Press release provided by Wenatchee Valley College:

Wenatchee Valley College has resources to offer students affected by recent wildfires.

“We know that right now some of our students are facing very difficult situations due to wildfires across our service district,” said WVC President Dr. Jim Richardson. “We want to be flexible and offer as many resources as possible to help students access college this fall.”

WVC is offering the following resources for students affected by wildfire:

  • Flexibility with deadlines – If additional time is needed to get set up for fall quarter, please contact WVC counselors Bertha Sanchez (bsanchez@wvc.edu) or Ryan Poortinga (rpoortinga@wvc.edu).
  • Food Pantries – WVC offers curbside pickup on both campuses for food and hygiene items. In Omak, contact Livia Millard (lmillard@wvc.edu). In Wenatchee, contact Bertha Sanchez (bsanchez@wvc.edu) or Ryan Poortinga (rpoortinga@wvc.edu).
  • Counseling – WVC counselors offer financial, academic and emotional support. They are available for individual appointments via phone and Zoom videoconferencing. To schedule an appointment, contact Bertha Sanchez (bsanchez@wvc.edu) or Ryan Poortinga (rpoortinga@wvc.edu).
  • Emergency funding – WVC offers emergency funds to help with tuition, technology needs, housing, auto repairs and more. Contact WVC counselors Bertha Sanchez (bsanchez@wvc.edu) or Ryan Poortinga (rpoortinga@wvc.edu).
  • Chromebooks and calculators – Curbside pickup for Chromebooks and calculators is set for Sept. 17 and 18, and Sept. 21-25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both WVC campuses in Omak and Wenatchee. Pull up to the library parking lots during the allotted times and call 509-422-7830 in Omak or 509-682-6718 in Wenatchee to let staff know you have arrived. For questions, email library@wvc.edu.
  • Wi-Fi hot spots – WVC parking lots have free Wi-Fi for students.
  • Gas cards for transportation – Gas cards are available to help students access the resources above. In Omak, contact Livia Millard (lmillard@wvc.edu). In Wenatchee, contact Bertha Sanchez (bsanchez@wvc.edu) or Ryan Poortinga (rpoortinga@wvc.edu).

If a student would like to receive free, live virtual help, the following options are available:

  • Virtual Assistance – Get live help from staff in educational planning, financial aid, registration and admission, counseling, IT and more. Virtual office hours are posted at wvc.edu/VA.
  • Live chat – Get help with simple questions quickly using the live chat feature on our website (wvc.edu). Make sure to leave a message if all agents are busy.

Students can apply to WVC by visiting wvc.edu/GetStarted. They can register for courses by visiting wvc.edu/Courses and they can pay tuition or set up a tuition payment plan by visiting wvc.edu/Pay. The tuition and registration deadline has been extended to Friday, September 18.

More From NewsRadio 560 KPQ