Keep an Orchard Friends education financially accessible!
Nearly all Orchard Friends families depend on financial aid. Here's how you can help.
Graduation season is a time to celebrate milestones achieved and possibilities on the horizon. Every year, as we honor our students at our Rising ceremony—receiving their high school diplomas, moving up to our Transitional Learning Program, completing 8th grade, or heading back to their school districts—I'm reminded of what got them there: their own hard work, and the unwavering love and support of our community.
Orchard Friends was founded on the belief that every child deserves an education that works for them. That belief not only shapes the education we provide, but also all we do to make an Orchard Friends education accessible to every family seeking this opportunity for their child.
Nearly all of our families depend on financial aid, and most would not be able to attend Orchard Friends without it. Some secure this support through a district placement—often a long, exhausting, and costly process. For families unable to pursue this path, we offer financial aid directly, thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
Lou and Linda Vizi, long-time volunteers, believed that no family should ever be turned away from Orchard Friends because of their financial circumstances. This commitment lives on through the Lou Vizi Scholarship Fund, which Linda established in memory of her husband. Lou spent 17 years making himself indispensable to this school. He was my mentor, a light to our students, a steady hand and consistent presence in our community. He read The Polar Express in full conductor regalia. He taught woodworking. He fixed what needed fixing (and let me know in no uncertain terms what those things were!). The Vizis’ warmth, care, and love for our school are woven into the fabric of Orchard Friends, and the scholarship fund that bears Lou’s name continues his legacy in the way that mattered most to him: ensuring our doors remain open to every child.
This graduation season, help us keep the promise that started with Lou and Linda Vizi. A gift to the Lou Vizi Scholarship Fund—in any amount—keeps Orchard Friends a school that is truly open to our whole community.
Thank you for your support!