MERIDEN With the deadline fast approaching, city officials say they expect to complete the application for the Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant this week.

The Choice Neighborhood Initiative is a housing and development partnership between the Meriden Housing Authority and the city.

The MHA and city are applying for $20 million from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to be used for widespread development of the city’s downtown that would include more accessible preschool for families in the Choice Neighborhood; more readily available employment opportunities and services; a newly-designed street and sidewalk plan; and the addition of 494 housing units to be complete by the end of 2020. Of those, 140 are designated as replacement housing units for residents of the Mills Memorial Apartment complex, an aging and outdated housing block that’s in the process of being emptied and demolished in favor of a more modern housing plan.

At a meeting earlier this week to update Choice Neighborhood residents on the status of the application, Woo Kim a representative from Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC said the application was due June 28, a deadline less than two weeks away.

While the city’s application is for $20 million, up to $30 million is available through the grant. Kim said the MHA and city were applying for less than the full amount offered by the grant “not because we don’t need the other $10 million, but the $20 million amount makes us as competitive as the big cities like Boston, Detroit, and Philadelphia.”

According to information Kim presented at the meeting, since 2010, only 55 communities have received Choice planning grants, and only 12 received Choice implementation grants.

The city was awarded a Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant in 2013, the money used to ensure the subsequent 300-page implementation grant application was as thorough as possible, and to develop a course of action that could be completed even without receiving the $20 million implementation grant. “To that end, the city has been very successful in acquiring state funding” in the form of brownfield remediation funds, and funds from other philanthropic organizations.

“The plan wasn’t just to go for the implementation grant, but we’re pursuing it because we have all these projects lined up and it looks really good when we apply to HUD,” Kim said. “If there’s ever a time that a community of Meriden’s size should apply for this grant, now is the time.”

Kim and Burdelski said they expect to hear back from HUD about three months after the grant application is submitted.

mcallahan@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MollCal

Education foundation names scholarship winners | www.simivalleyacorn.com | Simi Valley Acorn

Each year, the Simi Valley Education Foundation grants six students $1,000 scholarships so that they can attend college, technical or vocational schools.

One student is chosen from each of the five local high schools as well as from Moorpark College.

The 2016 scholarship recipients and their schools are: Desiree Hernandez, Apollo; Sarah Chaffin, Monte Vista; Robert Ota, Royal; Andrea Magat, Santa Susana; Allison Gillies, Simi Valley, and Noelle Chodek, Moorpark College.

The 2016 endowment recipients are: Yasmin Alvizo of Apollo, Maria Valdez of Royal and Emma Mills of Santa Susana.

In addition, the foundation awards three, two-year community college scholarships of $1,000 per year to students enrolled in a local community college.

This endowment program was established to honor the wishes of the original donor to provide community college scholarships for students who cannot afford to fund their own education.

Igwe Alfred Achebe70 youths to benefit from Obi of Onitsha’s N35m empowerment grant Seventy youths are to benefit from the N35 million empowerment grant of the Obi of Onitsha, under the monarch’s Entrepreneurship Development and Skill Acquisition (EDSA) programme for Onitsha youths.

The monarch, Igwe Alfred Achebe, announced this on Thursday in Onitsha while presenting certificates of graduation to youths who graduated from skills acquisition centre.

He said that with the experience they garnered during their training in various fields, “they can now comfortably fix into the society and fend for themselves.”

According to him, the project would keep them busy and prevent them from indulging in the use of illicit drugs and other criminal acts.

The monarch, who expressed satisfaction with the completion of this first batch, said that the programme would be a continuous exercise.

Mr Ernest Aninweruka, the Senior Special Adviser to Anambra Governor on Financial Institutions, commended Achebe for the initiative and urged other well-meaning individuals to emulate the monarch.

The President of Onitsha Ado Youth Council, Mr Patrick Agha-Mba, described EDSA as a youth engagement and empowerment initiative, being coordinated under pragmatic supervision of Achebe.

“The aim is to pull the youth of our community into a vision of self-confidence and self-belief in their ability and capabilities.

“It is hoped that they will release their innate capabilities and strength, in contributing to the overall interest of the community and the state,” he said.

The Kentucky Restaurant Assocation is giving grants to both Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College and family consumer science programs at local high schools.

