“I watch my mom get up every day to work and make sacrifices for me and my little sister so that we can get a quality education. I know that it is not easy for her having to do everything on her own, but thanks to CSFB she is now getting help. CSFB is a blessing to many children and families like mine.”
-Dallas Paschall, CSFB Scholar
For nearly 25 years, Children’s Scholarship Fund Baltimore (CSFB) has supported hundreds of local Baltimore City students each year in a wide variety of schools, empowering school choice for hundreds of low-income families. And, while the program awards scholarships to students in grades K-8, the results of a quality education remain with them for life. In fact, our statistics demonstrate the lasting effects that the CSFB program has on its students and their families. Their involvement and accountability pay off; the results of their hard work are undeniable:
- 98% of 8th-grade graduates go on to graduate from high school.
- 95% of CSFB graduates attend one of Baltimore City’s top five public, charter, or magnet high schools.
- 84% of CSFB scholars graduate from college in four years.
- 12% of CSFB scholars obtain advanced degrees after college.
June 1st marked the beginning of our June Jumpstart Campaign, a month-long fundraising effort geared towards getting a jump on CSFB’s fundraising goal for the 2023-2024 school year. This fall we are planning on raising the scholarship amount to further support our families.
CSFB board member and Fundraising Chair, Dan Verbic, shared some insight on the kind of impact a donation of any size can have on the program, and what our goals are for this year.
From Dan Verbic, CSFB Fundraising Chair:
“I am honored to Chair the fundraising efforts on behalf of the CSFB board. I joined the CSFB Board five years ago because I fully believe in the mission of the organization to promote school choice for low-income families in Baltimore City. My good friend, Matt Wyskiel, who started the organization, was so passionate about CSFB that he inspired me to join the board.
Every donation is important — and essential — to supporting the CSFB mission. Our contributions comprise roughly 2/3 corporate and institutional giving and 1/3 from individuals. Company matching programs are also very helpful for individual giving.
We provided 284 scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year – an achievement that could not have been fulfilled without the help of every one of our donors, corporate and individual donors alike. Due to increased costs of living and tuition increases, we are planning to increase our scholarship amount from $2000 to $2500 per scholar this fall to further assist families in choosing the best schools for their scholars.
Help support CSFB’s amazing mission today. Please use this link to contribute any gift possible.
On behalf of the CSFB board, thank you!
Dan Verbic
CSFB Board Member & Fundraising Chair
Can a small donation to CSFB still have an impact?
In Baltimore City, there are hundreds of empty seats in private schools, and with a bit of financial help, CSFB scholars can fill those seats. Please consider making a donation of any amount you’re comfortable with to our June Jumpstart campaign this month and help us reach our fundraising goal of $10,000, which would allow us to provide scholarships for four students in the 2023-2024 academic year.
If you’re thinking, “I’m not sure I can contribute enough of a donation to have an impact,” you’re not alone. However, even a small, one-time donation can make a difference. If 100 people generously donated $25, that would support one full scholarship for the entire school year!
—Erica Jensen
Executive Director
Children’s Scholarship Fund Baltimore