Do you remember your senior year of high school?

I remember being so excited to start my life. It felt like there were no limits to my dreams. 

That’s why Joscelynn’s story broke my heart. 

When Joscelynn was a senior in high school, her father collapsed in their living room. It turned out he had a tumor in his head that required surgery. 

After his surgery, the doctor recommended he stay at a full-time rehabilitation facility for 30 days, until he made a full recovery. 

But Joscelynn’s family could barely afford 2, maybe 3 nights. 

With no other option, Joscelynn, her mom, and her sister took time off from work and school to take care of her father. 

Two weeks later, he had a stroke. 

He survived, but could no longer do normal things on his own, like eat dinner or take a shower. So Joscelynn’s mom quit her job to take care of him full-time. 

Joscelynn was now her family’s sole breadwinner. She had to balance schoolwork, graduation, college applications, and a part-time job to pay the bills. 

It’s a lot for anybody. Let alone a high school senior. 

Thankfully, people in our community—like you—recognize the struggle of students like her, and many pitched in to help. 

When Joscelynn found out she was awarded a full-tuition scholarship from CPLC to attend Arizona State University, she felt a wave of relief. 

“It just felt like maybe life was going to get a little bit better than it was at the moment,” she told us. “I could just focus on my family and my education. And as long as I kept doing that, I was going to end up somewhere.” 

As we reflect on the past year and celebrate 55 years of work in our community, I am most grateful for the way we continue to show up for one another. 

55 years is a long time. We’ve made it this far because we’ve worked together, in solidarity through one another’s pain and struggle. 

Always supporting each other's dreams. 

From the beginning of CPLC’s journey, I see a legacy of collaboration. We may come from different places, but our roots are intertwined. 

Thanks to supporters like you, Joscelynn will be able to worry less about money and focus more on her schoolwork and family. 

She will be able to pursue her dreams. 

This year, we also came together to: 

Help a young woman overcome trauma and substance abuse so she could connect with her grandmother 

Provide shelter for a woman escaping domestic violence—and accommodations for her dog so she doesn’t have to leave him in danger 

Assist a father as he applies for permanent residence status so he can watch his children grow up 

Connect an elderly woman with safe, affordable housing after a medical emergency led her to lose everything 

Bring the Christmas magic to a child whom Santa might have missed this year 

Register a first-time voter so he can stand up for his values and his family 

And so much more! 

We’ve come so far, but our work is not done. Please donate today to empower a young woman like Joscelynn who has so much to give to her community, if only provided a chance.  

Plus, your gift is: 

Eligible for the Arizona Tax Credit for Qualifying Charitable Organizations (QCO) of up to $470 for people who are single, married and filing separately, or the head of the household; or $938 for people who are married and filing jointly. This means a gift of $470 to CPLC can reduce your state tax liability by $470.  

And if you donate to one of our CPLC Community Schools, you may be eligible for the Arizona Public School tax credit of up to $200 for individuals or $400 for couples filing jointly. 

For more detailed information, we encourage you to consult a tax professional. 

You can mail a gift in the enclosed envelope or make a secure donation online at cplc.org/donate

Thank you for helping people like Joscelynn make their dreams come true. 

Desde La Raíz—from the root—we are committed to our community. And by working together, we will fulfill our dream of a more equitable future for all. 

Wishing you happy holidays, 

Alicia Nuñez 

President & CEO 

Chicanos Por La Causa