Story Content
United Way donation will help former foster youth at Sac State build a bridge to graduation
July 26, 2024
Former foster youth who are part of Sac State’s Guardian Scholars program got another boost this week from United Way California Capital Region.
The agency on Thursday donated $5,000 to pay for Scantron exam sheets, gift cards and parking passes for Guardian Scholars students to help them complete their college journeys.
The donation follows United Way’s announcement in April that it would donate $500 a month for a year to 10 Sac State Guardian Scholars students.
“We are really excited to do whatever we can to help these students focus on their educations,” said Dawnte Early, president and CEO of the agency. “Education is the ladder out of poverty.”
More than 23,000 teenagers age out of foster care each year in the United States. Fewer than 4% of them earn a college degree, with financial hardship one of the primary reasons they drop out, Early noted. The United Way’s support helps students build a bridge to graduation.
The agency’s “Backpack Giveback Drive,” in partnership with KOVR, funds donations to students of all ages. The drive ends Sunday.
“When most people think about drives for school supplies, they think about younger kids, not necessarily college students,” Early said. “But foster youth have these needs as well.
“We are happy to provide them with resources so that they can graduate and launch their lives. What better way to invest these dollars?”
Media Resources
Faculty/Staff Resources
Looking for a Faculty Expert?
Contact University Communications
(916) 217-8366
communications@csus.edu