The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians recently awarded $1.8 million to the Crafton Hills College (CHC) Fire Academy, the largest gift ever received by the CHC Foundation. The grant will help students overcome obstacles in their pursuit to higher education and training, particularly women; the unemployed or underemployed; those from underserved populations; and people who are facing financial barriers.
The donation comes at a time when updated industry standards have resulted in increased program costs, to a point where cadets are expected to pay more out-of-pocket to complete their respective courses. The grant will allow students to focus on their training and alleviate some financial hardships. In this way, San Manuel will substantially increase its support of programs that create pathways to a better future through education and training.
“It has been an honor to partner with Crafton Hills on both financial support and recruitment,” San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Vice-Chairman Johnny Hernandez Jr. said. “Every person should be able to follow their dreams regardless of their financial situation. The Tribe is excited to hear this may close the gap between diverse communities and access to following their dreams in firefighting.”
Crafton’s Fire Academy is one of the premier fire academies in Southern California, designed to meet requirements for Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications. The grant from the Tribe will directly support the Fire Academy’s goal to create a more diversified cadet pool, as nearly 30 cadets participate in the program each term.
