MassBay Community College recently received a $35,356.49 gift from the St. John–St. Paul Catholic Collaborative in Wellesley to support the College's Textbook Assistance Fund. Each year during the 40-day Lenten period, the Collaborative selects a local or global cause to support through its Lenten Gift Program. This year, the Collaborative chose MassBay's Textbook Assistance Fund as its beneficiary.
"We are extremely grateful for the generosity of the members of the St. John–St. Paul Catholic Collaborative," said MassBay President David Podell. "Their Lenten Gift Program will have a profound impact on our students, ensuring many of them won't have to choose between purchasing required textbooks for their courses and paying rent or other bills. These difficult choices are often the reason our students are unable to continue their studies, putting a degree further out of reach and delaying or curtailing their aspiration of a sustainable, livable-wage career.”
During the 2025–26 academic year, MassBay awarded 912 textbook grants averaging approximately $175 each grant. While this support helps students offset the cost of course materials, the award often is not enough to cover all textbooks and required materials for a full course load.
One beneficiary of the Textbook Assistance Fund from this past year shared, "As a Certified Nursing Assistant working per diem night shifts while completing my nursing prerequisites at MassBay, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of having to choose between buying groceries and purchasing textbooks, between paying for transportation and covering other essential expenses."
“Gifts like the one made by the St. John-St. Paul Catholic Collaborative are more than a lifeline for students in need,” said Vice President of Advancement, Marketing, and Communications Jeremy Solomon. “They have the power to change lives and create opportunities for generations to come."
To learn more about MassBay Community College scholarships and how you can contribute, visit MassBay.edu/give.
