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Local leaders and community members gather to cut the ribbon at the new Santa Maria office of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara on Tuesday.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has a new office in Santa Maria, which it opened Tuesday to provide growing support to students and families in the region.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has a new office in Santa Maria, 1862 S. Broadway, Suite 203, which it opened Tuesday.
Local leaders and community members gather to cut the ribbon at the new Santa Maria office of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara on Tuesday.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has a new office in Santa Maria, which it opened Tuesday to provide growing support to students and families in the region.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has a new office in Santa Maria, 1862 S. Broadway, Suite 203, which it opened Tuesday.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara opened its new Santa Maria office Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing commitment to supporting local students.
Located at 1862 S. Broadway, Suite 203, the event celebrated the Foundation’s move from its former location on E. Jones Street, where it had been based for over a decade.
Hosted in collaboration with the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, the opening drew a crowd of community members, including Santa Maria City Council member Gloria Flores and local educators.
In May 2024, the Foundation awarded more than $7.1 million to 1,787 students throughout Santa Barbara County.
Melinda Cabrera, president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation, spoke about the importance of the new office in strengthening the Foundation’s presence in North County.
“After 10 years at our former office location, we’ve relocated — we have a brand new office,” Cabrera said. “It’s significant because we want the community to know where we are, so that students and families — and even prospective students who are thinking about going back to college or vocational school — they know where we are, they can visit our offices, they can ask as many questions as they want, and get the support that they need to feel confident in their postsecondary journey.”
The new office will serve as a central hub for students and families seeking guidance on financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Although the Foundation operates primarily by appointment, Cabrera emphasized that advisors are available Monday through Friday, and often visit schools and community organizations to provide further support.
“We offer financial support through scholarships for anyone pursuing vocational school, undergraduate, or graduate school,” Cabrera said. “Individuals can receive up to nine years of support through the Scholarship Foundation as they pursue their postsecondary goals. But in addition to scholarships, we also offer a world-class financial aid and advising program.”
Molly Alves, vice president of operations and membership at the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, shared her enthusiasm for the event and the Foundation’s role in the community.
“The Chamber is really excited to celebrate the opening of the Scholarship Foundation’s office here in Santa Maria,” Alves said. “They do so much work countywide — they give away millions of dollars in scholarships, which a lot of people don’t realize, to our youth in the community.”
Alves also expressed the Chamber’s commitment to supporting local businesses and organizations like the Scholarship Foundation.
“We’re excited to welcome them to their office here in Santa Maria with a ribbon cutting. Just excited to celebrate another great nonprofit in our community. They do really amazing work for our youth, and their generosity and ability to support the community is great.”
For more information about the foundation’s services or to schedule an appointment, visit their website at www.sbscholarship.org.
April Chavez is the Santa Maria City Reporter for the Santa Maria Times. If you have information, or a story idea that you would like to share, send her an email at AChavez@SantaMariaTimes.com.
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