About Us

The Footprints Scholarship Fund (FSFUND) was founded in 2011 by Renée Morgan who lost her mother to breast cancer at the age of 13 and her father to heart disease at age 21, just two weeks after her college graduation. During her sophomore year of high school, Renée began seeking college financial aid based on this experience. This obstacle became the catalyst in creating the vision and naming the fund. “Footprints” is derived from the poem “Footprints In the Sand” by Mary Stevenson, which described Renée’s lifelong path.
 

Almost 20 years later, Renée was compelled in 2011 to finally develop the fund and begin assisting high school students with a similar experience. Eager to start, she approached longtime friends within her network who over the years shared their experience with losing a parent at a young age. This included Omar Boulware (his mother to Lupus at age 8) and Courtney DeRamus (her mother to complications of asthma after college). Renée contacted the Community Foundation of Prince George’s County, MD (Now the Greater Washington Community Foundation (GWCF)) to help develop the fund and obtain 501(c) 3 status. The Foundation informed her that before a scholarship could be established, she needed to raise $10,000.
 

We put our heads together and had our first meeting in Renee’s living room with a host of family and friends where the planning to raise the required $10,000 began. Ideas flourished and the group began to develop and execute a fundraising plan to host events and raise the money. Soon after, Omar and Courtney would become Advisory Board Members and dedicated partners in building and maintaining the fund.

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Our first event was a celebration to launch the fund and  begin collecting donations.  Later we would host a series of events, such as our annual awards reception and themed happy hour fundraisers. Money began to pour in from our network of friends, colleagues and family. Through our hard work and dedication, we managed to raise $10,000+.
 

In 2012, the Footprints Scholarship Fund became an official 501(c)3 component fund of the Community Foundation of Prince George’s County, MD (Now GWCF). Since inception, the scholarship has received overwhelming support from members of the community and corporate givers.

 

To date, we have raised over $150,000 and awarded over $80,000 in scholarships to high school and college students who lost a biological parent at a young age. These scholarships provide financial support and enable students to start or continue their education at a college or university of their choice. Scholarships have been awarded to students who attended Morgan State, Morehouse, Penn State, Univ. of Md (College Park), and North Carolina A&T, just to name a few.
 

Over the past 10 years, our leadership team has been dedicated to the scholarship. We consider each other family. God has carried us throughout this journey together. As the ancient proverb says, “Many hands make light work.” We are grateful for the bond we share on this mission.

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We thank everyone for their overwhelming support in providing financial assistance for deserving students to reach their college dreams. The fund plans to continue giving academic support, acknowledging that despite the obstacles in our lives there is a journey that keeps us holding on to the promise………