Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Local organizations get reinvestment grants

The Nov. 13 San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting approved the allocation of $841,576 of District Five Neighborhood Reinvestment Program funds including grants to Building Up Veterans, the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, the Fallbrook Fire Safe Council, the Fallbrook Food Pantry, the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society, the Fallbrook Senior Citizen's Service Club, Rock Rose School, United Service Organizations, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924.

The supervisors' 4-0 vote Nov. 13, with Kristin Gaspar absent, allocated $3,000 to Building Up Veterans, $10,000 for the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, $30,000 to the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, $15,000 to the Fallbrook Fire Safe Council, $10,000 for the Fallbrook Food Pantry, $15,000 to the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society, $15,000 to the Fallbrook Senior Citizen's Service Club, $5,000 for Rock Rose School, $15,000 to USO for use on Camp Pendleton, and $25,000 to VFW Post 1924.

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program is intended to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for the furtherance of public purposes at the regional and community levels. In addition to nonprofit organizations, county supervisors can also fund schools and fire departments, and supervisors can also use money from their budgets to supplement other county funding for specific county projects such as parks, roads and libraries.

Each county supervisor recommends the allocation of his or her Neighborhood Reinvestment Program funds, although those allocations must be approved by a majority of the board. The grants for the District Five organizations were from Bill Horn's Neighborhood Reinvestment Program budget.

Building Up Veterans is a nonprofit organization established to help San Diego County veterans adjust to life after their military service. The activities include monthly group sessions and also woodworking skills training sessions. Trained counselors and other veterans in similar situations provide the veterans with a relaxed environment. The $3,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant will help purchase furniture and woodworking equipment.

"Building Up Veterans is a nonprofit that was started by World War II veteran Chuck Miller to help returning soldiers deal with post-traumatic stress," said Horn, who served in the Marine Corps. "I am proud to support a fellow vet who helps others get through tough times."

The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance was incorporated in 2004 to enhance the care and beautification of the Fallbrook community. The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance has created nine projects to improve Fallbrook's quality of life and also maintains those projects.

The "Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free" project encourages volunteers to remove litter in their neighborhoods, and the $10,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program award will allow the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance to purchase supplies such as safety vests, litter grabbers, buckets, gloves, waste stations, trash cans, recycle cans or other recycle units, and printed materials for the Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free program.

"The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance has been helping to care for and maintain Fallbrook for over a decade," said Horn. "The FBA created a new program, Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free, to do just that. I am happy to help with the purchase of materials for this program."

The mission of the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce is to support business and improve the community through economic growth, member services, cooperative partnerships, legislative advocacy, and cultural and educational events. Many of the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce events occur in downtown Fallbrook, and $30,000 of Neighborhood Reinvestment Program funding will help the chamber to purchase and install trash and recycle receptacles, chairs and lighting in downtown Fallbrook.

"The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce works closely with all community groups to make Fallbrook a safe and thriving place to work, live and play," Horn said. "With the yearly events that they host, this grant will allow them to purchase trash/recycle cans, chairs, and lighting for the public to utilize."

The nonprofit Fallbrook Fire Safe Council was established in 2002. Its mission is to preserve man-made and natural resources by providing information, project leadership, and support to mobilize residents to protect their homes, communities and environment from wildfires.

The Fallbrook Fire Safe Council provides education and information about fire safety preparedness within the Fallbrook, Bonsall, De Luz and Rainbow region. A $15,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program allocation will assist with the purchase of seminar and event equipment and supplies such as pole saws, weed whackers, gloves and fire-retardant gel kits.

"Fire safety is a big priority for me," said Horn. "I am always ready to support the Fire Safe Councils in my district who work so closely with our residents, so they are prepared. This allocation to the Fallbrook Fire Safe Council will help purchase supplies to better educate the community on how to protect their homes."

The Fallbrook Food Pantry is a nonprofit organization which feeds hungry residents of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Pala, De Luz and Rainbow. The mission of the organization founded in 1991 is to aid those in the community who are in need of food and clothing, to refer those in need of shelter and medical care to appropriate agencies, and to offer hope through emotional support.

The use of $10,000 of Neighborhood Reinvestment Program money will help the Fallbrook Food Pantry to purchase computer system hardware such as a server, workstations, monitors, batteries, laptops, tablets, signature pads and web cameras. The money can also be used for computer software and for a new website to assist in the Fallbrook Food Pantry's outreach efforts.

