Based in Maryland, Forgotten Dependents is a charity that provides scholarships to children who have lost one or both parents. Open only to U.S. citizens, this program is for 16- to 25-year old students enrolled in an accredited college or university. Additional requirements for applicants include a 500-word essay outlining their education goals, official academic transcripts and a notarized copy of their parent's death certificate. Special consideration is given to children of veterans who have died while on active duty. Scholarship recipients will have their tuition fees covered directly through their college of choice.
Forgotten Dependents
P.O. Box 2764
Laurel, MD 20709
800-430-1058
forgottendependents.com
Up to 45 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to 10,000 are awarded annually through the LIFE foundation, a nonprofit education group that assists families experiencing financial and emotional hardship. Open only to legal residents of the United States, applicants must submit a 500-word essay or a three-minute video detailing the financial and personal impact of losing one or both parents. Students between 17 and 24 may apply if they're enrolled in an accredited university, college or trade school.
LIFE Foundation
1655 N. Fort Myer Dr., Suite 610
Arlington, VA 22209
888-543-3777
lifehappens.org
Established after the events of September 11, 2001, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund provides financial support to children who lost parents because of the terrorist attacks on that fateful day. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college, university or trade school and can only apply before they turn 24. The scholarship committee determines the award amount on a case-by-case basis. The scholarship is managed by Scholarship America.
Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund
Scholarship America
One Scholarship Way
Saint Peter, MN 56082
877-862-0136
familiesoffreedom.org
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2007 reveals 5,000 deaths a year are caused by a workplace accident. For children of parents killed in the workplace, Kids' Chance has been awarding scholarships since 1988. To be considered, students must submit academic transcripts and a written description of how their parent died. Scholarship amounts vary, depending on financial need.
Kids' Chance
877-933-0222
kidschance.org
Named after a television news anchor who died of cancer in 2005, the MaryEllen Locher Foundation awards scholarships to children who have lost their mother to breast cancer. Students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university and are required to provide a personal essay as part of their application. The scholarship amount is determined by the applicant's financial need and recipients have to participate in a breast cancer awareness campaign.
MaryEllen Locher Foundation
P.O. Box 4032
Chattanooga, TN 37405
maryellenlocherfoundation.org