Dear Friends,
I am writing to you today as a fellow Christian Scientist who, like you, values the work of The Albert Baker Fund (ABF) to support young Christian Scientists. In fact, I can still remember how I felt when I learned that ABF could help me pay for college.
My first reaction was elation! My family was struggling financially, and the loans I received from ABF were just what I needed to pay for my first year of college.
My second feeling was an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Christian Scientists I had never met who made this possible.
Just knowing that there were people out there who were supporting me and believing in me reminded me to think more about my purpose in life and my practice of Christian Science. I felt like I was part of a community that was looking out for me.
Helping young Christian Scientists afford college
Over the years, I have looked for ways to pass forward the blessings I received from ABF to the next generation of young Christian Scientists. So when I was asked to serve as a trustee, I eagerly accepted.
Recently, the ABF trustees have been considering whether to continue awarding loans and scholarships in a package to each student.
I am pleased to share with you that ABF has made the decision to move forward with awarding only scholarships. We are delighted to help students graduate with less debt.
Our next step is to replace the loan with a new $1,500 scholarship we have named the Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship. This way students will receive the same amount they have come to rely on. To accomplish this, we need your help.
Here’s how the scholarship works
When you fund a Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship, you are matched to a student who will receive your $1,500 Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship and a $3,000 Albert Baker Scholarship, for a total award of $4,500. When the award is made, we will notify you of the student whom you are supporting.
An invitation to join me
I am excited to be one of the first to fund a Pass Your Blessings Forward Scholarship and invite you to join me! You can give in one of two ways:
- You can fund (or pledge) a scholarship for one year with a gift of $1,500 or with a monthly gift of $125 for 12 months.
- Or you can make a gift of any size. Although you won’t be matched to a specific student, we will combine it with other gifts to fund scholarships.
I am grateful for the many blessings I received
Years ago, when I received college funding from The Albert Baker Fund, I never imagined I would be in a position to give back.
What I love about this scholarship is that it is not just about writing a check to pay back what you received but thinking about the blessings of your education, the love and support you received from your community, and how you can pass these on to a student today.
If you would like to join me in passing your blessings forward, I hope you will consider this wonderful opportunity to help young Christian Scientists fund their education. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Ellen Coughtry at sueellen.coughtry@albertbakerfund.org or 916-594-9513 (option 3).
Students have already started applying for fall scholarships, so we hope to hear from you soon.
Gratefully,
David Westphal, Trustee
The Albert Baker Fund
