Schools
Couple Donates $3M Support UCLA Foster Care Students
Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker donated the money to proved services for students who are or were in foster care.
Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker, who are among the heirs to the Hyatt hotel fortune, donated $3 million to UCLA to establish an endowment for students who are or were in foster care, the university announced today.
The endowment will provide funding for tutoring, mental health services, summer housing and other expenses, according to the university.
The funds were provided through the Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation.
"UCLA is committed to ensuring that all of its students can succeed, and the Pritzker Foster Youth Endowment will mean that our Guardian Scholars can focus on being students instead of worrying about unexpected costs," UCLA Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Janina Montero said.
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The UCLA Guardian Scholars program provides support to 250 current and former foster-care youth who attend UCLA.
In 2012, Jeanne Pritzker created the nonprofit Foster Care Counts, which annually treats foster families to a carnival-like celebration.
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"Every child deserves to have a caring adult in their lives, and while most kids in college have parents who fill that role, there are thousands who don't have that support," Jeanne Pritzker said. "These students have already overcome so many challenges to get into UCLA. With this permanent endowment, we want to make sure that unexpected expenses don't derail their efforts to graduate."
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