Empowering Local Nonprofits

PALO ALTO COMMUNITY FUND AWARDS GRANTS FOR 2016

Forty-two nonprofit organizations supporting the greater Palo Alto area will receive grants totalling more than $385,000, the Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) announced today. PACF, the leading community endowment in Palo Alto, awards grants annually to organizations that provide services and programs to local residents, including seniors, veterans and youth.

Among this year’s grantees:

• Beyond Barriers Athletic Foundation -- a $12,500 grant to support the aquatic program for underprivileged children at the Belle Haven pool in East Menlo Park. Many of the kids enrolled in this program have never been in a pool before. Beyond Barriers not only teaches hundreds of underprivileged kids how to swim, it introduces dozens of those to the sport of water polo.

• Heroes Voices -- a $5,000 grant to support an innovative music program for veterans. Veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder often feel isolated and disoriented when returning home to civilian life. This music program, known as Guitar Corps, provides veterans free guitars and lessons and is a powerful tool in treating brain and psychological injuries.

• Avenidas -- a $7,500 grant for its Avenidas Care Partners program for low income adults. This geriatric care management program helps the frail elderly of our community and their family caregivers by providing an individual assessment, developing a care plan, arranging for essential services, and providing on-going monitoring . This program will help the most vulnerable of our community maintain independence and quality of life.

One program that PACF is particularly proud to be funding again is the Downtown Streets Team (DST) -- also known as the workers in the yellow shirts who help keep our streets clean. In 2005, PACF was one of a handful of grantors to provide seed funding to the pioneering organization. It since has become an award winning jobs program and has expanded to 5 Bay Area locations. In 2016, DST turned to PACF again for a new request and will receive a grant allowing street team members to purchase fresh food at the Palo Alto Downtown Food Closet. Pacific Arts League will also receive a grant to work with members of a DST to help them express themselves through art.

In addition to the grants awarded in PACF’s annual grant cycle, PACF awarded a $1,000 emergency grant to Abilities United to help replenish camping gear that was stolen earlier this year.

A full list of the new grants can be found at http://paloaltocommfund.org/pacf-grantees. The grants are made possible by the generous support of local residents and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

“We live in the heart of the Silicon Valley, but there are many in our community who are unable to afford local programs that can enrich their lives,” said Mandy Lowell, Co-President of PACF. “We are thrilled to be able to support so many nonprofits that are helping strengthen our community.”

Founded in 1979, PACF is the leading community endowment for the Palo Alto area and has awarded more than $4.2 million in 674 grants to 210 organizations.

For more information about the new grants, please contact Cammie Vail, PACF Executive Director, at 650-690-0370 and visit the PACF website www.paloaltocommfund.org.