News release from Ivy Tech Community College:
Free FAFSA assistance for northeast Indiana residents available Feb. 3 through March 10
(February 3, 2015) – As part of ongoing collaborations aligned with Vision 2020 and the Big Goal Collaborative in northeast Indiana, several northeast Indiana organizations have worked together to offer free support to students and families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as individuals prepare to begin or continue their college education. The support will be offered Feb. 3 through March 10.
Trained personnel from K-12 and higher education will be volunteering their time to support this initiative. The goal of this program is to help increase the number of students in northeast Indiana completing the FAFSA, which will ultimately connect more individuals to post-secondary opportunities and help the region meet its Big Goal of 60 percent post-secondary credential and degree attainment by 2025.
All students and families in northeast Indiana are invited to attend and take advantage of the free assistance. Services will be offered at three locations in Allen County, with the St. Mary’s location also offering support in Spanish and Burmese.
“To reach the Big Goal, we need to remove any and all obstacles to college access, and this new project is a great step forward,” said Ryan Twiss, director of the Big Goal Collaborative at the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “It is exciting to see so many partners collaborate to make this possible. When we work together like this, we will undoubtedly move our region forward and leave a legacy for generations.”
Collaborating partners include the Allen County Public Library, Cornerstone Youth Center, Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Youth Institute, Ivy Tech Community College Northeast, Fort Wayne Community Schools, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, Northeast Indiana Works, Olin B. and Desta Schwab Foundation, Questa Education Foundation, Region 8 Education Service Center, Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, SCAN, Sirk Educational Consulting, and Southwest Allen County Schools.
DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS:
- Allen County Public Library – Main Branch
900 Library Plaza (downtown)
Feb. 3-March 10
Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m.
Contact: Tanya Young, 260-480-4196- Allen County Public Library – Hessen Cassel Branch
3030 E. Paulding Road
Feb. 3-March 10
Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m.
Contact: Lisa Smith, 260-480-4134- St. Mary’s Catholic Church
(tax preparation assistance available; Spanish & Burmese assistance available)
1101 S. Lafayette St.
Feb. 3-March 10
Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Contact: Theingi Tin, 260-480-2251
WHAT TO BRING:
- Social security number
- Driver’s license number
- Allen registration number or permanent residence card if you are not a U.S. citizen
- Taxable income from 2014 W-2 forms or other records of money earned or received
- Untaxed income, including worker’s compensation, child support, housing, food and other living allowances, veteran’s benefits
- 2014 Federal Income Tax Returns (IRS tax form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EX)
- 2014 bank statements
- Business and investment information; business and farm records; stocks, bonds; and other investment records
Translations in Spanish or Burmese available at
About The Big Goal Collaborative
The Big Goal Collaborative, spearheaded by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, launched in 2012 as the talent priority for the region’s Vision 2020 initiative. It is a 10 county movement comprised of educators, community partners, businesses, civic leaders and others from throughout Northeast Indiana committed to reaching the Big Goal: increasing the percentage of residents with a degree or credential to 60% by the year 2025. For more information about the Big Goal Collaborative, visit www.neindiana.com/vision/biggoal.About Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Ivy Tech serves nearly 200,000 students annually and has campuses throughout Indiana. It functions as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.
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