Strath Haven’s A Better Chance program gathered at Springhaven Country Club on Saturday, Nov. 8 for a gala to celebrate the 50th anniversary in style. 

A Better Chance has operated nationally for 60 years, offering those in underserved communities the chance to attend some of America’s best schools. ABC Strath Haven has existed for two generations, helping to provide talented young people of color with leadership and education opportunities within the greater east coast area. 

According to their website, their mission is to “increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society.”

Students reside at the ABC House in Swarthmore, and the program functions with a primarily alumni-led board that helps make the operational decisions. Students are granted a scholar family, who watches over the scholars’ academics, and host family.

“The point of the host families is to have a family away from your family, and to make ABC feel more like a home,” junior Amar Wade, who has been an ABC student since his freshman year, said.

Junior Juliette Loyd is a part of Amar’s host family, entailing weekly meals and quality time.

“It’s kind of cool, because we’ve gotten to know Amar very well,” Loyd said. “He’s like a part of our family now.”

At the recent gala, ABC students and families gathered, including Wade, who provided some much appreciated entertainment.

“I have been picking up music-making a lot, so they wanted me to perform a little piece,” Wade said. “It was a great opportunity to show what I’m about.”

In addition, several notable speakers delivered remarks, including ambassador Carmen Cantor, journalist Bill Whitaker, sportscaster John Clarke, and Francisco Tezén, president of ABC national. 

“We had the President of ABC national, which doesn’t happen. That’s like the President of the United States coming to visit a mayor,” Haven ABC program alumna and current secretary Desiree Bell said. “That’s the equivalent, because the program has been around for 60 years nationally, and they represent a much greater portion of the country.”

The gala emphasized community support and recognized the many people who made the program possible. 

“We honored everyone who had any touch points to the program: host families, academic advisors, drivers, chefs, shoppers, and, of course, our scholars,” Bell said. 

The ABC program relies on community fundraising and grant based funding. In the past, these methods have led to close-calls in terms of continued operation, including the old board’s vote to close down the program last fall. Math teacher Ms. Lysa Rieger spent many years serving on the ABC board, experiencing the highs and lows of financial burdens.

“We were at a place with very few scholars because of Covid and a couple of other things, so I think the board felt like if they were going to shut down, this would be a time to do it, because it wouldn’t be hurting that many people,” Rieger said. 

However, due to the help of the program’s alumni and the surrounding community, Strath Haven ABC was saved from closing down, now functioning with an alumni-based board. Recently, ABC reached a milestone that leaves the future for students looking bright.

The Phillies Charities, Inc. awarded Strath Haven ABC, along with 33 other Philadelphia area nonprofits, a $40,000 grant which will be supporting the operations of the program and house upgrades. The board members worked with one of their partners, The Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, to apply for this grant.

“When we got it, it was huge, and we are very grateful for it, and even more grateful for our partner,” Bell said. 

On December 3, ABC President and chairman Andy Johnson, along with Wade, went to the Phillies Charities Holiday Reception at Citizens Bank Park to represent ABC Strath Haven. 

“It was just eye-opening,” Johnson said. “It was 34 of the nicest people in the world, because they were all heads, or amongst the heads, of their nonprofit.”

The event was lively, and featured appearances from the president of the Phillies and other notable figures. 

“I got to take a picture with The Phanatic, which was really cool,” Wade said. “It was cool to not only see me there, but also other people that the Phillies are supporting.”

With the grant paving the way for new opportunities, ABC continues to look to the future and emphasize the importance of alumni in building a program.

“Being a Strath Haven grad means something,” Johnson said. “You don’t know it now, but you are creating lifelong connections that you will use in the future. Everybody was willing to give back to their Strath Haven family, and I think that’s important to share.”