Created in honor of George Keown (GK), GK Legacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization helping Arizona residents, age 25 and older, better their lives through education. When the Keown family lost George to cancer in 2018, they wanted to honor him in a way that would live up to the great man he was. He valued perseverance and determination, and the Keowns wanted his legacy to exemplify those values.
“Keep your chin up, kid...” George spoke those words often to his family whenever they faced adversity and he inspired them to stay positive and keep going. Now they are using those words to inspire others to do the same. In 2019, the family created the Keep Your Chin Up Scholarship Fund, offering tuition assistance to adults 25 and older living in Arizona. “Adults face so many obstacles when going back to school and we want to provide them with a “hand up” and encourage them to overcome their challenges,” said Peggy Baze, Founder and CEO of GK Legacy Foundation. “Their stories are heartwarming, motivating, and the epitome of perseverance and determination.”, Baze continued. In 2020, during the global pandemic, the family also created an additional scholarship called the Healthcare Heroes Scholarship. This scholarship is specifically for Arizona residents, age 25 and older, working towards a degree or certification in the healthcare field. “Healthcare workers put in countless hours to ensure the health and wellbeing of our community, and we wanted to create a scholarship in their honor.”, said Baze
Both the Keep Your Chin Up and Healthcare Heroes scholarships offer tuition assistance ranging from $500 to $5,000. Since the introduction of these scholarship programs, GK Legacy has awarded over $140,000, helping the adults in their community reach their educational goals.
