Judy White
The Matching Funds Campaign launched by The Women of Quail Creek’s (TWOQC) Scholarship Program at Javelina Hoedown this fall is growing. While the campaign will run through February, the hope is to complete the match by early January.
A group of donors has offered $40,100 in funding to match 2-for-1 additional contributions to the campaign, up to $20,000. That effectively triples a contribution to the matching fund, making this an opportune time to offer support for the work of the Scholarship Committee. Just over $10,000 has been received toward the match as of the publication deadline.
How will your donation be used? The Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to local graduating high school senior girls and to Women in Transition (WIT) who are older than 21 and seeking to return to school after having to postpone further education for any number of reasons. The WIT program fills a particular need for the latter group, for whom there are very few scholarship opportunities.
The committee has a rigorous process of evaluating applicants, determining both the need for financial assistance and the applicant’s demonstrated ability and persistence to succeed in their chosen school program. It might be a young woman who will be the first in her family to get a college degree, a single mom who needs additional education or training to better her financial situation, or a woman working her way through nursing school, for which tuition is very expensive.
Since a small beginning in 2016 with just $1,000 to award, the TWOQC Scholarship program has grown steadily. To date, $142,700 has been awarded to 68 recipients. High school awards are currently $2,500, and WIT scholarships are $3,500. The funds awarded can only be used for education tuition and expenses paid directly to the school.
In 2023 the Scholarship Committee was able to award 17 scholarships, the highest number in a single year. The goal of the Scholarship Committee is to award at least a dozen scholarships each year because the need and number of applications received increases each year. Funds from the matching funds campaign currently underway will provide for immediate use for spring 2024 awards and to build reserve funds to ensure a strong program into the future.
TWOQC is gaining a reputation in our community for generously supporting higher education. The Scholarship Committee was, for example, recently asked to participate in a Scholarship Fair sponsored by Pima Community College where other exhibitors visited our table and asked questions about our success.
Please help The Women of Quail Creek support future generations to further their education by making a donation to the matching fund. Any amount is greatly appreciated. You can request a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) from your Required Minimum Distribution to lower your taxable income (see article by Peggy McGee in this issue), or make contributions by personal check, made out to TWOQC, with “Scholarship Matching Fund” in the memo line. Send your donation to TWOQC Scholarship Committee, c/o Linda Hauschild, 1932 E. Orinda Lane, Green Valley, AZ 85614.