The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco announced its 2018 AHEAD Program winners on September 6 and named Amador Community College Foundation (ACCF) one of 54 winners from the 192 applications received. ACCF, the funding organization for Amador College Connect, was nominated by American River Bank for the award in recognition of its success at bringing innovative higher education and workforce training opportunities to Amador County. ACCF will receive a grant of $25,000 to continue and expand the work of Amador College Connect.
The “Access to Housing and Economic Assistance for Development” (AHEAD) Program grants are made to Bank members, such as American River Bank, that work with local community groups to provide funding for targeted economic development projects and non-AHP-eligible housing initiatives that create benefits for low- and moderate-income communities in Arizona, California and Nevada. The award cited Amador College Connect’s new Culinary Arts Apprenticeship program as an example of a targeted economic development project that offers “a career pathway to in-demand local jobs.”
Amador Community College Foundation Secretary, Karen Dickerson, stated, “We are excited to be collaborating with Columbia College’s Apprenticeship Initiative and Jackson Rancheria on this new Hospitality Management program. Amador County’s strong Hospitality industry is sure to benefit and that means more jobs and greater economic vitality for our county.”
Dickerson explained that the funds will pay for staff to build the program and for student scholarships. The Hospitality Management program started in August 2018 with 6 students. Classes in such topics as “Safety and Sanitation,” “Restaurant Math” are being offered via live video feed from Columbia College to Jackson Rancheria. “Introduction to Hospitality Careers” is being taught online by Columbia College.
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a cooperative, wholesale bank that helps meet community credit needs by providing readily available, competitively priced credit products and services to member financial institutions through all phases of the economic cycle. Members of the cooperative include commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions headquartered in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Using credit made available by FHL Bank of San Francisco enables member community
lenders, like American River Bank, to make home mortgage, commercial real estate, small business, and other loans. Through its members, FHL Bank of San Francisco also supports affordable housing and economic development through targeted grant and loan programs