Together we can Empower
- Students
- Schools
- Families
- Communities
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Join Empower Illinois' efforts to expand quality education options through research, policy, and advocacy initiatives.
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Donate
Help empower students, whose education opportunities may be limited by household income, through tax credit scholarships.
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Partner
Participate in the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, or join Empower Illinois' coalition of partner organizations.
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Stories that Empower
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Ebony J., Mother
When the Tax Credit Scholarship Program began in 2018, three of Ebony’s children were able to attend Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School on full scholarships. “At the time, my husband was in between jobs. We...
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Patricia W., Grandmother
I’m fighting for tax credit scholarships on behalf of my grandson. My son, his father, attended the local public school and became very lost. He ended up not graduating and...
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Patrick T., Father
I’m a single father. There was no way I was going to be able to afford my daughter attending Fenwick High School on an Uber driver salary. I could work 15 hours...
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Desiree T., Mother
Life has not always been easy for me. I struggled trying to figure out how to feed my children, clothe them, and provide a stable home. I have always worked two, sometimes even three, jobs to survive. I have been...
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Danielle L., Mother
This program is so vital to kids who come from lower income families. At public school, I felt like my kids were just a number – like standing in line...
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Kurt W., Father
My wife and I have been married for 25 years. We have five children – aged 19, 17, 14, 12, and nine. We were originally a homeschooling family, but when...
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Sharyl R., Mother
When the COVID-19 pandemic happened, things started getting worse. Obviously remote learning is not as effective as being in the classroom, and by August I realized that it was not...
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Beatrice M., Mother
Thank you for awarding our children the Empower Illinois Scholarship for the Fall 2020 – Spring 2021 school year. It is truly a blessing. The feeling of happiness overwhelmed me...
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Tamika N., Mother
I would like to thank you for your generous donation, and express my sincere gratitude for the scholarship we were awarded. With this scholarship my son has been able to...
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Elvira R., Mother
The school my sons were attending was closing, leaving them in educational limbo. We thought of getting into a wonderful, private school but knew that the tuition would be out...
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Allyssa N., Mother
Thank you so much for the opportunity you gave to our son. We could never afford to send him to the amazing private school he is currently attending because of...
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Jada O., Student
When I was in the public middle school, it was difficult because I didn’t understand the things that they taught. Like in my math class, they taught math one way...
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Jennifer L., Mother
As a single mom, I do not know what we would do without this program. With the newfound financial freedom provided by tax credit scholarships, I was able to go...
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Grace C., Mother
When my husband passed away, I had to try to figure out whether they could stay or if we’d have to move schools. It was really hard, in all honesty....
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Toni S., Mother
Her biggest thing was that she wanted to go where she felt she belonged, where she was surrounded by her type of people. Without our Invest in Kids scholarships, none...
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Crystal H., Mother
I’m really her only support, and I wanted to support her, but private school is so expensive that it was hard for me to even think about sending her to...
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Montell G., Mother
I was paying fifty percent tuition, which was doable and well worth the money, but the school called me in December and said they were able to offer us a...
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Courtney H., Mother
This Tax Credit Scholarship Program gives me the ability to send my daughter, to what I believe is the best school. It also relieved a lot of stress – I...
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Tracy M., Mother
My daughter is currently a third grader at St. Mary Nativity in Joliet, Illinois. Every year since Kindergarten, they have worked with me and the payments I could make, when...
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Jessica S., Mother
This has been our second year getting the scholarship. Years ago, my daughter had been going to a Catholic school for preschool, but I could only afford to keep her...
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Brianna Y., Student
Both my parents came here at a young age. They’re immigrants and they wanted something better for us. They wanted something better for their families. Before we started receiving financial...
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Jasmine B., Mother
Jasmine is the mother of three students at St. Patrick Catholic School in Springfield. Two of her kids had attended public schools, but she felt they were just a number,...
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Theresa G., Mother
As a single mother of five children, I am forever grateful to Empower Illinois. While my oldest has graduated, my four daughters were in limbo this past school year. My...
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Angela M., Mother
Without the Empower Illinois scholarship, I would not be able to afford to send my children to a great school. I am a single mother of two children. My son...
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Michael T., Grandfather
As a single grandparent of two school children it is very difficult to provide them with all the tools and some basic items they require to be healthy and successful....
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