The Foundation for Folsom Cordova Schools has received a $1,000 grant from Walmart to buy books for students across the district.
The Spark Good Local Grant, from the Walmart store in Rancho Cordova, will fund the foundation's Literacy Support Program throughout the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD), the Folsom Times reported. The money will go toward book purchases for school-based programs, including book vending machine initiatives and student recognition programs.
Foundation board members and representatives gathered Nov. 4 to recognize the donation, according to the Folsom Times.
Sheryl Smith, the foundation's vice president, said in the Folsom Times that she was grateful for the support. "It's wonderful to see a local business step forward and help put more books into the hands of students," Smith said.
Two priorities in year one
Literacy support is one of two inaugural funding priorities the foundation has set for the 2026-27 school year, according to the foundation's website. The other is Career Technical Education (CTE) graduate scholarships.
The literacy effort covers book vending machine programs and gifting books to schools to support positive behavior programs, according to the foundation's site. The CTE scholarship program plans to award three $1,000 scholarships to eligible graduating seniors from Cordova High School, Folsom High School and Vista del Lago High School.
Both priorities depend on available funds and future board approval of program guidelines, the website states.
The foundation, which supports FCUSD students, is also recruiting volunteers with experience in finance, marketing, fundraising and nonprofit development. Those funding priorities mark the group's first year of grant-making across the district.
