$25 for 25 - Celebrating 25 years of Beverly Roberts at Dignity
In November 1988, Beverly Roberts walked through the doors of Dignity and thankfully for us, never left! She quickly became a passionate advocate for homeless, working tirelessly to help residents improve their lives. Beverly moved from her original position as Office Manager to become a case manager, Director of Development, Deputy Executive Director, and now, Executive Director of Dignity Housing. From the beginning, Beverly recognized the need for the clients at Dignity to improve their education in order to break the cycle of homelessness. This is why, in 1991, Beverly established a scholarship fund for residents. Now called the Alicia Christian Education and Life Skills Scholarship Fund (in honor of Dignity’s founder and former executive director), Dignity has raised and allocated over $200,000 in education and summer camp scholarships to 75 adults and children. Our goal for “$25 for 25” is to raise $25,000 over the course of the coming year to endow the Scholarship fund in perpetuity.
The Alicia Christian Education and Life Skills Scholarship Fund is available for any Dignity resident or their child(ren) to use to pursue higher education or vocational training. Currently, two scholarships are given a year, averaging $1,500 each. Scholarships can and have been used for: direct tuition assistance, college tours, college preparatory courses and application fees, books, classroom materials, and childcare in situations where childcare costs impede participation in educational programs. Scholarships can also be used to support summer camp experiences for children and youth.
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With a $1,500 scholarship, a resident can enroll in three courses at the Community College of Philadelphia.
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With a $1,500 scholarship, a child can spend their summer at a YMCA Day Camp.
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With a $1,500 a parent can send their toddler to day care part-time for two months while the parent works or attends school
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