For Immediate Release:

GENERATION HOPE RECEIVES A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DONATION FROM MACKENZIE SCOTT

This Gift Will Advance the Organization’s Mission to Champion Equity for Teen Parents and Student Parents in College

WASHINGTON, D.C. ⸺ June 7, 2023 ⸺ Nonprofit Generation Hope announced today a multi-million dollar donation from MacKenzie Scott. This donation, the largest in Generation Hope’s history, will support the organization’s efforts to accelerate economic mobility for families through systemic work on behalf of student parents nationwide and direct support to young parents in college and their children. 

“The entire Generation Hope team is extremely grateful to receive this gift from MacKenzie Scott. Our work to ensure all families, including young families, are able to excel and thrive, is powered by those who invest in our vision,” said Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder, and CEO of Generation Hope. “As a former young mother who was once told that college and economic mobility were impossible, this is a surreal moment and an affirmation that the work we are doing is critical. We’re energized by this recognition and excited to use these funds to accelerate success for families nationwide.” 

Student parents often fall at the nexus of social, political, racial, and gender issues that impede their ability to graduate and ultimately access economic mobility. Despite accounting for more than one in five college students and being highly motivated to graduate, student parents are 10 times more likely to leave college before graduating, and fewer than 2% of teen mothers earn a degree before age 30. Since 2010, Generation Hope has worked to combat statistics like this and ensure student parents have the resources and support they need to reach the graduation stage. To date, the organization has worked with more than 300 young parents in college – and will grow to serve 200 in 2023 alone -, provided more than 1 million dollars in tuition assistance, and celebrated 173 degrees earned. They have also partnered with 15 colleges across the country to better serve this population, impacting nearly 60,000 student parents.

As part of its efforts to connect resources and opportunities to more student parents and higher education institutions, Generation Hope is focused on expanding its national footprint. With roots in the Washington D.C. metro area, the organization recently expanded its programming to New Orleans and announced multiple initiatives dedicated to driving successful outcomes for student parents nationwide. Generation Hope’s innovative model brings together direct work with families and innovative systems-change efforts to dismantle long-standing barriers in higher education and policy.  

To read Nicole’s appreciation letter to MacKenzie Scott, please visit generationhope.org/mackenzie-scott-gift. To learn more about Generation Hope, please visit generationhope.org.

Media Contacts

Brionna Miller,
973.861.3554
brionna@whitpr.com

Amani Saleem
908.588.2602
amani@whitpr.com

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About Generation Hope

To ensure all student parents have the opportunities to succeed and experience economic mobility, Generation Hope engages education and policy partners to drive systemic change and provides direct support to teen parents in college as well as their children through holistic, two-generation programming.
@supportgenhope