Block Grant Funds Awarded to Charities

More than a dozen charities and schools that help local residents will share in federal funds allocated to them by the City Council.

The Huntington Beach Community Clinic received $10,000. A $6,500 allocation was made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley toward the purchase of a school bus.

Other recipients on Tuesday were the Women’s Transitional Living House in Orange with $4,000, the YWCA of South Orange County with $4,000 and the Orange County Council on Aging with $3,300.

Federal mandates require that the programs assist low- and moderate-income residents, seniors, children and others in need. At the council’s insistence, programs can be based outside of the city as long as they help Fountain Valley residents.

City Council members said they favor organizations that work with at-risk youth and families when selecting where to send their Community Development Block Grant funds, which are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The expenditures were unanimously supported by the council, although Councilman Guy Carrozzo expressed some hesitation.

The funds are part of a larger $656,667 grant package provided this year and last by the federal government.