SANFORD - The Central Carolina Community College Foundation has kicked off its 2013 Annual Fund Drive, with a target of raising more than $200,000, primarily to provide scholarships for the college's students, and to help fund other specific needs of the curriculum and continuing education programs.

"For the 2012-13 school year, the Foundation has provided $175,000 in scholarships to 223 students who would otherwise have found it difficult or impossible to afford a college education," said Emily Hare, CCCC Foundation and Development director. "We are so grateful for the community support we receive to help so many students gain their education."

One of those students is Stevie Messer, of Harnett County, an Industrial Systems Technology student. Messer's job of 19 years disappeared in the recession, so he came to CCCC to train for a new one. He received the Donald N. Buie Memorial Scholarship to help pay for his education and that has made a big difference.

"You don't know how much it touches people's lives when they receive a scholarship," he said. "This is not a city college, not a state college, not a federal college - it's a community college. With hard work, the graduates get out and give back to the community."

Another recipient is Megan Danner, of Lee County, who received the Sue Gibson Nursing Scholarship. Her goal is to be an emergency room nurse.

"The scholarship means everything," she said. "I couldn't have gotten to school without it, even though I'm also working."

As the college's enrollment grows, so does the impact that CCCC has on the region. A large percentage of its graduates remain in the area after they leave the college. They contribute to their local economies in Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties and beyond.

CCCC students receive a quality education at a fraction of the cost of two years at a university, Hare said. Its academic programs have an excellent reputation and its vocational and technical graduates are in high demand. Graduates who transfer to University of North Carolina institutions perform as well as or better than their peers who started at those universities.

In 2010, Washington Monthly magazine ranked CCCC among the top 50 community colleges in the nation. In 2012, CNNMoney ranked it second in North Carolina and 65th in the nation in helping students graduate or transfer. Also in 2012, the N.C. Community College System recognized it for Exceptional Institutional Performance.

The CCCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization affiliated with, but independent of, the college. It receives donations of money and equipment on behalf of the college. The Foundation uses them to assist students through scholarships and grants, provide funding for CCCC faculty members to obtain training to improve their effectiveness in the classroom, and sponsor enrichment workshops for middle school students. It also enables things to happen that would otherwise be impossible, such as buying bleachers for the gym.

"In countless ways, large and small, the Foundation advances the college's mission and its seven core values of Community, Diversity, Excellence, Innovation, Integrity, Student Centeredness, and Sustainability," said CCCC President Bud Marchant. "Contributions to the Foundation are an investment in the region's economy and quality of life. They help today's students become tomorrow's leaders."

The Foundation's Annual Fund drive will continue through 2013. For more information on contributing to the Foundation, establishing endowments, or for a copy of its annual report, contact Emily Hare at (919) 718-7230 or by email at ehare@cccc.edu.