History and About Us
Our Mission
To raise money for cadets attending Fresno City College Fire Academy by providing cadets financial assistance to offset the cost of attendance and support their pursuit of higher education and their dream of becoming a firefighter a reality.
Our Start
The Jim Deaver Fire Academy Scholarship was established by Socorro Gonzalez-Deaver through State Center Community College District (SCCCD), a local nonprofit organization, in her husband's name to offer awards to cadets pursuing a fire service career at the Fresno City College (FCC) Fire Academy.
Our Inspiration
Jim was raised in Centerville, California and settled in the Sunnyside-Clovis area as an adult, He worked for the Sanger Fire Department, and retired as a fire captain after over 28 years of service.
Jim and Socorro decided to invest in a home in Morro Bay where they hoped to live out their retirement years, but then Jim decided to go back to work a bit longer. He was hired by Sanger High School and assisted in implementing the Valley ROP Urban/Rural Fire Fighter course. As the primary instructor, he prepared the curriculum taught class, and mentored students. He truly enjoyed the challenge and loved working with the students.
In November 2015, everything changed. Jim suffered cardiac arrest that resulted in an anoxic brain injury and severe brain damage. He lost his ability to speak, walk, and perform everyday functions. Jim has resided at an acute care facility in since this incident. Socorro is with Jim every day, assisting and working with Jim on his recovery. She believes that he is proud that she has found a way to carry on his work!
Our Committee
The Deaver Fund Committee (DFC) was formed in January 2017 with a vision of funding scholarships by organizing fun and rosperous fundraiser events and encouraging community participation. Currently, the committee consists of approximately 20 members. The DFC meets monthly, and biweekly prior to scheduled events, to discuss new ideas, progress, and any obstacles that may arise during the planning and implementation phases of the event.
The DFC is divided into several subcommittees that handle different aspects of planning and organizing the fundraiser. Subcommittees within the DFC are headed by a subcommittee chair who is responsible for keeping the subcommittee focused and on task in order to meet deadlines. The subcommittee chair meets and reports regularly with the executive board.
