Advocacy differentiates Achieva from other charities. Advocacy is foundational to Achieva’s existence yet advocacy receives no public funds. The Blanco Family Fund stands as an enduring force for disability rights and family support. Created to honor Achieva’s visionary leader, Marsha Blanco and her family, this board-designated fund generates vital resources year after year to help families fight for their rights and access essential services.
When families face closed doors in healthcare, education, or government systems, income from this fund powers the advocates who help break through barriers. This isn’t just a fund—it’s a lifeline ensuring that people with disabilities and their families never stand alone in their fight for inclusion, dignity, and justice.
The Blanco Family Fund is vital for helping people with disabilities and their families navigate complicated laws and bureaucracy so they can attend school, live in the community, and work and play as they see fit. Last year, nearly 4,000 families turned to Achieva for help navigating complex healthcare, education, and government systems, and the need is growing. Your support helps to maintain essential advocacy services through its community-focused affiliates.
Our advocates—many of whom are parents who have navigated these systems themselves—provide irreplaceable support at no cost to families. They attend IEP meetings, advise on developmental delays, and help parents overcome barriers in schools. This is especially crucial now, as school districts have experienced severe shortages of therapists and special education teachers, leaving many children without needed services.
Beyond individual advocacy, we champion disability rights through legislative action in Harrisburg and Washington D.C. As a nationally-recognized leader focusing on intellectual and developmental disability advocacy statewide, our work is fundamental to ensuring equal access and opportunities for all Pennsylvanians with disabilities.
The Blanco Family Fund creates lasting change for people with disabilities through sustainable support of critical advocacy services. Every dollar grows this dedicated fund, expanding vital services through its community-focused affiliates.
Your contribution does more than provide immediate help—it builds long-term financial strength that empowers generations of families to access essential resources and fight for their rights. As the fund grows, so does our ability to champion inclusion, equality, and dignity for all people with disabilities.
By investing in the Blanco Family Fund, you’re not just making a donation— you’re helping build a more inclusive and welcoming community where every family can thrive. Join us in creating lasting change that grows stronger every year.
Every dollar added to the Blanco Family Fund multiplies our impact, transforming more lives across Pennsylvania. As the fund grows, we can help more families cut through the maze of healthcare, education, and government bureaucracy to secure vital services their loved ones need.
More resources mean we can answer more calls for help, support more families through complex legal challenges, and fight harder for disability rights at every level. When a parent needs an advocate at their child’s IEP meeting, a family faces financial crisis, or systemic barriers need to be torn down—Achieva will be there.
The math is simple: a stronger fund means more families get critical support, more people with disabilities live independently, and our entire community becomes more welcoming. Your contribution today builds financial strength that will empower generations of families tomorrow.
Gifts will be added to the Blanco Family Fund, a board-designated fund, to support Achieva’s advocacy and family support mission.