FOUNDATION AUCTION BREAKS RECORDS

Every year, the MHCC Foundation’s fundraising efforts continue to grow: On Saturday, April 27, the college’s annual Foundation auction produced record-breaking donation amounts and attendance. 

Al Sigala, executive director of the Foundation, said a little over $314,000 was brought in for student scholarships and classroom equipment at Mt. Hood, with the auction being the group’s main fundraising event of the year.

A total of 405 people made it to the “Sneaker Ball” event, held in the Yoshida Event Center, another record high.

The Foundation’s biggest initiative this school year was focusing on supporting Barney’s Pantry, raising $26,000 for it which allowed the pantry to get refrigerators in to offer perishable food to students through the pantry’s partnership with the Oregon Food Bank, Sigala said.

Some other things the Foundation has funded recently include getting new pianos for the music department, investing in the new student HUB, and helping start the mechatronics program at MHCC.

Sigala said that deciding where the money raised by the Foundation goes is a strategic process, based on the college president identifying and hearing of needs across various school programs and from local  industry leaders. He said the college is now looking at CTE programs such as machine tool technology that need equipment upgrades, and how the Foundation could support them.

With regard to MHCC scholarships funded by the Foundation, Sigala said that the online scholarship software streamlines the application process. The college now finds more students completing their scholarship applications, and it has more money to give out, thanks to the successful fundraising efforts.

This year the Foundation has also worked more on connecting with alumni through the creation of an alumni association. Alumni have been invited out to planetarium shows and theatre productions on campus to make sure they still feel connected to the Mt. Hood community, said Sigala.

To join the alumni association, email Sigala at [email protected] or Nataly Paoli at [email protected]. 

Sigala credited the Foundation Board with the fundraising successes over the year.

“We’re extremely proud with the members of the board because the Foundation couldn’t succeed without the right people,” said Sigala.