History
of the Workum Fund
In
1917, a small group of Cincinnati women formed a committee to create the
first organized scholarship fund in Cincinnati. Their goal was provide
young people with the ability to finish high school and to attend college.
Initially this energetic and enthusiastic committee was called "Gift Memorial
Scholarship Foundation" because of the method of receiving tribute funds
from interested donors. Money came as "Gifts for Happy Occasions" and
"Gifts in Memory of…." As stated in the first minutes, this organization
was created "because there was no other fund available for this purpose."
The committee also offered their scholarship recipients, gifts of clothes,
books and other help. The original committee included, Mrs. Simon Kuhn,
Mrs. Isaac S. Bing, Mrs. Harry Bohm, Mrs. Arthur A. Joseph, Sr., Mrs.
Clarence Mack, Mrs. Jacob W. Mack, Mrs. Dan Weiskopf, Mrs. Alfred Friedlander
Sr., Miss Elizabeth Kuhn and Mrs. David J. Workum (Therese). Therese became
the President of the board.
In 1918, Therese Mayer Workum asked Mrs. Irvin Westheimer (Duffie Freiberg)
to serve as the vocational investigator/advisor. These women learned that
many exceptionally bright boys and girls were forced to drop out of school
in order to work and support their families. Mrs. David Workum (Therese)
and Mrs. Irvin Westheimer (Duffie) dedicated themselves to educational
and scholarship activity in Cincinnati. They provided these children with
scholarship money that assist their families and enable them to stay in
school. As vocational advisors, Mrs. Workum and Mrs. Westheimer kept in
constant communication with each scholarship pupil.
In 1924, the "Gift Memorial Scholarship Foundation" became a "project"
of the Cincinnati Section of the National Council of Jewish Women. Though
operating under its aegis, it maintained a separate code of regulations
and functioned as an independent committee. As a tribute to the first
chairperson, the name of the foundation was changed on April 30, 1930
to the Therese M. Workum Scholarship Foundation (now the Workum Fund).
Workum continued to broaden its activities. The next initiative focused
on helping students attend college, by providing scholarship aid. These
young adults wanted to attend college, but did not have the money to make
this possible. The foundation was able to provide many scholarships, as
a result of the generosity of many people in the Cincinnati community
who recognized the importance of college education. For the first half-century
of its existence, the Workum Foundation provided 25-30 students each year
with the funding that enabled them to make their dreams of college a reality.
In later years, the fund provided aid to divorced women in need of the
training that would prepare them to return to the workplace. When new
Americans from the former Soviet Union settled in Cincinnati, Workum provided
aid for higher education.
Since 1987, the Workum Fund has offered paid, supervised internships in
local Jewish Agencies to Cincinnati College Students. Through this program,
college students receive career related work experience and learn the
operations of nonprofit Jewish agencies.
As it has adapted to the changing needs of the community, the Workum Fund
has remained a positive fixture in the Cincinnati Jewish Community, providing
service for nearly ninety years.
Information
for this history came from local newspapers and was submitted by Elli
Workum.
Agencies
that have Participated in the Intern Program
|
