The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer awarded its annual scholarships to local college students for the purchase of academic books.
In August, the Book Awards were given to eight students from Mercer and Bucks counties. The scholarships ranged from $800 to $1,300 per student, for a total of $10,000. The students are enrolled in a wide range of colleges and universities, including the University of Vermont, Syracuse University, and Washington and Lee University.
The scholarship recipients communicate directly with the foundation, and their correspondence reinforces the need for this type of financial assistance in the local Jewish community, according to information provided by the foundation.
One recent letter explained, “Being the son of a single mom, who is the only parent helping fund my college education, I have been working 40-hour weeks in order to pay for my gas, car insurance, and my phone both while at home and at college. … Receiving money from the [foundation] will allow me to have funds in order to pay for my textbooks as well as my field and lab notebooks.”
Another scholarship recipient shared, “This year I really appreciated the generous book award you gave me because it enabled me to buy many expensive textbooks and supplies. … Since my father’s passing, things have been extremely difficult for my mother who is struggling to make ends meet. … So this book award means more to me than you can ever imagine.”
Funding for the Book Awards comes from two restricted funds at the Jewish Community Foundation, the Albert B. Kahn Scholarship Fund (established in 1984) and the Benjamin Garb Scholarship Fund (established in 2002). The assets of these funds are managed by the foundation and grow in perpetuity, according to the statement.
Foundation Trustees Michael Manning and Jeffrey Miller served on the committee overseeing the selection of Book Award recipients in 2020.
For more information about the Jewish Community Foundation and its programs serving the Mercer and Bucks communities, contact Amy Zacks at 609-524-4374 or amy@foundationjewish.org, or visit www.foundationjewish.org.
