Redlands, California (March 20, 2023) – The Garner Holt Foundation has received a $400,000 grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to support underprivileged youth in San Bernardino County. The Garner Holt Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Redlands, California. The foundation is expanding and currently building Garner’s Garage, a STEAM Learning and Career Exploration “Classroom of the Future”. The mission of Garner’s Garage is to increase hope, ignite the imagination, and inspire creativity in young people’s lives by offering hands-on, career-focused learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The workshop will allow underprivileged youth in the community to explore careers in various fields, including engineering, robotics, programming, automation, manufacturing, and visual and performing arts. They will also learn in-demand job skills and gain the self-confidence needed to pursue their dream careers.
The Garner Holt Foundation recognizes that many young people in the community do not have access to safe spaces for creativity, and it aims to provide that through the development of Garner’s Garage. The name and concept of are inspired by the location where Garner Holt started pursuing his dream of building animatronics and launching his business – the family garage. The foundation will offer state-of-the-art equipment, advanced technologies, industry experts, and high-quality instruction to help young people turn their ideas into reality. The workshop will allow dreamers, doers, and makers to explore a range of careers and create whatever they can imagine.
“We are so thankful to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for this generous grant. I am certain the Garner Garage will be life-changing for many underprivileged youths in our community,” said Garner Holt Foundation Executive Director Jill Prendergast. “This grant will allow hundreds of youths in San Bernardino County to be exposed to multiple career paths and the opportunities to explore and learn in non-traditional ways.”
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has donated more than $300 million in philanthropic giving since 2003. Their belief in Yawa’, which means to act upon one’s beliefs, motivates them to give back and support organizations working towards a better tomorrow.
About The Garner Holt Foundation
The Garner Holt Foundation (GHF) is an inspiration factory dedicated to igniting the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of the next generation of dreamers and doers. Since our founding in 2019, GHF’s outreach has impacted the lives of hundreds of underprivileged young people curious about the power of imagination and the strength of hope. Our 501(c)(3), the not-for-profit organization offers hands-on, career-focused learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics through scholarships and events for underprivileged youth. GHF’s founder, Garner Holt, pursued his childhood love of animatronics to create and lead what is now the world’s largest animatronics builder, Garner Holt Productions, Inc. GHF amplifies the promise of creativity in young people to help them establish career pathways and focus on bringing dreams to life.
About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally-recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region.