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Single Parent event is set for Benton |
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Wednesday, 29 April 2009 |
The fifth annual luncheon on the courthouse lawn is Thursday at the Saline County Courthouse in Downtown Benton.
Funds from the event will benefit the Central Arkansas Development Council’s Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $10 and the event from 11 a.m. t0 1 p.m.
For advance tickets, call Quinn Dixon or Jennifer Pinkston at 315-0885 or Joy Ballard at 303-5640.
The luncheon will include a silent auction, door prizes, and the opportunity to hear from current and former single parent scholarship recipients. Lunch will consist of hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, chips, cookies, and a drink.
Silent auction items include everything from lawn mowers, golf packages, office chairs, and gift cards and baskets from various Saline County businesses. Donations were made from Home Depot, Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association, Smith-Caldwell Drug Store, West Side Pharmacy, Bill’s Flower Shop, Longhills Golf Course, Bank and Business Solutions, Office Depot, Everett Pontiac Buick GMC, Easy Chair Massage Company and the $1 Shop.
The Single Parent Scholarship Fund helps low income single parents earn a college education. Scholarships are used to offset emergencies such as child care, car repair, fuel, books and tuition that are not covered by other sources or other emergencies, which can interrupt education. Every dollar raised locally is matched dollar for dollar (up to $6,000) by the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund with funding through the Walton Family Foundation.
“Scholarships are awarded to single parents pursuing a career-oriented course of study to ensure a better standard of living for his or her family,” Jennifer Paul of CADC said.
CADC is also currently accepting applications for the Single Parent Scholarship Fund program until July 1. An application can be filled out or picked up at 309 S. East St. in Benton.
Applicants must return a completed application, three letters of recommendation, a current transcript of all completed courses and a goal statement. All applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study with the exception of candidates for the Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Each applicant is screened and each applicants will participate in an interview sessions.
To qualify for a Single Parent Scholarship, applicants must be residents of the county in which they are applying; must be a high school graduate or have received a GED; must be a single head of household (single, divorced or widowed); must be pursuing a career-oriented course of study to ensure a better standard of living for his or her family; must be a recipient of, or in the process of obtaining, a Pell Grant; maintain a 2.0 grade point average; and must agree to submit to CADC monthly reporting requirements. Applicants cannot already have earned an undergraduate degree with the exception of those pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching.
Income guidelines must also be met. A two-person household must make less than $1,517 per month to be eligible for this scholarship. For each additional family member, add $389 to the monthly income to determine eligibility.
The CADC is a private, nonprofit community action agency that was formed in 1965. For more information, call Quinn Dixon at 315-0885, Joy Ballard at 303-5640 or CADC public relations at 778-1133.
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