Covid has left its mark on our familiar way of life.
Families are battling sickness and depression and it is definitely affecting our community with financial instability. Jobs are few and help seems to be decreasing as families continue to scuffle through the cracks of life to survive.
Kathonias Thomas, a student at Albany St. University in Albany, Georgia, knows first-hand what this struggle feels like. Except his struggle is filled with pain.
His mother took to social media and her church to help her son stay in school after learning she had Cancer. Frustrated and heartbroken, she trusted God and was determined to keep her son in college. As family and friends poured in what they could, online supporters contributed as well.
Their situation enhanced even more when Kathonias' father suddenly passed. "It was heartbreaking for their family but they never lost Faith," said a church worker who submitted Thomas to the Parlay Foundation's Scholarship fund.
We were able to make a financial contribution to Thomas that we must keep private at the request of his family but we can announce he was given enough to help him stay in school for the rest of the year.
"There are stories like this everywhere. Our nation is dealing with so much right now and all we can do is help each other get through this process," said Reaux Fareal, Parlay Founder. "We try to give each student no less than $500 but it varies according to the level of contributions. Sometimes, it's even more."
Parlay Foundation runs a campaign on Fridays (I Got 5 On It Friday) in which our followers and supporters donate $5 or more to help HBCU students needing financial assistance.
