Nonprofit Founded by Metallica Donates $75,000 to Allan Hancock College’s Fire Academy

Members of the iconic rock band Metallica, founded a nonprofit that has selected Allan Hancock Community College’s Fire Academy in Santa Maria as a receipt of its 2025 funding.

The non-profit, All Within My Hands, was created in 2017 to focus on funding sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

The 2025-2026 school year marks the seventh year of the Metallica Scholars Initiative. They have partnered with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and grown from 10 schools to 75 with a presence in all 50 United States + Guam, supporting a variety of career and technical education programs through a total of $13.5 million in grants.

This year is the largest grant to date, totaling approximately $3 million, and fifteen additional schools. Each new school will receive $75,000 to enhance the student experience within career and technical education programs.

One of those new schools is the Fire Academy at Allan Hancock Community College. The college will receive a $75,000 grant to support its Fire Academy and provide direct assistance to students preparing for in-demand careers in public safety and emergency response.

“This is an exciting opportunity to support our students and respond to critical workforce needs in California,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “With the support of the Metallica Scholars Initiative, we can help more students—many from historically underserved communities—overcome financial barriers and launch meaningful, life-saving careers.”

At Hancock, the funding will help cover the cost of tuition, textbooks, wildfire protective equipment, and other critical resources. It will directly benefit approximately 60 Fire Academy students annually.

“The Allan Hancock College Fire Academy has been training firefighters for over 50 years,” said AHC Fire Academy Coordinator Leonard Champion. “We are excited and honored to have Metallica support our students and their mission to become first responders.”

Unlike the AHC Law Enforcement Academy, where local agencies typically provide funding for student gear, Fire Academy students must personally purchase their own uniforms, boots, workout clothing, and other training materials.

For many Hancock students, of whom more than 60 percent are low-income, those costs present a significant barrier to entry. The Metallica Scholars grant will help eliminate those barriers and improve student success and completion.

“I could not be any prouder of our Metallica Scholars. We know that our country needs millions of skilled tradespeople, and it warms my heart to know that our Foundation’s efforts are making a positive impact and putting hard-working people on the path to careers in the trades. Whether it’s a school visit or a meet and greet before a show, there is no better feeling than meeting our Metallica Scholars in person and hearing their stories of grit and determination firsthand, along with their pride and commitment. It is truly inspiring. To think we started with a few schools and a couple hundred students, and we’re now in 75 schools nationwide, about to reach 10,000 students. It’s just incredible,” said Robert Trujillo, bassist for Metallica.