IRVINE : 9 Programs Win City Grants Worth $100,000

The City Council has approved a total of $100,000 in grants to nine community programs aimed at preventing youth crime and violence.

Forty-two organizations vied for the Community Youth Program grants, which are intended to provide training for parents of “high-risk” youths and to expand recreational programs for those in grades four through 12.

The organizations were picked by a community services commissioner, a child-care committee member and a community services staff member, based on recommendations from the Safe Community Task Force.

Many of the city’s family programs are already “preaching to the choir,” Councilman Greg Smith said. “We were very frustrated that there was nothing for families at risk.”

The largest of the seven grants, amounting to $31,545, was awarded to the UC Irvine Child Development Center. The center will work with the Irvine Unified School District to identify 80 high-risk families for parent training to prevent delinquency, school dropouts, early parenthood and antisocial behavior.

The City Council gave $21,500 to Community Services Programs Inc., which will provide training for parents of high-risk youths between the ages of 12 and 18. A $5,000 grant will go to the Orange County Bar Foundation for parent workshops on legal rights and responsibilities that will be taught in Spanish, Vietnamese, Farsi and Chinese, as well as English.

Recreational program grants were awarded to the Woodbridge Village Assn., Camp Fire, Northwood Productions, Irvine Boys and Girls Club, Irvine Roller Hockey Assn. and Team UCI.