Scholarship recipients pictured include Arroya Shepherd, Esperanza Soria, Maria Vargas, Elizabeth Williams, Laura Reyes, Sonya Davis, Claudia Lopez, Thurman Robinson, Vanessa Mora, Regina Jackson, Michelei Smith, Laura Sims, Jose Ruiz, Chrishae Winston, Christian Velez, Desire Nunez, Carla Cortez, Roberto Melendez. Others in the photo include Darline Gavin, Sr. Vice President, Nix Check Cashing, Tom Nix, President & CEO, Nix Check Cashing, Randy Dotemoto, GM & CFO, Nix Check Cashing, Jose Arredondo and Shannon Boylan, Territory Managers, MoneyGram.

On June 14, 2006, Nix Check Cashing provided scholarships to local high school graduates. “Our scholarship program is just another exciting phase of our 40-year community involvement,” said, Tom Nix, President & CEO of Nix Check Cashing.

The scholarship fund is designed to benefit deserving high school seniors that will be graduating from local high schools in the communities that Nix Check Cashing serves. “The future of our community depends on the education of our children and Nix wants to do their part”, said Darline Gavin, Sr. Vice President, Nix Check Cashing.

Nix Check Cashing originally intended to award fifteen scholarships but because of a generous donation made by MoneyGram, Nix was able to award twenty-seven scholarships to local high school students. Fifteen scholarships of $1,000.00 dollars were awarded students attending four-year institutions, seven scholarships of $500.00 were awarded to students attending four-year institutions and five scholarships of $400.00 were awarded to students attending local community colleges.

Scholarship recipients were selected based on academic achievement, financial need, community involvement, personal qualities and strengths and student provided verification of enrollment.

Joaquin Nuñez worked at Nix Check Cashing for 22 years. He was a loyal, dedicated, hardworking and trustworthy teammate who was loved and respected by all.

In April 2005, Joaquin left the Company after being diagnosed with Cancer and on September 8, 2005, he lost his fight.

Soon, after Nuñez’s death, Darline Gavin was approached by Nix teammates who wanted to do something that would honor Nunez’s memory. The Nix Check Cashing Joaquin Nuñez Scholarship was shortly established. Nix personnel raised over $4,762.00 in Nuñez’s memory.

This year’s Joaquin Nuñez Scholarship recipients were Carla Cortez who will be attending the University of California Riverside and Arroya Shepherd. Cortez will receive $4,000.00 in scholarship money that will go towards her education ($1,000.00 per year for four years) and Shepherd will receive $1,000.00 ($500.00 per year for two years). Cortez and Shepherd were selected based on their scholastic ability and the life values that Nuñez possessed.