The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign provides the opportunity to support education in Virginia at many different levels.

Here are profiles of six of these organizations, with information on how each of them serves the surrounding community:

The Mayapple School

The Mayapple School (CVC Code 201294) offers creative, place-based education for children ages 3 to 6. Located in Blacksburg, the school uses an integrated, playful curriculum with a focus on outdoor discovery. The school also offers a summer camp with activities for children of all ages, including a sleepaway camp for teens.

The Mayapple School is committed to providing children with a foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity, an appreciation of the natural world, and respect for others.

Head Start - New River Community Action

New River Community Action’s Head Start program (CVC Code 200852) prepares children for success through school readiness by partnering with families to support goals in the home and school environment. More than 300 children ages 3 to 5 currently receive services through Head Start centers located throughout the New River Valley.

Children with special needs comprise at least 10 percent of the enrollment. The primary components of Head Start are education, social services, preventative health, and nutrition. The program focuses on the entire family and includes parent involvement as a fundamental part of Head Start.


An Achievable Dream Middle and High School


An Achievable Dream (CVC Code 201175) is a nationally recognized K–12 program dedicated to the belief that all children can learn and succeed regardless of their socioeconomic background. An Achievable Dream partners with public school districts to co-operate schools in primarily underserved communities, providing additional resources to level the playing field for students.

Recognizing that student success depends on the entire family’s success, AAD provides wraparound services, including home visits, parent education, clothes closet, medical resources (when specific needs are identified), food pantry, and community outreach.

Virginia College Access Network

The mission of VirginiaCAN (CVC Code 200155) is to support and enhance post-high school education access and attainment for residents of Virginia. VirginiaCAN supports access programs and fosters new initiatives, develops information and financial resources for students and families, and promotes the benefits of greater access to post-high school education.

VirginiaCAN brings together and strengthens the many college-access organizations around the state, harnessing and amplifying the power of them all. The organization informs and advises legislators, policymakers, regulators, and key access supporters.

Virginia Foundation for Community College Education

Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (CVC Code 200091) strives to make an impact by supporting community colleges and student success through scholarships, fellowships, and other programs that make higher education attainable for all. The VFCCE support’s the state’s 23 community colleges through workforce development, developing pathways to high-demand careers, increasing the number of first-generation college graduates, supporting veterans in their transition from service to career, and bridging gaps for at-risk students from high school to college to career.

Of Virginia Tech’s 940 newly enrolled transfers for summer/fall 2021, 644 (68.5 percent) were students whose most recent college or university was a Virginia Community College System institution.

Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley

Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley (CVC Code 200849) helps adults achieve literacy-related goals to be a successful parent, worker, and community member. The family literacy programs aim to give parents the skills they need to help their children succeed in school.

The Skill Up NR initiative promotes family self-sufficiency by providing digital and employability skill development in the context of literacy and language instruction to help adult learners get and keep a good job.

For additional education-related charities, refer to the CVC website’s complete list of charities.

The CVC is a charitable giving campaign for all state employees to raise and donate money toward charities in local communities and across the commonwealth. This year’s campaign has a goal of $390,000 and runs until Dec. 10.

Donate now to the CVC through a payroll deduction or by cash, check, or online donation.

More information can be found on the CVC website

Share this story