Oxnard City Grants Urged for Senior Citizen Organizations

The Oxnard Commission on Aging has recommended that the City Council dole out nearly $30,000 in grants to organizations that provide services to the city’s senior citizens.

Programs that provide in-home care and meals should receive more than half of the grant money, the commission urged Thursday.

The commission also recommended that the council approve funding for employment, legal and recreational programs.

While the grant money has been cut in half since 1990, commission spokeswoman Laura Mosqueda said the grants would still have a significant effect on the lives of senior citizens.

“The council usually agrees with us that this money is important,” she said.

A $2,000 grant earmarked for the Boys & Girls Club of Oxnard was temporarily withheld because the organization has not followed through on a promise to seat a senior citizen on its board, Mosqueda said. Officials from the club were not available for comment.

The other organizations nominated to receive grants were: Catholic Charities/OASIS, $1,600; Food Share, $4,600; Grey Law Inc., $1,300; Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, $5,100; Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, $2,500; Retired Senior Volunteer Program, $1,300; Senior Vegetable Garden Club, $1,000; Ventura County Commission on Nutrition, $5,100, and Ventura County Senior Nutrition Program, $5,200.

The Oxnard City Council is expected to vote on the grants next month.