Dear Parents and Families in the Save for College Community,
Thank you again to everyone who joined us for the Astoria Houses Community Scholarship Planning Meeting on Tuesday! The focus of our conversation this week was on planning the announcement celebration for the Community Scholarship:
Here are some ideas we discussed:
- Socially distanced Movie Night at Radial Park for families (with a video announcement of the Astoria Houses Community Scholarship Campaign)
- Socially distanced Block Party with activity tables for children
- “Trick or Treating for Books” – a play on Halloween and a great way to build home libraries, done in a safe and socially distanced way
- A poster decorating activity for kids could be a great way to spread the word – the finished posters could be displayed around Astoria Houses to let people know about the scholarship
Astoria Houses Scholarship Funds – By The Numbers
At our meeting we also provided an update on the progress of our two main initiatives to help grow the college savings accounts of Astoria Houses families:
Raising $1,000 for each child with an NYC Scholarship Account – Community Scholarship Campaign
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Since our meeting on September 22, the Tenants Organization has raised another $2,060 for their Community Scholarship Campaign, for a total of $117,484 raised to date. We are just $16,516 away from reaching our goal of raising $1,000 for every child in Astoria Houses with an NYC Scholarship Account!
Supporting Friends & Neighbors to Complete the Save for College Program Building Blocks
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Another family activated their child’s NYC Scholarship Account since our last meeting, earning additional scholarship rewards for their child. Families can also open their own college savings account, deposit their first $5, and receive the Savings Match, to increase their savings by up to another $175. Besides Building Block and Savings Match rewards, our Total Saved also increased this week to reflect an omission in data reporting that has since been resolved.
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We are now down to $19,475 left on the table for Astoria Houses families who have not yet completed the Building Blocks. If you or someone you know would like help completing the Building Blocks and earning those rewards, please contact Arli at (718) 593-0338 or call the NYC Kids RISE hotline at (833) 543-7473.
Next Steps:
- Keep fundraising for the Community Scholarship Campaign:
- Complete the Building Blocks and let your neighbors know about the almost $20,000 in scholarship money still left on the table. If you or someone you know would like help completing the Building Blocks and earning those rewards, please contact Arli at (718) 593-0338 or call the NYC Kids RISE hotline at (833) 543-7473.
- Join us for the next meeting on Tuesday, October 20 at 6pm! Even if you have not attended one of our previous planning meetings, you are always welcome to join us to chat with fellow parents and guardians about the work we are doing together to prepare for our children’s futures. Join us on Zoom here.
Best,
Debra-Ellen Glickstein
Executive Director, NYC Kids RISE
Claudia Coger
President, Astoria Houses Tenants Organization
