In San Mateo County, home to some of the most affluent neighborhoods in California, one-fifth of the county’s population struggles to make ends meet. A better life through higher education is too often out of reach.

To better serve these individuals and their families, in February 2015, Cañada College became the second college in California to host a SparkPoint Center. Today, there are 21 SparkPoint centers located within the San Francisco Bay Area.

Modeled on the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “Centers for Working Families ,” SparkPoint is part of a regional United Way of the Bay Area network of financial education centers designed to serve individuals and families who are working to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Students and other members of the community utilize SparkPoint services and resources to achieve financial self-sufficiency.