NYC Survivors Of September 11th, Their Families Can Apply For Scholarship To Attend College

Editor’s note: We had a detailed discussion with Sara from Barasch & McGarry regarding the World Trade Center Health Program and the Victims Compensation Fund.  These are different programs which are open to people who were present at the site of the Twin Towers in the days and weeks following their destruction.  Anyone who was there should start the enrollment process, since as with all government programs, applying is very complex and time consuming so it’s better to start early.  

Regarding this application, eligible high school students must submit a statement of financial need, their school record with GPA, and an essay on growing up in the shadow of 9/11 due to the illness their relative developed. Proof is also required that shows the death of their relative was caused by the toxins and related illnesses from September 11th. 

NEW YORK, N.Y – As the nation approaches the 25th Remembrance of September 11, the Barasch & McGarry Charitable Foundation has opened applications for its September 11th Descendants Scholarship Program, which will award five $25,000 scholarships, totaling $125,000, to graduating high school seniors whose families have lost a loved one to a September 11-related illness.

The Foundation, dedicated to honoring first responders, survivors, and their families, created the scholarship program to invest in the futures of young people who have grown up in the shadow of a loss they may not have fully understood, but whose lives have been profoundly shaped by the lasting impact of 9/11.

The one-time scholarships are funded through the partnership of Barasch & McGarry, lawyers for the 9/11 community, and are being awarded in recognition of the 25th Remembrance of the attacks.

The World Trade Center Health Program, created in 2010 under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, has certified more than 140,000 people from all 50 states with 9/11-related health conditions and confirmed the deaths of more than 9,000 people from 9/11-related illnesses, nearly three times the number of people killed on September 11, 2001.

“While this year’s graduating seniors were not yet born when the attacks occurred, many grew up experiencing the loss of a parent or loved one to a 9/11-related illness,” said Michael Barasch, Managing Partner of Barasch & McGarry. “Through these five $25,000 scholarships, we hope to honor their resilience, support their educational goals, and invest in the next generation. Twenty-five years later, 9/11 continues to affect families across the country, and these students are living proof of that lasting impact.”

Eligible students must be accepted to an accredited college, university, community college, vocational school, or trade school at the time the scholarship is awarded. The scholarships will be paid directly to the recipient’s educational institution.

Scholarship recipients will be notified by August 3 and recognized at the “Giving Back Benefit: Honoring the 25th Remembrance of 9/11” on September 2.

In addition to scholarship opportunities, the Barasch & McGarry Charitable Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations that support, advocate for, and deliver services to the 9/11 community.

Barasch & McGarry, lawyers for the 9/11 community, is a New York-based law firm that has been at the forefront of legal and policy-driven advocacy for 9/11 first responders, survivors, and victims’ families since 2001.

Banner Image: September 11th Memorial Staten Island. Image Credit – Sean Fitzpatrick