Hey friends, remember college?
Staying up crazy late. Random road trips. Messy dorm rooms. All-you-can-eat meal plans. Afternoon naps.
Sound familiar?
I’d say it’s impossible to put a value on the college experience because the memories made there are truly priceless and once in a lifetime.
The more I get to know these BTO students, the more I wish and hope and dream for them. It is my goal to give them full access to every new and exciting adventure college has to offer. (And because of the BTO mentoring program, I also make sure their education gets priority!)
But in order to bring this dream of a terrific college experience to life, I’ll need some help.
At CDF-Texas, we’ve done the research and legwork over 22 years of the CDF Beat the Odds Program to identify the items needed for the quintessential college experience:
- Comfy bed linens with extra-long twin sheets and the all-important mattress pad
- Durable luggage for move-in day, road trips, study abroad, spring break vacations, and more
- Hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes for germ protection (2020 made them a must-have)
- Laptop computer for their studies and social lives (Netflix, social media, networking, etc.)
And much more!
It is such an honor to be part of the support system for these exemplary young people. Being able to provide them with quality college essentials not only spares them and their families a massive financial expense, but also offers a tangible reminder of CDF’s support. Thoughtful gifts like these are a big part of what makes CDF Beat the Odds more than just a scholarship.
Throughout July, we highlighted a different honoree each week on our Instagram and sent out an email similar to this blog to personalize the experience a bit. If you’re not on our email list, subscribe here!
In these emails, we re-introduced our 2021 honorees through their stories, their own words, their photos, and their experiences.
Learn about the rest of our Honorees on our Instagram now.
I hope you’ll indulge us as we shamelessly celebrate the accomplishments of these students and invite you to contribute to their incredible college adventure.
“I continued to find ways to keep myself positive despite the challenging environment I had been placed in…I found out how resilient I am by working a job, participating in many clubs, and being an A Honor Roll Student. Now, I participate in Debutante Balls, I have run my student council as secretary through a pandemic, and I have maintained a volunteering record at Fallbrook Church.
I would like to leave you all with this: There is always room for positivity even in the midst of sadness.” — Asiah Donahue
I’m not sure if you can tell, but I love working with these students. I marvel at their resilience each day and am constantly filled with inspiration.
I implore hardworking people (like you) who have found your way in this world to support young people (like these) who deserve a fighting chance to find their own way. If you aren’t able to give financially but you still want to help, reach out to me! We can get creative about how you can engage and invest in remarkable youth who are so worth our investment.
If you missed the Honoree Spotlights and Instagram Takeovers this last month, don’t worry, you can view them all here.
“In a sense, [my time in the hospital] may have been serendipitous as it led me on a long and spiraling path to where I am now. In the future, I hope to shrink the gap between nutrition knowledge and healthy foods for marginalized communities while researching the application of bacteria in the gut microbiome on larger organ systems. ” — Dat Van
CDF-Texas sends a massive thanks to all who have supported our honorees by sponsoring a bundle of college essentials! You’ve made SO much possible!
If you haven’t purchased a bundle yet,it’s not too late! Your purchase directly supports our honorees and sets them up for success in their first few years of college.
Hear more from past honorees about how the Bundles impacted them:
Sponsor a Bundle
With gratitude,
Clarissa Webb
Youth Programs Coordinator, CDF-Texas