More than 300 scholarship recipients, family members and community volunteers attended Scholarship Receptions hosted by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan. The receptions celebrate the achievements of local high school graduates and enable awarded students to meet the donors and fund representatives who make their scholarships possible.

Since 2000, funds under the Community Foundation’s charitable umbrella have awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to local, deserving students. This year alone, scholarship funds administered by the Community Foundation distributed more than $400,000 to 178 students from 41 different schools.

“The Community Foundation is proud to help our donors and fund representatives fulfill their charitable wishes of supporting higher education, or honor the memory of a loved one,” said Michelle Terwilliger-Hathaway, Community Foundation Director of Development. “Through their generosity and vision, we now offer 105 different scholarships to every school district in Orange and Sullivan County!”

An annual Orange County reception, on July 27, was held at the Montgomery Senior Center. This year, t cater to both counties, an additional reception was added this year in Sullivan County. The inaugural event, held July 17, at The Arnold House, in Livingston Manor, far exceeded attendance expectations and was deemed a huge success.

“These receptions are our most heart-warming events because we get to see the pride on parents’ faces and we are able to foster meaningful connections between student award recipients and our devoted donors who often want to share the stories and motivations behind why their scholarships exist,” Ms. Hathaway said.

Contributions to scholarship funds administered by the Community Foundation may be made to CFOS and sent to the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, 30 Scott’s Corners Drive, Suite 203, Montgomery, NY 12549. Secure online donations may also be made at https://cfosny.org/our-funds/scholarships. The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  All gifts are tax deductible under current tax laws. For more information, call the Community Foundation at (845) 769-9393.