Scholarship Funds

About The Scholarships

Abrazo recognizes that adoption is only one essential way in which lives can be changed; scholarship funds are another important means of affording educational opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of the Abrazo’s community, the agency has two special charitable funds enabling us to provide limited scholarship assistance to deserving Abrazo birthmothers, and also to Abrazo adoptees and birthsiblings.

In 1994, a Wisconsin journalist came to Abrazo to adopt. A single mother, novelist Jacquelyn Mitchard began writing a short story that turned into a novel during her first adoption at Abrazo, and “The Deep End of the Ocean” became a bestseller when Oprah chose it as the first featured selection in her book club. Jackie made a large donation to Abrazo, which our Board of Directors designated to be used for birthmother education, so that became the Abrazo/Mitchard Birthmother Scholarship Fund. Every year, the agency has the potential to provide one college scholarship and two trade school scholarships for qualifying Abrazo birthmothers who have been accepted into accredited programs and whose children’s adoptions are already finalized.

In 1999, an Abrazo adoptive dad who played in the NBA for many years retired from the Atlanta Hawks. His name was Dominique Wilkins (aka “The Human Highlight Film”), and he and his wife had adopted twin girls through our agency. Dominique generously designated Abrazo as the beneficiary of the proceeds of his retirement gala, and the Atlanta Hawks and the NBA made matching donations, which Abrazo’s Board has decided to use towards scholarships for worthy Abrazo adoptees and birthsiblings, through the Abrazo/Wilkins Adoptee/Birthsibling Scholarship Fund.

To apply for either of Abrazo’s scholarship programs, please click here to apply. Have questions? Contact the San Antonio Area Foundation, through which all inquiries, applications, awards are handled: (210) 225-2243.