Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship Program to Award Multiple $10K Scholarships to Meijer Team Members, Their Children
Competitive Scholarship awarded more than $3.5 million since 1975
Feb 1, 2018

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship Fund, a competitive scholarship for Meijer team members and their children, awarded $547,000 in 2017 – a record-setting amount since its establishment in 1975 – and is now accepting applications for the upcoming school year.

The deadline to apply is April 1 for the scholarship, which is administered by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

In 2017, four $10,000 scholarships and 169 $3,000 scholarships were awarded.

“Continued education and lifelong learning were always important to our dad,” Meijer Board Member Doug Meijer said. “My brothers and I echo his beliefs and are pleased to continue providing this scholarship opportunity for Meijer team members and their children.”

The Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship is a private scholarship fund that was established at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation in 1975, originally for children of Meijer team members. In 2010, the scholarship program expanded to include team members themselves and awards were increased from $500 to $1,000. The Meijer Foundation funded the scholarship in 2011 with a significant endowment to the Community Foundation, and enhanced the scholarship in 2012 to $2,500, while also providing two $10,000 scholarships: one each in Fred and Lena Meijer’s names. The awards increased to $3,000 in 2016.

Last year, the Foundation was able to grant four $10,000 scholarships.

The Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship is administered and awarded by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, and is based on financial need, academics and community involvement. A written essay of aspirations and educational goals is also part of the application process.

“It has truly been a pleasure administering the Meijer Scholarship Fund for more than three decades,” GRCF President Diana Sieger said. “The impact that this scholarship has had on the lives of so many students and families in our community is remarkable.”

The scholarships are available for use at any accredited college, university, vocational, technical or specialized educational institution nationwide. The number of scholarships awarded each year is determined as a percentage of the total number of applicants as set by the federal government.

To qualify for the scholarships, Meijer team members must have one year of continuous service by the April 1 application deadline, and may be full- or part-time students. Dependents of Meijer team member must be full-time students with a minimum of 12 credit hours.

For more information on the application process and to apply, please visit www.grfoundation.org/meijer.

About Meijer:

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 235 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the “one-stop shopping” concept and has evolved through the years to included expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

About Grand Rapids Community Foundation:

Grand Rapids Community Foundation leads Kent County in making positive, sustainable change. With its endowment, the Community Foundation supports local nonprofits, leads significant social change and helps donors achieve their philanthropic goals. For more information, please visit grfoundation.org.

For further information: Christina Fecher, 616.735.7968, christina.fecher@meijer.com or Ashley René Lee, 616.454.1751 ext. 132, alee@grfoundation.org