Storwell Self Storage, which operates three facilities in Greater Toronto, is offering $2,000 in scholarship money through its annual “Foster Children Bursary Program” to help those who’ve been part of a foster-care program pursue post-secondary-school education. The company has created an online application for interested students who meet its eligibility requirements. The deadline to apply is Sept. 1.

The program is open to students in Canada and the United States who are 24 years old and younger. Applicants must have been a foster child in a verifiable program in either country and be enrolled by September as a full-time student at a recognized college, vocational program or post-secondary institution. They must also be a permanent resident or citizen of either nation, according to the company’s website.

The application invites participants to discuss area of study, community service, work experience, and general life or career goals.

For every 1,000 children who go through foster care in Canada, eight go on to a post-secondary degree. Finances are typically cited as a significant barrier, according to a source. There are approximately 63,000 Canadian children living in permanent care with foster families, extended family or group homes, according to the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. The number of U.S. children in foster care is more than 400,000, according to the Administration for Children & Families, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Storwell has offered the annual scholarship since 2012. Last year’s recipient was Mya Murray, who’s attending the University of Toronto in Mississauga, Ontario. The company has two self-storage locations in Toronto and one in Mississauga.

Sources:
Excalibur, Storwell Self Storage Offers a $2,000 Annual Bursary to Help Foster Children Pursue Their Post-Secondary Education
Storwell Self Storage, Foster Children Bursary Program