Khadeeja Billings is a U.S. Army veteran, a single mother of six and a grandmother of three (3).  In addition to active duty, she and her family have experienced the horrors of having been homeless, living in and out of family shelters—and even briefly having to live out of her car. 

 

In 2014, with a Pell Grant, she started attending classes at the Atlanta Metropolitan State College  as it is her ultimate goal is to get a college degree and become a success—for herself and her children.  But in early 2017, the Pell Grant stopped.  In her application, Kahdeeja writes, “I don’t want my children to struggle through life as hard as we have already together, I want them to exceed and be great.  My motivation and commitment to succeed makes me a good candidate for your 2019 grant and in doing so you impact not just one (1) life but instead ten (10) lives.”  We agree.  So with a Bettie Brand Fund grant, Ms. Billings will now be able to pay those last two (2) semesters of college and earn her degree from Atlanta Metropolitan State College.