LA Rams, Fulfillment Fund host event to raise money for Kenny Washington memorial scholarship
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Fulfillment Fund held a fundraising event called "Sip and Celebrate" at SoFi Stadium Thursday.
The event was Fulfillment Fund's first in-person event in three years. Philanthropists, educational leaders and community members gathered to raise funds to provide college scholarships for Los Angeles area students from educationally and economically under-resourced communities.
The Los Angeles Rams, in partnership with the Fulfillment Fund, created the Kenny Washington Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship is funded by the Rams and is in its inaugural year. It will offer up to $20,000 to students for college. Students who are accepted to a four-year college or enrolled in an accredited baccalaureate degree-granting program will receive $5,000 per year for up to four years. Recipients that are accepted to and enrolled in an accredited community college will receive $2,000 per year for up to two years. Students may be eligible to receive additional financial support upon a successful transfer to a four-year college.
The scholarship is in honor of Kenny Washington who broke the NFL's color barrier in 1946 when he signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He ended a 12-year ban on Black players in the NFL. (FOX 11)
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On Thursday evening, the 13 selected students were acknowledged at the event.
"We want to be a resource. We want to position ourselves to help further education but also create pathways that everyone has access to so that zip codes won't be a barrier," said Johnathan Franklin, the Director of Social Justice and Football Development with the Rams.
FOX 11's Good Day LA anchor, Michaela Pereira, was the host of the event.