the pearl bate scholarship fund

This past year, childcare has become even more critical, pushing some women out of the workforce. For many low-income and bilingual families, the impact is twofold: studies show children without access to high quality preschool face an early achievement gap with staggering long-term effects—everything from juvenile justice involvement to lesser lifetime earnings, and beyond.  

At YWCA Princeton, we firmly believe in the value of quality, bilingual early childhood education. While the challenges of this year have been twofold for many, so has your impact. Here’s why your support matters:

Avrill and her parents are new to the U.S. by way of Venezuela. We are able to assist them with 75% off their tuition so mom and dad can remain stably employed at a coffee factory, working towards a bright future for their family. Avrill is 2.5 and currently learning to speak English. She loves school at YWCA Princeton!

We are providing Tyler with a 50% Bates gap scholarship while his mom applies for state funding through Child Care Connection. During the pandemic, she had been working from home. Now her employer, a recycling company, has requested her return to in-person immediately. Bates is supporting her while she waits the two months for state approval.

Thanks to the Bates scholarship, Valeria’s mom can afford childcare while she works full time as a lead teacher in our Dragonflies classroom. Valeria loves spending time with her friends with mom right across the hall. We empower mom to provide for her family, while also having peace of mind knowing her daughter remains in a safe and nurturing environment.

Now more than ever, your help is needed. If our Bates supporters each donated $200, it would fully fund our $20,000 Bates Scholarship for the year. Our children cannot wait. Will you join us in making a difference?