Education United States Project #55377

Scholarships for youth in/aging out of foster care

by Comfort Cases

Project Report | Aug 7, 2026
Thank YOU!!

By Rob Scheer | Founder

We recently shared the exciting news of our new partnership with Chowan University—a collaboration that is already creating meaningful opportunities for young people with experience in foster care. We wanted to share an exciting update!

In just a few weeks, the Comfort Cases team will travel to North Carolina to host a special packing party for incoming students as they prepare to begin this exciting new chapter. For many of these students, this will be their very first experience moving into a college residence hall with the essential items and encouragement they deserve.

This partnership represents so much more than a scholarship. Together, Comfort Cases and Chowan University are removing financial barriers that too often prevent youth transitioning from foster care from pursuing higher education.

Through Chowan University's Hope Scholarship program:

Eligible students can receive up to $10,000 per year in scholarship support.
The scholarship is renewable for up to four years, providing as much as $40,000 toward a college degree.
There is no limit to the number of eligible students who can receive the scholarship. Every qualified Hope Scholarship applicant who is accepted to Chowan University is guaranteed this financial support.
Students also benefit from Chowan's welcoming campus community, small class sizes, and personalized academic support—resources that are especially valuable for students who may not have traditional family support systems.

For youth aging out of foster care, access to higher education can be transformational. A college education offers not only financial opportunity but also stability, confidence, community, and the chance to build an independent future.

Your support through GlobalGiving helps make partnerships like this possible. Because of your generosity, Comfort Cases is able to connect deserving students with life-changing educational opportunities while ensuring they begin their college journey with the supplies, encouragement, and support they need to succeed.

Thank you for believing in the potential of every young person we serve. Together, we are helping students move beyond their circumstances and toward brighter futures.

To learn more about the Chowan University partnership—or to share this opportunity with someone who may benefit—please visit: Learn more about the Chowan University partnership or https://comfortcases.org/scholarship/

With deepest gratitude, Rob Scheer

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Apr 9, 2026
New News!

By Heidi Webb | Grants Writer

Because of your continued belief in our mission, we are able to take massive steps forward in supporting youth with lived foster care experience. Today, we are thrilled to share an exciting update with you: the launch of the brand-new Comfort Cases x Chowan University Scholarship.

This partnership is an incredible milestone that drastically expands access to higher education for the youth we serve. Through this initiative, every single student who applies for our Comfort Cases Hope Scholarship and is accepted to Chowan University will automatically receive this new award.

Here is a look at what makes this partnership so impactful:

Significant Financial Support: Students receive up to $10,000 per year.
Long-Term Commitment: The scholarship is renewable for up to four years, meaning a single student can receive up to $40,000 in total support.
Guaranteed Awards: There is no cap on how many students can receive this. If a Hope Scholarship applicant is accepted to Chowan University, they are guaranteed this funding.
A Nurturing Environment: Chowan University offers a highly supportive, welcoming campus specifically dedicated to helping youth thrive both academically and personally.

For youth transitioning out of the foster care system, this is far more than just financial assistance. It is a powerful, reliable pathway to opportunity, stability, and long-term success.

Thank you for being a vital part of the Comfort Cases family. Your generosity builds the foundation that makes life-changing programs like this possible.

If you would like to read more about this new initiative, or share it with someone who might benefit, you can find all the details here: Learn more about the Chowan University partnership or our traditional application process can be found here: Apply now: https://comfortcases.org/scholarship/

With deepest gratitude,

Rob Scheer

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Dec 9, 2025
What a year!

By Heidi Webb | Grants Writer

What a great year, thanks to you!

Comfort Cases, Inc. understands the importance of supporting young people as they transition out of foster care. Virtually all youth in foster care are indigent. Of the more than 343,000 children currently in foster care in the United States, just 3 in 10 will finish high school, less than 3% will go on to graduate from college, and one in five will, unfortunately, wind up homeless after aging out of the system. Comfort Cases, Inc. seeks to change these outcomes by offering educational and life skills support to young adults aging out of foster care. Comfort Cases provides Hope Scholarships, mentoring and Hope Boxes to help cover costs and ease the transition from foster care to adult life.

Applicants for Hope Scholarships are young adults who are aging out of or have aged out of the foster care system and are actively pursuing higher education in college or trade school. The Hope Scholarships help cover the costs of tuition, books, and other expenses associated with higher education. The scholarships are advertised nationally and are offered to U.S. citizens who have spent at least three years in foster care. Since 2016, Comfort Cases has awarded 32 scholarships of $5,000 each. The first $2,500 is paid upon award, and the remaining $2,500 is paid once the recipient is in the next semester of their schooling. The recipient provides proof that they are still in school. Hope Scholarships are funded by donors who specifically earmark donations for the scholarships. Funding for scholarships does not come out of general Comfort Case funds. Fully 100% of what is donated for scholarships goes directly to the students to spend as they need, whether for tuition, transportation, food, or household items.

Each scholarship recipient is matched to a mentor. Mentors and mentees touch base at least once a month. Mentors help these young people develop life skills and strategies for navigating the challenges they face as students living independently. Mentors assist with issues such as opening a bank account, crafting a resume, and finding resources such as food banks and affordable housing. Mentors share their considerable knowledge and experience to help these young people get a strong, confident start in their adult lives. These relationships are extremely valuable and rewarding to the scholarship recipients as well as the mentors, with some mentees continuing to stay in touch with their mentors for years following their mentorship period.

Hope Boxes are provided monthly for 12 months tocurrent recipients of the Hope Scholarships who are enrolled in college or trade school. Hope Boxes provide essential items for independent living, such as bedding, kitchenware, toiletries, snacks, non-perishable meals, gift cards and cleaning supplies. The total value of the items is approximately $50 - $75 per month. The Hope Boxes are funded by either specific individual donations and/or from Comfort Cases’ general funds. Since 2022, Comfort Cases has shipped 149 Hope Boxes to students formerly in foster care.

By donating to scholarships, mentoring and essential household items, you help young people aging out of foster care to break free from financial hardship, pursue their dreams of higher education, and ultimately become successful and financially independent adults. Yay, you!

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