SAN GABRIEL VALLEYWIDE NEWS
On June 6th, at a festive breakfast gathering at the University Club of Pasadena, representatives from 45 non-profit organizations in the San Gabriel Valley joined with approximately 160 civic leaders in celebrating their recognition as Local Heroes.
To honor these agencies for their exceptional work in the community, the Pasadena Community Foundation selected them to receive grants ranging from several thousand dollars to a maximum of $50,000, signifying the Major Grant category.
These 45 agencies were selected from approximately 83 applicants to receive a portion of the $840,000 that the Foundation awarded this year. Of that amount, a $150,000 Youth Initiative Grant will go to the Pasadena Unified School District to support a teacher training program that is an integral part of the new John Muir Reinvention Plan.
The 55-year-old Pasadena Community Foundation not only honors its non-profit awardees with grants but makes every effort to acknowledge and share information about their work with the community leaders who attend this annual invitational event. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $18 million in grants to the local community.
“One gift at a time, the yearly grants of the Foundation help fulfill the mission of Foundation which is to improve the lives of people in greater Pasadena” says Jennifer DeVoll, the Executive Director.
A Youth Initiative Grant was handed out to John Muir High School for $150,000 to support teacher training.
Major Grants were awarded to the AIDS Service Center, Armory Center for the Arts, Boys & Girls Clubs Pasadena, the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena, the Episcopal Housing Alliance, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, the Pasadena YMCA, Pasadena Public Works and Side Street Projects.
Regular Grant recipients were the Altadena Christian Children’s Center, Casa de las Amigas, Door of Hope, Five Acres, Foothill Vocational Opportunities, Friend of the Pasadena Library, Friends Outside, Mt Wilson Vista Council of the Girl Scouts of America, Harambee Ministries, Hathaway-Sycamore Home, Hear Center, Huntington Memorial Hospital, Journey House, the Los Angeles Community Design Center, Leadership Pasadena, Mothers’ Club Family Learning Center, Pacific Clinics, Pasadena City College, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Pasadena Education Foundation, Pasadena Museum of History, Pasadena Planned Parenthood, Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center, Rose City Counseling Center, San Gabriel Valley Literacy Council, Sierra Madre Search & Rescue Team, Union Station, Villa Esperanza, the Walter Hoving Home and Young & Healthy.
Senior Grants were distributed to the Convalescent Aid Society, Pasadena Meals on Wheels and the Pasadena Senior Center.
A Medical Research Grant was given to the Huntington Medical Research Institutes.