INSPIRING STORY

TV host spotlights tenacious students

CP24 anchor Bakari Savage celebrated youth in extended care who received CCAF scholarships

As a successful broadcast news anchor and reporter on Toronto’s CP24, Bakari Savage is accustomed to the spotlight. At a Catholic Children’s Aid Foundation (CCAF) scholarship event, however, Savage shone a light on tenacious youth in child welfare who were awarded CCAF scholarships for university, college and trade school, thanks to generous donors like you.

“It can be really tough for these kids,” says Savage. “These scholarships let them know that they’re not alone.”

CCAF bridges the post-secondary education gap

Statistics show that youth coming from child welfare are significantly less like to graduate from high school or enrol in post-secondary education; those who do are more likely to drop out. (No surprise given the average cost of a four-year university degree: $96,000.) These young people are also at higher risk of underemployment, poverty and homelessness.

That’s why CCAF scholarships are a godsend, helping youth from extended care with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) access funds to study at university, college or trade school.

Building support networks: Savage’s advice to scholarship recipients

Savage encouraged scholarship recipients to embrace their unique journey and lean on each other. “I told them to commit to being each other’s support group,” he says. “These kids don’t have the same safety net that everyone else does.”

Jim Gilligan, Executive Director of the CCAF, agrees: “We’re recognizing exceptional youth who have worked incredibly hard at school, against very difficult odds.”

Your donations help elevate vulnerable Toronto youth

Savage urged the scholarship recipients to seek mentorship and stay focused on their goals, while also emphasizing the importance of asking for help when needed. When you donate to CCAF, you are providing the help these kids need to achieve a brighter future.

CCAF scholarships uplift youth who are going to the next level in their life, says Savage. “They’re receiving something really special—support from their community, both emotional and financial.”