May 24
Everyone is getting ready to participate in one of the oldest walk-a-thons in the Los Angeles area. The UNCF (United Negro College Fund) will have its 30th annual Walk for Education on Sat., June 2, in Exposition Park at the corner of Menlo Avenue and North Coliseum Drive behind the Natural History Museum.
This annual 5K UNCF Los Angeles walk helps raise critical funds to support UNCF’s 38 member historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and 60,000 nationally students — and over 4,000 students from the Southern California area. The walk gets support from area churches, community groups, supporters, donors and corporations, including this year’s presenting sponsor, Southern California Edison (SCE).
UNCF started its walk-a-thon to help keep the Southern California community informed about the tremendous effort of UNCF to support its 38 member institutions while generating resources for the students that attend them. Many participants are proud Southern California alumni of HBCUs; they look forward each year to this measurably tangible activity that supports the institutions that have given many their starts in life.
“Education is the train that pulls our young people up the hill to a better life” stated UNCF Los Angeles Area Director Curtis R. Silvers, Jr. The funds raised from their walk-a-thon help students get the financial assistance to get them in and through college.
Today’s UNCF students are attending college at a time when higher education is becoming less affordable. More than 90% of UNCF students need some form of financial aid. Most UNCF students come from disadvantaged families; 60% are from family with incomes of less than $30,000, and 60% are the first in their families to attend college.
“Every step we take in the UNCF Walk for Education brings us that much closer to sending more kids to college and fulfilling President Barack Obama’s commitment for America to regain world leadership in the number of college graduates by 2020,” says presenter/sponsor representative Tarrance Frierson, who is the contract manager, supplier diversity and development for the SCE.
Registration begins from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; the walk will begin at 8:30 a.m., with post-walk festivities from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
For more information about the 30th Annual UNCF Los Angeles Walk for Education or to register online, go to http://give.uncf.org/LAWalk.