This spring, LifeSTEPS proudly awarded 61 students a total of $169,379 in scholarships, supporting academic education. These scholarships help students from affordable housing communities continue their education, reduce financial stress, and move closer to long-term career success.
Since the inception of the LifeSTEPS Scholarship Program in 2011, the organization has awarded 695 scholarships totaling more than $2.1 million. These funds help students pursue degrees, certifications, and vocational training that lead to stability and opportunity. As LifeSTEPS celebrates its 30th anniversary, the organization remains dedicated to supporting vocational and academic students from affordable housing communities. LifeSTEPS continues to empower students to help them build brighter futures through education. The next cycle for Fall applications will open in April 2026.
Education changes lives—and with continued community support, LifeSTEPS is proud to help students turn perseverance into possibility.
One JB Brown Fund recipient, Viktoriia, received her first scholarship in 2022 and will be graduating this spring, shared the impact this support has had on her journey:
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Erik’s story reflects the deeper impact of LifeSTEPS’ holistic approach to support. Growing up in affordable housing after his parents’ divorce, Erik experienced directly the financial limitations that can shape a child’s world. While many of his peers had access to extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities, Erik often had to go without. Those challenges, however, became a wellspring of motivation rather than a source of defeat.
As a participant in the LifeSTEPS After School Program, Erik found structure, encouragement, and a safe space to grow academically as well as socially. The program helped instill discipline, perseverance, and a feeling of community. These values that continue to guide him today.
Now pursuing an accounting degree at Fresno State, Erik has balanced the rigor of higher education with hands-on work in elementary schools, where he supports and mentors young students. Even though accounting has strengthened his critical thinking and discipline, working with children revealed his true passion: inspiring confidence, resilience, and belief in students who may be encountering challenges similar to his own.
As a first-generation college student, monetary pressures remain a reality. Scholarships play a key role in allowing Erik to stay focused on his education and future goals without the ongoing stress of covering basic necessities. His long-term plan includes completing his accounting degree, earning a teaching credential, and continuing to serve students as an elementary school teacher. This will enable him to give back to the community that helped shape him.
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