
Dear Friends of Breakthrough,
As the Chief Student Support Officer at Breakthrough, I’ve had the immense fortune to engage with students for 11 years, celebrating successes, meeting families, and responding to needs. Breakthrough has always provided support to students beyond the classroom, but the number of students and families in crisis has multiplied since March 2020. The unsteadiness of our time has impacted those with the fewest resources most.
This holiday season, we need your support to raise $300,000, directly impacting students with urgent needs. In an already unequal economy, many families have exhausted their savings and are stretching in ways they never have before, making hard choices about which bills to pay, how much rent they can afford, and what they have to eat. The effects at home trickle down to our students, impacting well-being and academic achievement. In many cases, college persistence is at stake.
This year marks 20 years of service at Breakthrough Central Texas. As we celebrate 270 college graduates and counting, along with other milestones achieved, we also advocate for:
The student stopping out of college to work a third job, supporting his family.
The student struggling to cover bus fares en route to her internship.
The student seeking mental health counseling after the loss of a parent.
The student on the verge of homelessness, threatened by an eviction.
…and many others.
Your contribution directly impacts students in situations like these, providing temporary relief as they continue on their journey to and through a postsecondary program of their choosing. Will you consider a gift this holiday season to help Breakthrough students and families stay housed, fed, healthy and enrolled in school?
We are proud of our students’ accomplishments in the face of extraordinary challenges. They deserve access to resources and support while on the path to college graduation.
Your involvement as a Breakthrough supporter this year has already helped propel our work forward and ignite student success.
As we approach the new year, thank you for considering a contribution of any amount to make a tangible, immediate difference in students’ opportunity to succeed.
Gratefully,
Zakiyyah Kareem
Chief Student Support Officer
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT
Thanks to the generosity of Carolyn and Jack Long and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, every donation to the Student and Family Support Fund will be matched dollar for dollar up to $150,000, meaning your gift makes double the impact on Central Texas students when you give early.
MORE WAYS TO GIVE
Mail your tax-deductible gift to Breakthrough Central Texas, 1050 E. 11th Street, Suite 350, Austin, TX 78702
Make a gift in the name of, or in honor or memory of a loved one.
Donor Advised Fund
Request a grant from your donor advised fund for Breakthrough, EIN: 74-2991346
Gift of Stock
Make a gift of your appreciated securities to avoid capital gains tax and enjoy a charitable income tax deduction. If you plan to transfer a gift of stock to Breakthrough, please complete this notification form so we can properly credit your gift to you.
Wire Transfer
Please contact our Development Team at donations@breakthroughctx.org to request account information to make your gift via wire transfer.
Shop
Shop through Amazon Smile, and Amazon will make a donation to the non-profit of your choice. Sign up today and select Breakthrough Central Texas, then shop like normal and Breakthrough will receive a donation from Amazon. Learn more.
Remember Breakthrough in Your Will
Interested in helping students realize their college dreams beyond your lifetime? Structure your will to provide for your family first; then include a gift to the charitable organizations you love. A simple sentence and meeting with an estate planning attorney are all it takes. The following is an example of wording that may be used to name Breakthrough as a beneficiary of your last will and testament. Your gift may be a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate.
“I, [name], of [city, state, zip], give, devise and bequeath to Breakthrough, [federal tax ID #74-2991346], [written amount or percentage of estate] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
For questions or to connect directly with a member of our Development Team, please contact donations@breakthroughctx.org.