Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund Will Provide More Than $11 Million in Needs-Based Scholarships to 9/11 Family Members and Rescue Workers for 2011/2012 Academic Year
$74 Million in Scholarships Awarded since 2001
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund® announced today that it will provide more than $11 million in needs-based postsecondary scholarships to 641 members of the 9/11 community for the 2011/2012 academic year. By the end of this academic year, the Fund will have distributed $74 million to 1,876 students since its establishment in the days immediately following 9/11. Over the recently completed 2010/2011 academic year, the Fund dispersed $13.7 million in scholarships, making the full 2010/2011 distribution the highest since the Fund's inception.
Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has been able to transform the lives and support the educational dreams of financially dependent children, spouses and domestic partners of those who were tragically killed on September 11, 2001. Beneficiaries of the Fund include families of airplane crews and passengers, World Trade Center and Pentagon workers and visitors, and those who were permanently disabled. The Fund is managed by Scholarship America®, the nation's largest non-profit, private sector scholarship and educational support organization.
"This is an important moment in the history of the Fund," said Rhianna Quinn Roddy, executive director of Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund. "Nearly 10 years ago, $100 million was donated by thousands of organizations and individuals. Since then, we have awarded $74 million and are able to provide support for the 4,800 financially needy students yet to take advantage."
"Scholarship America is honored to have managed the Fund for the past ten years," said Lauren A. Segal, president of Scholarship America. "Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has played a crucial role in the lives of many families who suffered so tragically on that terrible day. Stewarding their success has been a humbling privilege."
Scholarship America has been operating the Fund with no fees for nearly ten years and remains committed to helping eligible students from September 11th families realize their goals and full potential through education. Scholarship America will continue to steward the Fund until the year 2030 when the last of the remaining 4,800 children apply for assistance.
For information about Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, or to find out how to register please go to www.familiesoffreedom.org or call 877-862-0136.
ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP AMERICA
Scholarship America is a national education service organization that mobilizes support for students getting into and graduating from college. Scholarship America has distributed more than $2.5 billion in scholarship assistance to more than 1.7 million students over the last 50 years. Scholarship America's programs, which include Dollars for Scholars®, help fund both entry-level and multi-year scholarships, as well as emergency financial grants. More information is available at scholarshipamerica.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
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(212) 561 7478/(212) 561 7462
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SOURCE Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund
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