Our Service and Missions Ministry (SAM) and Justice and Advocacy Ministry (JAM) are joining together to lead our congregation through a fundraising effort to support the R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund. This scholarship helps financially support students from the Monacan Indian Nation who are pursuing higher education.
Tribal member Sally Latimer has this to say about the scholarship fund:
The R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, entirely due to the efforts of board members, tribal members, and contributors who wish to see the vision of the Monacan people and R.G. Bryant come to fruition: that tribal members have a chance at the education that was denied to generations of Monacans before us. In 2023, the Scholarship Fund awarded a total of 34 scholarships for a total of $62,094 in tuition, $2,400.00 in books, and $5,300.00 in computers for Monacan students to attend higher learning institutes as diverse as University of Virginia, Dartmouth, William and Mary, University of Lynchburg and several Virginia Community Colleges to name a few. As with every Indigenous nation, the youth are the future of the Monacan people, and the R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund is striving to assist these young scholars in building a brighter future for the Monacan Indian Nation each and every year. From humble and joyous beginnings almost 30 years ago, the fundraising efforts of what would evolve into the Scholarship Fund has assisted many, many Monacans achieve diverse dreams with educational assistance; indeed, lawyers, nurses, teachers, members of the business community and doctors are just a few of those whose footsteps began with R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund assistance. We look forward to growing in scope and service to the Monacan people in the years and decades to come.
SAM & JAM have set a goal of raising $10,000 and has started us out with $2000 from SAM’s annual budget. We pray that our efforts will help the R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund to continue to grow and support students as the cost of continuing education continues to grow.
We will have a basket for cash or check (made out to Sojourners with “Monacan scholarship” in the memo line) donations on the altar every Sunday during September. You can also visit our Donate Now page and make your donation electronically. Choose the “R.G. Bryant Monacan Scholarship Fund” option.