Student Support Grants

Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association (EECA) is proud to announce the recipients of its inaugural Student Support Grants for the 2026-27 school year: 

1. Abigail Hammonds – Southern Region Early Childhood Programs (SIU), Du Quion.
   To provide a flexible support system for Pre-K students by offering hygiene products, clothing, food, bedding for those experiencing unstable housing, and emergency cash assistance for families needing temporary lodging.
2. Allison Sims – Du Quoin High School
   To provide financial support for gaps in medical care, including gas money/taxis for out-of-town appointments, over-the-counter medications, and other expenses not covered by a medical card.
3. Amy Hicks – Carbondale Middle School
   To address “period poverty” by purchasing a surplus of feminine hygiene products for the school nurse’s office and Family Resource Center. The school estimates that approximately 75% of its female students rely on the school to provide these essential supplies.
4. Caitin Pflasterer – Marissa Elementary School
   To support a program she created last year to purchase supplies for weekend food bags for students experiencing food insecurity, ensuring they have access to meals even when school is not in session.
5. Haley Stanton – Pinckneyville Elementary School
   To establish and maintain a student resource closet stocked with clothing, jackets, shoes, and hygiene items. Funding will also allow them to purchase specific items when needed, such as different sizes that may not be available through donations.
6. Kristin Petrowske – Chester Grade School
   Funds will be used to establish a Student Essentials Program at Chester Grade School by providing hygiene items, clothing essentials, school supplies, backpacks, and snacks. These items will be organized into discreet, ready-to-use kits so staff can quickly meet student needs and ensure children don’t miss class or feel embarrassed due to a lack of basic necessities.
7. Melinda Pierson & Amy Prudencio – Carbondale Community High School
   To supplement the clothing closet, ensuring students have access to clean, seasonally appropriate clothing when they need it. Funds would also be used to purchase size-specific items such as underwear, socks, leggings, and shoes.
8. Natalie Hubler – Du Quoin Middle School
   Grant funds will support a school-based clothing closet and hygiene pantry by purchasing size-specific clothing as needed, including underwear, socks, sweatpants, leggings, hoodies, and coats, as well as hygiene products such as deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and feminine care items.
9. Sarah Brennfleck – Sparta Lincoln School
   Funding will be used to purchase items for students who need daily support with basic needs such as clean, seasonally appropriate clothing, socks, and hygiene supplies. This includes pants for younger students, underwear, baby wipes, personal wipes for older students to clean up at school, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products.
10. Michelle Hamilton – Steeleville High School
    Funding will be used to support “lunch bunch” groups to give students the opportunity to have a special lunch with peers and a trusted adult for conversation and informal check-ins about their experiences and well-being. It will also provide water bottles for students to keep in the classroom, helping reduce frequent trips out of the room while also giving them something many of their peers already have, helping them feel more included.

This year’s projects address a wide range of student needs, including hygiene supplies and clothing, support for medical care, weekend food bags, and transportation assistance for students.  Recipients were selected based on how clearly their applications demonstrated need, including specific examples, data showing how many students would be impacted, and the impact on students. 

About Our Program

EECA knows that when students’ basic needs are met, they are better able to focus, learn, and thrive. Our Student Support Grants are designed to support student well-being by providing funding for essential items and services that help remove barriers to learning.

These grants are separate from our Classroom Empowerment Grants, which focus on enhancing the educational environment. Student Support Grants are specifically intended to address the everyday needs of students.

Each year, EECA will award six (6) $500 grants to local schools to support these efforts. The application window opens each April and closes in mid-May. Grants will be reviewed and selected anonymously based on the demonstrated need and potential impact on students. Awards will be made in August at the start of the school year.

Who Can Apply?

Applications are open to school personnel serving public Pre-K through 12th-grade students within EECA’s service territory, such as:

• Social workers
• School counselors
• Principals
• School nurses
• School administrators
• Other student support personnel

Eligible public-school districts include: Carbondale, Carterville, Chester, Coulterville, DeSoto, DuQuoin, Elverado, Marissa, Murphysboro, Pinckneyville, Red Bud, Sparta, Steeleville, and Trico.

What Can Funds Be Used For?

Student Support Grant funds are intended to meet basic student needs, such as:

• Hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, brushes, deodorant, soap, shampoo)
• Backpacks
• School supplies
• Laundry access and supplies
• Clothing closet items (leggings, joggers, socks, underwear, belts, shoes)
• Feminine hygiene products (tampons, pads, pouches)
• Food pantry supplies & snacks
• Other items or services that support student well-being that may not be listed

What Is Not Eligible?

Student Support Grants are not intended for classroom or instructional use. Ineligible expenses include:

• Classroom equipment
• Field trips
• Teacher materials
• Curriculum supplies
• One-time events
• Any other items that may/could fall under the Classroom Grant program

If your request fits these categories, we encourage you to apply through our annual Classroom Grant program that opens each fall.

Important Dates

• Applications Open: April 
• Application Deadline: mid-May
• Review Period: June–July
• Funds Distributed: August (within the first two weeks of the school year)

How to Apply

Applications for the 2026–2027 school year are now closed. Applications for the 2027–2028 school year will open in April 2027.

• A description of requested items or services
• The student needs being addressed
• Estimated number of students impacted
• How support will be distributed
• A proposed budget
• School enrollment and relevant demographics

If you have questions, contact Roni Croxell at rcroxell@eeca.coop. 

Why EECA Offers This Program

One of our seven cooperative principles is Concern for Community. This program was created in response to a growing need identified by our local schools. Many educators and staff members are personally purchasing basic items for students. Student Support Grants were created by EECA to help ease that burden and provide students with access to the essentials they need to feel confident, supported, and ready to learn.