People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has received a $7,723 grant from the city of Carpinteria through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The funding will benefit PSHH’s education program Camino Scholars, hosted onsite at Dahlia Court Apartments in Carpinteria.
Camino Scholars, PSHH’s nationally recognized education program, has been serving hundreds of students this past year in an in-person format with a hybrid learning curriculum option. During this time, students have shown marked gains in their reading skills and advancements in math, in some cases, improving by more than 60%.
Students have benefitted from small learning cohorts, supported by in-person instruction personalized to their individual needs, at specially developed Academic Support Centers, said Joanna Dominguez, director of education.
“Thank you to the city of Carpinteria and their commitment to serving local students,” Dominguez said. “With this gift, the Camino Scholars program will continue to provide students of all ages with the tools and resources to not only reach higher education, but to thrive in it.”
Camino Scholars serves some 500 students per year at its 11 onsite learning centers. As evidenced by standardized test scores, the curriculum significantly improves math and literacy skills and accompanies students on the path of lifelong learning.
The program also helps prepare high school and university students with specialized tutoring, college application assistance, financial aid navigation, career exploration workshops, university campus visits, and mentorship.
The CDBG program supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Activities may address infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, clearance/acquisition, microenterprise assistance, code enforcement, and homeowner assistance.
The funds are awarded through municipalities and counties across California. For more about People’s Self-Help Housing and Camino Scholars, visit pshhc.org.