Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia — the largest Pre-K to 8th-grade scholarship program in Pennsylvania – surprised several families by telling them they were scholarship winners during an event at the Independence Blue Cross River Rink.
CSFP CEO Keisha Jordan said the organization receives about 6,000 to 6,500 applications for scholarships per year.
CSFP awards about 2,000 needs-based, partial scholarships per year to tuition-based schools, determining the winners by a lottery. Another lottery will take place in March.
The scholarships are worth $1,250, $2,500 and $3,350 per year, depending on income and household size.
The scholarships were awarded during the Dec. 8 event and on Dec. 12, when volunteers phoned lottery winners. The scholarships are for the 2025-26 academic year.
On Dec. 8, winning families were treated to pizza, pretzels and hot chocolate and given a gift bag and a ticket for free skating.
Jordan said scholarships help students get into a good high school, paving their way to higher education and ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty.
“Seventy-two percent of our students go to college,” she said.
The scholarships continue with a child through eighth grade. A family is eligible for scholarships for up to three children.
Tim and Hoan Dinh, of Bustleton, were lottery winners. They have four children, a 1-year-old and three who are enrolled at Anne Frank Elementary School. They will use the scholarship money to transfer their children to Maternity BVM.
“We were raised Catholic and were looking for a scholarship to get our children into more of a Christian environment,” Tim Dinh said.
The median annual household income for a CSFP family of four is $40,548.
CSFP raises money from business donors who use the state Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit.
CSFP is conducting a Breaking Barriers campaign with a goal of raising $100 million in a five-year period, ending in 2026. If that ambitious goal is met, CSFP will be able to offer scholarships to 7,700 students by 2027.
To learn more, visit csfphiladelphia.org. ••
