Countywide : 10 Cities, Groups to Share Seniors Funds

Ten Orange County cities and agencies have been recommended for a share of $3.3 million in state grants for senior citizen centers.

However, several of the 14 communities and groups that did not make the list say they will appeal when the Board of Supervisors considers the issue Tuesday.

The cash became available through a bond act approved by the Legislature and voters last year, said Peggy Weatherspoon, director of the Orange County Area Agency on Aging. The agency evaluated 24 requests for funding and assisted an eight-person committee that approved the 10 recipients. Weatherspoon said the county must submit its proposal to the state by Nov. 1 and that a final decision should be made early next year.

Rankings were made according to each applicant’s need and ability to serve low-income and minority groups. The committee limited allocations to $450,000 each in order to provide funding to as many agencies as possible, Weatherspoon said.

The grants earmarked for each of the proposed recipients, in order of ranking, are:

- Fullerton, for expansion of a Latino senior center, $150,000.

- Orange County, to help construct a senior center in Mission Viejo, $450,000.

- Nueva Esperanza Inc., a Latino community group in Westminster, $407,000.

- Santa Ana, for a second senior center at Center Street and McFadden Avenue, $450,000. Community Services director Lenny Wiggs said the city will appeal the allocation, saying, “At $450,000, we’re not even close to what we need for a new building.”

- The Vietnamese Community of Orange County, $450,000. The organization, which offers such services as senior lunch programs, employment services, English classes and translation, hopes to construct a “senior acculturation center” at Roosevelt Avenue and Euclid Street, according to executive director Tuong Nguyen.

- Orange Elderly Services, $450,000.

- Midway City Community Organization, $37,000.

- Westminster, $190,000.

- Tustin, $450,000.

- Brea, $265,000.

Weatherspoon said that those not selected--including Anaheim, Garden Grove, Newport Beach and San Clemente--would be recommended according to their rank for future funds that may become available. “We’re asking those agencies that didn’t get the full amount they requested to look for additional funding within their communities,” she said.