CC 2022-03-08_9c Supplemental 1
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Jessica Matson, Legislative & Information Services Director/City Clerk
SUBJECT: Supplemental Information
Agenda Item 9.c. – Consideration of a Resolution Approving Arroyo
Grande Community Service Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year
2021-22
DATE: March 8, 2022
Attached is correspondence received prior to 4:00 p.m. for the above referenced item.
cc: City Manager
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
Community Development Director
City Attorney
City Clerk
City Website (or public review binder)
From:Michelle Bernal
To:public comment
Subject:City Council Meeting March 8
Date:Friday, March 4, 2022 3:14:04 PM
To Whom It May Concern:
We are one of the applicants being reviewing for grant funding. I appreciate the review panels time on Wednesday.
We are very appreciative to be considered for a grant that supports
recreation, community and youth for
Arroyo Grande. If there is availability there is actually going to be camp and practice overlapped during the meeting
from 5-6. If the council and board would like to see what goes on and maybe even speak with some of the players
we would love the opportunity to zoom in.
Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Michelle Bernal
Sent from my iPhone
From: Jackie Diaz <
Sent: Sunday, March 6, 2022 8:12:13 PM
To: crayrussom@arroyogrande.org <crayrussom@arroyogrande.org>
Subject: Big Brothers Big Sisters Grant
Dear Mayor Caren Ray Russom:
I am a volunteer Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County and
a resident of the City of Arroyo Grande. Next Tuesday, you will be considering a review
panel’s recommendations for the Jim Guthrie Community Service Grant Applications. I will
also be speaking on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters. As a resident of the City of Arroyo
Grande, I want to impress upon you the importance of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ grant
request to the City.
Our proposal is directly serving 80 youth from the City of Arroyo Grande through our
Community Based mentoring and a new school-based mentoring program at Paulding and
Judkins Middle Schools, which is supported by high school volunteers from Arroyo Grande
High School. This new program is in collaboration with LMUSD, but is not fully funded,
which is why we are seeking the City’s support. The program helps guide children through
the right path, as Middle School can be a rough time in many young adolescents' lives. The
program’s benefits to our community are tremendous through a pro-active, preventative
approach. In addition, high school students are engaged in hands-on leadership; a learning
opportunity that is like no other. This program is a win-win-win for the middle school
students receiving mentoring, high school students who receive leadership training and our
community that thrives as a result of preventative outreach.
While we are grateful for the $1,000 recommendation of the panel, I would ask that you
reconsider this funding request at a higher amount given its importance and direct impact
on our youth and our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jackie Diaz
(
From: Claire Vollmer <
Date: March 7, 2022 at 1:42:04 PM PST
To: Caren Ray Russom <crayrussom@arroyogrande.org>, Keith Storton
<kstorton@arroyogrande.org>, Kristen Barneich <kbarneich@arroyogrande.org>,
Jimmy Paulding <jpaulding@arroyogrande.org>, Lan George
<lgeorge@arroyogrande.org>
Subject: AG Community Svc Grant proposals
Good morning!
I have attached some additional information that may be helpful to you for your
meeting tomorrow evening.
Thank you for considering it.
Claire Vollmer
March 7, 2022
Arroyo Grande City Council
215 E. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
To: Mayor Ray Russom, Mayor Pro Tem George, Council Member Paulding, Council Member Barneich,
Council Member Storton
I am a 5th generation SLO County resident, have lived in Arroyo Grande since 1989 and have served as a
Board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County for 20+ years. I’m sure that you
have reviewed our Community Service Grant application which outlines much of the great work that we
do. And I understand the difficulty of breaking the information down into finite, measurable results, but
I’d like you to think of some additional reasons this program is so important and, I believe, worthy of a
higher grant amount.
It's hard to evaluate how many people are served by our programs. We may declare that we “served”
80 children through our various, innovative programs but, in fact, we are directly impacting the Mentee
or “Little” but also their siblings, their parents, their classmates… AND their communities as we nurture
future productive citizens. We not only mentor the children but also provide services to the families-
resource referrals, translation services, parental coaching and on and on.
Another aspect not often thought about is the fact that our program impacts future generations. In our
local area we’ve had children who were “Littles” now come back as adults to sign up as a “Big” brother
or sister. And, last year, 100% of the children in our program who were eligible for graduation received
their diplomas. AND 90% went on to college or trade school.
Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you’ll forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
---James Foley
I remember when I first joined the Board, I thought “if we can mentor these kids BEFORE they get into
the juvenile justice system, BEFORE they go out into the world, we could perhaps eliminate the need for
many of the programs and services we rely on today”. Imagine…
While we are grateful for the $1000 grant recommendation, I would ask that you consider a higher
amount given our Program’s life-changing impact on our local children and our communities now and in
the future.
Sincerely,
Claire Vollmer
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
From:Angie King
To:public comment
Subject:Community Service Grant
Date:Tuesday, March 8, 2022 1:43:21 PM
Dear Council Members,
I, Angie King, a resident of Arroyo Grande am writing to you
today to advocate for a community service grant proposal
currently up for review.
The Bulls Inc. has submitted a grant proposal requesting funds to
be used toward developing additional services at their training
facility. The Bulls training facility offers a safe place for children
within the Arroyo Grande community to practice. The vision of
expanding outreach possibilities such as baseball camps and
fitness classes open to children in our community would be
made possible with grant support. As our community continues
to climb toward normalcy, investing in opportunities for our
children to grow is needed.
Arroyo Grande has limited field space. This year, Arroyo Grande
Little League and AYSO had the largest number of children
register to play recreational youth sports. The increase in
registration was refreshing to see; however, left coaches and
teams scrambling to find facilities available to hold practices.
The families of Arroyo Grande recognize and support the need
for our children to rebuild and reconnect with peers and
community. The Bulls organization offers additional facilities and
resources willing to serve the children and families of Arroyo
Grande.
Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter.
Sincerely,
Angie King