The Milwaukee-based Helen Bader Foundation has announced a ten-year commitment of at least $10 million to create a permanent endowment for the Helen Bader Scholarship Fund, which helps low- and middle-income families in the area with the cost of tuition at Jewish day schools.

As it builds the endowment, the foundation will continue to fund the scholarships, which have provided $500,000 in annual support to local families in recent years. The scholarships are awarded through the education program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Inc., which works closely with the program's participating schools — Hillel Academy, the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, the Torah Academy of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study, and the Yeshiva Elementary School of Milwaukee — to determine families with the greatest need. The federation will administer the endowment once it matures.

"For many families, the added support of the scholarship means the difference in whether or not [they are] able to send their children to a day school," said Daniel Bader, president of the foundation and son of the late Helen Bader. "Every year, we see the impact of the scholarships at the student and family level, but it's really much broader than that. The spirit of this community is epitomized by day school students who strengthen their faith and go on in life to help others."