An evening of community support, storytelling and giving raised more than $16,000 for student programs and financial aid at Los Medanos College, highlighting the critical role donors play in helping students stay enrolled and reach their goals.
The Los Medanos College Foundation announced the event brought in $16,085 through donations, sponsorships and fundraising activities, including raffles and a wine toss. The funds will go toward scholarships, emergency aid and program support for students.
Foundation leaders and speakers emphasized that the impact of these donations goes far beyond the event itself.
“The trajectory of my life was dictated by all of the experiences and the people I met at LMC,” said Brianne Visaya, a 2018 alumna and assistant engineer for the city of Oakley. “The LMC Foundation provided a scholarship … and I went to San Jose State completely debt-free.”
Visaya said that opportunity allowed her to later pursue a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University. Now serving on the Foundation’s board of directors, she said giving back is a direct way to support the next generation of students.
“I think being on the board is a more pronounced and direct way to pay it forward,” she said.
The Foundation, established in 1997, raises funds to support scholarships, career technical programs and emergency financial assistance for students facing unexpected hardships, according to its website.
Those needs can include housing instability, transportation issues and food insecurity — barriers that often prevent students from completing their education.
Diana Honig, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board, said those supports are essential.
“Education is a way into a more secure situation,” Honig said. “Our foundations really provide that support to ensure that they stay in school and are able to reach those goals.”
Community donors also play a major role in sustaining that mission. Beverly Bell, a Foundation board member and representative of the Trilogy community’s TEACH Club, said the group has raised $250,000 for LMC students over the past decade.
“It’s so heartwarming, because that’s exactly why we’re doing it,” Bell said. “If we can pay it forward and help anybody else, isn’t that fulfilling?”
According to the Foundation, donor support has helped award thousands of scholarships and provide millions in program funding over the years, contributing to student transfers, workforce development and basic needs assistance.
For those interested in supporting LMC students, donations can be made online at the Los Medanos College Foundation website.
