The Gina Priestley Memorial Citizenship Assistance Awards of the New Hope Scholarship Fund

One person can make a difference. This year, Gina Priestley, a former resident of The Moorings of Arlington Heights, proved it.

Gina was in her early teens when her parents made the decision to immigrate to the United States from Sicily, Italy. Her parents made the decision partially because the remote town where they resided discouraged female education. Her parents desired all their children to be educated—not just their sons.

Gina often shared that she remembered moving to the United States, not speaking English, not understanding her teacher, eventually becoming a citizen and growing up as an American. After moving into the Moorings, she was so touched to learn that the New Hope Scholarship provided awards for citizenship. She asked her husband, Bill, to contribute to the scholarship fund after her passing and dedicate it to those who sought U.S. citizenship.

Bill fulfilled Gina’s request and contributed $20,000 to establish the Gina Priestley Memorial Citizenship Assistance Award. The Moorings New Hope Scholarship Committee is fully invested and deeply engaged in all scholarships, but citizenship awards hold a special place in their hearts. Gina and Bill’s generosity will help the committee award additional scholarships while also easing the financial strains associated with the cost of becoming a U.S. citizen for Moorings employees. Each scholarship will inherently include Gina’s memory and deep desire to help other immigrants like herself.

If you are interested in seeing your philanthropy put to work in a manner similar to Gina, contact Lisa M. Schiro, CFRE at (847) 979-3922 or lschiro@presbyterianhomes.org to learn about your giving options.