About Us

The Cedars Education Program continues the work of The Scholarship Committee which was founded at The Cedars in 2006. Over the years The Scholarship Committee raised money through the sale of art work, baked goods, Member-made crafts, jewelry, clothing items, housewares and greeting cards. Most of the sales occurred during a December holiday event.

The money which was raised from the sales was used to provide employees attending accredited colleges and universities with reimbursement grants for the tuition and other expenses incurred in their pursuit of higher education. The Committee also reimbursed employees for the cost of applying to colleges and universities. In the summer the Committee awarded grants to employees who were parents with children in grades K-12 for use in purchasing school supplies for their children.

Non-profit Status

In 2023, an exploratory committee was formed to pursue the feasibility of using a 501(c)(3) structure which would allow Members to make tax-deductible gifts. This would allow the Committee to raise more money from Members who would benefit from the tax deduction and give the Committee the opportunity to make larger grants to employees, expand its impact to the educational needs of more employees and guarantee a sustainable future for the work of the Program.

In late February 2024, The Cedars Education Program received its non-profit corporation status from the State of North Carolina and its tax-exempt status from the IRS. A Board of Directors was formed and committees established to ensure the Program could meet its goals. In March the Program awarded its first educational reimbursement grants to employees with monies remaining from the Scholarship Committee and introduced the new Cedars Education Program to Members.