"The Fallbrook Food Pantry has done an excellent job serving the communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Pala, De Luz and Rainbow," Horn said. "I am happy to support their efforts to reach out to those who need a helping hand."

The Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society promotes the study of gems, minerals, jewelry, geology, paleontology, and related earth science and lapidary arts. The Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society has its own museum and seeks to make that the first Smithsonian Affiliate in North County. That would require improving the existing West Alvarado Street building and expanding operations into the adjacent lot.

The county's $15,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant will help with capital improvement costs such as fencing, grading, entryway, paving, renovating bathrooms to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, a pavilion, storage units and supplies such as concrete, lighting, lumber and signage.

"People from all over the world come to visit the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society," said Horn. "They have an active membership and offer many programs for the old, young and in between. This grant will help them to expand their facility to become the first Smithsonian Affiliate in North San Diego County."

Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, and De Luz citizens 55 years old or older have received services from the Fallbrook Senior Citizen's Service Club since 1976. Kitchen facilities at the nearby community center building provide home-delivered meals, and the senior center also provides wellness programs and tax services. A $15,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program allocation will help to replace cracked tiles and a stained carpet at the senior center.

"The Fallbrook Senior Citizen's Service Club helps to provide delivered meals, wellness programs, and even tax services to seniors in Fallbrook and the surrounding communities," Horn said. "The grant funds will allow them to replace old flooring."

Rock Rose School for Creative Learning students travel to Fallbrook from various northern San Diego County and southern Riverside County communities. The early education programs include parent-child classes and summer camps, and the Rock Rose School also hosts community events and festivals such as the Harvest Festival. After the school outgrew the capacity of its previous location it moved to the 2800 block of South Mission Road in 2013, and in 2016 the preschool-kindergarten class was expanded into two classrooms. Increased enrollment has led to the need for safety-related improvements, and a $5,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program award will help with the purchase and installation of a new wall surrounding the children's playground and with road and facility signs.

"The Rock Rose School for Creative Learning serves all of North San Diego County's youth, providing early education and parent-child classes," said Horn. "With the increase in enrollment, traffic and safety concerns have been raised."

United Service Organizations provides services to military members and their families and also helps the military families transition back to their communities. Camp Pendleton's USO has programs focused on wellness, resiliency and outreach.

The $15,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program funding will assist with supplies such as pop-up tents, a popcorn machine, a cookie oven, coolers, shelving, a photo booth setup, a printer, a projector, folding tables, chairs, umbrellas, wall art from a local artist, holiday decor, a helium tank, a Silhouette America fabrication machine, vinyl supplies, lapel pins, key chains, hats, shirts, mugs, tumblers, coins, reusable bags, sweatshirts, beach towels, thumb drives, backpacks, koozies, portable chargers and cups.

"The USO has been around for years, serving our service members and their families," said Horn. "On Camp Pendleton alone there are nearly 80,000 members. The USO Camp Pendleton plays an important role in helping to form a sense of community with families, no matter the distance. They host events and offer programs that ease the transition back to civilian life. I am proud to help my fellow Marines through this grant."

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924 is in the 1100 block of Old Stage Road and is officially Charles E. Swisher Post 1924. Swisher was a Fallbrook native who was stationed on the U.S.S. Arizona and was killed when Pearl Harbor was attached. His father, Leon, was one of 28 World War I veterans who founded Post 1924. The post was named for Swisher in 1942, and land was donated for the Post hall in 1945.

The activities of Post 1924 include free or low-cost meals to community members, Memorial Day events, veterans' parades and holiday gatherings. The Post hall hosts local civic, charitable, children's, and business group events and meetings at no charge. Expansion of Post 1924's programs will require improvements to the Post hall to reduce electricity and other utility expenses and offer greater functionality to Post hall users.

Building improvements which can be funded through the $25,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Program award include patio cover reinforcement, upgrades to make the restrooms compatible with current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, exterior paint, completion of a photovoltaic energy system, electrical upgrades and tie-ins.

"The VFW Post 1924 has become a hub for Fallbrook's active military and veterans," said Horn. "Their building hosts dozens of events a year at no cost, and their members volunteer thousands of hours to help the community. They are in need of building improvements, and I am happy to help."

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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