Louisville nonprofit hosting free FAFSA workshops at local libraries

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDR) -- College costs can be confusing and overwhelming, but one Louisville nonprofit is helping students and families navigate the process for free.

Evolve502, a local nonprofit dedicated to removing barriers to higher education, will host free FAFSA workshops on Thursday, Oct. 23, at five Louisville Free Public Library branches. Workshops will run from 4-6 p.m., with one-on-one appointments available for students and their families or guardians. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Salem Gaines, a recent Simmons College of Kentucky graduate, knows firsthand how difficult it can be to find financial resources.

"I graduated from the Simmons College of Kentucky with a BA in Cross Cultural Communication," Gaines said. "It was a learning experience and also a blessing to be able to see the way that students and families are able to accomplish so much in such a little time."

Gaines said one of her biggest challenges was knowing what resources were available and how to access them.

"Those resources are available and accessible," she said. "You just have to kind of find someone who can show you how to navigate that process. That played a huge role in being able to come out debt-free. I absolutely would not be where I am today and I likely wouldn't be debt free either. I'm not even sure that I would have attended college right out the gate."

Ariel Snow, Student Success Manager at Evolve502, said FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — is often seen as a barrier because of perception, not complexity.

"The reason why it's such a hurdle, I think a lot of it is perception," Snow said. "... different loans, even things like Parent Plus loans ... that the parents might qualify for to be able to help their students go to college."

Snow said Evolve502 partners with several organizations to help families navigate FAFSA and other college funding opportunities, including KentuckianaWorks, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Simmons College of Kentucky, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority and the JCPS Office of Multilingual Learners.

"Even if you don't sign up, you can walk in," Snow said. "We set you up with someone, and you sit down with the person, and we start with the student. It's like that burden is lifted off of you because you know that you've got that FAFSA complete."

Students and families planning to attend are encouraged to bring tax documents from the 2023 tax year, although the FAFSA can now pull some information directly from the IRS.

Workshops will be held at Jefferson Town Library, South Central Library, Southwest Library, Shively Library, and West End Library. The sessions are open to all students and families interested in higher education, and completing the FAFSA is also a required step for applying to Evolve502 scholarships and most other college scholarships.

"Our mission is to remove barriers to higher education, and completing the FAFSA is one of the top barriers students face when deciding to apply for and attend college," said Marland Cole, executive director of Evolve502. "Our team and partners are incredibly knowledgeable about the FAFSA process, and we’re glad to once again offer this free resource for Louisville students to help prepare them for college, career, and successful, productive lives."

Through its work, Evolve502 has awarded more than 2,500 scholarships and opportunity grants, covering over $5.8 million in total costs for eligible Jefferson County Public Schools students.

Students and families interested in attending can sign up for a time slot at one of the five library locations by clicking here.

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