The BackStoppers Education Fund – The Campaign for Their Future
The Campaign for Their Future is a $5.0 million project to ensure that every child of a police officer, firefighter or publicly-funded paramedic/EMT in our coverage area that has fallen in the line of duty will have access to financial resources to pursue elementary, secondary or post-secondary educational opportunities. Funds raised through the Campaign will be used to establish The BackStoppers Education Fund, designated specifically for these education needs.
One of the most important commitments The BackStoppers makes to survivor families is an assurance that their children will be able to afford whatever educational opportunities they have or that their parents had planned for them. Meeting these educational costs is often one of the major expenses for surviving families, and one of the most important.
Creating a fully-funded Education Fund that will ensure that these costs are met is a primary goal of The BackStoppers.
Understanding Future Educational Needs
Currently, The BackStoppers provides more than $200,000 per year for education-related expenses of the families it serves. Given the continuing rise in tuition and other educational costs, along with the average annual growth in the number of families and children served, our projections show that we will need a minimum of $5.0 million more over the next two decades to meet these educational obligations.
The BackStoppers’ Board has set a goal for its Education Fund at $5,000,000. One hundred percent of the Board members have already pledged to support this Campaign.
The BackStoppers is seeking to raise this amount over the next several years to build a fully-funded reserve for education that can eventually provide ongoing, sufficient income to meet these growing needs.
Our Goal
The BackStoppers Education Fund will ensure that we can meet the future educational costs of families over the next 20 years.
Our goal is to ensure that these children have every opportunity to go to the schools of their choice, unhindered by a lack of financial resources. We have a financial aid consultant who works with each family, one-on-one, to help them identify their needs and pursue all other available avenues for educational assistance. We also partner with other organizations in the community to provide our families with workshops and financial literacy programs to help them manage their obligations.
Once all other financial aid options have been exhausted, The BackStoppers’ Board of Directors authorizes payments to cover the child’s full remaining education costs.
Your Support
The BackStoppers has made a commitment on behalf of the entire St. Louis community to provide for the future security and education of the families of those who have fallen in the line of duty. It is an obligation we must meet, but given the soaring costs of education, we cannot do it without the help of others who share our respect and admiration for those who protect us everyday.
All funds contributed to The BackStoppers Education Fund will be specifically designated to meet these education obligations. The BackStoppers’ Board of Directors will distribute funds to families each year on a case-by-case bases after all other financial aid options have been exhausted by the family.
Your generous support will ensure that a young child that has lost his or her parent will not have to suffer further due to an inability to pursue whatever educational opportunities may be available. Moreover, your donations will bring peace and comfort to tragedy-torn families that have nowhere else to turn for this support.
Education Fund Donation Form
Help us provide for the future education of our fallen heroes’ families today. Thank you for your support!
Donations support all families assisted by BackStoppers.