Local elementary school to finally have drinking water on campus | abc30.com

GLEN ROCK – A $4,000 state grant awarded to a Glen Rock High School junior funded recent programs encouraging healthful eating and lifestyles in the district’s elementary, middle and high schools.

Student Erica Jones, recipient of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant, said her goal in applying for the funds was to drive educational activities “to change Glen Rock students’ diets and increase their awareness of what they are eating.

According to Glen Rock Environmental Commission (GREC) member Sylvia Rabacchi, the $4,000 grant funded by the New Jersey Department of Health through Sustainable Jersey for Schools resulted in part from a collaboration between the GREC, School Superintendent Paula Valenti and GRHS Principal John Arlotta.

Rabacchi said that Sustainable Jersey for Schools offers multiple cycles of grants throughout the year, and that interested students should contact the school district and/or the GREC.

GLEN ROCK – A $4,000 state grant awarded to a Glen Rock High School junior funded recent programs encouraging healthful eating and lifestyles in the district’s elementary, middle and high schools.

Student Erica Jones, recipient of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant, said her goal in applying for the funds was to drive educational activities “to change Glen Rock students’ diets and increase their awareness of what they are eating.

According to Glen Rock Environmental Commission (GREC) member Sylvia Rabacchi, the $4,000 grant funded by the New Jersey Department of Health through Sustainable Jersey for Schools resulted in part from a collaboration between the GREC, School Superintendent Paula Valenti and GRHS Principal John Arlotta.

Rabacchi said that Sustainable Jersey for Schools offers multiple cycles of grants throughout the year, and that interested students should contact the school district and/or the GREC.

Boys & Girls Clubs of North County celebrate annual Great Futures Awards | Village News Boys & Girls Clubs of North County celebrate annual Great Futures Awards
Genesis Aaron, from Fallbrook Street Elementary is the Boys & Girls Clubs of North County Youth of the Year.

FALLBROOK With over 100 guests in attendance, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North County celebrated the achievements of its members and staff at the annual Great Futures Awards.

Youth members are recognized in the areas academics, athleticism, sportsmanship, and citizenship. Frazier site; the award for Coach of the Year was presented to Rolando Rojas for his dedication to teaching members the correct way to play soccer; Raul Perez was recognized as the MVP Staff for the professionalism and dedication that he pours into the club each and every day.

This year, the Legacy Endowment Community Foundation awarded Jason Fuentes and Esmeralda Solis with their Rising Star Award. The Ridgecrest Family Endowment Fund was created in 2008 at the Legacy Endowment Community Foundation by Laurenn Barker and her brother, Sandy Prater, as an incentive to encourage youth to stay on the positive path toward high school and college.

Legacy Endowment Community Foundation is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit public charity established in 1994 to provide leadership, serve donors, and award grants and scholarships to improve and enrich the quality of life in San Diego’s North County, forever.

For more information on donating to or starting a fund, contact Legacy Endowment Community Foundation at (760) 728-3304.

From left are Coach of the Year, Rolando Rojas; Maie Ellis site supervisor Josue Rojas and MVP Staff winner Raul Perez.

Director of operations Lisa Ware presents, Boys of the Year for each of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North County’s school sites, from left, Alex Martinez, Isai Beltran, Cole West, Juan Manuel Mercado, Donovan Martinez, Jonathan Gates, and Angel Rivera.

From left, director of operations Lisa Ware, presents the Girl of the Year award winners for each of the clubs’ sites, Lilyanna Contreras, Jacqueline Ceja, Anaceli Juan, and Genesis Aaron.

Jan Pichel from Legacy Endowment Community Foundation presents Jason Fuentes with the Rising Star Award.

One-hundred not-for-profits have received Westpac Foundation Community Grants valued at up to $10,000 each

Yass community organisation, Indigenous Community Volunteers has been awarded with a Westpac Foundation Community Grant worth $10,000 in support of their outstanding efforts improving the lives of Indigenous Australians.

In addition, Indigenous Community Volunteers will also receive additional support which includes a Westpac Foundation Community Grants Ambassador, mentoring, training and networking opportunities.

