- Nick Miller
- Communications Director
- 916-319-2029
- Nick.Miller@asm.ca.gov
SALINAS – Speaker Robert Rivas is proudly championing nearly $1 million in newly announced California state grants for the Central Coast, an important investment in the region’s young people and our historic outdoor spaces.
The Youth Community Access Grant Program is awarding $900,182 to five organizations in Speaker Rivas’ district. These grants are distributed by the state’s Natural Resources Agency and help expand hands-on learning and outdoor experiences for local young people, including kayaking, hiking, organic farming, field trips, educational workshops and many other outdoor adventures.
“The Central Coast is home to awe-inspiring outdoor spaces, and every kid deserves a chance to visit our parks and explore, learn and grow. The organizations receiving state grants inspire curiosity and foster an important connection to the outdoors, and I’m proud California can support their essential work,” said Speaker Rivas (D-Salinas).
“This support from the Natural Resources Agency allows FoodWhat to continue to evolve our programs to be a space where youth are evermore centered as agents of their own future through environmental connectedness. We witness youth harnessing their agency in various ways, such as radical diet change, improved socioemotional health, critical job training, and other modes of personal empowerment. With the resources offered by this Youth Community Access grant award, FoodWhat youth are able to discover healing, inspiration, and family”, said Elana Lee Solon, Director of Resources & Relationships at FoodWhat Incorporated.
The Youth Community Access Program is funded by revenues from Proposition 64, which voters approved in 2016. The grants support projects that provide outdoor cultural and educational experiences. This year, the state awarded more than $38 million statewide, helping fund 108 projects that promote environmental learning, leadership development, and equitable access to California’s public spaces.
In Speaker Rivas’ district, the following organizations received state grants:
Ventana Wildlife Society - $292,010.91
Providing 66 different types outdoor experiences throughout the Monterey region, including kayaking, whale watching, and park visits, serving approximately 880 youth. Funding will also be used for a clean vehicle for transportation.
FoodWhat Incorporated - $270,518
Supporting outdoor access and gardening programs for approximately 75 young people annually, including organic farming, land stewardship, and leadership training, with stipends, transportation and school credit provided.
Save Our Shores - $123,598.94
Providing after school, weekly field trips around Monterey Bay for middle school students to learn science, art, and environmental data collection skills.
Wonder Wood Ranch - $150,000
Creating therapeutic outdoor experiences for young people, including interactions with rescued animals and field trips in Greenfield, King City, Salinas, and Soledad in Monterey County.
Ventana Wilderness Alliance - $64,055
Hosting wilderness day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas.
###
For more information, follow Speaker Robert Rivas at the following social media channels:
Instagram: @caspeakerrivas
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CASpeakerRivas/