Publication Date: Friday, April 29, 2005
Weekly Holiday Fund grants highlight kids
Weekly Holiday Fund grants highlight kids
(April 29, 2005) More than $200,000 in grants to community organizations feature programs that benefit children and families
by Jay Thorwaldson
Community programs for children and families will benefit from more than $200,000 in grants from the Weekly's annual Holiday Fund drive this year.
In the end-of-year fund drive, 625 donors and several local foundations contributed $242,000, $10,000 of which is set aside for scholarships for graduating high school seniors, and some funds are held in reserve for emergency grants during the year. Foundation funding comes primarily from the Hewlett Foundation and Packard Foundation, plus some family foundations.
Grant recipients for the rest -- chosen by a committee of Palo Alto Weekly employees -- were announced Thursday evening at a special reception under a large canopy in the Weekly's front parking lot.
This year's recipients include:
Adolescent Counseling Services -- $7,500 for an on-campus counseling program for middle and high school students in Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
American Red Cross -- $5,000 for the Safe Ride program that targets teen drinking-and-driving, celebrating its 20th year.
Challenge Learning Center -- $5,000 for its Youth Leadership and Community Service program that teaches leadership and public-speaking skills.
Children's Day in East Palo Alto -- $4,000 to underwrite Children's Day in the Park, a free day of fun activities for children and families.
Cleo Eulau Center -- $5,000 for a collaborative counseling program for at-risk teens at Community School South in East Palo Alto.
Community Breast Health Project -- $5,000 for its Gabriella Paster Program, providing patient-navigation services for low-income women and their families.
Community Development Institute -- $5,000 to support the Leadership Training Academy, a leadership-training program for middle and high school youth.
Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto -- $10,000 to develop self-help materials for underserved teenagers at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile-justice system.
East Palo Alto Kids Foundation -- $7,500 to provide small, quick-turnaround grants to local educators.
East Palo Alto Senior Center -- $5,000 to support the daily breakfast program for seniors.
East Palo Alto YMCA -- $10,000 to fund summer day camp and specialty camps serving 500 to 750 youth aged 5 through 12.
Ecumenical Hunger Program -- $7,500 for a Children's Resource Center, a program to provide emergency food, clothing, furniture and household essentials to low-income children and families.
Family Connections -- $7,500 for a six-week summer-school program for low-income families whose students are making the transition into kindergarten.
Foundation for a College Education -- $5,000 for its College Bound program, including special workshops on college-preparedness topics.
Free At Last -- $5,000
Youth Risk Reduction Outreach Project helps young people who are sidetracked into activities that could lead to serious health concerns.
Jordan Middle School PTA -- $5,000 for Jordan Homework Center, an after-school study center for all Jordan students.
Kara -- $10,000 to fund the Volunteer Training Session for the Youth and Family Service program.
Lytton Gardens -- $5,000 to expand the Friendly Visitors program, by recruiting more youth visitors to meet one-on-one with the elderly.
Music in the Schools -- $2,500 to expand the music program at Costano School in East Palo Alto.
New Creation Home Ministries -- $5,000 to support New Creation Home, which helps young single mothers learn independent-living skills.
Pacific Islander Community Center -- $5,000 for tutorial classes for Pacific Islander students.
Palo Alto Art Center Foundation -- $5,000 to fund the Cultural Kaleidoscope art-education program partnering Palo Alto and Ravenswood schools.
Palo Alto Housing Corporation -- $5,000 to expand its Resident Services Program to families at Oak Court apartments
PAPPA (Palo Alto Parents & Professionals for Art) -- $10,000 to support a pilot program providing late bus service for the Voluntary Transfer Program students from East Palo Alto, in order for students to participate in after-school enrichment programs at three Palo Alto elementary schools.
Parents Place Family Resource Center -- $10,000 to improve the quality of child care and intervene on behalf of at-risk children at six Palo Alto child care centers.
Ravenswood City School District Health Services -- $10,000 to continue a comprehensive sexuality-education and pregnancy-prevention program for 5th and 8th grade students.
St. Francis of Assisi Boys Club -- $2,500 to support after-school activities such as the homework club, improving typing/computer skills and sports activities and events.
St. Vincent de Paul Society -- $5,000 for emergency rent, rental deposits and utility assistance.
Support Network for Battered Women -- $5,000 to support the cost of the Shelter Children's Coordinator.
West Bay Opera -- $5,000 to expand opera performances of the Opera in the Schools program, to introduce opera to elementary-school children in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto schools.
YES Reading -- $7,500 for reading materials for one-on-one volunteer tutoring for Belle Haven School students.
Youth Community Service -- $5,000 for general support for the community service and leadership program, bringing together middle and high school youth from Palo Alto, EPA, Menlo Park and Redwood City.
ZOHAR -- $3,000 to provide weekly IndepenDANCE instruction to underserved and special-needs children in the Palo Alto area.
Friends Nursery School -- $5,500 to remove a rotted fence around the children's play yard and stabilize and upgrade another section of the play yard.
Palo Alto Community Child Care -- $10,000 to replace flooring in the infant and toddler rooms of Sojourner Truth Child Development Center.
Preschool Family -- $10,000 to renovate the children's restroom.
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