In 2009, the Palo Alto Community Fund awarded over $238,000 to 32 local nonprofit organizations. During our annual grants reception on September 24, each of the 2009 recipients had an easel to show the wonderful work they are doing in our community – allowing attendees to learn more about each program. The following summarizes the programs PACF helped to fund and provides a link to the website of each grantee:

Acterra: Green@Home project will engage and empower people in the community to take concrete steps to shift energy consumption toward reducing home energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. www.acterra.org

American Red Cross, Silicon Valley Chapter: Safe Ride program run by and for teens to provide safe, anonymous and free rides home on weekend nights during the school year. www.siliconvalley-redcross.org

Avenidas: Information and Assistance program providing information and support to seniors and their families connecting them to needed community services. www.avenidas.org

Bread of Life East Palo Alto: Community Feeding program providing hot meals to low-income individuals and families. www.breadoflifeepa.org

Canopy: Youth Employment program providing trees, educational materials and stipends to at-risk youth for tree planting at East Palo Alto schools. www.canopy.org

Cleo Eulau Center: Collaborative Counseling program providing critical interventions to youth on probation or at-risk of offending in East Palo Alto. www.cleoeulaucenter.org

Collective Roots Garden Project: Food System Change Roadshow, a mobile interactive exhibit-bringing garden based learning and food system change, taken to schools and community based settings. www.collectiveroots.org

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: Legal services for homeowners and tenants facing foreclosure or eviction. www.clsepa.org

Community School of Music & Arts: Art in Action program provided to all students at Costano School in East Palo Alto. www.arts4all.org

East Palo Alto Kids Foundation: Education Micro Grant program providing grants to educators in the Ravenswood District to promote educational achievement for students in the classroom. www.epak.org

EPA.net: Business Expansion Project providing training and other resources to expand the Apprentice-to-Professional program, which provides training and employment in digital media for underserved youth, beyond East Palo Alto and into the Silicon Valley market. www.epa.net

Family Connections: Preschool Program in East Palo Alto enabling critical Kindergarten readiness programs to children preparing them to start kindergarten in the fall. www.familyconnections.org

Foundation for a College Education (FCE): Student Leadership program enhancing leadership knowledge and skills for students enrolled in FCE College Bound program. www.collegefoundation.org

InnVision: Academic enrichment programming for youth during after school hours and weekends at the Opportunity Services Center. www.innvision.org

JobTrain: Solar Training program preparing low-income men and women for careers in the high-growth solar energy systems industry. www.jobtrainworks.org

Kidpower: Support Bullying Prevention & Positive Peer Interaction skill building program for K-6 high-risk children, their parents & teachers. www.kidpower.org

League of Women Voters of Palo Alto and South San Mateo County: "New Voices" program giving students a voice through broadcast media to encourage civic engagement in taping video documentaries. www.lwvssmc.org www.newvoicesforyouth.org

Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: Peninsula Family Advocacy Program providing legal assistance, education, and referrals to low-income women and children who receive medical care at local hospitals and health centers. www.legalaidsmc.org

MayView Community Health Center: Support of a Health Educator to collaborate with health providers and patient groups to meet community health needs and increase access to prevention services. www.mayview.org

Midpeninsula Community Media Center: Youth Video Production from teens profiling their grandmothers and mothers who have helped their families persevere through personal tragedies. www.midpenmedia.org

Music in the Schools: Classroom-based music instruction providing funds for teacher wages and musical instruments. www.musicintheschools.org

Palo Alto Family YMCA: Summer Camp scholarship program for children from economically disadvantaged families in Palo Alto. www.ymcasv.org

Reading Partners (formerly YES Reading): Support literacy intervention services for elementary readers in the Ravenswood School District. www.readingpartners.org

Renaissance StartUp: Giving Resources and Opportunities to Women program providing business-training workshops, coaching and technical assistance to low-income women business owners. www.rencenter.org

Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT): Activity Kit program providing affordable pre-assembled classroom learning kits to educators. www.raft.net

RoadRunners Sports Club: After school sports program and activities to enhance the mental and physical well being of East Palo Alto youth. www.roadrunnersportsclub.com

Rosalie Rendu Center: ESL program providing practical English skills for daily interaction for residents of East Palo Alto. www.rosalie-rendu-center.org

Shelter Network: Support of Haven Family House for Case Manager staff salary for providing services supporting transitional housing and life management skills. www.shelternetwork.org

St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room: Providing hot, healthy meals to anyone seeking a meal and a safe place to eat. www.paduadiningroom.com

St. Elizabeth Seton School: Tuition assistance for the working poor of East Palo Alto and surrounding low-income communities. www.seton.ca.campusgrid.net

St. Vincent de Paul Society: Provide emergency financial assistance for paying rent and to keep families in their houses and their utilities not turned off. No website

West Wind 4-H Riding: Handicapped program providing children, who have physical and developmental disabilities, with horseback riding instruction that provides both physiological and psychological benefits. www.westwind4h.org