Urgent Aid continues future social worker’s dream of helping her community: Morgan Vassallo
A dream of bringing support to her community
Growing up in Dingwall, a small community in Cape Breton, Morgan witnessed firsthand the challenges of having limited access to mental health and social services. This experience sparked her determination to make a difference, leading her to enroll in NSCC's Social Services program at Marconi Campus in 2022.
"Coming from a small community, there isn't much support offered regarding mental health, or really any services for that matter," Morgan explains. "This inspired me to take the social services route in hopes of going back to my community and being a support for people."
However, Morgan faced unexpected obstacles during her studies. Despite careful planning, she found herself at a crossroads, “I was struggling to find a job with little luck and was struggling to get by with the price of rent and food these days,” says Morgan. “I thought my student loan was going to be enough, but with the prices of everything, it seemed impossible.”
A safety net that brings hope and relief
It was during class that Morgan learned about NSCC's Urgent Aid Program. Her instructors had consistently reminded students about this emergency support, letting them know that help was available if needed. Through Urgent Aid, Morgan was able to receive much-needed support to help her through a tough time until she secured a job a few weeks later.
"It felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders for that period of time while I was figuring things out," Morgan shares. "Before receiving Urgent Aid, I felt my only option was to move back to my hometown because I wouldn't be able to make it. Urgent Aid helped me continue my education as well as helping my mental health during that time."
Today, Morgan’s education continues with renewed momentum. After graduating from NSCC in 2024, she successfully transferred her credits to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies at Cape Breton University. After that, she plans to complete a Bachelor of Social Work and return to her hometown to work in the community’s school system.
"I now have a diploma to be able to help others no matter what happens in my future," says Morgan. Her story demonstrates how programs like Urgent Aid provide students with relief and prevent them from putting their education and career dreams on hold due to increased costs of living.
The impact you make through Urgent Aid
Morgan strongly believes in the importance of programs like Urgent Aid and plans to pay it forward in the future. She offers heartfelt gratitude to the donors who make this support possible: "Thank you for giving me that grace period when I felt like giving up."
In a message of encouragement to students facing similar challenges, she shares: "I hope this will help other students in the future, there is nothing wrong with having to ask for help!"
When you donate to Urgent Aid, your support goes further than you think.
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