Press Release: 5,000+ DACA renewal scholarships now available
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$2,500,000+ Fund to Help Dreamers Renew DACA by October 5
San Francisco, CA – September 22, 2017 – Mission Asset Fund (MAF) today announced it has surpassed its original fundraising goal and will now be able to provide $2,500,000 in scholarships to 5,000+ Dreamers to pay for DACA renewals by the October 5 deadline.
Early this month, the Trump administration announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program is ending. DACA has provided security, safety, and a livelihood for 800,000 young people commonly known as “Dreamers.” Of the 154,000 Dreamers eligible to renew their DACA permits before the program ends in six months, most will be able to cover the application costs themselves. For those Dreamers who are eligible for renewal but can’t afford the $495 application fee, MAF is stepping in with a solution now available nationwide: scholarships to help Dreamers renew their DACA status (LC4DACA.org).
Between now and the October 5 deadline, MAF will provide 5,000+ Dreamers with scholarships of $495 to renew their DACA permit. 3,000+ scholarships across the United States have already been issued to DACA recipients through this fund. Dreamers are urged to not delay – sending in their applications before the October 5 deadline is crucial – get a scholarship in 48 hours at LC4DACA.org. Capital to finance these scholarships come from the DACA Renewal Fund, launched earlier this month with growing support from the philanthropic community.
“We were shocked and horrified to learn that President Trump ended DACA,” says José Quiñonez, MAF’s CEO and 2016 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. He added, “We sprang into action once we saw a small window of opportunity to help thousands of Dreamers to renew their protective status. The time to help these young people is now.”
DACA recipients with a permit expiring between now and March 5 across the nation are eligible to receive the scholarships. As time is of the essence, this online scholarship will be processed within a day, with same-day checks available in San Francisco and by overnight mail in other parts of the country.
MAF has a long history of working with Dreamers and has helped hundreds to pay for DACA application fees using a 0% interest loan. This initiative—offering scholarships within 24-48 hours to Dreamers—builds on this track record of success. DACA recipients with expiring permits are encouraged to visit LC4DACA.org and apply immediately.
Philanthropic supporters of this fund include: the Weingart Foundation, The California Endowment, The James Irvine Foundation, The Marin Community Foundation, The Klarman Family Foundation, The Crankstart Foundation, The Chavez Family Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, The Department of OCEIA in SF, and from the generosity of individual donors across the country.
About MAF
Mission Asset Fund (MAF) is a 501c3 nonprofit on a mission to help people become visible, active, and successful in their financial lives. Over 7,000 people across the country have used MAF’s award-winning financial services programs to increase credit scores, pay down debt, and save for important goals like becoming a homeowner, a student, or a U.S. citizen. MAF currently manages a national network of over 50 Lending Circles providers in 17 states and Washington, D.C.