Mary J. Blige launches $100,000 scholarship fund to support underserved women in her hometown

Mary J. Blige has reteamed with Pepsi for a scholarship supporting organizations that empower underserved women from her hometown of Yonkers, New York. She launched the fund Thursday, April 25, at Westchester Community College on Pepsi x Strength of a Woman Community Day.

The Pepsi x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Community Fund, created in partnership with United Way of Westchester and Putnam, will give out $100,000 worth of grants to local organizations, distributed via grants between $5,000 and $20,000 to qualifying Yonkers-based nonprofit organizations that address the needs of underserved, marginalized women who are living paycheck to paycheck. The deadline to submit applications through the website, uwwp.org/pepsi-soaw, is June 1.

“Pepsi has been an incredible partner for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit since the start. Now, with their support, being able to come home to Yonkers to give back to and invest in the community I grew up in is all I’ve ever wanted,” Mary says in a statement. “We hope to provide resources for local organizations striving to support and uplift women for even greater impact this year.”

To further help Blige’s mission to elevate, educate and empower the next generation of women, PepsiCo Foundation also donated $50,000 to YWCA of Westchester and Westchester Community College.