Irene Summerford Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is in honor of Irene Summerford’s legacy of Christian service in the neighborhood she so dearly loved. History: Brevard Neighborhood Development Commission (BNDC) was established in 2001 by a cross-section of people from churches, businesses, and neighborhoods throughout Brevard County, and focused its attention on the Booker T. Washington neighborhood in north Melbourne – a neighborhood plagued by drugs and crime, poverty, blight, and hopelessness. One of the resident leaders was Irene Summerford, who had a passion to help the children of the neighborhood. Under her guidance and vision, the Dorcas Outreach Center for Children (DOCK) was established as a safe haven from the often dangerous streets, operating out of a public housing apartment. By 2007, sufficient funds had been raised to build the 3500-square-foot facility that is The DOCK today. Sister Irene did not live to see the new building completed, but her spirit continues to be a guiding source of light. http://bndcserve.org/