To the Editor:
This year, 2019, marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of P.E.O., an international philanthropic organization that celebrates the advancement of women. This is accomplished by funding women’s education through scholarships, grants, awards, and loans. P.E.O. also supports a four-year college, Cottey College, in Nevada, Missouri.
Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. which is one of the oldest women’s organizations in North America. It started as a bond among seen women in 1869. There are chapters in Canada and the United States with over 6,000 chapters and over 225,000 members. In Pennsylvania alone, there are 84 chapters of P.E.O.
In our area, P.E.O. chapters in Swarthmore, Media, and two in Wallingford are filled with women who want to help women pursue higher education and to bond long lasting friendships. More than 115,000 women have benefited from P.E.O. grants, loans, and awards since its founding in 1869. Over $321.6 million has been awarded to high school seniors, graduate students, those who are resuming their education or in emergencies, helping women achieve their dreams and goals of higher education.
If you are a woman who is interested in helping other women achieve their goals of higher education, please call me at 610-566-7192 to learn more about P.E.O.
Joanne Horton
Upper Providence