The Scholarship Foundation to Increase Focus on Student Support, Cease Retail Operations

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Statement of Faith Sandler, Executive Director, The Scholarship Foundation

“On Tuesday, September 27, the Board of Directors of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis voted to begin the process to close the ScholarShop stores and focus on maximizing our assistance to area students. The Scholarship Foundation is extremely grateful to the St. Louis community for 57 years of ScholarShop success that provided a source of funding and opportunities for students who could not otherwise afford a postsecondary education.”

“The first priority of The Scholarship Foundation is to provide financial support to help make college attendance – and graduation – a reality for area students. The retail industry is changing. After 50 years of growth, the Board has witnessed ScholarShop net revenue decline, and operating costs increase, over recent years. This trend creates an important opportunity for The Scholarship Foundation to adapt our fundraising efforts to ensure we can fully meet students’ needs.”

“Our Board has dedicated more than 300 hours of work toward making this informed decision. Closing the ScholarShop locations will result in a decrease in Foundation staff through the elimination of 28 positions. This factor weighed heavily on our board during the decision-making process, yet they stand resolute that this decision best serves the students of the region. Our staff and volunteers are unwavering in their dedication to our mission. This change will be implemented during the next six to twelve months, and will allow us to have an increased focus on students, rather than infrastructure, as we look forward to the 100th anniversary of our organization in 2020.”

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