A generous grant of $500,000 from The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation will be utilized to support the Christel House College & Careers program and will establish a new endowment for graduates pursuing further education in the arts. “We are grateful to The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation for their support of our Christel House students and graduates around the world,” said Bart Peterson, President and CEO, Christel House International. “The outstanding results of the College & Careers program have motivated us to continue to expand and enhance this critical and unique component of the Christel House model.” As part of the grant, Christel House will also create an endowment to be known as The Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation Arts Fund. The fund will be designated to provide scholarships and/or stipends to graduates pursuing the arts, which are core to the Christel House model.
Christel House maintains regular contact with all graduates for five years. Mentoring and other support is provided until they are established in a full-time job or advanced studies. By the age of twenty-three, 73% of Christel House alumni are earning more than the household incomes of their local community.
As the College & Careers program does not yet exist in the Jamaica school (currently serving K-3, adding a grade each academic year) funds designated from the grant will support social and health care needs for students in Jamaica.