PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — R.I. General Treasurer Seth Magaziner launched a new program that would gift the children of frontline workers who died after contracting COVID-19 a college scholarship.
The “Frontline Heroes Fund,” according to Magaziner, will provide $2,500 to eligible Rhode Islanders in a CollegeBound Saver account.
The goal of the program, according to Magaziner, is to “honor the legacy of those frontline workers who have kept the state economy running during the pandemic and to support the future success of their families.”
“As we mark the one year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID pandemic in Rhode Island, we should pause to recognize the brave frontline workers who have sacrificed their own safety to keep our state running,” Magaziner said. “While we can’t bring back those who we have lost, we can at least come together as a community to support the children who these brave frontline workers left behind and ensure that they have a bright future.”
CollegeBound Saver is a tax-free higher education savings plan where Rhode Islanders can open an account to save money for any future college expenses.
“The scholarship will help my younger sister and I complete our college education at the University of Rhode Island. But more importantly, it helps remember the legacy of fallen frontline workers, like our father, as heroes,” Stone Freeman, the son of the ACI officer who died last year after contracting COVID-19, said.
Anyone who qualifies for the program can visit the Office of the General Treasurer’s website for more information. Those who need help filling out their application can call (401) 222-2397 or email frontlinefund@treasury.ri.gov.
