Patricia Manfredonia, left to right first row, Vons Foundation representative for the Central Coast; Wendy MacGregor SBCC Foster Youth Program Director; Foster Youth student Meagan Bolger; (second row) Vanessa Patterson, executive director of the Foundation for SBCC; Foster Youth students Tiana Pect, John DeVaughn, Erik Molina, and (back row) Joey Lopez, and Austin Escobedo. Courtesy photo.
SANTA BARBARA — The Vons Foundation has presented a grant of $2,500 in its continued support to benefit the Santa Barbara City College’s foster youth students, the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) reported this week in a media release. The donation will help the students pay for on-campus meal vouchers and textbooks to help them stay in school.
“This grant and continued support from the Vons Foundation will have a critical impact by making it possible for foster youths who attend SBCC to be able to focus on their education by providing them with the nutrition and textbooks necessary to stay in and successfully complete college,” Vanessa Patterson, executive director of the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College, stated in the release. “We are thankful for and commend the employees of Vons, who have voluntarily donated these funds to our students in need.”
Currently, SBCC has 45 foster youth students enrolled and is expecting more than 50 for the upcoming semester. In the last five years, the number of foster children in need of services in Santa Barbara County increased by an astounding 81 percent.
Foster youths require critical guidance and assistance, as statistics show that 65 percent of California’s prison population has spent time in foster care and 40 percent of the homeless in California are former foster youths. Providing accessible quality education and supportive services to this group is crucial in cultivating a healthy community.
Currently the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College is in the midst of the 2012 Campaign for Student Success. Money raised from the Campaign for Student Success will support students, in a multitude of ways, from scholarships, book grants, tutoring, childcare for single parents, library and resources, Continuing Education classes, and more. The Campaign for Student Success strives to ensure that all Santa Barbara County residents who want to attend college can, despite their income. For information on how you can participate, visit sbccfoundation.org