MANCHESTER, NH – The NH Coalition to End Homelessness (NHCEH) has announced that they are accepting applications for their 2017 Hope Starts Here Scholarship. The educational scholarship will be awarded to students currently living in New Hampshire who have experienced homelessness during their school career, have demonstrated academic achievement, and have the desire to continue their education beyond high school.
The scholarship can be used to help defray the costs of college or post-secondary vocational training program tuition, fees, books, prep courses, or other educational expenses. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2017.
“Quality education is essential to end the cycle of homelessness,” said Dr. Cathy Kuhn, Director of NHCEH. “The Hope Starts Here scholarship can help make post-secondary education a reality for young people who have experienced homelessness, providing them with the assistance they need to attain their goals and dreams.”
In total, up to $2,000 in educational scholarships will be awarded. The scholarship is funded through donations from individuals as well as a one to one match from Bank of New Hampshire.
A committee representing educators, policy makers, homeless providers, businesses, and other community members will review the applications and make recommendations to the NHCEH Board of Directors, who will make the final selection and notify the recipient(s) of the award.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant must be under the age of 21 prior to the scholarship due date;
- Applicant must be currently residing in NH at the time of applying for the scholarship;
- Applicant must be actively pursuing post-secondary education;
- Applicant must be homeless or have been homeless at any time during their school attendance. Parameters on homeless status are defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.
To apply, students must complete the application and submit all required supplemental materials. The application and instructions can be downloaded from the following link: www.nhceh.org/scholarship.
For more information about donating to this scholarship fund, please visit www.nhceh.org/HopeStartsHere or contact the NHCEH at donate@nhceh.org or 603-641-9441 extension 251.
The NH Coalition to End Homelessness is a nonprofit organization with the purpose of eliminating the causes of homelessness through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the NHCEH and the report, visit www.nhceh.org or call 603-641-9441.
