Donors to the Monica & Stephen Walter Student Emergency Fund had their gifts matched during the Mount Carmel Foundation’s recent donor appeals. Every dollar contributed, up to $15,000, was matched by the Walters, through the end of 2025, doubling the impact of donors’ gifts.
The Walters established the Student Emergency Fund as an endowment in 2019 to help students facing unexpected financial hardships—whether it's a car repair, medical bill, or housing insecurity. These challenges can derail a student’s education and future.
Monica knows what it takes to get through nursing school. She retired in 2009, completing a 32-year career at Mount Carmel West. Now, she and her husband are “paying it forward” to help tomorrow’s nurses succeed.
To date, nearly $60,000 has been awarded to help 120 students meet their emergency financial needs and stay on their path to becoming nurses.
Here are just a few examples of students who have been helped through this program in the 2024-2025 academic year:
“I am in my last semester, and as a mother of five children, I have classes on Mondays and Thursdays and clinics on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I only work during the weekends if I have a few assignments. I am struggling to meet my kids' needs. My school account is on hold. I am taking my last classes, pediatrics, leadership, and acute care. Pediatrics is a lot of work, and I need extra time to study, so I can only work a few hours. Currently, things are very hard for me and my kids; all my bills are overdue, and buying groceries is a struggle. If you can help in these challenging times, I would appreciate it.”
“I currently work for Mount Carmel as a float pool tech and was experiencing a time where I was not getting scheduled or I was getting down staffed over the summer. Due to my lack of income, I fell behind on my car payments. Now my car has been repossessed and I need my car so I can go to work and pay for my class and other bills. I have to pay $1,805 to reinstate my car loan and then $140 for the tow fee on top of a $20 daily storage fee. Anything that I can get helps.”
“My car engine is failing and I am needing to take it to the shop to get fixed. My engine under boost needs replaced and I have an oil leak and, on top of that, I have rent, car bill, phone bill, gas, tuition, and food that I am trying to juggle right now. I cannot afford to have my car fixed and if I continue driving it, then my engine will blow and it will cost thousands to get a new one.”
“I just recently found out I was pregnant. I’m currently a full-time student and work one day a week at the hospital. This coming semester I’m enrolled in 19 credits and will be in classes 5 days a week. I’m been picking up extra shifts trying to save money; however, I ran behind on my car payment and I have rent due in a few days.”