SFSB Board Member Lisa Rivas (right) with Dena and Tom Hardeman

The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara officially launched the Lompoc Community Scholarship Fund last Friday at a reception held at the Longoria Winery in Lompoc. The fund will allow members of the Lompoc community to direct their support to scholarships for students who have attended one of the high schools in Lompoc. It is the first community fund established by SFSB.

This community fund is different than the nearly 500 other scholarship funds SFSB administers because it provides an opportunity for the entire Lompoc community – individuals, businesses, foundations, and civic groups – to join together to provide critical financial assistance to its students, as well as much needed encouragement. Lompoc residents who support the Scholarship Foundation can choose to designate their contributions to the fund.

In 2015, for the first time in SFSB’s 53-year history, more than half of the 2,942 scholarships it awarded went to students in the northern part of Santa Barbara County. Of the 2,942, 257 of those scholarships were awarded to Lompoc and Cabrillo High graduates to help them attend vocational school, college, and graduate/medical school.  Unfortunately, over 40 deserving students from Lompoc were denied aid due to lack of funds.

“Establishing the Lompoc Community Scholarship Fund is an important step in increasing the amount of scholarship assistance available to students in the North County,” said Candace Winkler, SFSB’s president and CEO. “There is tremendous need to help these students and their families overcome the high cost of a post-secondary education. We hope this fund will inspire more Lompoc residents to invest in the lives of local students. When we invest in young people’s futures, we all win.”

Residents wishing to participate in the Lompoc Community Scholarship Fund can make tax-deductible contributions on SFSB’s website (www.sbscholarship.org) or by mailing a check to: SFSB, P.O. Box 3620, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. The organization will not charge a fee to administer the fund – 100% of donations will directly support local students.