About Us

The Foundation was created in 2004 through the sale and conversion of Southwest Student Services Corporation, a full-service student loan products and services company with affiliates in Arizona and Florida. The net proceeds from that sale were used to fund the Foundation’s initial endowment of over $500 million.

The Foundation invests in initiatives across the full education continuum from early grade success to college- and career-readiness to postsecondary completion, and its work is driven by four strongly held beliefs in Community, Equity, Investment, and Partnership. By fostering a college-going culture and advancing academic preparedness for all students, from early childhood through college, Helios seeks to increase the number of young adults graduating high school prepared to succeed in college and career. Since inception, the Foundation has invested close to $190 million in education in Arizona and Florida.