Mission

Established in June 2000 PA-CAP encourage and enable high school students and residents the ability to enroll and graduate from college, business and or technical schools. We want individuals to become a valuable component in the changing labor pool by providing culturally relevant, comprehensive college preparation information and assistance. Although open to the community, the program targets students who are low income and the first of their family to attend post-secondary education programs. We assist everyone regardless of academic history, grade point average, family income, citizenship status, ethnicity, special education eligibility, delinquency or juvenile criminal history.

 The Purpose

The Pennsylvania College Access Program provides direct access to college preparatory services to low-income seniors from financially disadvantaged districts throughout the region. Eighty percent of these students are the first in their families to attend college. The program operates through local high schools, where College Access Coordinators provide comprehensive college readiness services including college and career awareness workshops, individual advising, motivational speakers, and scholarship and financial aid assistance. The College Access Program also helps schools develop their ability to provide comprehensive college assistance and supports a “college going culture” which includes a college preparation course sequence.

The specialized services provided by the PA-CAP System, designed to increase the likelihood of students successfully achieving a post-secondary education, guided students through the admission and financial aid application processes.

Check Financials Program

Check Financials is an educational and consulting program with a mission to revolutionize the financial industry. The core focus is to bring awareness, educate, recruit, hire, and empower young minorities and women with diverse backgrounds, ensuring equitable representation in the finance sector. We are committed to becoming a community staple, leading by example in promoting equity and inclusion in this rapidly growing and lucrative industry.

Our target market comprises aspiring young individuals from minority and diverse backgrounds to obtain lucrative careers in finance. With a growing need for financial services and an increasing emphasis on diversity, the potential for impact and profitability is substantial. We actively engage with the community through education, volunteer programs, scholarships, and partnerships to promote equity and inclusion. To become involved, please call (412) 532-8731.

Rental Assistance Program

The Rental Assistance Program is designed to help residents who are facing eviction by letter from their landlord or who have a case in the magisterial district court or Court of Common Pleas. Pennsylvania’s eviction filings and rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels after being cut in half during the pandemic due to robust tenant protections and financial assistance programs. There are 115,000 households over the course of the year or 310 renter households every day face an eviction filing. Over 90% of household cases involve past due rent, with tenants being 3 months behind resulting in their evictions.

Two-thirds of judgments for the plaintiff (the landlord) provide an opportunity for tenants to pay back rent (called “pay and stay”) up until the legal lockout to avoid eviction. The harmful impact of evictions extends across a spectrum of legal, economic, and social factors, affecting families, businesses, schools, and communities. PA-CAP welcomes donations from philanthropists, foundations, colleges, churches, government, and anyone who wishes to assist this program. Your contribution will allow PA-CAP to continue providing our services to first-time students, veterans, and residents.

Veterans

PA-CAP provides assistance to veterans and their families to ensure access and success in getting a higher education. Many veterans have the GI Bill but may also qualify for other benefits. We also assist veterans community and other issues. Please contact our staff for assistance. We thank you for your service and want to ensure that you are assisted in any way possible.

Expungement and Pardon Services

PA-CAP wants to ensure that all individuals are employable in the community to build a strong workforce. One of our services that we provide is legal assistance to help individuals in the courts, hearings, administrative or legal boards or before any authority’s. This also include helping individuals clear their backgrounds by an expungement or pardon. All individuals in Pennsylvania should call 412-330-1454.

The Community

Pennsylvania College Access Program cares about the community and makes every effort to use our non-profit status to help others to help themselves. One of our major concerns is working to assist the homeless with supplies and shelter. We have a Director of Community Outreach & Advocacy who is responsible to carry out this mission in helping those in need.

The Need for PA-CAP

All high school students in Pennsylvania need professional guidance and support to complete a post-secondary education. Unfortunately this support is not always readily available. As Dr. Helen S. Faison, Former Pittsburgh Schools Superintendent & Director of the Pittsburgh Teachers Institute stated,

“[Although] all high schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are required to provide professional services for their students, and in most instances the counselors who provide these services are highly qualified. However, the large number of students assigned to counselors due to budget constraints, makes it difficult for counselors to service all students sufficiently. The counselor-student ratio in most schools makes it impossible for all students to receive the help that is needed in a timely manner during a very critical time in their lives.”