Nonprofit creates change to give students of color opportunities to succeed

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — With high school graduation right around the corner, many students have started planning their college careers. For more than 40 years, a group of women in Union County has been helping make that dream possible for some.

The Women for Progress club has awarded $140,000 in scholarships since its inception in 1979.

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It all started when Mary Harrell, Geraldine Barrino and Frances Staton attended a graduation ceremony at Forest Hills. They noticed that no African American students had received scholarships.

“My mom was all about action. When she sees a problem, she solves it,” said Staton’s daughter Anita. “So these ladies got together a day later, eight of them at our kitchen table, and they created this nonprofit.”

The club set out to never have another graduation at Forest Hills without a minority student being recognized for academic achievements.

“They didn’t come with deep pockets, they just came with a passion,” Anita said.

John Kirkpatrick was a scholarship recipient. The club awarded him $1,000 to attend Morris College in South Carolina.

Today he leads his own congregation as pastor at Rehoboth Church in Monroe. He also serves on the Union County School Board.

“I made sure that if they thought enough of me to invest in my future, then … the least I could do is try to make them proud, and I’ve been trying to do that ever since,” he said.

But like most charities, the pandemic has hampered their ability to fundraise.

Sheryl Massey is the current club president for Women for Progress. She said donations are down 75% since the pandemic started. Massey said the club is relying on the next generation to donate and get involved.

“It is a powerful testament of who they are,” Kirkpatrick said. “And for us, our generation, to continue their legacy and build upon it, it shows ... each generation thrives off of what the previous generation has done.”

The deadline to apply for a scholarship is May 12. Scholarship winners will receive their awards in June.

(WATCH: Scholarship program in Union County helps first-generation students get into college)