Dear Friends,
As our 35th Anniversary year comes to a close, I am reminded of the legendary story of Johnny Appleseed, who planted seeds wherever he went to ensure future generations would have a healthy supply of apple trees. Since 1975, we have also been “planting” for the future, producing an annual class of Hispanic American college graduates that will help to ensure a healthy and diverse America.
This year has been especially rewarding for HSF. Despite a dragging economy, we were still able to increase the number of awarded scholarships. And once again, we increased the percentage of our operating budget that goes directly to scholarships and programs from 88% to 93%, thanks in large part to our automation of the application, registration, and review processes.
This year, we concluded a major collaborative research effort that provided the foundation for our historic Ad Council Campaign, “Their Tomorrow Depends on Your Words Today,” which aims to reach 2.5 million Hispanic families nationwide. Finally, we’re especially proud to have been one of only 10 nonprofits selected by President Obama to share his Nobel Peace Prize award. The award helped establish the Obama Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Teaching Scholarship, which this year awarded 12 future STEM teachers with scholarships to help them through college.
Certainly, none of this could be possible without the continued commitment and support of all our donors, contributors, and partners. Your help has made our mission to make college accessible and affordable for Hispanic Americans a reality.
But we still have much work to do. Today, Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing group in the U.S., making up more than 50 percent of the U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2025. One in five children in public school is Hispanic, and Hispanic Americans continue to represent a growing percentage of our workforce. We all have a responsibility to ensure Hispanic Americans are prepared to tackle the challenges of the future, and we hope you will join us as we work to expand our reach in the years to come.
Frank D. Alvarez
President and Chief Executive Officer