[NFBNJ] National Convention Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship ....

[Linda Melendez]

Are you a current dues paying member of a chapter or division in  the
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey?  Would you like financial
assistance to attend your first National Convention being held in
Houston Texas this year from July 1 through July 6?
If you answered yes  then please see scholarship details below.  Also,
please consider setting up a meeting with me to discuss submitting your
application so I can answer your questions and give you some
recommendations.
https://calendly.com/nfbnj/30min

The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship provides funding support to
National Federation of the Blind members who want to attend a national
convention <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention> for the first
time.
Eligibility

Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an
in-person NFB National Convention because of lack of funding are eligible
to apply.
How to Apply

Starting January 1, 2023, apply online using the

 Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship online application form
<https://www.nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho>.

https://nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho

The deadline to submit is *April 15, 2023*.

The application will ask for the following information:

   - Contact information: Include your full name and both your primary
   phone where you can be contacted by your state president and your mobile
   phone you might use at convention, if available.
   - Please include your mailing address and, if you have one, your email
   address. If you don’t have an email address, please consider if there is a
   friend or chapter member who might be able to assist with email
   correspondence.
   - State Affiliate/chapter information: Include your state affiliate,
   your state president, chapter, and chapter president, if you attend a
   chapter.
   - Mentor information: Include your personal convention mentor and
   provide that person’s phone number.
   - Funding request: Include your specific request and explain how much
   money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We
   suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself.
   - Essay questions to explain why this is a good investment for the NFB:
   - How do you currently participate in the Federation?
   - Why do you want to attend a national convention?
   - What would you receive?
   - What can you share or give?
   - Any special circumstances you hope the committee will take into
   consideration.

If you cannot apply online, you can still apply by writing a letter to your
state affiliate president answering the above questions. This letter should
be emailed to your state affiliate president. Once you have decided you
will apply, please contact your state president in person or by phone to
request his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the state
affiliate president when to expect that your application will be submitted
and mention the deadline.

Once your online application has been submitted, your application will be
provided to your state president via email. It is still your responsibility
to contact your affiliate president. He or she must email a president’s
recommendation directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
Committee at kjscholarships at nfb.org. *Your president must email the
recommendation no later than the deadline of April 15, 2023. *If you have
applied outside of the online form, the state affiliate president must
email both the recommendation and the application letter.
Notification of Award

If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter
with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The
committee makes every effort to notify winners by May 15, but you must do
several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen:

   - *Make your own hotel reservation.* If something prevents you from
   attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for
   roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
   - *Register online for the entire convention,* including the banquet, by
   May 31.
   - *Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many
   conventions *and can answer your questions as a friend and mentor.

If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a
scholarship this year.
Receiving the Award

At the convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with
the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will
be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide
funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate
to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a
scholarship, and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or
credit card.
Award Details

The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB
National Convention are the round-trip transportation, the hotel room for a
week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an
individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won’t pay
all the costs. Most years the grants have been $600 per individual.

We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention
mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to
share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive
agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the
amazing experience that is convention week.
More Information

For additional information, please contact the chairman of the Kenneth
Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee, Tracy Soforenko, at
kjscholarships at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2020.

Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
908-590-1747
president at nfbnj.org
*www.nfbnj.org* <http://www.nfbnj.org/>
*Facebook: **https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238*
<https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238>

To schedule a 30-minute meeting about the National Federation of the Blind
of New Jersey please click on the link below
https://calendly.com/nfbnj/30min
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