Outcomes & Impact
In the decades since our first program was founded, we have seen Dreamer Scholars attend hundreds of higher education institutions. They have gone on to become diplomats, doctors, teachers, and astronauts—and some have even returned to become “I Have A Dream” program directors, program coordinators, and AmeriCorps members to continue to have an impact on their communities. We have seen ripple effects in the families and communities of Dreamer Scholars, with cousins, siblings, and parents returning to school. And we have come together in community in times of crisis, to provide supportive housing, food, and school supplies. As Dreamer Scholar Zaria says, “being a Dreamer Scholar means that I can believe that I can do anything.”
The Need
IHDF has served more than 20,000 Dreamer Scholars since 1981.
84% of Dreamer Scholars are first-generation college students.
94% of Dreamer Scholars qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The Impact
90% of Dreamer Scholars complete high school, compared to 74% of low-income students nationally.
Dreamer Scholars are 3x more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than their low-income peers.
College graduates earn, on average, an additional $1M in lifetime earnings.
What Dreamer Scholars have to say
"Being a Dreamer means to me that I have a freedom to pursue my own goals and reach beyond college, and have a successful career afterwards."
-Beau, College Dreamer
"Being a Dreamer allows me to help people be the best they can be. It also helps me become a bigger person myself."
-Fernanda, 11th Grade Dreamer
“To me, to be a Dreamer means to have the biggest dreams that you can ever think of, and bringing those alive by any means necessary, no matter what comes your way.”
-Jazmyn, 11th Grade Dreamer