Rochester General Hospital receives $1.5M grant to support nursing students

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Rochester General Hospital is getting $1.5 million from an ESL Federal Credit Union grant to give more people a chance to become a nurse.

It will be used for the hospital’s workforce development program that helps low-income students in the greater Rochester area studying for careers in nursing.

The grant will support about 645 students over the next three years through scholarships, the Youth Apprenticeship Program which exposes high school students to nursing, wrap-around youth services such as career counseling, childcare and housing assistance and emergency needs to cover personal hardships, reliable transportation, exam fees and ancillary fees such as textbooks and laptops.

This comes as many hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the area face critical staffing shortages.