In light of local schools and nonprofits facing substantial
budget challenges, San Benito High School, Calaveras Elementary
School and Tres Pinos School are three of 48 schools selected to
receive $114,000 in monetary donations from Wells Fargo.
In light of local schools and nonprofits facing substantial budget challenges, San Benito High School, Calaveras Elementary School and Tres Pinos School are three of 48 schools selected to receive $114,000 in monetary donations from Wells Fargo.
The nonprofits include the American Heart Association, St. Joseph Family Center and the Central Coast YMCA.
Joe Mathai, president of the Wells Fargo Valley Coastal Market and a Gilroy resident, is happy to see the funds funneled back into the community. He said last year’s sum of $1,000 per institution has doubled to $2,000. This is the second year Wells Fargo has donated money to Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Wells Fargo employees and branch managers were given a major say in selecting the schools.
“My leadership team and I all have children, and we wanted to see how we could help local schools,” said Mathai.
The response Wells Fargo received last year was heartwarming, Mathai said. Principals wrote him saying they were able to use the extra money for things such as field trips, science fairs and general supplies. He said a number of parents also responded with positive feedback.
Schools in the Santa Cruz and Monterey counties received money Tuesday at the Watsonville Civic Plaza.
Santa Clara and San Benito county schools will receive the donation at an invitation-only event at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club in Hollister.
“Each school will walk out with a check tomorrow,” said Mathai, “an actual check.”
Santa Clara County School recipients:
– Charter school of Morgan Hill, Morgan Hill
– Christopher High School, Gilroy
– Gilroy High School, Gilroy
– Live Oaks High School, Morgan Hill
– Pacific West Christian Academy, Gilroy
San Benito County School recipients:
– San Benito High School, Hollister
– Calaveras Elementary School, Hollister
– Tres Pinos Schools
Santa Cruz County School recipients
– Alianza Elementary School, Watsonville
– Ann Soldo Elementary, Watsonville
– Bay View Elementary, Santa Cruz
– Bradley Elementary, Watsonville
– De Laveaga Elementary, Santa Cruz
– Del Mar Elementary, Santa Cruz
– E A Hall Middle School, Watsonville
– Live Oak Elementary, Santa Cruz
– Mission Hill Middle, Santa Cruz
– New Brighton Middle School, Capitola
– Pajaro Valley High, Watsonville
– San Lorenzo Valley Elementary, Felton
– Soquel Elementary, Soquel
– Valencia Elementary, Aptos
– Vine Hill Elementary, Scotts Valley
– Watsonville High, Watsonville
Monterey County School recipients:
– Bay View Elementary, Monterey
– Carmel Middle School, Carmel
– Carmel High School, Carmel
– Carmel River, Carmel
– Castroville Elementary, Castroville
– Elkhorn Elementary, Castroville
– Everett Alvarez High School, Salinas
– Frank Paul Elementary, Salinas
– Greenfield High School, Greenfield
– King City High School, King City
– Los Arboles Middle School, Marina
– Marina High, Marina
– Martin Luther King School, Seaside
– McKinnon Elementary, Salinas
– Monterey High School, Monterey
– North Salinas High School, Salinas
– Ord Terrace Elementary, Seaside
– Pacific Grove High School, Pacific Grove
– Pacific Grove Middle School, Pacific Grove
– Prunedale Elementary, Salinas
– Salinas High School, Salinas
– Seaside High School, Seaside
– Tularcitos Elementary, Carmel Valley
– Walter Colton, Monterey
