City of Roseville awards $641,431 in grants

The City of Roseville celebrated the award of grants to local nonprofit organizations last night as Council members distributed checks totaling $641,431 to support 41 community projects.

In a formal ceremony at the Roseville Civic Center, Mayor Jim Gray and Council Members Richard Roccucci, John Allard and Carol Garcia handed out checks to support numerous community agencies.  The ceremony marked the fourteenth year that the City has awarded grants from the Citizens Benefit Fund (CBF) with funds generated from interest earned on the invested proceeds from the sale of the former Roseville Community Hospital. Since inception, the City has awarded more than $10.9 million from the CBF.

Funds were also distributed from the Roseville Automall Community Fund and money donated by City of Roseville employees and businesses to the Roseville Employees Annual Charitable Hearts (REACH) Fund, founded in 2003.

Awards for the 2007-08 fiscal year included $535,000 from the CBF, $65,000 from the REACH Fund and $54,500 from the Roseville Automall Community Fund (RACF).  Applications are reviewed by the City’s Grants Advisory Commission.

‘We are delighted that City of Roseville, its employees and business partners can assist our local nonprofit agencies,’ Roseville Mayor Jim Gray said.  ‘These organizations do an amazing job of delivering services and programs to our residents that really improve their quality of life.’

Local businesses making five-year funding commitments include the Roseville Automall (totaling $250,000), Westfield Galleria at Roseville (totaling $50,000) and First Northern Bank (totaling $15,000).  One-time contributions from corporate donors for 2007 include Hewlett-Packard ($15,000), Westfield Galleria at Roseville ($10,000), Kobra Properties ($7,500), SRI Golf, Inc. ($3,000), Barbieri Commercial Brokerage ($2,500) Coastal Partners, LLC ($1,000) and SureWest Foundation ($1,000).

The following groups received checks based on recommendations by the seven-member Grants Advisory Commission.  Commission members spent hundreds of hours reading applications before making the often-difficult choices on which organizations should receive grants.

· A Touch of Understanding — $22,500 to provide disability awareness education for children
· Advocacy, Resources and Choices — $6,904 for computers to increase ARC’s efficiency
· Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento Area — $11,250 for a program for high school students to mentor elementary school students.
· Child Abuse Prevention Council of Placer County  — $22,500 for Parents as Teachers program
· Child Advocates of Placer County — $7,500 to help build a court appointed advocates program
· City of Roseville Parks, Recreation and Libraries Dept. — $7,500 for Kids Health & Fitness Expo and $10,000 to assist low income youth to participate in recreation programs
· Cooley Middle School PTC. — $7,500 for books for the school’s reading program. 
· Warren Eich School — $10,000 to purchase technology for music education
· The Gathering Inn — $22,500 to expand months of operation
· The Lazarus Project — $30,000 to support transitional housing
· Lighthouse Counseling — $7,500 for the Pay It Forward program
· Magic Circle Theatre — $3,750 for scholarships for youth acting workshops
· North Roseville REC — $15,000 for tutoring and other after school activities
· Oakmont High School — $30,000 to support the Health Careers Academy
· PEACE for Families – $25,000 for Family Violence Intervention and Emergency Shelter projects
· Performing Arts of Roseville — $20,000 for Music in the Park and performing arts in schools
· Placer Co. Law Enforcement Chaplaincy — $30,000 for support of the chaplain team.
· Placer County Office of Education, Foster Youth Services — $20,000 for enrichment activities for foster youth
· Placer Independent Resource Services — $4,000 for technology to assist persons with disabilities
· Placer Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center — $30,000 to support the children’s interview center
· Placer SPCA — $10,000 for spay and neuter assistance
· Roseville Arts — $22,500 for arts education in Roseville schools
· Roseville City School District — $20,000 to support the AVID program
· Roseville City School District Foundation –$12,000 for field trips
· Roseville Homestart — $30,000 for a family non-violence program
· Roseville Police Activities League — $30,000 to replace the boxing ring and support after school activities
· Roseville West Little League — $30,000 to support Richards field renovation
· Sacramento Philharmonic — $15,000 for concerts for children and families
· Senior Independent Services — $27,000 for the friendly visitor program, door to door rides and meals on wheels
· Senior LIFE Center — $3,000 for operating support
· Sierra Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence — $18,750 for outclient treatment services
· Sierra Family Services — $17,500 for operating support and computers for the Auburn clinic    
· Sierra Gardens Elementary PTC — $27,277 to update the school’s library
· St Vincent De Paul — $20,000 for prescriptions and hygiene items
· Tommy Apostolos Fund — $10,000 for school and Christmas shopping for Roseville children

For more information or to donate, call (916) 774-5353.