Crafton Hills College Receives Economic Opportunity Grant from Bank of America - Crafton Hills College

Publish Date: Sept. 5, 2022

The Bank of America (B of A) Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Crafton Hills College (CHC) Foundation to help support the College’s efforts to generate economic opportunities for area residents by providing employment paths. According to CHC’s Director of Institutional Advancement Michelle Riggs, these funds will support students in first-responder programs. Riggs stated, “By helping pay for testing, state credentialing, and background check fees for students that cannot afford to do so, Bank of America is strengthening our community.”

CHC’s Training First Responders project provides financial support for students actively pursuing certificates in the Crafton Hills College Public Safety and Allied Health Programs. Hundreds of students complete a rigorous course load each academic year to earn degrees or certificates that will allow them to serve as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, respiratory therapists, and radiologic technicians. These certificate programs are direct pathways for our students to serve the community with many of our graduates going on to work in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

“We are proud that many of our students graduate and make an immediate impact on the community we serve, but we are also aware that many students cannot afford the various fees they must pay to become licensed or certified in these professions,” stated Riggs. “Support from the B of A Foundation will help alleviate the financial hardships that students would otherwise face. By providing funding for students, we will be directly impacting the flow of able bodied first responders into the workforce in these understaffed fields.”

This Bank of America Foundation grant is one of 32 grants to regional organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Feeding America San Bernardino, Child Advocates of San Bernardino, Foothill Family Shelter, and Goodwill Industries of Southern California.