25-WORD DESCRIPTION:
UNCF is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. During its 80 plus-year existence, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion and helped more than 500,000 students not just attend college, but thrive, graduate and become leaders.
HOW WE USE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS:
- $50 helps a student with general supplies.
- $80 helps a student stay in college to graduation day.
- $160 helps a student with textbooks.
- $240 helps a student with a laptop or tablet.
- $500 helps a student with room and board.
- $1000 helps a student with tuition.
A STORY FROM OUR AGENCY:
Zarina's Story: I was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. From a young age I dreamt of going to college--not just for myself but because I believed education was the path to stability for my family. I was raised by a single mother with four children and limited resources. Housing instability and food insecurity shaped much of my childhood. We moved often--sometimes staying with relatives, sometimes in shelters. When I was fifteen, my family received an eviction notice that forced us to separate so we could each find stability.
That separation led me to a transitional housing program, that for the first time, allowed me to remain in one school consistently. With stable housing and the support of dedicated educators, I graduated from Como Park Senior High School and was accepted into my dream school--Spelman College.
That acceptance was a victory, but like many first-generation students, I still faced the question of how to pay for college. That's where UNCF stepped in. Through scholarships, including the MLK Legacy Scholarship, they made my education possible. Because of that support I graduated cum laude from Spelman College.
I went on to graduate from California Western School of Law in San Diego, where I served as both the founder and president of the First-Generation Law Students Association, as well as the president of the Black Law Students Association. In 2025 I passed the California Bar on the first try and will serve as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the United States Air Force.
That little girl who once dreamed of going to college is not an attorney committed to making a career of humanity.
Because of UNCF, I did not have to choose between my education and survival. And when you give to UNCF you help ensure that another student like me won't face barriers to getting to and through college but instead has the opportunity to thrive. Thank you to UNCF for investing in my future and for believing in students like me.
ADDRESS/PHONE:
1201 Marquette Avenue, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612-338-5742
