CHAPEL HILL—Carolina Athletics and The Rams Club today are launching the Helping Heels Fund – a crowdfunding campaign that gives fans the opportunity to provide financial assistance to Carolina student-athletes who are facing extreme hardships as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gifts made through the Helping Heels Fund will directly assist student-athletes and their families with unique expenses as allowed by NCAA regulations. Those expenses can include medical bills and other necessary expenses – such as groceries, toiletries, technology for online classes and remote learning and training and more. Gifts will supplement Carolina's existing Student-Athlete Assistance Fund that addresses many of the same challenges facing our student-athletes.

"The number of people who have reached out, offering to help our student-athletes during this time of world crisis, has been both humbling and heartening – because we know so many of our fans are facing hardships themselves,'' said Carolina Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "Many of our Tar Heels and their families, like so many more across our state, nation and world, are facing challenges because of this terrible pandemic, and this fund is an opportunity to offer resources beyond what our department is currently able to provide."

Carolina Athletics has more than 800 student-athletes competing in 28 sports. Carolina Athletics is proud of the outpouring of concern for its student-athletes and the questions about how it can best support them in this trying time.

Tar Heel student-athletes are a disciplined and resilient group, but these difficult circumstances have created unique challenges for these young men and women. The Helping Heels Fund is an opportunity for Carolina fans who are able to help take care of these important members of the UNC Family.