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BOARD MEETINGS To be announced. |
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Members List:
Myria Reed Foundation for Children with Special Needs Partnership and Service Providers
Director/Chairman:
Sandra Reed
President:
Angela Wells
Treasurer:
Jan McCarter
Secretary:
Paula Alohan
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THE MYRIA REED FOUNDATION IS RENEWING ITS COMMITMENT
Dear Friends:
We have over the years given scholarship awards to better serve students and parents in the transition process from high school to colleges, universities, or alternative programs. In the future, we would like to assist more students, as well as increase the amount given, so we are asking you to help us in this matter. This is an opportunity for you to help one young person to make his/ her dream a reality. Your contribution is tax-deductible, so we hope that this is an incentive to help, but let it also be gift from the heart. Please feel free to browse our website to get a better idea about us and what we have accomplished, and thank you in advance. Click on "GuideStar" to donate. See left side of screen.
Sincerely,
Sandra Reed,
Director/Founder
The Myria Reed Foundation for Children with Special Needs is renewing its commitment to helping our youth, and we are asking you to join us in this endeavor. We are a not-for-profit 501©(3) organization that was established on May 31, 2000, in order to provide the necessary resources and tools that will assist special needs children in finding their way in an already difficult world.
The Myria Reed Foundation for Children with Special Needs did their official unveiling at Lan 65 Family Empowerment Expo 2000, presented at Truman College, 1140 W. Wilson, on Thursday, September 14, by presenting three motivational speakers. We were honored to present Stanford James, featured interview from June 11th's Chicago Tribune Magazine article, "Train Man: How an Autistic Child found the Right Track," and his mother Dorothy James. Also speaking was Alan Goldberg, president of United Cerebral Palsy, on "Parents as Advocates and Special Needs Individuals Becoming Self-Advocates." This was only the beginning of a series of presentations that our Foundation will be offering. At present we are compiling an information and resource booklet to distribute among the community.
Joseph McCarter of Von Steuben Metro Science Center received the 2008 Scholarship Award for persevering through his challenges and graduating on time. Joseph has a longevity with the foundation; he was one of the awardees on January 16, 2001. He wrote an award winning essay based on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote:
"We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--this is true education."
2009 MISSION TRIP TO AFRICA
The foundation partnered with Uptown Baptist Church on a short-term mission trip (May 15- May 27) to Nigeria and Ghana. The purpose of the trip was to give needed encouragement & supplies to women & children. We visited orphanages & a woman medical center. This was an awesome, emotional, humble and blessed experience!
Click link to the left of screen "UNITED NATIONS NEWSLETTER" and then UNA-USA Chicago Chapter 2009 Newsletter. Please share with the others.
GHANAIAN CHILDREN
HOW TO PAY THE PIPER
14 ways to make sending your pride and joy off to college less painful-to your bankbook
By Gail MarksJarvis | Tribune reporter
August 3, 2008
1 When the child is a sophomore, start looking for colleges that provide substantial aid. Use guides such as the "Fiske Guide to College" and the "U.S. News and World Report America's Best Colleges."
2 Read Kalman Chany's "Paying for College Without Going Broke" before a student's junior year in high school, and adjust finances so you don't undermine your opportunity to win financial aid. Financial adjustments must be made before a child's senior year in high school.
3 During the sophomore and junior year of high school, start looking for scholarships on Web sites such as fastweb.com and scholarships.com. This is most important for high-income families that won't receive financial aid. Sometimes colleges reduce aid when students have won outside scholarships.
4 Apply to more than five colleges so you enhance your opportunity for financial aid. Some give "merit" aid, based on the student's unique characteristics (disabilities, race, talents, geographic diversity). Some give "need-based" aid based on family income.
5 Apply to public and private colleges. Public colleges appear cheapest, but private colleges often give more aid.
6 To enhance chances for aid, apply to what "U.S. News and World Report America's Best Colleges" calls "second tier" and "third tier schools." Less selective than elite schools, they seek students with higher SAT or ACT scores than their average applicant. The college guides show you the average scores.
7 Estimate what aid you might receive using the "expected family contribution" calculator at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp.
8 Once estimated, then do the calculation for private colleges (institutional formula) and public colleges (federal formula) to determine which offer more aid. Again, many private colleges provide more aid than public colleges.
9 If the calculation shows aid is likely, do not make any mistakes with your finances that will reduce aid. For example, do not keep any savings in a student's name and do not let grandparents shift assets to grandchildren.
