The Objective

Christ the King Jesuit College Prep (CtK) has established the Family Assistance Fund to provide financial relief to school families facing temporary economic hardship.  The FAF is designed to keep students in school by relieving families of the difficult choice of addressing financial emergency versus paying tuition.  The FAF is consistent with CtK's mission of educating all eligible students regardless of change to family financial condition.  The FAF is not a tuition assistance program, as CtK has exisiting programs to address this issue.

The Needs

The root causes of financial hardship exist everywhere, but are more common and acute in the low income neighborhoods that CtK serves.  Examples include:

• Unemployment
• Lack of child support payments
• Change in household composition
• Lost apartment lease
• Foreclosure and eviction
• Theft of personal items
• Fire or flood emergency

When our families seek financial assistance it can be for a variey of immediate basic needs, the most prevalent being:

• Temporary or transitional lodging
• Utility bills
• Food
• Clothing
• School-related expenses

In the Austin neighborhood, unemployment is approaching 15%, or almost two times the national average, and with a median family income of $30,000 a financial hardship is often only a step away.  Therefore, FAF assistance represents a significant lifeline for afflicted families.

The Numbers

Based on history, we anticipate that approximately 10% of our school families will seek assistance during school year 2009-2010.  This represents about 20 families who will encounter some degree of financial hardship.  The average request per family has averaged $750, so CtK needs $15,000 to fund the FAF for the next year.  CtK is responsible for assessing requests, administering solutions, and reporting results.

The Giving Levels

CtK has three formal giving levels to support the Family Assistance Fund.

• $250
• $500
• $750

The school can also support any initiative or event designed to raise funds for the FAF.

Click to Give Now to the Family Assistance Fund.