Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association Donate $2 Million to Families of Freedom 2 


Fundraising Continues for Scholarships for Lower Manhattan Families   Economically Impacted by 9/11, Natalie Cole to Sing at November 20 Benefit

MINNEAPOLIS and NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Families of Freedom 2: Building Futures Though Education (Families of Freedom 2) has received a $2 million donation from the MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund.  Families of Freedom 2 was co-founded by Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America(SM) (CSFA), the nation's largest private sector scholarship and educational support organization, and AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Financial, Inc., a leading financial services company, to provide scholarships for families in Lower Manhattan who suffered loss of income as a result of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The joint contribution from Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association marks their continued support of families affected by 9/11 through CSFA's scholarship programs.  Their initial $8 million gift also enabled CSFA to surpass its goal of raising $100 million in scholarship support for 9/11 victims' dependents through the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund(R).

AXA also is serving as Title Sponsor of the Families of Freedom 2 fundraiser to be held on Wednesday, November 20 at City Center in New York City.  The star-studded gala will feature Natalie Cole, Paul Shaffer, Felicia Collins and the CBS Orchestra, Phoebe Snow, comedians Robert Klein and Jim Gaffigan, Carol Kane, Paula Cole, Peter Criss, The Beu Sisters, Vincent Pastore, cast members of "The Sopranos," "Sex and the City," "Law and Order," "Oz," and others.

The Families of Freedom 2 fundraiser will also celebrate the extraordinary people of New York and their response to 9/11.  Sophie Saccio, creative and compassionate beyond her age of six, will be honored for her "Bead Sticks," which she fashioned from beads and Q-Tips, sold in her Manhattan neighborhood and donated the money to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund.  Also being honored is Ada Rosario Dolch, principal at the High School for Leadership & Public Service, located at what is now better known as Ground Zero.  Dolch organized a safe evacuation of students and continues her dedication to her community's emotional recovery.  Meyer Feig, the founder of the World Trade Center Tenants Association, will be honored for his unifying voice advocating for businesses displaced after 9/11.  Feig is also CEO of Intera Corporation, formerly housed on the 18th floor of the World Trade Center.

Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with a silent auction and raffle.  Tickets range from $75 to $350 with 10% discounts for groups of 10 or more.  For tickets, visit www.citycenter.org .  In New York City, call 212-581-1212.  Outside New York City, call 1-877-581-1212.  For event sponsorships, table purchases or in-kind donations, contact familiesoffreedom2@csfa.org or 212-329-9184.

Scholarship assistance will be directed to persons who suffered loss of income as the direct result of the destruction or impairment of a business located in Lower Manhattan south of Houston Street as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Those eligible to apply for Families of Freedom 2 scholarships are: 

-- Business owners or employees in who loost their jobs 

-- Spouses of business owners or employeees who lost their jobs 

-- Dependent children of business owners or employees; children must be 

high school seniors or older at the time of application

Students may apply for Families of Freedom 2 scholarships after November 20, 2002.  Eligible students are encouraged to visit www.families911.org or email families911@csfa.org or call toll-free 1-866-243-4644.  Scholarships will be awarded beginning in January 2003.

Families of Freedom 2 scholarships may be applied to any course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational-technical school, trade school, or skill-training program in the United States. Students may receive assistance a maximum of four years or until a bachelor's degree is earned, whichever occurs first, provided funding is available. Individual scholarship amounts will be based on financial need of the applicants and the funds available.  Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified applicants as funds are available. For more information, visit www.familiesoffreedom2.org 

Additional sponsors of the Families of Freedom 2 fundraising event include Citigroup Foundation, Cozen & Connor Law Firm, Dependable Printing, Equity Marketing, New York Dollars for Scholars, PepsiCo., Inc., Stolichnaya, Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, and Unilever.

Donate on-line at www.familiesoffreedom2.org or mail your check made payable to Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America, designating the Families of Freedom 2 Scholarship Fund, to CSFA, 1505 Riverview Road, P.O. Box 297, St. Peter, MN, 56082.

About AXA Foundation 

The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Financial, Inc., one of the world's premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA group, a leader in financial protection and wealth management.  The AXA Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence.  Since it was established in 1987, the AXA Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $13 million in support of higher education.  Through AXA Achievement, the AXA Foundation, in partnership with CSFA, will support several new national scholarship programs, expand CSFA's volunteer-driven Dollars for Scholars(R) scholarship fundraising program to more communities throughout the nation, and sponsor National Scholarship Month launched by CSFA in 1998 and celebrated every May.  For further information about the AXA Foundation partnership with CSFA and any aspects of the program, please call 1-800-537-4180, or visit www.axaonline.com/axafoundation .  For information and application to the AXA Achievement Scholarship Program, visit www.axa-achievement.com .

About MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund 

In response to the September 11 attacks, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association each contributed $5 million to the MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund.  In addition to the initial $10 million pledge, the MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund received more than $750,000 in contributions from employees of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association as well as fans and business partners. Distributions from the fund are made by a joint committee of Commissioner's Office and Players Association representatives.

About Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America 

CSFA is the nation's largest private sector scholarship and educational support organization.  It carries out its mission of expanding access to educational opportunities and encouraging academic achievement through its Dollars for Scholars(R), Scholarship Management Services(TM), and ScholarShop(R) programs.  Headquartered in Minneapolis and St. Peter, MN, CSFA has distributed over $911.5 million to nearly 850,000 students through its scholarship and other support programs since its founding in 1958.  For the fifth year in a row, SmartMoney, the Wall Street Journal's magazine of personal finance, has ranked CSFA as one of the 17 most efficient nonprofits in the country.  Worth Magazine has also named CSFA as one of America's 100 best charities for 2001/2002.  In partnership with Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation for Education, CSFA founded and raised more than $100 million for the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund(R), which was created to provide educational assistance for postsecondary study to the financially needy dependents of the September 11th terrorist attack victims.  For more information, visit www.csfa.org .

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SOURCE  Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America 

CO:  Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America; Major League Baseball; Major      League Baseball Players Association; MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund; AXA      Foundation; AXA Financial, Inc.