Grantee Profile: Providence St. Mel School

Johnson Scholarship Foundation Partners with Providence St. Mel School to Provide College-Preparatory Education for Inner-City Youth

$500K Funds Scholarships for Economically Disadvantaged Students

In December 2013, Johnson Scholarship Foundation (JSF) awarded a matching grant of $500,000 to Providence St. Mel School. Conditions of the grant stipulate that the school will raise qualifying funds in order to receive the grant money, a portion of which is paid annually through 2019. The total economic impact on the school will be $1,425,000, which means that between 45 and 50 new students will get the opportunity to attend Providence St. Mel. They’ll graduate with the tools necessary to continue their education, obtain employment and become independent, active members of our society.

Located on Chicago’s West Side, an area struggling with some of the highest rates of poverty, unemployment, crime and violence in the nation, Providence St. Mel seeks to end the cycle of poverty and dependence by providing a rigorous, rewarding and transformative education. The school serves African-American children and youth from age three through their high school graduation. The school boasts an incredible 100% graduation rate over the last 35 consecutive years. EVERY GRADUATE has been accepted to four-year colleges and universities every year since 1978.

“The purpose of Providence St. Mel School aligns with the Foundation’s mission and determination that our grant making should be a catalyst to help our partners and their students become more independent and self-reliant,” says Foundation President Malcolm Macleod. “We are confident that this program will not only directly affect the recipients of the scholarships, but also the school as a whole, enabling Providence St. Mel to attract additional grant-making partners and donors.”