Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : 2 Agencies Get Grants for Post-Quake Efforts : Philanthropy: Pacific Bell awards a total of $30,000 to the local senior center and Boys & Girls Club.

Two Santa Clarita agencies have been awarded $30,000 in earthquake relief funds for helping victims of the Northridge temblor.

The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center will receive a $20,000 grant from Pacific Bell and $10,000 has been set aside for the Santa Clarita Boys & Girls Club.

“It’s a joy to find groups such as the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, who respond to the needs of the time,” said Anita Gabrielian, Pacific Bell’s public affairs manager, after announcing the award Monday to a crowd of more than 50 senior citizens eating lunch at the Newhall senior center.

Hours after the Jan. 17 earthquake hit, center officials brought hundreds of gallons of water out of emergency storage and distributed it to the east Newhall community.

Senior center volunteers then visited about 160 senior citizens known to be housebound to make sure they were safe after the earthquake, said Brad Berens, executive director of the center.

Earthquake-related expenses have totaled about $40,000 for the center, and more than $100,000 will eventually be spent on counseling services for senior citizens, Berens said.

Both the senior center and the Boys & Girls Club facility, also in Newhall, were used as emergency American Red Cross shelters following the disaster.

Pacific Bell has awarded $1 million in earthquake relief grants of $5,000 to $60,000 to 21 Southern California agencies.

“The grants cover a range of programs, including building and repair, help for small businesses, housing relocation, counseling and legal advocacy for families and seniors,” said Pacific Bell Vice President Gene Sherman. “Though we couldn’t fund every agency that needed help, our intent was to identify service gaps and to support special community efforts that weren’t receiving other forms of funding.”

More coverage of the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys appears today on B16.