About EAESSI
One teacher's legacy. A community's open door.
EAESSI is named for Evelyn Ancrum, an educator who spent more than 35 years helping children believe in their future.
Her family started EAESSI to keep that work going in Virginia, in health and in education.
Evelyn Ancrum, 1939 to 2009. Her legacy lives on here.
Her passion lives onEmpowering children through education
Mission and vision
Why we exist. Where we are going.
Everything EAESSI does comes back to two promises.
Our mission
EAESSI honors the legacy of Evelyn Ancrum by removing the cost that blocks health and education. We pay for breast cancer screening for uninsured women, help students reach college through scholarships and free FAFSA help and develop tomorrow's leaders.
Our vision
A Virginia where a missed mammogram or an unpaid tuition bill never decides someone's future, and where every young person has someone who sees past their flaws and believes in their potential.
Her story
She saw their potential. Then she taught them to see it.
The story behind the name on our door.
Evelyn Ancrum was born in Charleston, South Carolina on November 15, 1939 to John and Louise Ancrum. She was the oldest girl of eight children, and caring for her younger siblings may be where her passion for teaching began.
After college she worked as a restaurant owner, beautician, bank teller and sales associate across South Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York. She found her calling working with at risk teens. When others saw only their flaws, she focused on their potential and pushed them to be better than what society had defined them as.
She later moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to build a better life for her sons, Glenn and Keith. While working and raising her family, she earned a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in education.
1939
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, the oldest girl of eight.
Her calling
Working with at risk teens who believed she put them first.
35+ years
A teacher with the Broward County School Board.
2009
She passed away in August after a fight with cancer. EAESSI carries her name.
Her legacy
Her classroom was Florida. Now it is Virginia.
What Evelyn Ancrum stood for shapes every program we run.
Evelyn was a woman of faith, known for her selflessness and her belief that every child deserved a chance. Her students always knew they were her first priority.
After she passed away in August 2009, her family was inspired to honor her name while helping others. Her legacy lives on through EAESSI and through the lives of every woman screened, student funded and teen mentored in her name.
What guides us
Four values. All of them hers.
These come straight from the way Evelyn Ancrum lived and taught.
What does EAESSI believe?
We believe cost should never block health or education. Like Evelyn Ancrum, we look past where people start and focus on where they can go. We serve with compassion, show up with care and stay with people until they have answers.
Potential first
We see people for who they can become.
Service
We give our time and care without expecting anything back.
Compassion
We treat every woman, student and family with dignity.
Education for all
College and good health should not depend on a zip code.
Leadership
From soldier to survivor. Now a voice for others.
Meet Tonja Ancrum, Executive Director and Cofounder of EAESSI.
Tonja Ancrum is a three time breast cancer survivor, author, speaker, VA Cancer Champion, patient advocate and S.O.S. (Survivor Offering Support) Mentor with Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Northern Virginia.
A retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant and retired Federal Equal Employment Opportunity and Civil Rights Director, Tonja has spent much of her life serving others. She works closely with the American Cancer Society and with VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she serves as a Community Partner and Breast Health Research Champion.
She is the author of Maneuvering Through the Storms of Life: A Breast Cancer Survivor's Journey and Faith Walk, an Amazon Best Selling book in breast cancer. She is also a Certified Christian Life Coach and a member of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Three time survivor
Breast cancer survivor, patient advocate and mentor.
Army veteran
Retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant.
Best selling author
Her story of faith through breast cancer.
Research champion
Community Partner with VCU Massey.
Our founder
Started by family. Built for the community.
EAESSI began as a family's way to honor the woman who raised them.
Keith Ancrum, Evelyn's son and a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant, founded EAESSI with his family after her passing. Together with Tonja, he built an organization that carries his mother's passion for education into health, scholarships and youth leadership across Virginia.
What we do
Three programs. One purpose.
Each program removes a cost that blocks someone's future.
What does EAESSI do?
EAESSI helps Virginia families in three ways. We pay for mammograms for uninsured women, we fund scholarships and college funding help for students and we run a free youth leadership program.
Free mammograms
Screening for uninsured women 39 to 64. Learn more.
Scholarships and FAFSA help
Awards and free help for local students. Learn more.
Youth leadership
Mentoring and service for teens. Learn more.
Common questions
Straight answers about EAESSI.
Who was Evelyn Ancrum?
Evelyn Ancrum was an educator who taught for more than 35 years with the Broward County School Board in Florida. She began her career working with at risk teens and spent her life empowering children through education. She passed away in August 2009 after a fight with cancer.
Why is EAESSI named after her?
Her family founded EAESSI to honor her name while helping others. Her lifelong passion was empowering children through education, and EAESSI keeps that passion alive.
What does EAESSI do?
We pay for mammograms for uninsured women, award scholarships with free FAFSA help and run a free youth leadership program. Learn more about who we help.
Who leads EAESSI?
Tonja Ancrum is Executive Director and Cofounder. She is a three time breast cancer survivor, a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant and a statewide cancer advocate.
Is EAESSI a registered nonprofit?
Yes. EAESSI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Spotsylvania, Virginia, so gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
How can I support EAESSI?
You can give once or monthly, fund a mammogram or sponsor a scholarship in Evelyn's honor.
About EAESSI
Evelyn Ancrum Education Support Systems (EAESSI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Spotsylvania, Virginia. We help uninsured women get breast screenings, help Virginia students pay for college and help teens grow as leaders.