credit Union also extended the program’s reach in response to growing student needs.
Supporting CCAF’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund is a commitment to our community and rooted in our mission,
said Zahira Fernandez, Marketing Director of The District Credit Union. As a first-generation college graduate, I understand the real challenges students face while trying to stay in school, from affording basic needs to navigating college without strong support. Since 2020, The District Credit Union has partnered with the Foundation to help students manage urgent and everyday financial gaps. We do this to support students and the schools that serve them across Aurora, investing in the future leaders who will shape our community. Our mission is to make lives easier and improve financial success by meeting people where they are. When students are supported, they stay on track, and our community grows stronger.
The Student Emergency Assistance Fund powers a program that supports students with urgent financial emergencies by supplying the most in-need students with these gift cards to cover unforeseen, catastrophic expenses. Although each card is limited to a few hundred dollars, they do help students address immediate needs like food, transportation, housing expenses, and other critical necessities. The funds cannot be used for tuition.
The program requires participating students to meet with CCA Student Advocacy coaches to avoid future financial emergencies. Coaches help students develop long-term success plans by connecting them to both external and CCA-based resources. These include support measures like food resources, health coverage, housing, and navigating college processes like applying for financial aid.
Housing is one of the priority concerns of many students,
said Beau Green, Director of CCA’s Student Advocacy Services. We have surveyed student basic needs and have also found that 64.1% of our student body experience food insecurity. So that means the food that they purchase doesn’t last. Even when they have government benefits, that does not cover the costs of a household’s meals for the month.
Alleviating urgent financial burdens alongside coaching is a sustainable, holistic approach. That’s why the program also received support from a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) microgrant at the start of the academic year.
As economic pressures continue to impact students and families across Colorado, partnerships like these ensure students remain focused on their education and career goals instead of unexpected financial crises. Through community-driven support and student-centered services, CCA continues working to remove barriers to higher education and strengthen economic mobility throughout the Aurora and Denver metro region.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
About the Community College of Aurora Foundation
The Community College of Aurora Foundation (CCAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing student success and high-quality education at CCA. The Foundation raises philanthropic resources, forges community and industry partnerships, and cultivates donor engagement. CCAF is committed to stewarding contributions with integrity and transparency, guided by the vision to support CCA in being the college where every student succeeds. For more information, visit https://auroragives.org.
Contact
Courtney Butler
Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]