Bellingham Technical College and its foundation are offering assistance to students unable to collect their financial-aid disbursements due to the ongoing faculty and staff strikes.

Unions representing the college’s faculty and its support staff declared work stoppages this week, as neither have been able to reach agreeable terms with BTC for new contracts.

Classes are canceled until further notice from college.

The BTC Foundation has set up an emergency fund capable of awarding grants to students who rely on federal financial aid to cover living expenses.

Students can call the financial aid office at 360-752-8564, or the registration office at 360-752-8309 for more information. Students in need of emergency funds should plan on coming to the college to make arrangements, BTC officials said.

The college’s foundation has also set up a website to accept donations to the emergency fund: btcfound.org/pages/donate

BTC  is offering additional help to students whose financial aid money has been delayed.

Students needing to pay rent or handle other timely expenses can ask for letters from the college’s financial aid office, explaining the reason for the delay to landlords and other relevant parties, and asking for leniency on payment deadlines.

Faculty members have set up a website (www.btcfacultyvoice.org) offering further details on their contract requests.

College officials are also posting updates online.