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NEED is a product of the turbulent 1960s. Led by two Pittsburgh women, Marion Jordon and Florence Reizenstein, members of the Urban League Education Committee, it began as a temporary effort to find funds for 76 black high school students who had been accepted to college but could not afford to go. The program quickly expanded with the support of the corporate, philanthropic, and general community.
NEED is designated as an Education Improvement Organization through Pennsylvania's EITC program and is a college access program offering grants, scholarships, mentoring, counseling, and internships to help underrepresented, low-income, and/or first-generational youth aspire to, learn about, prepare for and complete higher education.
NEED's vision is to unlock the power of education by helping underserved youth meet their highest potential and enhance their quality of life through education, thereby strengthening the regional economy.
Since its inception in 1963, NEED has supported over 18,000 deserving young people by providing over $18 million in grants. These grants help empower Pittsburgh's next generation of leaders to overcome financial, class, cultural and social barriers.
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