About us

The Pearl Foundation, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 under the laws of the State of Maryland in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^®, Iota Lambda Omega Chapter. 

The primary purpose of the Pearl Foundation is to raise funds to advance educational and charitable giving goals. Recognizing the need for funding options and the increased cost of higher education, the foundation generates funds from foundation members, other contributors, grants, and various initiatives.

The Pearl Foundation has awarded over $800,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors with high scholastic standing and a demonstrated passion for serving their community. In 2022, the foundation awarded $62,000 in scholarships to 23 Howard County seniors interested in pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities. Award recipients are enrolled institutions such as:

• Duke University
• Howard University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• New York University
• Stevenson University
• Temple University 
• University of Maryland

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Educational pursuits include pre-medicine, biology, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, psychology, and performing arts. We are pleased to continue the legacy of supporting students throughout their post-secondary pursuits. 

The Pearl Foundation supports other educational opportunities in Howard County, Maryland. In partnership with Iota Lambda Omega Chapter, the foundation has donated funds to support the Monarch Mills community through the Mathematics, Engineering,  Science Achievement program. The foundation also partners with the Howard County Public School System to fund the annual Youth Leadership Summit, which provides education and college preparation guidance. The foundation pledged $15,000 to the Howard Community College Health Sciences Building and the Silas Craft Memorial Scholarship. Annually, the foundation donates funds to local and global organizations that support cultural awareness and offer services to underserved individuals and families. Contributions to charitable organizations include:

• A-OK Mentoring
• Africare
• Bridges to Housing Stability
• Filostin School in Haiti
• Grassroots DAY Resource Center
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• HopeWorks of Howard County
• Howard County Center of African American Culture
• Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement
• Museum of African Art
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• United Negro College Fund

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The foundation accepts in-kind services, contributions, and sponsorships from corporations and other organizations to help promote its goals. 

A case study in pearls:

Definition.

One. A hard, lustrous spherical mass,

typically white,

formed within the shell of an oyster

or other mollusk and highly prized as a gem.

Two. A person or thing of

great rarity and worth.

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Pearl to the people,

twenty-five years in the making

loving, growing, transforming

since 1998

making clear the road to education

and scholastic achievement

Queens recognizing an ever-present need

in a world where the dollar is king

giving keys to those who have had

the doors of opportunity and possibility

slammed shut in their faces

Nurturer, mentor, resource

A legacy of supporting

emerging leaders and

the expansion of young minds

through scholarship and charitable giving

The breeding ground for generations

of doctors, lawyers, engineers, and artists

the catalyst for a brighter future

Open hands and open hearts

building communities through

donation and contribution

Sewing seeds for prodigious trees

bearing fruits of

Family Strengthening,

Environmental Ownership,

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Educational Enrichment,

And Health Promotion,

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yielding a Global Impact

Pearl to the people,

from President Baker to President Moore,

Meritorious women

veiled in pink and green,

redefining effective leadership,

braving territories uncharted

and reaching new heights

Pearl to the people,

Cultivating a culture where excellence

is the standard

Changing the world

one student at a time,

one community at a time,

one day at a time.

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This is not a moment, but a movement

This is not temporary, but a lifetime.