Baby Brody Pendill Scholarship

Baby Brody Pendill Scholarship

Funder: BJ and Kristina Pendill, administered by Community Foundation of Morgan County

Established: 2014 (five years prior to March 2019 article)

Purpose: To honor the memory of Baby Brody Pendill and help families send their children to preschool

Background:
Baby Brody Pendill died from a chromosome abnormality called Nonsyndromic Holoprosencephaly. Instead of traditional funeral flowers, parents BJ and Kristina Pendill established this scholarship to create a legacy of support for early childhood education. The family's philosophy: "You have two paths to choose. You can either become bitter or better and we chose better."

Geographic Scope: Morgan County, Indiana

Focus: Preschool scholarships for low-income families

Problem Addressed:

Average annual cost of high-quality preschool in Morgan County: $7,583

Average annual cost statewide: $9,304

Indiana ranked 43 of 44 states with state-funded pre-K programs (as of 2018)

Over 27,000 4-year-olds in Indiana not enrolled in preschool due to affordability

Early childhood education impacts long-term school success (children lacking foundational skills struggle throughout school)

Eligibility:
Families in Morgan County unable to afford quality preschool education for their children

About the Founders:
BJ Pendill is an Edward Jones Financial Advisor (since 2002) who focuses on wise investments producing positive long-term gains. Kristina is a former first-grade and kindergarten teacher who understands the importance of early learning foundations. They are parents to four children: Paisley (age 6), Audrey (age 4½, visually impaired and affected by Brody's same condition), and Micah (age 2½, adopted).

Contact Information:

Community Foundation of Morgan County

Phone: (765) 813-0003

Email: info@cfmconline.org

Website: www.cfmconline.org/donors

Address: 88 North Main Street, Martinsville, IN 46151