Real Solutions for Boron’s Most Pressing Needs
Building a Better Boron Through Action
At the East Kern County Community Foundation, we’re proud to serve the resilient and hardworking residents of Boron. Our programs are designed to address the critical challenges our community faces, while creating lasting opportunities for growth and sustainability.
From clean water and affordable housing to education and public safety, our initiatives focus on what matters most to Boron. Together, we are building a future where everyone can thrive.
Clean Water & Sewer Access
Kern County and the state have documented Boron's water vulnerability since 2006, and after three main-line repairs in the last 16 months, we are working to bring the funding and partners needed to fix it.
What We’re Doing:
Regional Consolidation Study: We are working with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), and Self-Help Enterprises on a three-system feasibility study covering Boron, Desert Lake, and North Edwards.
State Planning Convening: We are requesting a DDW District 19 planning meeting with all three water systems, AVEK, Kern LAFCo, RCAC, and the road authority to move Boron into the state's regional consolidation pathway.
Funding Programs Pursued: California's SAFER program, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and USDA Rural Development water and waste disposal programs.
Why This Matters
Boron's water comes to us through a single line from AVEK, treated water piped in from the Antelope Valley. Our own local wells cannot serve as drinking water. In 2006, the California Department of Health Services required Boron Community Services District to develop a secondary water supply source, in case the AVEK line is interrupted by canal maintenance, earthquake damage, severe drought, or other events outside anyone's control. That directive is documented in California Regional Water Quality Control Board Order R6V-2006-0052, signed November 8, 2006 by Executive Officer Harold J. Singer of the Lahontan Region.
Kern County's own 2014 Boron Revitalization Vision Plan listed funding a water treatment facility as Priority Action J, with Kern County Water Agency assigned lead responsibility. That plan documented water quality as a public health and safety concern for Boron residences and businesses, and stated that Boron's water supply currently exceeds state-allowed levels for certain contaminants. The follow-on 2017 Boron Economic Development Strategic Plan carried the same water action forward with a 2016 status of "No activity."
Meanwhile, the system serving our homes has needed three main-line repairs in approximately 16 months. On May 29, 2025, a main break at Boron Avenue and Twenty Mule Team Road opened the street and created a sinkhole. On September 15, 2026, two additional leaks were under repair, with a public warning to store water because the affected area and restoration time were uncertain. On September 18, 2026, Boron CSD announced a major pressure reduction beginning at 6:00 a.m. for a double-valve replacement affecting 16 valves, with no estimated completion time.
Two decades of documented notice. Twenty years without resolution. This is why EKCCF is doing this work. We do not repair pipes. We work to bring the funding, the technical partners, and the regional planning that this community has been owed since 2006.
The Regional Case
Boron CSD, Desert Lake CSD, and North Edwards Water District together serve 4,159 people through 1,083 residential connections, all buying treated water from AVEK. Kern LAFCo has grouped the three systems together for Group D regional service-review planning, which is the county-level process for evaluating consolidation and shared services. The State Water Board previously committed 609,390 dollars to North Edwards' AVEK intertie, showing that this kind of investment is possible here.
Read the Documentation
Housing Stability
Every resident deserves a safe, stable home. We work on housing through direct household support today and matched savings for repair and ownership when BACK 2.0 launches.
What We’re Doing:
Home Weatherization: Through Southern California Edison, we help qualifying Boron households access weatherization services that lower utility bills and improve comfort year-round.
Home Repair and Utility Assistance Resources: We maintain a directory of home repair, home purchase, and water and utility bill assistance programs available to Boron households, and help residents figure out which ones fit their situation.
BACK 2.0 Housing Pathway, Coming Soon: Matched savings for approved home repairs, blight remediation, principal reduction, or home purchase, delivered with HUD-approved counselors.
Education & Workforce Development
Education and paid work are how Boron families build stability. We connect residents to devices, digital skills, workforce training, and the funding know-how to bring outside resources home.
What We’re Doing:
Digital Access & Skills: We partner with Human-I-T to get refurbished laptops and internet connectivity into Boron households, and with Teach Me Tech to run digital skills classes.
Employment & Workforce Support: Through Kern County's Employers' Training Resource (ETR), we connect residents to job placement, vocational training, and WIOA-funded workforce programs at no cost.
Free Grant Writing Classes: We teach free grant writing classes for East Kern nonprofits, community groups, and neighbors so more outside funding flows into our region.
Public Safety & Animal Welfare
A safe community is one where neighbors, pets, and vulnerable residents all have somewhere to turn.
What We’re Doing:
Boron Pets Support: When a family has to leave home for treatment, work, or a crisis, we coordinate foster placement, boarding, pet food, veterinary access, and transportation so animals stay safe.
Kitty Klippers TNR: Our Trap-Neuter-Return program manages Boron's stray cat population humanely, in partnership with local volunteers.
