Established within one week of the attacks on America, September 11, 2001, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund® is unprecedented in its scope and achievements.

The Fund will ultimately provide more than $100 million in postsecondary education assistance to an entire generation of financially needy dependents of those who died or were permanently disabled in the attacks on 9/11. The Fund has already provided millions of dollars in scholarship support, and will continue to provide education assistance through the year 2030.

The Fund was established with the foresight that the loss of a family provider on 9/11 would put the educational futures of thousands of students in jeopardy. For those dependents with financial need, postsecondary education remains within reach thanks to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund and the hundreds of charitable organizations and individuals that donated their time and resources to help.

Families of Freedom 2008 Annual Report Now Available

Click the cover image to download the new Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund Annual Report (PDF), featuring updated statistics and inspiring stories like that of Eileen Cirri:

"I met my husband, Bob (a police lieutenant in New York killed during the 9/11 rescue efforts) while I was working in the ER as a nurse; he was a cop that brought me patients. While working in the ER, I saw injustices, like the dumping of patients, and I wanted to fight for their rights. Bob always told me I had the smarts to become a lawyer, but I never thought we could afford it and, to tell you the truth, I didn’t always believe I could do it. Plus, we would never take away the savings for the kids’ college.

"I was probably one of the first spouses that took advantage of the Families of Freedom scholarship, as I went to law school in 2002.  I know people hear rumors that the rescue workers got a lot of money, but they didn’t. Scholarship America was the only organization that allowed me, a spouse, to go to graduate school on a scholarship.

"If I could talk to the donors who contributed to the Families of Freedom Fund, I would tell them that whatever they gave in any amount or in any form will never be forgotten."

Download the Annual Report now to read more.