Our city is home to a rich diversity of races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds – students in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) speak 132 different native languages! But despite our community’s prosperity, there are significant disparities. According to the Capital Kids Report from Venture Philanthropy Partners, 25% of children in Alexandria are in poverty and 63% of ACPS students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Many of Alexandria’s children do not have an equitable opportunity to thrive. They experience housing instability, food insecurity, and have worse health outcomes. When our children struggle, our community struggles.
The pandemic exacerbated hardships for students in Alexandria. In the same way that COVID exacerbated health and economic racial disparities, it also amplified educational disparities despite educators’ best attempts amid unprecedented circumstances. According to the US Department of Education’s report, Education in a Pandemic, the Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students, the pandemic:
• Widened pre-existing academic disparities; in math and reading, some students are falling even further behind pre-pandemic progress,
• Deepened the impact of disparities in access and opportunity for students of color due to the digital divide,
• Created steeper learning challenges for K-12 students learning English,
• Disrupted support for students with disabilities,
• Increased needs for mental health services, and
• Increased risks for abuse and violence at home.
Fortunately, our city is also home to a number of youth-serving organizations that have far-reaching impact on the educational, social and emotional, and career-readiness outcomes for Alexandria’s children and youth. There are school clubs, sports leagues, STEM programs, reading and tutoring organizations. Organizations like Fly Minds which exposes youth to STEM activities and career fields, or Space of Her Own (SOHO) which connects 66 girls with a community of caring adults and opportunities to explore a world of possibilities.
On April 26th, 185 locally-serving organizations (96 of which support youth) will tap in to the collective spirit of giving by participating in Spring2ACTion, Alexandria’s 13th annual Giving Day. Last year, community members, like you, answered the call to support children and youth with 7,700 donors giving $2.65M to Alexandria nonprofits through Spring2ACTion.
Will you join us in giving back to the community we love? You can invest in a brighter future for Alexandria’s children and youth by taking just 5 minutes to give $5 to an organization of your choice. While the official giving day is April 26, early giving starts on April 12. To learn more about Alexandria’s Giving Day, visit: www.Spring2ACTion.org. Spring2ACTion is hosted by ACT for Alexandria and presented by Amazon and the City of Alexandria.
About ACT for Alexandria (ACT)
Launched in 2004, ACT is Alexandria’s community foundation and the home for philanthropy and people who want to make a difference. For more information about ACT and how you can support the pressing needs of the nonprofit community in Alexandria, contact ACT at 703-739-7778 or visit www.actforalexandria.org.
