Tri-City Mental Health Authority (TCMHA) recently awarded thirteen Community Wellbeing grants to local organizations who serve youth in the cities of Pomona, Claremont and La Verne. These mini grants will be used to develop and implement sustainable projects aiming to enhance the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of children, youth and young adults, ages 0 to 25. The Community Wellbeing (CWB) Program was developed in February 2010 by community stakeholders in Pomona, Claremont and La Verne and approved to be funded under California’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) plan. Through this TCMHA program, communities can apply annually for grants up to $10,000 and can be awarded for a maximum of three times to support community-driven projects that focus on improving the wellness of their members. Communities and groups either comprised of youth or funding projects that directly serve and support children and transition age youth are eligible to apply.
The thirteen awarded grantees for the 2024-2025 program year are 4 Kids WorldWide (Special Needs Basketball Academy and Girls Got Game), Assistance League of Pomona Valley, Bithiah’s Family Services, Character Champions Foundation, City of Knowledge, City of Pomona, Human Values Center, La Verne Parent Participation Preschool, Pomona Fellowship Church of the Brethren, Pomona Pride Center, Purpose Church, and Sowing Seeds for Life.
Examples of current grant projects include: leadership skills workshops; early childhood education activities designed to foster community engagement; performance arts activities; providing jackets to children; basketball clinics for special needs children and youth; parent and me classes offering play-based activities for children and families; peer counselor training; Queer and Trans community conversations podcast; girls scouts program; and programming centered around socio-emotional development via restorative circles.
“We are excited to partner with each of these organizations and support their impactful work,” said Daisy Martinez, Community Capacity Organizer. “The Community Wellbeing Grant provides valuable resources, project support, technical assistance and information to empower communities to act on their own behalf and carry out projects that help enhance the wellness of their own community members. For emerging communities, this grant is a starting point to help foster a sense of community among their members, strengthen their existing efforts and develop unique ways to address and meet the needs of their community.”
For more information about the Community Wellbeing Grants, contact Daisy Martinez at dmartinez@tricitymhs.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram as we highlight each grantee in the coming months. Their stories of wellbeing and transformation are sure to inspire us all.