10 If you will be eligible for financial aid, do not open UGMA or UTMA accounts for students. They poison aid. 529 college savings plans can interfere too, but less so.
11Meet the director of admissions and financial aid and ask about special scholarships. Top grades, SAT scores and athletic prowess aren't required for scholarships that recognize other attributes and talents.
12 If you will be borrowing money for college seek low-interest federal student loans-called Perkins and Stafford Loans-from the college financial aid office. Parents can also borrow cheaply through the federal PLUS loans program, available through colleges. Do not use private loans. The interest rate will probably be twice as high as federal loans.
13 When students attend college make sure to claim the Hope or Lifetime College Credits on your tax return-possibly reducing taxes by more than $1,000. Also, deduct interest on student loans.
14 Do not borrow from 401(k) plans to pay for college. Federal loans are a much better deal.
The first prize essay winner was Joseph McCarter, 5th grade, Stockton School; second prize artwork winner Nancy Thach, 6th grade, McCutcheon School; and third prize essay winner Iveta Bakalova, 5th grade, Stockton School. Our winners were from a diverse cultural background.
FIRST AWARD CEREMONY
To better serve students and parents in the transition process from high school to colleges, universities, alternative programs, employment or aids/services. The foundation will be adding links and information to the website. Please see the specific sites on the left side.
CLICK ON "BLOG YOUR CONCERNS"AND TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS.
(to the left of the page, at the bottom)
After clicking on one of the following headings: NEW MEMBERS FOR THE FOUNDATION, SUPPORTING THE FOUNDATION or PARENTS AND STUDENTS' NEEDS, post a comment. We need to hear from you.
Donate to the Foundation
Click on GuideStar (left side of screen)
Just recently (February 2009), we received two heartfelt letters from parents who are struggling financially to send their sons to school. If you feel it in your heart to reach out to them personally to give a monetary gift, resources or just some comforting words, they would be truly grateful. Please read letters below.
Dear sir/Madam,
Greetings from Davao City with love(Philippines)..Im happy to know that there is a foundation who is really caring for children with special needs.By the way Im a mother with 2 special child in our family..My elder son was diagnosed as Severe autism and the other one is my only daughter who was diagnosed as ADHD too..Our life since then was full of challenges not just emotionally by even financially..My elders son was already 13 years old.Yet due to our financial problem he was not able to continue in his schooling..His still in grade two elementary because i only concentrate on his Occupational therapies because we dont have enough money to let him go to school at the same time due to lack of resources in terms of financial aspect..Very painful for me as a mother seing him to continueously going to school..If they will be given a chance i think they will be a great chances for them to grow and develop to their fullest potentials..I hope that someday my two special child can be given a chance to develop by letting them going to school in our place davao city..Hoping that thru your foundation my two special child could received a scholarship that can continue for there indiviual educational program schooling here in our place davao city..May we can find somebody who has a deep, generous and big heart to sponsor or help my two special child now to continue in their schooling..Thanks in advance and May God Bless you in all your endeavors in life..
Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Diocadiz
Dear Ms. Reed
Thank you so much for responding to my email request for scholarship information.
I am inquiring on behalf of my son, Nathan Miller, who has cerebral palsy(spastic diplegia). He is currently a Senior at Bandon High School and has been accepted at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Oregon for the fall term. Nathan plans on transferring to the University of Oregon in Eugene after he has obtained his associate's degree.
Nathan cannot walk independently; he relies on a combination of walking aides depending on his location. He can use forearm crutches in small areas, he uses a Kaye posture control walker at school, and he uses a mobility scooter to navigate around the community.
He is also an extremely intelligent young man with enormous potential; a gifted writer and a voracious reader, wih ultimate plans of working as a diplomat through the U.S. Foreign Service. Unfortuantely, his high school grades do not qualify him for most academically-based scholarships and he desperately needs to attend college in order to become self-sufficient and economically independent.
To that end, I am looking into each and every scholarship assistance program for which he may qualify, which led me to your website. I appreciate any assistance you may provide. Thank you in advance; my contact information is below.
Sincerely,
Rachel Hernandez
Please donate to the foundation, so we can continue to help special education students. Your donation is tax deductible.
blk 7 lot 10 NHA, Buhangin, Davao City,8000 Philippines
082-2418818( tel.number)
810 Ocean Drive SW
Bandon, OR 97411
Home: 541-347-2974
Work: 541-347-4415
