AMHERST — A new fund to support current Hampshire College students and those who are transferring to other colleges and universities is being established by community members affiliated with the college.

The Hampshire Student Pathway Fund was recently created, with a goal of collecting $250,000, that will provide direct immediate transitional support to currently enrolled students, as well as those who had to leave for other institutions.

Essential needs to be covered by money from the fund include books and course materials, food, medication, rent and travel.

Katelyn Baker, an organizer of the fund and Hampshire alumna, said the money should help students who have stayed on campus to complete their Division III projects by the end of the year, as well as those students, such as James Baldwin Scholars, who had received full financial support at Hampshire but are now getting a different financial aid package at a new school.

“On a closing campus, there aren’t as many resources to support the students,” said Baker, who with Margaret Cerullo, a professor emerita, created the fund. “As Hampshire moves through its teach-out, with an estimated 150 to 170 students on campus, students face reduced staff and faculty support and fewer resources like work-study to help support themselves financially.”The initiative is independent of Hampshire College, and funds raised will be distributed to students based on demonstrated need.

The fund is working with Sundial Initiative Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded by Hampshire alumni Joey Carey and Daniel Pacheco, as its fiscal sponsor to securely receive donations. Donations are tax-deductible.

Sundial has been serving in a similar role for the Help Hampshire Workers Emergency Relief Fund, created in the wake of the closure of the college and the anticipated lack of severance pay for many employees.

More information, as well as donation links, are at https://hampshirepathway.com/.