Our Story

At Michaels, we share the vision that our residential communities can be a beautiful place to call home, as well as a launching pad for people to move to the next level of their lives. We believe in doing well by doing the extraordinary and that means investing in people.

Michael Levitt, our founder and chairman — and the Mike in Michaels–always says that education is the most effective investment we can make, so him and his wife Pat founded The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation in 1991. Every year since, the foundation has bestowed college scholarships to residents of our rental communities.

The Foundation was the first of its kind in the affordable housing industry when it was established and since its inception, the program has expanded to include residents of Michaels’ military and student living communities, and is monumental to The Michaels Organization’s mission of Creating Communities that Lift Lives.

For Resident Scholars

Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, which can be used toward educational expenses at any accredited college, university, or vocational training school in the nation. Scholarships are awarded annually, and students may reapply each year of their undergraduate education for continuing grants.

Affordable and Military Living Scholarship Program

The Affordable and Military Living Scholarship Program is now open! Applications will close Monday, April 15, 2024. Students who reside at Affordable and Military communities owned or managed by The Michaels Organization are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. The Scholars always represent a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life. Though their backgrounds and interests are all different, their dedication and drive for furthering their education and focusing on their future are all equivalent. Residents living in a Michaels Community who are high school seniors with plans to continue their education, full-time or part-time undergraduate university and college students, or those studying at a trade/professional school are eligible to apply.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM.

Important dates and deadlines:

February 5: Applications open.

March 6: Suggested deadline for college students to request grade transcripts from their registrars in order to ensure that part of the application will be received by the Foundation prior to April 15.

April 15: Final deadline for all parts of the application for a 2024 The Michaels Educational Foundation Grant. Mail the application form, references, essay, and grade transcripts to Courtney Zaccardi: P.O. Box 90708 Camden, NJ 08101

June 12: Letters with outcome status of all applicants will be placed in the USPS Mail.

June 24: Acceptance forms must be returned by this date if grant recipients wish to accept the offer of a scholarship. Grants not accepted by this date will be awarded to other applicants.

July 31: If student meets all necessary criteria and deadlines, scholarship checks, made payable to post-secondary institutions, will be mailed via U.S. mail directly to the post-secondary institutions on behalf of the scholarship recipient to help pay for the student’s 2024/2025 school year costs.

Use the Scholarship Application Checklist to ensure your application is complete! (English) (En Español)

2024 Scholarship Flyers

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Student Living Program

Applications for the Student Living Program are closed.

Donate

To make Michaels’ deep commitment to giving back possible, foundation funds are raised throughout the year and come from contributions made by companies and private individuals throughout our business network. All donations are then matched $2 for every $1 by The Michaels Organization’s Founder and Chairman, Michael J. Levitt, and his wife, Pat Levitt. All life-changing donations go on to make a invaluable impact on our residents.

To donate any time of the year, please use this secure online link to do so: Click Here

Or you can text to donate by using the information below

Text to Donate: Text TMOEF to 202-858-1233

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Michaels Employee Scholarship Program

Click here to download your reference form!

Click here for important information!

Application is available below.

The Michaels Employee Scholarship Program is now officially open for the 2024/2025 academic year and is available to children of eligible Michaels employees. The program offers financial scholarships to distinguished students who are pursuing post-secondary education by attending college or a trade/professional school. Dependents of eligible employees who are 26 or younger with a high school diploma or GED are all invited to apply.

For their children or dependents to be eligible for this program, Michaels teammates must be employed full-time or part-time for one year as of March 8, 2024 with a household income below $200,000.

This year, the application window opens March 8th and all full-time employees should receive a letter in the mail announcing the start of the application process that includes a link to the online application. Official grade transcripts showing students’ grades through the fall 2023 semester and a copy of the summary page of their 2023 federal tax return must be included in the application.

Mike Levitt, our founder and chairman, always says that education is the most effective investment we can make. One of the few programs of its kind in the nation, the Michaels Employees Scholarship Program is fully funded by Mike and his wife Pat. The Levitts created the program in 2008 and have awarded hundreds of Michaels employees’ children since then.

This year’s applications are due Friday, May 17th by 11:59 PM EST.

Best of luck to all students who apply!

Investing In What Matters

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14 Million Dollars

Since 1991, The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation has awarded $14 million in scholarship funds.

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4,000+ Scholars

Thousands of resident scholars have been awarded grants to use towards their educational pursuits.

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33 Years

For 33 years we have been committed to investing in our residents' futures, and we'll continue to change lives for many more years to come.

Thank You for Supporting Michaels Scholars!

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Michaels Educational Foundation Bestows $1.8 Million in Resident Scholarships

The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, has awarded a record-breaking $1,834,500 in scholarships for the 2023/2024 academic school year to 242 residents living at affordable and military living communities …
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photo of Michaels scholars with their certificates