About ABF
Who was Albert Baker?
Albert Baker was Mary Baker Eddy’s beloved elder brother who took a tender interest in her education and tutored her in Latin and Greek. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1834 and immediately joined the law office of Franklin Pierce, who would later become the 14th president of the United States. In 1839, Albert was elected to the New Hampshire State Legislature where he served until his passing in 1841.
We are honored to have our Fund associated with Albert’s fine values of scholarship and the important role that education plays in the growth of the individual. The Albert Baker Fund hopes to nurture the educational aspirations of today’s Christian Science students in much the same way that Albert encouraged and supported his sister Mary.
Our mission is to serve the Cause of Christian Science and humanity by providing resources for the education and development of Christian Scientists.
Our History
The Albert Baker Fund was started in 1964 by Christian Scientists in Boston, Massachusetts and Northern California.They created a fund to provide low-cost loans for American college students. Each student was expected to repay the loan over 10 years, replenishing the fund for future generations.They named the fund after Albert Baker, the elder brother of Mary Baker Eddy, and is credited with shepherding her education.
In 1998, ABF began making loans to fund Christian Science nurses training. In 2005, we added grants to our financial aid awards for students in the U.S. and Canada. In 2006, we expanded our grants program to Africa and Europe. By 2014,after a successful brief pilot program, ABF opened its first program in Asia, in The Philippines, serving Manila, Baguio City, and Kampangan. Learn more about Christian Science.
Our Impact
Since 1964, the generosity of Christian Scientists has enabled us to loan more than $10 million to more than 3,000 students.We measure the true impact of this investment in the growth and the giving-back by our students to communities and churches. As our recipients face the challenges and opportunities of their education, supported by the understanding of Christian Science, they grow both as students and as Christian Scientists. We encourage each recipient to “pass their blessings forward” by contributing to the enrichment of their communities, churches, the Christian Science Movement, and the world.
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