Senior center given Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Jan. 11 San Diego County Board of Supervisors approval of Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grants will provide $18,000 for Fallbrook Senior Center needs.

The Fallbrook Senior Citizens Service Club operates the Fallbrook Senior Center, and the supervisors’ 5-0 vote allocated funding to the service club. That vote also allocated $12,000 to the Vista Skatepark Coalition which produces the Miss Bonsall pageant as well as the Miss Vista pageant.

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program provides grants to non-profit organizations for the furtherance of public purposes at the regional and community levels. In addition to non-profit 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. Supervisor Jim Desmond recommended the use of his District 5 budget for the grants to the Fallbrook Senior Citizens Service Club and the Vista Skatepark Coalition.

The Fallbrook Senior Citizens Service Club was established in 1974 and focuses on nutrition for Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, and DeLuz residents 60 and older. The meal program includes delivery services. The Fallbrook Senior Center offers recreational, educational, and social activities as well as nutrition programs. A thrift shop helps generate some of the funding for the free meal program.

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program allocation will provide funding to replace light fixtures and purchase computer laptops, software, a color printer, a data base system, and polo shirts for volunteers, and the money may also fund a promotional video, banners, and calendars.

The Vista Skatepark Coalition has a North County Celtic Queen Pageant as well as the Miss Bonsall Pageant and the Miss Vista Pageant. The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program allocation will help purchase supplies such as crowns, sashes and pins, posters, flyers, mailers, programs, orientation materials, tableware, dance floor decor, and takeaway items for entrants and attendees.