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Fostering Futures Scholarship event in Grand Rapids raises $38,000

Donations will help youths exiting foster care pay for college

FOR IMMEDIATE R­­­ELEASE: June 24, 2016                                               

MDHHS CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112 

TREASURY CONTACT: Jeremy Sampson, 517-355-2167

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Youths exiting foster care in Michigan will have more financial support thanks to the generosity of 180 people who attended the second annual Fostering Futures Scholarship Event – Grand Rapids.

Th [Attendees browse auction items at Fostering Futures Grand Rapids] e event at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park Thursday night, June 24, raised $37,900 for Michigan’s Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund. Attendees enjoyed dinner and music, placed bids on items in a silent auction and bought raffle tickets for prizes – all for the benefit of Michiganders who have been in foster care.

The Michigan Education Trust, the state’s 529 prepaid college tuition program within the Michigan Department of Treasury, organizes the event in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

“The generosity of people from the Grand Rapids area and around the state will help foster youths go to college and realize their dreams,” said Robin Lott, executive director of MET. “Education is vitally important to Michigan’s young people and to the state itself. However, many foster youths lack the support and financial resources that other young people have. That’s why Fostering Futures Scholarship is so important.”

Seventy percent of youth exiting foster care nationally say they want to go to college. But fewer than 10 percent who graduate from high school enroll in college, and fewer than 1 percent of those graduate from college, according to Casey Family Programs.

Thursday’s program included the presentation of a special award to state Sen. Peter MacGregor of Rockford, who sponsored legislation eventually signed into law that created the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund.

Money raised included $15,000 from AT&T that was presented to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund during a ceremony at the event.

Anyone who could not attend can make donations to the MET Charitable Tuition Program by visiting the Fostering Futures Scholarship donation pay-site. All contributions to the MET Charitable Tuition Program are eligible for a state income tax deduction.

The 2016 Fostering Futures Scholarship Event – Detroit is Sept. 22 at Joe Louis Arena. Reserve tickets or find more information on the web page for the Detroit event.

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