LBCC Foundation: November Director's Letter

Dear Friends of LBCC,

There's something special about sharing a meal together. This fall, we witnessed that first-hand during our inaugural Grilled Cheese Roadshow, where a simple comfort food became a powerful vehicle for student connection and support.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Grocery Outlet Bargain Market of Albany, who donated all the bread, cheese, and water for our roadshow, we were able to serve warm, fresh, grilled cheese sandwiches across our campuses. Through Albany, Corvallis, and Lebanon, our team of Foundation staff and Board members fired up our griddles and served up both sustenance and smiles.

But this wasn't just about lunch – it was about awareness. With 70% of our students regularly skipping meals due to financial constraints, every sandwich served reminded us why our scholarship program is so vital. I'm thrilled to share that our outreach efforts have yielded extraordinary results: 601 students submitted scholarship applications this fall – our highest number since launching our online system in 2017, representing a 30% increase from last fall.

As we enter the holiday season, I'm excited to announce our newest initiative: the Student Hope Tree, presented by BlueSun Inc. This special project, in partnership with our STEP and JOBS programs, strives to bring joy to students working toward stability and self-sufficiency through education and career development. These programs serve community members facing various challenges – from parents navigating poverty while pursuing healthcare training or CDL certification to SNAP recipients working toward high-wage, high-demand careers.

I invite you to visit our Foundation Office (CC-107) or the BlueSun Employment Services office in Corvallis to select a tag from the Student Hope Tree. Each tag represents a student family's holiday wish and includes a beautiful commemorative ornament crafted by our talented machine tool students. With gift card requests ranging from $25-$50 per family member, your contribution will directly impact families who are working hard to create better futures through education. To ensure timely distribution, we ask that all unwrapped gift cards be returned to our office by December 6th.

Together, we can make this holiday season a little brighter for our students. Your generosity doesn't just provide a gift – it offers hope and shows our students that their community believes in their journey.

With warm regards,

Steven Broncheau