DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — The Central Valley Community Grants Program has assisted over 200 organizations in the past decade. The program is meant to help increase community engagement in rural communities.
- Since 2016, the wonderful company has been conducting its Central Valley Community Grants program.
- This year, $1.5 million has been granted to 30 organizations across the Central Valley.
- A new DART program is coming to Delano in collaboration with the Open Door Network and its police department and local elementary schools will receive bikes to teach more kids how to ride.
Two non-profits that help people in Delano are going to be receiving some help of their own. It’s all in an effort by the wonderful company to help increase community engagement.
“So, the DART program is meant to assist in providing response on domestic violence issues,” said CEO of the Open Door Network Lauren Skidmore. “A lot of times, the police departments are the first responders to go to these calls yet we provide the long term support needed for victims.”
Skidmore says the DART program is set to provide wrap around services to victims of domestic violence.
It’s all thanks to the Wonderful Company’s Central Valley Community Grants program.
“Every year the wonderful company gives away $1.5 million to the communities where employees live and work for non profit,” said Chief Operating Officer for the Wonderful Company CSR Andy Anzaldo.
Anzaldo says they’ve been doing this for almost a decade and in that time, they’ve given out over $6.5 million to over 200 organizations.
Skidmore says their incoming DART program wouldn’t be possible without this grant, but this isn’t all that’s coming.
“With this emerging family justice center and with this support from the wonderful company were able to provide therapy for individuals in Delano who have faced abuse, victimization, some severe trauma and were able to provide a walk in center,” said Skidmore.
As for Delano students, select elementary schools are in for a surprise thanks to the grant program.
“So, what we do is put a fleet of bicycles, it’s a learn to ride bike program which is what all kids bikes is,” said Executive Director for the Strider Education Foundation Lisa Weyer. “So, we will put five of those program into five elementary schools.
Weyer says those schools are Avenal, Albany Park, Terrace elementary school, as well as the Wonderful College Prep Academy in Delano and Lost Hills.
Anzaldo says with this grant, they believe in focusing primarily on rural communities to ensure that no one is overlooked.
“Shafter, Wasco, and Delano while those are growing communities, there still is not the no profit work that we believe it deserves so anything we can do to make that investment to make them stronger, that’s what the wonderful company is about,” said Anzaldo.
For a full list of non profit winners, click here.
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