Nonprofit Organization to Celebrate Milestone at 12th Annual Founders Luncheon; Launches New $5 Million Fundraising Effort

WEST PALM BEACH , FL, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, a nonprofit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging issues, is marking forty years since the launch of its impactful scholarship program. In celebration of this milestone, the Community Foundation has also launched a new $5 million fundraising effort to expand the program’s reach and open doors to higher education for even more local, aspiring college students.

Since 1985, the Community Foundation has offered both need- and merit-based scholarships to rising college students in Palm Beach and Martin Counties to increase access to higher education and decrease the burden of debt. To date, the organization has distributed nearly $18 million to deserving students through over 3,200 scholarships.

“Community Foundation scholarship recipients have the intelligence, fortitude and ambition to be successful in college,” said Joanne Julien, Chair of the Community Foundation’s Scholarships Committee. “Often all they lack are the financial resources to support their dream. That’s why it is imperative for the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties to step up with the essential support and funding.”

In a pioneering act of philanthropy, it was the Dahlberg family that set up the Community Foundation’s inaugural scholarship fund in 1983. and nearly 140 more donors have followed suit. That original fund’s namesake is Donald (Donnie) David Dahlberg, a 16-year-old Jupiter High School student who tragically passed away in an automobile accident. The Don Dahlberg Memorial Scholarship Fund is intended for seniors at Jupiter High School, where Donnie attended, who share his passion for sports as well as his ambition to attend college. To-date, 45 students have benefited from the Dahlberg Scholarship, which has distributed over $77,000.

The official celebration of the Scholarship Program’s 40th anniversary will take place at the Community Foundation’s 12th Annual Founders Luncheon on February 26, 2025 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. The event will honor the individuals and organizations whose passion for higher education and commitment to closing the region’s opportunity gaps have led them to establish scholarship funds. These generous donors will be welcomed into the Community Foundation’s exclusive Scholarship Society.

Several past scholarship recipients will also be recognized by the Community Foundation at the Founders Luncheon. They include graduates from Stanford University, the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University and Tallahassee State College. In the scholarship program’s 40 year history, students have enrolled in 270 unique institutions across 42 states.

• 89% of scholars come from Palm Beach County and 11% come from Martin County. The top hometowns include West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Jupiter and Boynton Beach.

• 74% of students who received Community Foundation scholarships attended a college in the state of Florida, 19% of whom received their degree from University of Florida.

• Out-of-state universities attended by scholarship recipients include Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, MIT, Duke University, and other prestigious universities.

“Scholarships are a vital tool for creating economic mobility and developing a highly skilled workforce rooted in Florida, from education to career,” said Danita R. DeHaney, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. “Raising $5 million for scholarships is critical as we work to meet the growing need and number of talented and deserving applicants right here in our community. Last year, we had over 850 applicants and were only able to award 117 scholarships. Our goal is to close that gap with the help of our generous donors.”

The next Scholarship Cycle will open in early 2025 for those students residing in Palm Beach County and Martin County. There are currently 139 unique scholarships available. Applicants must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher, be a graduating high school student from Palm Beach County or Martin County, demonstrate financial need and/or academic achievement, and be an incoming student at a college, university, or vocational/trade school. Some scholarships have additional criteria. Learn more at https://yourcommunityfoundation.org/about-scholarships/.

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the foundation has distributed over $200 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the foundation supports initiatives that improve youth and education, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at https://yourcommunityfoundation.org.

Melissa Perlman
BlueIvy Communications
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