07.31.2008 - The Pledging Tree Foundation receives $2,400 donation from The Philadelphia Tri-State Area Chapter of the Financial Planning Association. Click here for more information.

07.17.2008 - The President & CEO, Prerna Singh featured in Philadelphia Inquirer. Click here for full coverage.

01.30.2008 - The Pledging Tree Foundation announces free financial workshops open to the public. Click here for more information.

09.06.2007 - The President & CEO, Prerna Singh speaks at United Way's annual kick off campaign luncheon.  Click here for the full article.

09.04.2007 - The President & CEO, Prerna Singh appears at Robert Henson's Big Show on WCOJ 1420AM.  Follow the link to listen to the recording. 

08.15.2007  - The Pledging Tree Foundation featured in the Downingtown Ledger newspaper. Click here for the full article.

08.13.2007  - The Pledging Tree Foundation featured in the Daily Local newspaper. Click here for the full article.

08.10.2007  - Prerna Singh and The Pledging Tree Foundation featured on DASD website. Click here for the full article.

08.07.2007  - The Pledging Tree Foundation Obtains 501(c)(3) Status from IRS

The Pledging Tree Foundation aims to help financially challenged families in local community.

Downingtown, Pennsylvania, August 7, 2007 - The board and officers of The Pledging Tree Foundation are proud to announce that the Internal Revenue Service has granted tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) to the foundation. The Pledging Tree Foundation (TPTF), incorporated with the State of Delaware, has been gathering much support from the community. Various businesses and individuals have pledged their support to TPTF and its mission.

According to Prerna Singh, a senior at Downingtown High School West and President of The Pledging Tree Foundation, “Gaining tax exempt status from the IRS is an important milestone for The Pledging Tree. It allows us to go out in public and seek sponsorships from organizations that can now donate tax deductible contributions.”

The goal of TPTF is to promote disciplined savings in financially challenged families, while educating them in financial matters through workshops and training seminars. TPTF has collaborated with organizations such as National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) to obtain workshop materials on financial mentoring.
 
The program is based upon a matching system where The Pledging Tree Foundation matches dollar for dollar the contribution made by a family enrolled in the program. Families can contribute any amount and The Pledging Tree will match up to $100/month for one year. Each month, the money will be put in some from of an investment/529/savings account. After the one year, the family will receive all the money that has been saved for any use, such as spending it for college or retirement.

The Foundation plans to open the application process in fall 2007 to all families who have a total household income less than $40,000/year.    

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05.30.2007 - Downingtown Student Starts a New Foundation to Help Financially Challenged Families in Chester County

Exton, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2007 - The board and officers of The Pledging Tree Foundation met to discuss the progress and future strategies of the foundation. The Pledging Tree Foundation, incorporated with the State of Delaware, has been gathering much support from the community. Various businesses and individuals have pledged their support to TPTF and its mission.

According to Prerna Singh, a senior at Downingtown High School West and President of The Pledging Tree Foundation, “The Pledging Tree Foundation is an organization that not only helps financially challenged families monetarily but also helps them plan for their futures."

She added, “The program is based upon a matching system where The Pledging Tree Foundation matches dollar for dollar the contribution made by a family enrolled in the program. Families can contribute any amount and The Pledging Tree will match up to $100/month for one year. Each month,
the money will be put in some type of investment/529/savings account. After the one year, the family will receive all the money that has been saved for any use, such as spending it for college or retirement.
As part of our program, we will mentor families to continue with this approach throughout the rest of their lives. The Foundation plans to open the application process in Fall 2007 to all families who have a total household income less than $40, 000/year.”

The Foundation plans to open the application process in Fall 2007 to all families who have a total household income less than $40, 000/year.   

TPTF's leadership is comprised of individuals from various backgrounds, ranging from the pharmaceutical to the construction and planning fields.

Officers
President, Prerna Singh (Senior, Downingtown High School West)
Vice President, Vijay Yadav (IS Manager, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Treasurer, Lauren Hammond (District Sales Manager, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group)
Secretary, Seema Singh (Social Worker)

Board of Directors
Chairman, Matthew Hammond, (Vice President and Board Member, Traffic Planning & Design, Inc.)
Member, Vijay Yadav, (IS Manager, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Member, Victoria Taylor, (Senior Paralegal, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Member, Kate Campbell (English Teacher, Downingtown High School West)
Member, Seema Singh (Social Worker)

Selection Committee
Chairman, Andrew Romberger (Associate Attorney, Fox Rothschild LLP)
Matthew Hammond (Vice President and Board Member Traffic Planning & Design, Inc.)
Lauren Hammond, (District Sales Manager, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group)
Kate Campbell, (English Teacher, Downingtown High School West)
Victoria Taylor, (Senior Paralegal, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Prerna Singh (Senior, Downingtown High School West)

The team at The Pledging Tree Foundation is excited to lead philanthropic work in the area and to make a meaningful contribution to the financial health of the community.

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