CASA of Santa Cruz County receives grants
WATSONVILLE — CASA has received a $100,000 two-year grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and a $25,000 grant from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
These funds will support CASA’s Birth to 5 Program, a new program to support the connection between the youngest children in foster care, and their caregivers.
“We are proud to partner with CASA of Santa Cruz County to support this vital program, serving some of the youngest members of our community,” said Steve John, Monterey Peninsula Foundation CEO.
For information on CASA, visit www.casaofsantacruz.org.
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Free diabetes screening clinic scheduled
WATSONVILLE — A free fasting diabetes screening clinic will be held Sept. 10 from 8-11 a.m. at the Heath Education Center, below the Seventh Day Adventist Church on 700 South Green Valley Road in Watsonville.
Anyone can take advantage of the test to determine what stages of pre-diabetes and/or diabetes they may have. This is a finger stick test.
For most accurate results, participants are asked to not eat breakfast or anything within eight hours before the test. There will be a light healthy breakfast snack for those taking the fasting blood test.
If one finds they have diabetes or pre-diabetes there is immediate action that can be taken to re-mediate, control, and in some cases reverse the symptoms.
An educational support group is starting on Sept. 13. This class is recommended for those with higher glucose numbers. There will be live cooking demonstrations using plant-based foods with samples and recipes.
For information, call 325-7993.
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Northern Monterey County Foundation awards first grants
PAJARO — The Northern Monterey County Foundation, an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, has awarded its first grants to benefit the communities of North Monterey County.
The NMCF, established in 2016, raises funds to provide grants now and into the future. It is guided by an advisory board of North County residents.
Grants totaling $24,000 were made to the following 10 nonprofit organizations serving Northern Monterey County residents:
• Big Sur Land Trust: $2,500 to provide outdoor experiences for youth
• Castroville Coalition: $2,000 for a homeless advocacy campaign coordinated by the Castroville Teen Leadership Council
• Central Coast YMCA: $2,500 for Pajaro Park programs to build community and promote health and wellness
• Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries: $2,500 to provide adult literacy programs in Pajaro, Aromas, Prunedale and Castroville
• Girls Inc. of the Central Coast: $2,500 for the ECHO program, which provides leadership training to young women
• Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay: $2,500 to support the Home Repair Program for low-income homeowners in Pajaro
• Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services: $2,500 to provide practical and financial support for families of children with cancer
• Legal Services for Seniors: $2,500 for no-cost legal representation
• Partnership for Children: $2,000 to help increased access to medical care and support for children with serious illnesses
• Prunedale Senior Center: $2,500 to improve the quality of life for area seniors
“This is an exciting new venture, one that hasn’t existed before in North County,” said Don Chapin, chair of the NMCF Advisory Board. “We now have a way to build an endowment to benefit future North County needs, while providing immediate grants to organizations providing services for current issues in our area.”
