Hartnell Foundation announces free college savings account for Monterey County children

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The Hartnell College Foundation and Bright Futures announced Thursday that it will be offering $33 million in free college savings for children in Monterey County.

The organizations shared that they have partnered up with CalKIDS to serve the over 64,000 qualified children in a campaign to close equity gaps and increase the chances for all children to be able to attend college.

"The CalKIDS initiative represents a significant effort to support students and families in overcoming barriers and challenges, with the ultimate goal of closing the equity gap,” said Tony Amezcua, director of Bright Futures Educational Partnership. “CalKIDS will be a game-changer, providing critical support to families and students who might otherwise struggle to achieve their full potential.”

The announcement stated that CalKIDS was created to inspire a college-going mentality from an early age. "CalKIDS believes that children have a future worth saving for and this is the reason why the State of California is investing in newborns and students directly to help set them on a path toward college," said Bright Futures of Monterey County.

The organizations point to research that states children with a college account are three times more likely to enroll in college as well as four times more likely to graduate over those that don’t. They also say that each child can receive up to $1,500 to start, and that this amount accrues interest yearly, with the total amount available to the student as early 17 years old.

“Local Families from our community have the opportunity to claim these funds to support their children’s future and we are excited to work with all of our steering and community partners and supporters to ensure that thousands of Monterey County children claim their free college funds,” said Jackie Cruz, vice president of institutional advancement at Hartnell College and executive director for the Hartnell College Foundation. 

“This seed money is a great starting point for students in preparation for college/university or a vocational training opportunity upon graduating from high school," said Irma Lopez, manager at the Alisal Family Resource Center.

All institutions involved, including the school district, said they are disseminating information in the 2024-2025 school year to encourage qualified families to register.

“This program was created to help students that qualify for this program dream of access to higher education, and for families to start a savings account with this free scholarship money,” said Lopez. 

To get more information and to fill out the form, go to www.calkids.org.