Each year Big Sandy Area Community Action Program (BSACAP) distributes over $7,000 in scholarships to students in the Floyd, Johnson, Martin, Magoffin, and Pike County area. The nonprofit organization will be offering ten $500 academic scholarships and one $2,000 Eula Hall Community Advocate Scholarship. Scholarships are funded through the Community Service Block Grant.
The Eula Hall Community Advocate Scholarship is offered to students majoring in Social Work, Human Services, Public Services, or related fields. Applicants must be in at least their third year of post-secondary study, must have a record of volunteerism, and must fulfill the requirements of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Scholarship application.
Eula Hall, who passed away last month, lived her life as an advocate for the workers, children, and families of the region. She served with the Volunteers in Service to America, the Appalachian Volunteers, the East Kentucky Worker’s Rights Organization, and as president of the Kentucky Black Lung Association. She established the Mud Creek Clinic in 1973 to serve uninsured and underinsured people. The Mud Creek Clinic, now known at the Eula Hall Health Center, offers general clinic care, pharmacy, dental care, optometry, mental health services, patient transportation, public benefits guidance, and a food pantry. She served on the BSACAP Board of Directors for nearly 40 years.
BSACAP Executive Director Wanda Thacker said, “Eula Hall’s service to our organization and the service and leadership she gave to the people in our area is a shining example of what people in eastern Kentucky are capable of when they put their minds to it. The Community Advocate Scholarship is one way that we can ensure that Eula’s legacy continues, and we see a new generation of strong advocates for eastern Kentucky rise up and continue the fight against poverty.”
BSACAP will also be offering ten $500 CSBG Academic Scholarship to students in the area.
If you are a student entering or returning to college or vocational school this fall and are in need of financial assistance, you may be eligible for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Academic Scholarship.
Applicants must provide the following information and/or documentation to apply for the scholarship:
• Meet income eligibility as determined by the Federal Poverty Guidelines
• Provide proof of residency within the BSACAP service area via utility bill or piece of first class mail postmarked within 30 days of application
• Complete and sign an application available online or through staff
• Complete a Family Profile according to CSBG guidelines (Please contact a staff member to complete this portion via telephone)
• Provide proof of a high school diploma or GED
• Provide proof of cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better from last semester of high school or last completed semester of college
• Provide two letters of reference
• Provide proof of enrollment or acceptance in a post-secondary educational institution for the Fall 2021 semester/term
• Write an essay on why they feel they should receive the award
Applicants who have earned a 4-year degree or are pursuing education levels of Master’s Degree and above are not eligible. BSACAP staff and family members of staff are not eligible to apply.
For further information or to get an application, applicants may contact the Big Sandy Area Community Action Program staff in their county via telephone or by emailing csbg@bsacap.org. Applications will be available online at www.bsacap.org/scholarships. Completed applications and required documentation must be received by mail no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 25, 2021. Scholarships will be awarded no later than July 30, 2021.
Office hours are 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Office numbers are as follows:
• Floyd County – (606) 874-3595
• Johnson County – (606) 789-6515
• Magoffin County –(606) 349-2217
• Martin County – (606) 298-3217
• Pike County – (606) 432-2775
Scholarship funding is made possible by Community Services Block Grant with funds made available by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
