12 Programs Receive Block Grant Funds

After studying financial requests and listening to heartfelt pleas, the Camarillo City Council has agreed to divide $66,150 in federal block grant money among 11 public service programs and devote another $10,000 to a business training program.

The Ventura County Entrepreneur Academy received the $10,000 grant, which will be used to train as many as 28 Camarillo business owners in the fundamentals of management, the council decided last week.

The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, an advocate for the elderly in Camarillo’s 13 skilled nursing homes, received $11,000.

Food Share received $7,000 for a new refrigerated truck to deliver food to seven distribution sites in Camarillo and another $6,000 to help collect the food necessary to feed the 2,555 residents who depend on the service.

The Senior Survivalmobile, which transports more than 150 people to doctor appointments outside Camarillo, received $6,000.

The Palmer Drug and Alcohol Program, which provides recovery services to Camarillo youth, received $5,500 for the 169 residents it expects to counsel this year.

The Commission on Human Concerns, Turning Point Foundation and Interface each received $5,000. The commission expects to help 13 families obtain or maintain permanent housing. Turning Point, a program that assists the homeless mentally ill at its Ventura shelter, promises to assist 15 Camarillo residents. Interface’s share of the money will serve 2,844 Camarillo residents through its youth crisis and domestic violence programs.

Other programs that received funding are Senior Nutrition, Ventura County Behavioral Health, OASIS and the Public Social Services Agency.

This is Camarillo’s third year participating in the Community Development Block Grant program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.