Dear Friends of Breakthrough,

Like many of my peers, it feels like Breakthrough has always been part of my life. As a student, I experienced firsthand how life-changing the program can be. It wasn’t just a part of my journey: it was the journey that shaped my future.

Now, as a Breakthrough alum, I’m asking you to help ensure more students get the support they need to overcome barriers to their education.

For me, Breakthrough was a constant partner, guiding me from middle school through college graduation and even stepping in when I struggled to balance academics with financial pressures. 

But as a Research and Policy Intern with Breakthrough last year, I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by those who are the first in their families to earn a degree — challenges that went beyond my own. Analyzing student surveys and leading focus groups with nearly a dozen students, I realized the emotional toll many experience as they strive to meet basic needs while managing family responsibilities and the demands of earning a degree.

I also saw how barriers like housing instability and financial strain are not only pervasive but often go unnoticed. It became clear that targeted interventions, such as emergency financial assistance and tailored academic resources, are essential to ensuring that students not only access college but thrive once there. My research reinforced a belief that the Breakthrough Student and Family Support Fund, which provides critical resources like food, housing assistance, and mental health care, is powerful and necessary.

It bridges the gap when other resources fall short, ensuring students can continue their education without interruption and helping students like me overcome barriers to education and achieve our dreams.

Your giving plays a crucial role in making this possible. With a gift to the Student and Family Support Fund, Breakthrough can continue to meet the unpredictable and unexpected needs that arise for students and families — needs that even the best-laid plans can’t always anticipate.

Will you make a donation today to Breakthrough’s Student and Family Support Fund to ensure that students like me get the critical support needed to overcome obstacles and succeed?

Through my personal experience and the research conducted in my internship, I know what a difference your gift will make. I am living proof of Breakthrough’s impact. Your gift today will be put to work right away to meet the most urgent needs facing Breakthrough students as we head into 2025. Together, we can continue to help the next generation of students thrive in college and beyond.