Sheriff's Community Advisory Council: Our founder sits on the Kern County Sheriff's Office Community Advisory Council (CAC) and its COPS policing subcommittee, bringing East Kern's public safety concerns directly to the Sheriff's Office and helping bring CAC community meetings to Boron.
Renewable Energy & Sustainability
Boron's future depends on sustainable systems that lower costs for residents and build local ownership.
What We’re Doing:
Community-Owned Solar: We are working with GRID Alternatives to develop a community-owned solar project, with the partnership being finalized this fall, so Boron residents can own a piece of the energy generated in and around this town.
Solar & Energy Workforce Pathway: With Kern County ETR, WIOA-funded training, and GRID Alternatives, we are working to build a training-to-hire pathway so the buildout of Boron's energy future is done by Boron people.
Health Access
Access to healthcare should not be a challenge. We work to remove the barriers keeping East Kern from care.
What We’re Doing:
Valley Fever Testing for Boron: We are working to bring Valley Fever testing to the town at large, in coordination with Bartz-Altadonna Community Health Center, Kern County Public Health, and the Valley Fever Institute, so residents can get tested without leaving Boron.
Medical Transport & Benefits Enrollment: We coordinate transportation to medical appointments wherever residents need to go, across Kern County and into Los Angeles County, and we sit with residents through Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and other benefits enrollment.
East Kern Medical Resources Directory: A live directory of medical, dental, mental health, and specialty providers, built with Kern Family Health Care, available at medical.ekccf.org.
Safe at Home Enrollment: We enroll survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and abuse in California's Safe at Home confidential address program, discreetly and at no cost.
BACK Program 2.0 · Coming Soon
BACK 2.0 is EKCCF's next-generation community development program, being developed in collaboration with AltaOne Federal Credit Union. AltaOne's support of this initiative is documented in a partnership letter, available for review.
The program is being designed around a six-week financial literacy course, followed by supported pathways in Housing, Business, and Education, with an enhanced option for participants who commit to serving their home community.
Serving Boron, Desert Lake, North Edwards, and Aerial Acres. Program structure, eligibility, and enrollment will be finalized and published here before launch.
We Understand. We Listen. We Act.
Our Commitment to Boron
At the East Kern County Community Foundation, we work in three lanes. We deliver programs today that make daily life easier for our neighbors. We develop and advance long-term infrastructure projects with named federal, state, and nonprofit partners. And we advocate publicly for the changes Boron cannot wait for.
This page is our public program status overview. Every program is running now, in build with a named partner, or work we are fighting for in public.
Message from the Founder
Megan Pater
I’m Megan Pater, founder of EKCCF. Living in Boron, I recognized the urgent need for improved services and infrastructure, motivating me to create a foundation dedicated to the growth and development of our community in Boron, California.
Transforming East Kern County:
How You Can Help Build a Thriving, Sustainable Community
Boron, CA. The East Kern County Community Foundation (EKCCF) is proud to announce a transformative initiative to revitalize East Kern County, bringing sustainable growth, equitable opportunities, and critical infrastructure improvements to an often-overlooked region. With a clear mission and a robust strategic plan, EKCCF is leading the charge to build a better future, but we can't do it without your help.
1-760-920-1379
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information, please contact us at 1-760-920-1379 or email us at [email protected].
What is BACK 2.0?
A financial literacy course followed by matched savings and specialist support in one of three pathways: housing, business, or education. Every participant starts with the same six-week financial education class.
Who is BACK 2.0 for?
Residents of Boron, Desert Lake, North Edwards, and Aerial Acres. Materials in English and Spanish.
How will matched savings work?
BACK 2.0 is being designed with matched-savings mechanics that reward participants who complete the financial literacy course and reach agreed credit benchmarks. Specific match structures, deposit amounts, and eligibility rules will be finalized as part of the program's operating agreements and published here before launch.
What are the three pathways?
BACK 2.0 is being designed around three pathways: Housing, Business, and Education. Each will offer matched savings, specialist advising, and support tailored to that goal. An enhanced education option is being designed for participants who commit to bringing their skills back to the community.
What is the enhanced education match?
For participants who agree to bring their earned skills back to the community for a set number of years of qualifying work, professional practice, or enterprise, we are designing an enhanced match. Final terms will publish before launch.
Who is our financial partner?
We are working with AltaOne Federal Credit Union on BACK 2.0. AltaOne's support is documented in a partnership letter, publicly available. Final roles and services will be established through operating agreements ahead of launch.
Where does the money come from?
The planned funding model includes operating grants, service contracts, annual giving, restricted participant grants, financial institution contributions, and an operating reserve campaign. Sources will be confirmed and published as agreements are finalized.
What outcomes are we aiming for?
Initial-phase targets and reporting metrics will be finalized as part of the program's operating structure and published here before launch.
When can I sign up?
BACK 2.0 is coming soon. Full eligibility and cohort dates will publish here before launch. Join the interest list to be notified.