Exciting days are ahead for Forward Steps! Thanks to a generous benefactor, Executive Director Jennifer Falkoski is preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to elevate scholars.
She and her husband, Chad McGimpsey, will tackle the 19,431-ft ascent at the beginning of September to champion the Guardian Scholars program. This climb is more than a personal challenge; it’s a mission to raise awareness and secure funds for young people who have experienced foster care.
Their goal is to ensure that these beneficial services reach Colorado youth, helping them achieve greater heights in their postsecondary and career journeys.
Why We’re Climbing
Youth who have experience in foster care face significantly more barriers to postsecondary education, including housing instability, limited education funding, and a lack of guidance in pursuing education and career opportunities.
At Forward Steps, we recognize these challenges and the Guardian Scholars program directly addresses them.
Through Guardian Scholars, students receive essential support, including financial aid, personalized mentoring, and tailored resource navigation throughout their academic journeys, embracing a customized approach to support each student’s unique needs and goals.
All funds raised from the climb up Kilimanjaro will support the new cohort of 20 Guardian Scholars in Fall 2024. We need $120,000 to support these students throughout the academic year.
Training Season
To prepare for the seven-day climb up Mount Kilimanjaro’s 19,431 feet, Jennifer and Chad need to train hard. By the time they arrive in Tanzania, they will need to be capable of climbing up to 1,000 vertical feet per hour. Thankfully, living in our beautiful state of Colorado has allowed them to train diligently for this cause.
They have already been hard at work preparing for this challenge, frequently climbing local mountains like Bear Peak and Mount Audubon. They also plan to summit several 14ers in the coming weeks.
🎥📱 Jennifer is documenting her training journey and taking us along. Be sure to follow Forward Steps on social media to tune in. We’re new to Instagram, so please give us a follow, show us some love, and help us connect to our community.
Support our Scholars
We are seeking both Donors and Sponsors to help us meet our fundraising goal of $120,000 for the 2024/2025 academic year.
It’s important to remember that the success of our students impacts the wellbeing of Colorado as a whole. The more youth who “reach the summit” and become thriving members of society, the more money Colorado saves on social services.
If you’re interested in supporting this fundraiser or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us.
When we Climb together, everybody gets ahead.
