President David M. Mellott announced today three significant initiatives signaling Christian Theological Seminary’s commitment to serving students and the greater Indianapolis community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first initiative will assist current and incoming students with tuition costs. The second will support the mental health services of organizations working to mitigate poverty. The third will provide counseling services to the community.
Emergency Tuition Relief Fund for the 2020-2021 Academic School Year
With the full support of the CTS Board of Trustees and President Mellott’s direction, CTS created an Emergency Tuition Relief Fund for the 2020-2021 academic school year. The one-time grants from this fund will provide additional tuition support beyond a student’s primary scholarship award. The fund was created to help address the increased financial stress caused by the pandemic.
“One hundred percent of the fund will be used to give need-based assistance for tuition to current and incoming students. We also welcome additional contributions during this difficult time,” said President Mellott.
Online gifts can be made at www.cts.edu/give.
Support Grants for Seven Organizations Working to Reduce Poverty
Christian Theological Seminary’s Faith & Action Project will provide emergency relief grants to certain organizations whose poverty mitigation work includes mental health services and family stability measures. Working with their community networks, past Faith & Action grant recipients and others, CTS has identified seven organizations to receive these emergency relief grants which will be issued by April 30, 2020:
- Eastern Star Church ROCK Initiative
- Edna Martin Christian Center
- Julian Center
- MLK Center
- Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center at Eskenazi Health
- Shepherd Community Center
- Volunteers of America
“While we must and should address the crisis in front of us, we still focus on the long-term goal of eradicating poverty,” said Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch, Faith & Action Project Director. “We believe that mental health is as important as food and shelter in overcoming current challenges, and we’re pleased to partner with organizations doing this work.”
Counseling for the Community
The Counseling Center at Christian Theological Seminary continues to provide counseling services to the community during this time of distress and uncertainty. All services have transitioned to telehealth platforms in order to ensure continuity of care for clients and the health and safety of all. The Center is now accepting new clients for tele-mental health services and will begin scheduling new client appointments on Monday, April 20.
“This pandemic has had a far reaching and unprecedented impact on the world and our local community,” said Bryan Votaw, Clinic Director. “It’s important for us at the Counseling Center to adapt our service model to continue to provide care to our current clients and also to offer support to others who are being impacted by this crisis.”
To reach the Center, please call the virtual front desk at 317-924-5205. Visit the Center website at www.cts.edu/counseling-center for more information.
“I continue to be impressed by and thankful for the generosity of the CTS community, especially in difficult times such as these,” said President Mellott. “We are striving to help students and to serve the community.”
Please visit www.cts.edu for more information about these initiatives, academic programs, and upcoming virtual events.