In New South Wales, Westpac Foundation has this year provided $243,095 worth of Community Grants to 25 grassroots organisations with innovative ideas to create more cohesive communities and create brighter futures for those at risk. Over the past five years, Westpac Foundation Community Grants have provided more than $969,095 to New South Wales not-for-profits who are making a difference locally.

Bernard Sandral, Westpac Regional General Manager, Regional South West said, “We are delighted to present Indigenous Community Volunteers with a Westpac Foundation Community Grant of $10,000.

CDTDanielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Ben Bingle, manager of the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership, smiles as he watches people from the community arrive to the DeKalb County Community Foundation‘s depot before the NIU Time Arts Animation students present their artistic light show to celebrate the work being done by Give Local on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Sycamore Police Chief Glenn Theriault takes video on his cell phone of the during the presentation of the NIU Time Arts Animation students’ artistic light show to celebrate the work being done by Give Local on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, on the face of the old Sycamore Train Depot which houses the DeKalb County Community Foundation.By DAILY CHRONICLE-
news@daily-chronicle.com

SYCAMORE This year’s Give Local DeKalb County campaign set a new fundraising record by bringing in $428,297 for local nonprofit organizations.

Sixty-eight nonprofits participated in the one-day online giving campaign this year, and the fundraising total was more than double what was raised in 2015 and triple what was raised in 2014, the first year the campaign was held here, according to a news release from the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership and DeKalb County Community Foundation.

“The third time was a charm,” said Lynette Spencer, executive director of Adventure Works and Give Local DeKalb County committee chairwoman. Volunteers give back to DeKalb County nonprofits at Day of Caring Give Local DeKalb County campaign sets record

(Courtesy Williamsburg Health Foundation)

The Williamsburg Health Foundation recently distributed $3,566,227 in grants to local organizations and nonprofits dedicated to improving the health of the greater Williamsburg area.

This round of grants, which was announced last week, focuses on supporting organizations that provide what WHF’s strategic plan refers to as “health opportunities.”

“What we mean by health opportunity is when the healthy choice is the easy choice,” said Jeanne Zeidler, president and CEO of WHF.

In keeping with that mission, Williamsburg-James City County School’s Student Health Initiative Program (SHIP) was the largest grant recipient for this cycle, receiving $640,000 to support its efforts to bring healthier, fresher food options to the area’s schools.

“SHIP doesn’t just teach nutrition, it makes sure there are healthier foods on the lunch line,” said Zeidler. “We also want to the community to know that we remain committed to helping those who need health care find the health care they need.”

The full list of grant recipients is as follows, with the organization listed first followed by the program and the amount given:

Child and Family Connection Multicultural Counseling & Outreach Program for the Greater Williamsburg Area $40,000
Colonial Community Corrections Better Ways: A Therapeutic & Transitional Substance Abuse Program $14,000
Colonial Behavioral Health Greater Williamsburg Child Assessment Center (GWCAC) $271,000
Colonial Behavioral Health Williamsburg Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) $45,000
KaBOOM! Community Playground Build $100,000
Literacy for Life at the Rita Welsh Adult Learning Center Health Education and Literacy (HEAL) $60,000
Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools School Health Initiative Program (SHIP) $640,000
Colonial Behavioral Health Network of Care Website (NOC) $34,000
Child Development Resources Breastfeeding: Building Confidence and Competence $24,000
Community Housing Partners Mobile Food Pantry $5,927
FISH, Inc. Health Priorities in Action $6,300
Angels of Mercy Medical Mission Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $113,000
Colonial Behavioral Health Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $183,000
Gloucester-Mathews Care Clinic Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $270,000
Lackey Clinic Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $420,000
Olde Towne Medical and Dental Center Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $250,000
Rx Partnership Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) $35,000
Lackey Clinic Volunteer Recruitment Program $13,000
Virginia Health Care Foundation Greater Williamsburg Medication Assistance Program (GWMAP) $400,000
United Way of Greater Williamsburg Home for Good $130,000
City of Williamsburg Child Health Initiative $260,000
Free Foundation For Rehabilitation Equipment & Endowment Geographic Expansion to Serve Williamsburg Health Foundation Service Area $25,000
Peninsula Agency on Aging Care Transitions Intervention Pilot Program $75,000
Peninsula Agency on Aging S.H.A.R.P.