If you have taken advantage of our events, you know better than most the value of the work of College Access Fairfax. We hope you found our free programs useful and that you or your child received the help you needed. (And we are here if you need us again!) So I am turning to you at this moment to help us continue our efforts.

          College Access Fairfax is a nonprofit organization. We do not receive government support or funding from Fairfax County Public Schools. All of our work is funded entirely by private donations. And money is extremely tight right now. As we explore additional funding opportunities, we are trying to meet a challenge of raising at least $3,000 in individual contributions in order to qualify for grants of $10,000 to $25,000 from USA Today Network. We have just a few weeks and urgently need your help.

          Each year, College Access Fairfax helps about 1,000 students complete their FAFSAs. Every Pell Grant-eligible student who completes the FAFSA may receive up to $6,095 to pay for college. That is an excellent return on your investment. With our help, students received about $450,000 in Pell Grants last year. That money will allow so many students attend college who would otherwise not have the means to achieve their dream of a college education.

          Won’t you consider paying forward the support you received by making a tax-deductible gift to College Access Fairfax in our campaign to continue to provide support for other parents and students? Many students in Fairfax County would not be able to complete the FAFSA without our help.

          Every dollar we receive goes to programs to help our students apply for financial aid and go to college. The deadline for this campaign is April 12th at midnight.

          Please make a tax deductible gift. Any gift of $10 or more will help us reach our goal. Contributing toward the challenge is easy. Use your cell phone, tablet or computer click here.  Click the “Donate” button and use the drop-down box to choose College Access Fairfax – Virginia as your designated charity. Invest in the future of a Fairfax County student. You know very well how important that is.

          Facebook. Click the “Join” button on our campaign page by clicking here to create your own “mini-campaign,” inviting your Facebook Friends to support our cause as well. “Like” and “Share” the information about the Challenge that is posted on our page. Please consider sharing comments about how the program helped you or a family member.

          Forward this email to friends and family. Ask for their support. Every donation will help.

          If you prefer contribute by check, make it payable to “College Access Fairfax,” and mail to our office at 8115 Gatehouse Road, Suite 1512, Falls Church, VA 22042.

          On behalf of all the students who will benefit from our programs next school year, I thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

 Judith “Tessie” Wilson

Chairman

PS — Our focus is on helping a broad swath of students and parents with financial advising. College Access Fairfax doesn’t engage in the kind of  “college advising” scandal you and I have been reading about and, frankly, we are disgusted by. So I hope you’ll consider making a tax-deductible gift today by clicking here.  You’d be helping a lot of good students in Fairfax who need the help.