Together we can Empower
- Students
- Schools
- Families
- Communities
Engage
Join Empower Illinois' efforts to expand quality education options through research, policy, and advocacy initiatives.
Learn More
Donate
Help empower students, whose education opportunities may be limited by household income, through tax credit scholarships.
Donate
Partner
Participate in the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, or join Empower Illinois' coalition of partner organizations.
Learn More
Stories that Empower
Read All Stories
Monique H., Mother
Receiving the scholarship that first year was a real blessing and took such a financial burden off our shoulders. De La Salle Institute was my daughter’s dream choice for high...
Read the Full Story
Lisa S., Mother
The teachers go above and beyond the call of duty. When I had surgery they made sure my son made it to school. During COVID, when he was home and...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
Chris M., Donor
I first heard about the Tax Credit Scholarship Program from my brother, who is a principal, at a family gathering. He said, “you should be all in on this program,”...
Read the Full Story
Lorena M., Mother
Thanks to Empower Illinois, my son has had the opportunity to receive a quality education that would otherwise be unavailable to us. We are a family of immigrants, and thanks...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
Veronica J., Mother
It was a very special moment when I was informed that we received an Empower Illinois scholarship. Thanks to your help, my daughter was able to finish elementary school at...
Read the Full Story
Susan J., Mother
If my kids could get a tax credit scholarship it would mean more than anyone could possibly know. I grew up in a time when people believed that it takes...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
Sarah M., Mother
When we received a scholarship for my daughter to attend St. Malachy this upcoming school year, it was a huge relief. I’ll be able to afford to send my twins...
Read the Full Story
Elizabeth F., Mother
I am a mother of soon to be 5 children. I was a single mother with my first 2 children for 5 years. I would dedicate and sacrifice myself to...
Read the Full Story
Stacey H., Mother
Before my divorce, all three of my sons were attending private Jewish Day Schools, and afterward I became solely financially responsible for their education. The divorce was already a huge...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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,...
Read the Full Story
Rich G., Father
We have three girls and providing them with a quality, Catholic education is very important to us. My wife and sister-in-law both attended Blessed Sacrament in Belleville, so we knew...
Read the Full Story
Mireya J., Mother
A tax credit scholarship would be so important to my son, who will be an incoming freshman for the 2023-2024 school year. My son has always wanted to attend Boylan...
Read the Full Story
Katie B., Mother
My family and I are very grateful for the Empower Illinois scholarship, which we have received over the past several years. My husband and I have four kids. On the...
Read the Full Story
Emily and Emmanuella A., Students
My favorite part about being at St. Thomas is the teachers and the students, because they’re always willing to help you when you need it. There’s a very good support...
Read the Full Story
Sarah S., Mother
I am a single mother of five children and rely heavily on my 15-year-old daughter for help. In 2020, our family relocated to a new city, and my daughter felt...
Read the Full Story
Symara M., Mother
My husband and I live just outside Chicago with our two children. My son is a sophomore at Fenwick High School and my daughter is finishing up eighth grade at...
Read the Full Story
John J., School Leader
Many families rely on tax credit scholarships to attend our school. It not only benefits our students and school community, but our church. Before TCS we provided as many scholarships...
Read the Full Story
Luis M., Father
My daughter, Gabriella, has been through some very difficult times. When she was in Kindergarten, I was granted custody of her, and she had to leave her mom and sisters...
Read the Full Story
Elizabeth H., Mother
I am a single mom of two children. When I divorced in 2018, I had no income and a high school education, but I knew that I needed to set...
Read the Full Story
Mrs. McCoy, Teacher
To say that Mrs. McCoy goes above and beyond seems like an understatement. She is above and beyond every day and then goes even higher. Her enthusiasm on the topics...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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....
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
Larissa W., Mother
Receiving tax credit scholarships for my children would mean the world to us. It would allow them to receive a valuable education, which I would otherwise not be able to...
Read the Full Story
Anonymous, Father
My family has been very blessed to receive multiple scholarships from Empower Illinois over the past several years, including this upcoming school year. These scholarships have meant that our family...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
Gail K., Grandmother
My daughter passed away in 2018, leaving Harper (5yrs) and her sister, Elayna (11yrs) in our care. Their father was in prison and there was no life insurance in my...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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...
Read the Full Story
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....
Read the Full Story