Isabella is learning and growing thanks to Aspire!’s safe, caring and enriching learning environment. We can’t wait to see all of her dreams take flight!

Our need has never been greater - because our students' needs have never been more urgent.

We’re profoundly grateful to all the friends of Aspire! who have kept our crucial work going during the pandemic, at a time when there were no other options accessible or affordable for Aspire! students to get the critical academic help they needed. However, demand for support is at an all-time high as the pandemic left students playing catch-up at a critical juncture.

Many students have lost 6 to 7 months of learning, with low-income and students of color the most impacted by pandemic-related learning loss. Schools cannot make up for lost learning time alone! Academic-focused afterschool programs like Aspire! are needed now, more than ever, to provide the expanded learning time our students need to get back on track.

With your help, we can continue to provide academic afterschool and summer support at no cost to underserved Arlington families, making our programs accessible to families who otherwise cannot afford private tutors or programs and ensuring all Arlington students have access to the support they need to thrive.

Here's how to get involved:

Step 1: Make a gift!

Donations of any size will ensure uninterrupted delivery of critical afterschool services for 100 underserved students this fall.

Our goal is to raise $110,000 by October 22nd to make a real difference in the lives of students most impacted by the opportunity gap - a gap made wider by the pandemic.

Aspire!'s evidence-based, award-winning programs are more critical than ever to ensure our kids have the afterschool support they need to reach their full potential and not fall further behind. Aspire! seamlessly links school, afterschool, and home to give our students the best chance for academic success.

Step 2: Join us!

Please register for one of our virtual events to see first-hand the impact your gift has on the children in our community.

Click the calendar dates below to register. We can’t wait to see you!

Your support is helping our students reach their full potential and all they Aspire! to be.

Here's just a few things we can accomplish with your support:

NEW middle school pilot program: The pandemic disrupted learning in the critical last years of elementary school for Aspire! students. We need your support to get our middle school students back on track and not left behind before entering high school.
We're bolstering reading, math, and homework support to ensure students understand the academic content and do not miss any key concepts.
We can serve more kids than ever: Aspire! is reopening two of our affordable housing locations to bring our services to even more students where they live - removing transportation barriers many students face accessing support.

FAQs

Q: What is this opportunity gap?

The opportunity gap refers to the fact that the arbitrary circumstances in which people are born—such as their race, ethnicity, ZIP code, and socioeconomic status—determine their opportunities in life, rather than all people having the chance to achieve to the best of their potential.

Q: Who does Aspire! serve?

Aspire! is deeply rooted in the south Arlington communities it has been serving since 1994. In the 2021-22 school year, Aspire! will provide a high-quality, out-of-school time program to 100 underserved children in 3rd-5th grades throughout the year (after school and through an intensive six-week, full-day summer camp). The students Aspire! serves are overwhelmingly from low-income households (90%) and have been disproportionally affected by the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all our students live in households where English is not the primary language spoken (57% are Spanish-speaking).

Aspire! provides a vital service to an underserved population which, unfortunately, is growing. Aspire! is the only program in Arlington that delivers targeted, daily academic support to underserved students. There are no other organizations like Aspire! and there are very few local public funding sources for out-of-school time programs in Arlington. During COVID-related school closures, Aspire! was the ONLY full-day option for students to receive in-person support with distance learning; this intervention is funded entirely with private dollars.

Aspire! has an exemplary history of achieving real results for children in south Arlington most impacted by the opportunity gap. In fact, year-over-year, over 90% of our students have improved their reading instructional levels.

Q: Is this donation tax-deductible?

Yes. Please join us in celebrating the power of expanded learning time with your unrestricted donation today. We are an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code: EIN 54-1705642.

Q: What other ways can I support Aspire!?

To learn more about making a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA, donating appreciated stocks or mutual funds, supporting Aspire! through your Donor Advised Fund, or if you plan to submit a corporate match, please reach out to devin@aspireafterschool.org.

Achieving Afterschool - the power of expanded learning time is needed now, more than ever!

Help 100 underserved Arlington students receive robust academic afterschool support this fall.

Team Members