In 2010 alone, there were over 464,000 workplace injuries in California, resulting in 302 deaths, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Serious work-related accidents can have a devastating impact on families, especially children. The financial impact can be life shattering.  The future can look frightening to someone whose parent or spouse has been seriously or fatally injured at work.  Already confronting difficult emotions, they often must confront the hurdle of funding their education—the key to their future and ours.

Each year, hundreds of kids face this challenge. This year, as we commemorate Workers Memorial Day on April 28th, we can make a difference for the children of California workers who have been fatally or seriously injured on the job.

Kids’ Chance of California is a non-profit, charitable organization whose mission is to provide need-based educational scholarships to California kids who have at least one parent who has been injured or killed at work. Kids’ Chance believes:

• Children are society’s most valuable resource.
• We have an obligation to give children the tools they need to succeed in life.
• Access to higher education ensures that children have the necessary skills to be successful in the workplace.
• Investing in our children’s future provides them the opportunity to make a difference in their own and other people’s lives.

This is a new opportunity for the children of union members, because 2013 is the first time scholarships will be awarded. Because of many generous donations received from across the state, several scholarships will be awarded this year.  We need your assistance to identify scholarship recipients, so act now for this wonderful opportunity to help our children. Annual scholarship amounts range from $2,500 to $10,000, and applications for the 2013-2014 school year are currently being accepted.

To be eligible for a scholarship grant, applicants must have a parent who has been fatally or seriously injured as a result of a work-related accident that meets the criteria of the California Workers' Compensation Act and has resulted in demonstrated financial need. Applicants must also meet the following requirements:

• Applicant must be between the ages of 16-25 at the time of the full disbursement of the Kids’ Chance of California, Inc. scholarship award.
• Student applicant and/or deceased/injured worker are not required to be a legal resident of California.
• Applicant must be able to demonstrate financial need.
• Applicant must have achieved a high school diploma by the time of the first disbursement of the scholarship award.
• Applicant must be enrolled, accepted or applying for acceptance as a full-time or part-time student at a university, college or technical school.
• Applicant may not have already attained a bachelor’s degree.

If you know of any kids or families who may be potential applicants, please encourage them to investigate the program and apply.  Applications for the 2013-2014 school year must be received by June 1, 2013. For more information and to apply, visit www.kidschanceca.org. If you would like to donate, mail your tax deductible donation to: Kids’ Chance of California, Inc., P.O. Box 192052, San Francisco, CA  94119-2051.