As the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Barasch & McGarry Charitable Foundation has opened applications for its September 11th Descendants Scholarship Program, which will award five $25,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors whose families lost a loved one to a 9/11-related illness.
The scholarships, totaling $125,000, are funded through Barasch & McGarry and will be paid directly to recipients’ educational institutions. Applicants must be accepted to an accredited college, university, community college, vocational school or trade school at the time the awards are issued.
The program supports students affected by long-term illnesses tied to exposure from the Sept. 11 attacks. Many current high school seniors were not born at the time of the attacks but have experienced the loss of a parent or family member to related illnesses.
“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.”
The World Trade Center Health Program, established under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010, has certified more than 140,000 people nationwide with 9/11-related health conditions and confirmed more than 9,000 deaths linked to such illnesses.
Scholarship recipients will be notified by Aug. 3 and recognized at the Giving Back Benefit: Honoring the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 on Sept. 2.
In addition to the scholarship program, the Barasch & McGarry Charitable Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations serving the 9/11 community. The New York-based law firm Barasch & McGarry has represented and advocated for 9/11 first responders, survivors and families since 2001.
