MONTEREY COUNTY — Hartnell College Foundation and Bright Futures of Monterey County have announced a collaboration with CalKIDS, a fund in California that provides free college savings accounts for millions of children.
In Monterey County, there are more than 64,000 qualified children with $33 million available. A campaign to disseminate information and promote registration began in May and will continue through 2024. The CalKIDS campaign is made possible by the support of funders United Way, Teresa Matsui and Betsy and Barry Adler.
“Local families from our community have the opportunity to claim these funds to support their children’s future, and we are excited to work with all of our steering and community partners and supporters to ensure that thousands of Monterey County children claim their free college funds,” said Jackie Cruz, vice president of institutional advancement at Hartnell College and executive director for the Hartnell College Foundation.
CalKIDS was created with the intention to inspire a college-going mentality from an early age. CalKIDS believes that children have a future worth saving for, and this is the reason why the State of California is investing in newborns and students directly to help set them on a path toward college.
The Foundation stated that its proud to be managing this project in Monterey County under the umbrella of Bright Futures. Community partners, steering partners and core conveners are supporting these efforts.
“The CalKIDS initiative represents a significant effort to support students and families in overcoming barriers and challenges, with the ultimate goal of closing the equity gap,” said Tony Amezcua, director of Bright Futures Educational Partnership. “CalKIDS will be a game-changer, providing critical support to families and students who might otherwise struggle to achieve their full potential.”
Research demonstrates that children with a college account are three times more likely to enroll in college, and four times more likely to graduate, than those that don’t. Each child may qualify for up to $1,500 to start their college savings account. These accrue interest and each youth can access the funds as early as 17 years old.
Irma Lopez, manager at the Alisal Family Resource Center, said the district’s goal is to reach out to families in the 2024-25 school year and encourage parents to register their child if they qualify for this free scholarship money.
“This program was created to help students that qualify for this program dream of access to higher education, and for families to start a savings account with this free scholarship money,” Lopez said. “This seed money is a great starting point for students in preparation for college/university or a vocational training opportunity upon graduating from high school.”
The Foundation and Bright Futures hope to reach out to most or all eligible children through the marketing campaign, the partners, the schools and word of mouth.
“CalKIDS is a powerful tool for promoting success and ensuring a more equitable future for all,” Amezcua said.
To get more information and to fill out the form, go to calkids.org.
