Women’s Center awards scholarships to women to help them build better lives

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Helping them to move forward and build a better life after enduring domestic abuse, the Montgomery County Women’s Center recently awarded college scholarships to seventeen clients who had been served by the center.

During the annual Scholarships Awards Ceremony held at Lone Star College – Montgomery, which has provided the room, food and decorations for the past four years, some of the recipients shared their emotional, yet inspirational, stories of courage and determination to a room filled with their friends, families, scholarship donors and representatives of Montgomery County Women’s Center (MCWC).

“The majority of our clients have incomes below the poverty level and have never received the education or training necessary to obtain adequate employment to support themselves and their children,” explained Sarah Raleigh, President and CEO of MCWC. “Studies have shown that women who become self-sufficient are less likely to return to abusive situations, thereby breaking the vicious cycle of family violence. Each year, we offer scholarships to help them in their economic struggle, and the success stories that result are numerous and heart-warming.”

Special guest speaker Charles Manley addressed the importance of valuing education, and the obstacles and sacrifices that go along with pursuing higher education in order to make a better life. He also thanked the generous scholarship donors whose contributions raised $29,500 this year for the women who plan to attend Lone Star College, Houston Community College, or Sam Houston State University.

The 2014 Scholarship Donors included Laurie & John Jordan, Lowell Anderson, Jan & James Larson, Jerry Hantman, Marion & John Fischer, Angie & Danny Signorelli, Audra & Kyle Hoegemeyer, Brynn & Peter Huntsman, Ally & Mike Seder, Lone Star College - Montgomery, Nell & Ed Belanger, Corporate Medical Systems, Inc., Tom Cox, Sr., Cindy & Rob Hardin, Aletha & Jeff Harris, Johanna & Jay King, Dianne & George Lindahl, The Manley Family Foundation, Debbie & Bill Stanford, JoAnne & Randy Lowry, and Julie Struble.

The mission of Montgomery County Women’s Center is to end domestic violence and sexual assault in Montgomery and surrounding counties through assistance, advocacy, empowerment and education. It is a 501C 3 nonprofit, private organization. For more information, please call (936) 441-4044 or the 24-hour crisis hotline at (936) 441-7273, or visit www.mcwctx.org.