Beautiful Bakersfield Awards | |
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The 2023 Beautiful Bakersfield Awards, aka the “Oscars of Bakersfield,” honors outstanding individuals and organizations dedicated to positively impacting Kern County. This year, Kern Community Foundation sponsored the Nonprofit of the Year category.
President & CEO Aaron Falk spoke about the amazing nonprofits across Kern County and their important in our community. The recipient of this year's Nonprofit of the Year award went to The Mission at Kern County. The Mission at Kern County is known for its commitment to alleviating homelessness and providing vital resources to those in need.
If you missed out on the event, you can watch the recording. (Click Here).
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All month, Angie has been conducting the Summer Advisory Meetings with our new scholarship recipients to learn more about their college financing plans, ensuring the students have the fiscal support and resources needed to be successful. Angie analyzes their plans and advises when there may be more financial assistance they qualify for. Angie also discusses with the students the importance of budgeting and setting goals while in college.
Kern Community Foundation is dedicated to getting students through college, not just to college. Therefore, these meetings are essential to teaching the students that communication is key, so that we can achieve that mission. Angie addresses them all as her "best friends," and we always enjoy getting to know them when they come into the office.
We have updated our Scholarship Wall with pictures of our new students and hats from all of the high schools in Kern County. Stop by and check it out! The Scholarship Wall can be found in the lobby as soon as you walk into Kern Community Foundation's office.
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Bakersfield Youth Jobs Program (BYJP) | |
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Guillermo Beltran
Nonprofit: United Way of Kern County
"I literally cannot name a single bad thing about my internship here. For starters, everyone here is so welcoming, inclusive, and kind. The staff is very small, so maybe that is why the connection is so high. We like to refer to ourselves as a family. They also provide us with snacks and drinks! Also, in relation to our staff, everybody here is so dedicated and passionate about their jobs. They truly care about their impact, and helping others, and it’s truly inspiring.
Now, speaking about my position and tasks, it’s been such a great opportunity for me. Especially thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Varela, who brings me to her meetings, and to events. I get to connect with many different people, see how these events are set up, how they work, and what we do as an organization. I’ve even gotten the opportunity to speak in front of a senior citizen center! Dr. Varela has been letting me try new tasks, allowing me to learn. For example, I’m PPI trained and certified, so I can handle private information. This allows me to work with other members of my department, with helping with the applicant review/process, and answering phone calls. I also learned the full process of writing/ sending letters to our applicants.
I’ve also attended many outreach events, where I helped set up booths, manage them, and spoken with many other potential clients, informing them about our program with ease. This list of experiences goes on, which is not only beneficial to me, but also my resume.
All in all, I work with very kind, welcoming, passionate people, who allow me to learn and grow as an intern, and this job does not even feel like work, because of how fun and kind the environment is. This program has truly impacted my life in a great way, not only allowing me to work, but also connecting me with such a great company, and people.”
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Kern Connected Community Network | |
Last month, the Kern Connected Community Network hosted its first in-person nonprofit spotlight. First Presbyterian, Keepers Transformation House, and Kern Region Transit presented to a group of about 30 community members regarding what their organizations and programs do for the community. If you are interested in attending nonprofit spotlights in the future, please RSVP with Teems at Fatima@kernfoundation.org.
Coming up on Thursday, July 28, will be the Community Advisory Group (CAG) Meeting from 9 - 10 AM. The CAG meeting will review Quarter 2 Data and the latest updates. For more information on KCCN (Click Here). If you would like to get connected to community resources (Click Here).
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Peter Anthony Catholic Education Scholarship | |
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The Peter Anthony Catholic Education Scholarship was established in 2017 to provide tuition assistance to qualifying students for Catholic education in Kern County.
This scholarship is now open until July 15, 2023.
This scholarship opportunity is open to students/families who fulfill the following criteria:
- Active and practicing Catholics as verified by the parish pastor
- Demonstrate financial need as verified by Kern Community Foundation
- Attend or plan to enroll in a Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)-accredited K-12 Catholic school in Kern County
- Complete the Peter Anthony Catholic Education Scholarship application through Kern Community Foundation with all materials by the deadline.
For more information or assistance, please contact Angie Griffith at 661.325.5346 or write to Angela@kernfoundation.org.
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Upper Kern Fisheries Enhancement Fund |  | |
The Upper Kern Fisheries Enhancement Fund was established as part of an agreement for fisheries mitigation during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) re-licensing of the Kern River Number 3 Hydroelectric Plant (KR3), which is located on the Upper Kern River near Kernville. It was established with an initial contribution of $2.5 million by Southern California Edison (SCE) and has grown to nearly $3.5 million while distributing close to $1.7 million in grants benefiting the Upper Kern River Basin.
