Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania

**Vision** We envision a time when all children affected by a parent’s work related injury or death can pursue their educational dreams without financial burden. **Mission** To create a strong Kids’ Chance presence in all 50 states by providing national visibility, financial support, and best practices to each state Kids’ Chance organization. **Kids’ Chance Core Values** - **Integrity** – We are an organization built on uncompromising integrity in everything we do. - **Passion** – We are passionate about our vision. Our members are fully engaged in supporting our mission to build strong state organizations that help every child needing financial support. - **Inclusion** – We will work with any individual, professional group or company that shares our vision to provide scholarships for children with a parent who has been severely or fatally injured in a work related accident. - **Alignment** – We strive to create synergy and community among the state organizations to demonstrate that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. **Our History** Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania (KCPA) was founded in 1997 and is part of similar, but unaffiliated organizations, throughout the United States. Each of the founders of KCPA had an affiliation with workers’ compensation in our state. They were attorneys, brokers, underwriters, self-insurers, rehabilitation specialists, nurses and others interested in helping young men and women who have been thrust into difficult circumstances as a result of a catastrophic work-related injury, illness or death. Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania (KCPA) was founded in 1997 and is part of similar, but unaffiliated organizations, throughout the United States. Each of the founders of KCPA had an affiliation with workers’ compensation in our state. They were attorneys, brokers, underwriters, self-insurers, rehabilitation specialists, nurses and others interested in helping young men and women who have been thrust into difficult circumstances as a result of a catastrophic work-related injury, illness or death. Galfand Berger was instrumental in getting KCPA established, and the PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation provided meeting space and administrative support. In the beginning, there was no need for a scholarship committee. During the first two or three ears, not many applications were submitted. In fact, during the first year, only one application was received. During this period, each application was reviewed by every member of the Board of Directors. The following members of the Board of Directors were very instrumental in reviewing the applications: Dave Manley, Jayne Lemon and Ed Jackson. By the late 1990’s, the number of applications greatly increased, and the Board of Directors saw the need to have a separate Scholarship Committee to review the applications. During this period, Ed Jackson, Ed Case, Jeff Gelburd and Dan Schuckers were very helpful in contributing to the efforts of the Scholarship Committee and in trying to develop standards for the awarding of Kids’ Chance of PA scholarships. Of primary concern to the Scholarship Committee was the need to balance academic achievement and financial need. That balance has remained of paramount importance in reviewing applications.