The Merced Firefighters' Scholars Foundation is collaborative effort by your Merced Firefighters and local educators to raise money to help students overcome financial hurdles.

As firefighters, we have recognized a need to do more to help our young local scholars. Too many of our students face financial hurdles preventing them from achieving their full potential. To help combat this challenge, we have partnered with local academic and community leaders to help more of our students achieve academic excellence.

The Merced Firefighters' Scholars Foundation is designed so professionals who interact with our students can direct aid specifically to the individual in need. Firefighters and police officers who interact with the community in their homes while on the job can direct aid to a specific student. Teachers who witness the daily challenges our students face can nominate students for aid. Medical professionals can also nominate students who they interact with.

Our system is designed to fill the highly varied needs many scholars face. Some students need eye glasses, backpacks, or shoes. Others need tutors. We have students in our community who are high achieving but lack the resources to attend an external conference or program. There are college-age students who are only one semester short of finishing their degree but life throws them a financial hurdle and they have to stop attending their courses.

Community professionals can nominate a student from our website, www.MercedFireFoundation.org. By nominating a student, the nominator takes responsibility for executing any aid awarded. This system ensures the aid goes directly to solve the financial hurdle.

Our Foundation would not be available without the tremendous support of our generous donors and for that, we are forever grateful!