St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund

The mission of the St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund (SFOSF) is to help students, of limited means, with their unmet college expenses. We are celebrating our 26th year. Our goal is to help students through all four years of college until graduation. The students, must stay in touch with us and provide us with their grades and updates on their classes. We do not promise assistance but help and mentor them as appropriate. Our organization was founded by a parishioner, Mrs. Joni McIntyre in 1998. She is now 102 years old and continues to follow how we are helping students. As of February 2024, we have helped over 60 students, with a total outlay of over $375,000.

We are at this time a group of 6 parishioners, Cheryl Gutierrez and Robin Pano (Co-Chairs), Janet Laudeman, Gayle Taylor, Fabrizio Pela and Joy Bacon. We will have a new mentor, Shelly Zak, starting in March of this year. We always welcome new members and mentors. Maybe something in your background will resonate with a student.

For several years, we have selected our students from Hawthorne Math and Science Academy in Hawthorne, California. The counselors at this school work very closely with us to provide us with the type of students that we would like to support. Many of these students are first-generation college students and receive little in the way of college and career guidance in their home situation. We like to support students who have extra challenges, for example, one-parent households, orphans being raised by other family members, etc.

In Fall 2023, we helped 7 new college freshmen. Most of them needed laptops as they use school computers which they need to turn in at the end of high school. We also assisted students from previous years, sophomores through those in their senior year. We will have a new graduate in May 2024, Edlyn Gabriel from UC Merced. In calendar year 2023, we distributed almost $19,000. The help was in the form of tuition (paid directly to the institution), computers, books, and transportation.

For over 20 years, we held an annual fundraiser, “Designs for Dining”. We have since the beginning of the Covid Pandemic featured smaller fundraisers. We recently had a successful fundraiser at Bettolino Kitchen in Redondo Beach.

Also, we receive funds quarterly from Ralph’s/Food 4 Less Community Rewards. We receive checks based on parishioners who shop at Ralphs. Would you like to sign up for the program? There is no cost to join and the stores donate a portion of your purchases to our St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund.

For more information, please contact Cheryl Gutierrez at (310) 621-3532.