In honor of what would have been my sister, Cennea’s 52nd birthday, The Cennea Thorla Guidry Scholarship Foundation (TCTGSF) is pleased to announce its inaugural funding cycle!
Applications received between November 1, 2023, and December 1, 2023 will receive a determination by December 15, 2023. Applications can be found at the “Apply Now” link on the website, www.tctgsf.com. The Foundation serves child and adult domestic abuse survivors living in program-based housing (long-term shelters, transitional living services, foster care, etc.) by funding not only traditional educational expenses such as tuition and fees, but other expenses that frequently derail educational attainment such as technology, childcare, and transportation. The Foundation also recognizes the role of extracurricular activities in healing for child survivors, offering financial support to cover associated costs.
To apply, please go to the Apply Now link at the top of the page. Please note that we only accept applications from agencies providing program-based housing to applicants, and not the individuals themselves. If you have questions, please contact Shelbra at 505-456-0852 or tctgsf@gmail.com.
I’m at once proud and humbled that TCTGSF has arrived at meeting its mission of supporting economic autonomy and personal empowerment for domestic abuse survivors through educational opportunity. Ten months from incorporation and we are preparing to award our first round of scholarships! I am grateful beyond measure for the support we’ve received from our community: without it, meeting this mission would be impossible.
As the end of 2023 approaches and TCTGSF is on the brink of making its first awards, would you consider contributing to the Foundation? Donations are tax-deductible and 100% of all gifts received now until the end of 2023 will be marked for scholarships.
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=W6FLWF5RDCGU6
Also, if your company provides any donation-matching opportunities, I welcome and appreciate the chance to stretch your charitable contribution.
Cennea’s birthday is always bittersweet. Her absence and its resounding reverberations shift from being the background noise of my life to an unavoidable, constant sensation that roots in my body and shadows my every thought and move. Some years, it’s a heavy day. This year, though, her birthday feels lighter knowing that, through the Foundation, other people will have the opportunity to reimagine their lives free of abuse and with greater opportunities for independence and empowerment.
