TutorVille, a Houston-based boutique tutoring firm and concierge education service, today announced the official launch of TutorVille Foundation. The 501c3 non-profit was conceived by TutorVille CEO and President Jess Rogers, along with Mark Kuebler, to help bridge the education and financial gap for children and adolescents battling cancer. TutorVille Foundation is the first and only organization of its kind that supports students from kindergarten to college age with 100% of their education needs met before, during and after their treatment. The goal is to serve 15 families in the initial year.

“TutorVille Foundation was born out of a desire to ensure that a child afflicted with a cancer diagnosis does not fall behind in their education during treatment,” says Rogers. “We’ve unfortunately seen impacts to children and parents firsthand too many times due to a lack of financial resources and we are thrilled to debut a non-profit that will valiantly strive to provide the tools and support needed during a life-altering experience.”

In addition to experiencing the struggles of a close friend, through her work with childhood cancer non-profit Candlelighters, Rogers met a young girl who was removed from traditional school to focus on her cancer care. Motivated to help the family through this ordeal, Rogers donated a full year’s tuition to TutorVille Prep, TutorVille’s accredited homeschool program offered through Texas Tech University K-12. Facilitated by TutorVille tutors, she completed the year while undergoing treatment and was able to seamlessly transition alongside her peers into high school. Today, she’s a successful senior attending Texas Tech University.

Being diagnosed with cancer at any age is devastating, but it is particularly disruptive for developing children and teens, according to Rogers, especially given all the elements of that child’s life that are put on pause. Maintaining a connection to the classroom and keeping up with studies is key to providing those who are ailing with a much-needed sense of normalcy.

Through the Foundation, tutoring, homeschooling, tuition, books, materials and everything else required to support learning for kids in treatment will be provided at no cost to the family. By eliminating financial hurdles associated with a quality education and educational support, TutorVille Foundation hopes to position recipients for success long after remission.

“As many as 30% of childhood cancer survivors are forced to repeat a year of school due to treatment-related interruptions and lingering chemo side effects that make going back to school an upsetting and anxious experience,” Rogers said. “We want to change that.”

TutorVille Foundation is now accepting applications year-round and will grant scholarships on a quarterly basis, beginning in September. To apply, applicants can visit www.tutorvilletutors.com/scholarship

For more information about TutorVille Foundation and to donate to this great cause, please visit TutorVilleFoundation.org.