Image Courtesy of the Wild Rivers Community Foundation

From the Wild Rivers Community Foundation:

Summer youth activities abound in Humboldt, Del Norte and Curry counties — and many of those programs received mini-grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 from Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF).

The Summer Youth Mini-Grant Partnership Program — with support from the McLean Foundation, The Patricia D. & William B. Smullin Foundation, and Providence’s Community Health Investment — distributed $36,047 to 27 nonprofits and agencies. The grants will support a variety of programs and needs including language and cultural education, outdoor stewardship activities, recreational equipment, scholarships for low-income participants and more. 

In Curry County a grant will pay for bicycle helmets for dozens of 5-year-olds participating in Safety City program. In Humboldt County, a grant will cover the cost of training future camp counselors at the inclusive Lost Coast Camp. In Del Norte County, the funds will help Tribal youth learn about their culture.

“By partnering with regional funders and donors, collectively, we can make a greater impact in communities across our rural and native lands,” said Craig Woods, Director of Grantmaking. “The program is a wonderful example of that collaboration, enabling the partnership to provide mini-grants to many charitable organizations that are all working to provide important summer programs for vulnerable youth in our region.”

Retired police officer Dan Palicki, who has organized Brookings’s Safety City for 24 years, said the program provides dozens of 5-year-olds a week of learning pedestrian and bicycling safety and other skills. “The grant goes a long way to help us provide children life lessons and skills to keep them safe in home and on the streets,” Palicki said.

In Humboldt County, Lost Coast Camp will use its grant to fund a week-long junior counselor training camp for 14- to 16-year-olds, who will learn skills such as first aid, camping, and leadership in hopes of becoming future camp counselors.

“The mission of the camp is to help teens make friends and learn how to help others,” said Josie Brown, Executive Director of the Petrolia-based camp. “We provide an opportunity for kids who can’t afford to go to camp, where they can swim in the river, hike and do arts and crafts.”

In Del Norte County, the California Tribal TANF Partnership program will use its grant for an annual Summer Cultural Camp during which children and youth spending several weeks learning about Tribal traditions and skills such as storytelling, basket weaving and history.

“The grant helps us tremendously — we couldn’t do the program without it,” said Misty Brown, site manager for TANF’s Crescent City office.

Grant funding comes primarily from donors including:

• Providence, Community Health Investment

• McLean Foundation

• The Patricia D. & William B. Smullin Foundation

• Arlene J. & Richard D. Hess Endowment Fund
• South Fork/Big Flat Expendable Fund
• R. Baird & Jane Rumiano Family Fund
• Janssen Family Fund
• Perrett Family Fund

2022 Grant recipients:

4-H Trail:

Boys & Girls Club of the Redwoods: Summer Camping Trip

Brookings Harbor Community Helpers, Inc.: Youth Snack Pack Program & Bob the Bus

Brookings Police - Safety City

Cal Poly, Humboldt State University Center: TRIO Upward bound Big Lagoon Aquatics Day

California Tribal TANF - Del Norte: Youth Snack Pack Program & Bob the Bus

CASA - Del Norte: Making Memories

Chetco Activity Center, Brookings: Lifejackets for Brookings Harbor Rotary Club

City of Arcata: Recreation Division Summer Camps

City of Blue Lake: Camp Perigot

City of Fortuna: Kiddie Kamp & Summer Fun

Del Norte Indian Education Center: 2022 Summer Program

Friends of the Lost Coast: Summer Adventure Camp

Hmong Cultural Center of Del Norte County: Family and Community Connection Program

Humboldt Arts Council: Summer Art Camp at the Morris Graves Museum of Art

Humboldt County Library: Summer 2022 Challenge - Read Beyond the Beaten Path

Humboldt NeuroHealth Therapeutic Services: Humboldt NeuroHealth Therapeutic Services

Lost Coast Camp: Teen Leadership Camp 2022

Mattole Valley Resource Center: Summer Soccer Camp

Open Door Community Health Center - Crescent City: Summer Sprout Scouts

Oregon 4-H Foundation: 4-H Camp

Port Orford Public Library Foundation: Read Beyond the Beaten Path

Redwood Discovery Museum: Pal Camp

Smith River Baptist Church: Travel Basketball Team

Southern Humboldt Family Resource Center: Summer Rec Program

Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation: Summer Youth Employment Program

Willow Creek Youth Partnership - Dream Quest summer youth program

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