In its ninth year of the Live Más Scholarship program, The Taco Bell Foundation is investing in the future success of young people across the country.
IRVINE, Calif., April. 25, 2024 – Today, the Taco Bell Foundation announced it is awarding $10 million in Live Más Scholarships, providing over 1,000 passion-driven students with resources to fuel their educational dreams. Of the $10 million, $7 million will go to Taco Bell fans nationwide and $3 million will go to Taco Bell restaurant team members. Scholarship award amounts range from $5,000 to $25,000 per recipient.
For the first time in the scholarship’s history, Taco Bell will be celebrating this year’s new $25,000 winners by providing a Taco Bell gift card to fuel up on tacos during the upcoming school year. And that’s not the only thing unique about this scholarship. Forgoing grades, essays, and test scores, this one-of-a-kind passion-based scholarship allows students aged 16-26 to highlight their passion and educational aspirations through a two-minute video. This year’s class is comprised of students with a wide variety of passions and nontraditional paths, with numerous scholars attending community college, vocational or trade schools.
“The Live Más Scholarship cultivates a passionate community of diverse individuals united by their shared commitment to breaking down barriers for the causes they believe in,” said Jennifer Bradbury, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation. “The unwavering passion exhibited by these students never ceases to amaze us. We provide them with pathways to access new opportunities and resources, empowering them to create the change they envision.”
This program shows that a little kindness goes a long way. Scholarships awarded to fans are funded 100% by customers through the Taco Bell Foundation’s Round Up fundraiser, in which the average donation is 44 cents. Team member scholarships are funded by donations from Taco Bell Corp. and Taco Bell Franchisees.
In this application cycle, passions spanned across all dimensions, from creative arts to social justice to entrepreneurship. Take a look at how two inspiring 2024 Live Más Scholars are driving change in their communities:
- Gracie S.: Inspired by athletics since a young age, Gracie quickly grew tired of hearing “you’re just a girl,” in response to her big ambitions in the sports world. She developed a nonprofit organization called “Girls on the Mound” designed to aid young women through the male-dominated sports business industry. Gracie is a Taco Bell team member and received a once in a lifetime surprise from her sports idol Davante Adams when the wide receiver surprised her with the scholarship at his Las Vegas football camp in April. Gracie aspires to further her education in business management and marketing, while also breaking barriers for women passionate about sports.
- Ethan C.: Ethan is a passionate storyteller who is currently studying Film Production at Chapman University. Growing up in a multicultural household, he developed a keen eye for untold stories in everyday life. From personal family documentaries to a film shedding light on racial injustice, his broad scope of work aims to share narratives other than just his own. He hopes his continued education in filmmaking will allow him to communicate authentic messaging and share transformative stories to bring hope to and unite people.
This year also marks the launch of the Live Más Scholarship Alumni Leadership Council, a group of twelve alumni leaders who will undertake a year-long commitment to drive engagement, amplify stories, elevate narratives and foster relationships throughout the Taco Bell Foundation board. Scholars will also have the opportunity to travel to San Diego to attend the Live Más Scholarship Summer of Connection this July, a one-of-a-kind conference designed to cultivate career skills and connections.
About Taco Bell Foundation
Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps break down barriers to educate and inspire the next generation of America’s young leaders. Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has reached more than 5 million young people across the country and has awarded more than $155 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness. For more information about the Taco Bell Foundation, visit www.tacobellfoundation.org.
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