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Strowd Roses, Inc., has granted $4,000 to the �㽶��nical Community College Foundation to support English as a Second Language (ESL) courses in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

�㽶�� ESL courses serve adult learners who need to improve their English language skills for daily life and career advancement.

The new funding will help purchase school supplies and books for students who can’t afford these items and instructional materials such as posters and visual aids. The grant was awarded in June.

“We are honored to partner with Strowd Roses to serve and assist students in achieving their academic and professional goals and become active members of the larger community,” said Melissa Chappell, �㽶�� Foundation Executive Director.

Strowd Roses previously provided grant funding to the �㽶�� ESL program in 2015.

“Students and instructors still use supplies purchased from our first grant from Strowd Roses, so we know this year’s funding will have an impact for years to come,” said ESL Program Director Karin Abell.

The ESL classes at �㽶�� are free for the program’s enrolled students.

More than 50 classes are offered in Chapel Hill and Carrboro each year. Students, on average, take between four to 19 course hours a week, according to Abell.

In 2017, 440 residents of Chapel Hill and Carrboro –– hailing from 50 different countries –– attended classes in the ESL program, Abell said.

“Our focus is giving students a welcoming and supportive environment,” Abell said. “While providing crucial linguistic and cultural training, our classes also function as places of multinational friendship and dialogue. This grant helps our students not only advance their own personal aspirations but also cultivate and develop meaningful ties within the community.”

The �㽶�� Foundation is a charitable organization that promotes the current and long-term success of �㽶�� by inspiring charitable investment in its students, faculty, and staff.

For more information about �㽶��, visit .

Strowd Roses is a private charitable foundation that funds local nonprofits and projects that benefit residents of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Strowd Roses also provides for the ongoing maintenance and care of the Gene Strowd Community Rose Garden, a free and public space in Chapel Hill.

To learn more about Strowd Roses, visit www.strowdroses.org.

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