That is why the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (HSA) has just awarded $75,000 in youth development grant funding to a variety of organizations throughout Stanislaus County. The grant awards are being coordinated by the HSA Family Planning Program. Funding was awarded to after school activities, community-based organizations and faith-based organizations providing a minimum of five (5) hours per week of activities to youth ages 13-18 and have adult volunteers working with the participants. The intent was to provide funding to groups that have historically had to rely on fundraising activities to supplement their programs.

“We need to get kids up and off the couches and involved in activities that promote positive health and social well-being,” stated Samantha Phillips-Bland, Director of Family Planning for HSA. “We strongly believe that keeping our children busy and supervised means we can help to keep our children safe. It has been shown that giving kids alternatives to high-risk behaviors can make a tremendous difference,” Phillips-Bland expressed. High-risk behaviors can include a sedentary lifestyle, early sexual involvement, and drug or alcohol involvement.

Phillips-Bland related that the HSA had received proposals from organizations throughout Stanislaus County that have a track record of working with youth. Grant amounts are between $500 and $5000 for participating organizations.

Organizations that were awarded funding include:

• Westside Ministries, Turlock – $5000 for their 4H club program focusing on agriculture and life skills
• Orestimba High School – $18,750 Hispanic Youth Leadership Club (HYLC), music department, journalism club, athletics, Future Farmers of America (FFA) and the Avid Program (designed for first person in family who will go to college – prepared by tutors, taken to various college campuses)
• Hughson High School - $2013 for HYLC
• Riverbank High School - $1500 for HYLC
• Modesto High School – $13,475 for orchestra, band & color guard, athletics
• Johansen High School – $8622 for school athletics and FFA (animal loan program)
• Davis High School – $4600 HYLC, FFA (expand pig & heffer pens at the end of Tully Rd.- kids will build the pens )
• Beyer High School – $4375 for band & color guard
• Downey High School - $8312 for HYLC, Downey Healthy Start, Key Club
• Patterson High School - $2225 for HYLC
• Oakdale High School – $1500 for HYLC

Recipient organizations all provide programming to youth that engages them in meaningful activities with adult interaction and mentoring.

Requests for proposals were distributed during early November and a bidders conference was held at the HSA main campus. Proposals were due November 30 and award letters were distributed during the week of December 17. Funding for the grant awards was received from the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency through a federal grant program. A committee scored individual proposals to determine which proposals were funded. The HSA Family Planning Program will monitor the grants throughout the funding year.

The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (HSA) is an outpatient medical system with 9 medical offices located throughout Stanislaus County. The HSA operates the Public Health Department, an Urgent Care Center and multiple programs serving over 475,000 patients and clients each year in Stanislaus County. The HSA also is in local partnerships for the MOMobile project and the Stanislaus Family Practice Residency Program. The HSA has extensive community health information available at its web site www.hsahealth.org