Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech is privileged to have the support of a loyal community of philanthropic donors who directly further our mission to teach children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and talk.
Among Clarke’s most longstanding and generous funders is the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.
Since 2006, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation has supported Clarke’s programs and services with nearly $2 million in grants, making it one of our largest and most impactful funders. Established in 1991, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation focuses its philanthropy on funding community programs, schools, colleges and universities to support the education of thousands of students with disabilities, students with financial disadvantages, and Indigenous Peoples across the United States and Canada.
In 2019, the foundation’s three-year, $600,000 matching grant enabled Clarke to raise over $1 million in new funds. This significantly enhanced Clarke’s relationships with donors and the broader philanthropic community.
The foundation’s latest grant, a three-year commitment of $300,000, will support the continued expansion of Clarke’s tVisit Teleservices Program. Through tVisits, Clarke offers individualized virtual Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) services to children and families, particularly those who are unable to access such services in person.
“At the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, we partner with organizations that enable brighter futures for others, regardless of their social or economic circumstances,” said Robert A. Krause, CEO. “Funding from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation will contribute to broadening Clarke’s program scope and extending its reach. In so doing, we aim to break down barriers to accessing LSL services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.”
Judy Sexton, MS, CED LSLS Cert AVEd, Clarke head of programs and schools and interim president, expressed her enthusiasm about the enduring partnership with the foundation, saying, “The Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s longstanding support of Clarke’s mission is a continuing source of encouragement and inspiration to our leadership and staff. With accessibility at the heart of our work, the foundation’s latest grant to our tVisit Teleservices Program will make it possible for us to reach more families in need, ensuring that their children can prepare for the future with optimism and confidence. We are immensely grateful for the foundation’s generosity.”
To learn more about Clarke’s tVisit Teleservices Program, visit https://www.clarkeschools.org/tvisit.
