Solana Beach chooses community grant recipients

The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito, Casa De Amistad, La Colonia Community Foundation, and the Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society are among the group of nonprofits that will receive Community Grant Awards from the city of Solana Beach this year.

On June 22, the City Council divided $55,000 — $25,000 from city funds, $25,000 from Santa Fe Christian Schools and $5,000 from the Public Arts Reserve Account in the city’s 2022-23 fiscal year budget — into allocations for 11 local groups that applied for the funding.

“This year’s program participants will have a dignity of choice shopping experience where they choose their own new, essential and most-needed items at Target in Encinitas,” said Richard Radosh, grants and contracts manager for the Community Resource Center, during public comment. “They’ll receive a new blanket and fresh produce, and they’ll receive a voucher to select gently used items at CRC resale stores, an important holiday bridge for them.”

Applicants also had an opportunity to give a presentation to the council during a June 8 meeting.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito, Casa De Amistad, La Colonia Community Foundation, and the Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society received $6,000 each; the Community Resource Center, Disconnect Collective, North Coast Repertory Theatre, San Diego Organizing Project and Pathways to Citizenship each received $5,000; the Assistance League of San Dieguito received $4,000; and BikeWalkSolana received $2,000.

Rancho Santa Fe Youth Soccer was the only applicant that did not receive any funding. Council members said that the organization did not have a scholarship-centered purpose for the funding.

“I think the name Rancho Santa Fe kind of alienated us a little bit, because we do serve at least 23% Solana Beach people,” said Marilee Pacelli, the soccer league’s director of operations.