The period to apply for the Fall 2023 Grant will open on July 14. The Upper Kern Fisheries Enhancement Fund Committee (“Committee”) meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Meetings are open to the public and are usually held virtually via Zoom and telephone. Anyone interested in attending may contact fatima@kernfoundation.org. Projects approved for funding by the Committee are submitted to the Board of Directors of Kern Community Foundation for final approval. You can access the grant application through Kern Community Foundation’s Online Grants Platform.
Application Window: July 14 - August 29
For more information or assistance, please contact Teems Tulfo at 661.616.2603 or write to Fatima@kernfoundation.org.
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The Mission at Kern County | |
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Since 1952, The Mission at Kern County has worked to make Bakersfield better by offering a transformational and supportive environment for the marginalized individuals in the community. The Mission at Kern County offers programs that allow homeless, and individuals struggling with addiction, and mothers with children a chance to regain control of their lives.
Over the last 70 years, thousands of people have come through their gates often seeking a meal and shelter. By providing basic necessities, they not only address their immediate needs but also strive to restore their dignity and hope for a better future. Through case management, The Mission works one-on-one with each individual, providing a way out of their dire circumstances through our one-year residential Christian Discipleship Addiction Recovery Programs, job training, and educational opportunities. They empower those struggling with homelessness and addiction to break free from their dependencies and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Notably, The Mission at Kern County’s services are free to its guests.
The Mission at Kern County provides approximately 200,000 meals each year to low-income community members and 94,500 bed nights to homeless men. It is their goal to continue to provide transformative programs and services, offering men, women, and women with children the chance to rebuild their lives and find their way back to a future filled with hope and opportunity.
For more information about how you can get involved with The Mission at Kern County, please go to www.themissionkc.org or call us at (661) 325-0863.
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In this section of our newsletter, we tell the inspiring stories behind our scholarship funds and share the journeys of the individuals and organizations that have established these funds to empower and encourage aspiring students in their educational pursuits. | |
Ellis And Cora Andrews Family Scholarship | |
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In 2021, the Ellis and Cora Andrews Family Scholarship Fund was established to honor Ellis and Cora Andrews. Ellis and Cora raised 13 children of their own alongside fostering 250 more on the outskirts of Bakersfield. 12 of the 13 Andrews children went on to have successful college careers. 5 of the seven boys received track and field scholarships to the University of Southern California. Ellis and Cora’s passion for fostering youth led them to build a new home with nine bedrooms which they called “The House of Others” to accommodate the youth they fostered. The Andrews Family values education and is dedicated to offering opportunities for the youth in Kern County to thrive.
Shirley Hasley, President of the Fund and Ellis and Cora Andrews’ eldest daughter, says, “My parents were the go-to people for any child nobody wanted, the tough cases. If they were troublemakers the word was, ‘Take them to the Andrews.’ “When these foster kids came in it was our job to pray them and give them love. Most of these kids had not had that. They would find out that we cared for them, and there was always something to eat [...] They were once selected as the Parents of the Year and went to Sacramento to be honored by Governor Reagan. They were very humble. Just looking at them you would not think they had the kind of passion to give hope to strangers, but they did. My dad was six feet, probably over 200 pounds. Very quiet, hardly ever said anything, but when he spoke you listened. ‘Turn the other cheek’ was for them derived from their deep religious connection. I believe they passed on to all of us a mission to volunteer and to help others. Our parents told us all that there would be roadblocks in our paths and that we would have to persevere.”
Each year, awards are given to graduates of South High School and West High School in Bakersfield each year. Recipients are chosen because they are the first in their families to graduate high school and are active in voluntary service within their communities. Each recipient of this scholarship receives $1,000 during their freshman year in college.
To view the list of scholarship funds (Click Here).
To learn more about scholarships (Click Here).
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NEW REGISTERED NONPROFITS | |
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Community members, did you know Kern Community Foundation has a Community Calendar? To make it easier for you to stay in the loop, KCF created a Community Calendar that lists all upcoming nonprofit events, including workshops, galas, and marathons, as well as volunteer opportunities. Check out the upcoming events (Click Here).
Nonprofits registered with Kern Community Foundation, did you know you can share your events? If you have an event you would like to post on our community calendar and social media, please send the information to Teems at Fatima@kernfoundation.org.
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