More than 300 community leaders gathered at the Hilton in Santa Barbara Friday afternoon to celebrate the work of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, the nation’s largest community-based scholarship provider.
This past year, the foundation awarded $7.7 million in financial aid to just over 2,000 students, helping local scholars pursue their higher-education goals.
“With the rising cost of tuition, the rising cost of living expenses, right now our students need our community to come together. So today is all about learning about the needs of our community and celebrating our impact,” said Melinda Cabrera, president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
The foundation’s leadership says it receives more than 3,500 applications annually from students seeking support for college and career-training programs. Looking ahead, they hope to expand their reach and help even more students in the years to come.
