W e e k l y RIALTO RECORD
Vol 22, NO. 02
September 21, 2023
R i a l t o ’ s B u r l i n g t o n C o a t Fa c t o r y i s N o w O p e n a n d D o n a t e s $5K to RUSD’s Casey Elementar y School
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Los Osos High School's Annual Heritage Festival Celebrates Diversity, Community Invited Pg. 4 PHOTO RUSD Welcome to the neighborhood! Burlington's new store at 1480 S. Riverside Ave., Rialto, celebrated its grand opening by donating $5,000 to Casey Elementary School through AdoptAClassroom.org. RUSD Board Member Evelyn P. Dominguez joined the school's staff and students for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 15, marking a significant contribution to local education. The donation will be used by teachers at Casey Elementary School to purchase classroom supplies.
C I E L O F u n d C e l e b r a t e s O n e Ye a r : $ 1 M i l l i o n R a i s e d , $ 2 8 0 K G r a n t e d t o 25 Latino-l ed Organi zations, and $125K Awarded i n Scholar ships
Never Stop Grinding Impact is Hiring, Passionate Instructors for Youth Development Are Encouraged to Apply Pg. 5
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PHOTOS MANNY SANDOVAL
(Left photo) Angel Rogriguez bringing up 30 of the 83 scholarship recipients in attendance to the stage on Saturday, September 16th. (Right photo) Jesse Melgar, CIELO Fund Founding Chair and IECF Board Member expressing his gratitude to all of the donors.
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H OW TO R E A C H U S
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By Manny Sandoval
he Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) marked a significant milestone on Saturday as it celebrated its first anniversary of the CIELO Fund. Hosted by Cal State San Bernardino, the event kicked off Latino Heritage Month with a bang, announcing that the fund has raised over $1 million in its inaugural year to uplift and invest in the Inland Empire's Latino community.
IECF President and CEO Michelle Decker expressed her gratitude, stating, "Thank you for being here to celebrate the success of the Cielo fund. It's a testament to our board, partners, and community and a reminder of our great potential when we come together for our diverse community.
It's about changing lives and giving opportunities to people in our region. This impact is not just being felt here in the IE, but also in Congress."
Senator Alex Padilla lauded the organization's efforts, saying, "I couldn't be prouder of your work to uplift Latinos in the area. Our democracy works much better when a diverse number of people participate. We must continue to support Latino-led businesses in the Inland Empire. Because of you, 25 Latino-led organizations have garnered $280k in just two years."
Jesse Melgar, CIELO Fund Founding Chair and IECF Board Member reflected on the fund's rapid growth. "It's hard to believe this was just launched one year ago. We are cultivating Latino opportunity.
I'm proud of our collective impact through grant-making, scholarships, and narrative changes. With your help, we were able to invest $280k in 25 IE Latino-led nonprofits in the region."
The event also highlighted the launch of a segment with KVCR called "IE Latino Voices," hosted by Yvette Walker. The segment allows inaugural grantees to share the history of their organizations and amplify their stories. Angel Rodriguez, Associate Vice Chancellor of Government Relations and Strategic Communications for the San Bernardino Community College District, acknowledged the scholarship recipients. "I want to acknowledge our scholarship CIELO, cont. on next pg.