US$600,000 for LA community projects

The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the grants as part of the Harbor Community Benefit Foundation (HBCF) grant programme, which supports projects by local community not-for-profit organisations that help promote health care, health education, community outreach and access to respiratory care in the Los Angeles harbour communities of San Pedro and Wilmington.

“The Harbor Community Benefit Foundation grant program is one of many ways the Port helps and supports meaningful programs that have a real and tangible impact on the health and well-being of our community,” said Ambassador Vilma Martinez, who serves as president of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. “These winning proposals have potential to serve our community’s most urgent needs.”

Grant diversity

Grants awarded ranged from US$5,460 to US$225,000, the latter to help fund a medical centre’s high-tech mobile care clinic. The other large grant of US$118,000 went to the Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health to support a health programme for students who miss school for asthma-related reasons.

Other grant awardees included Broad Elementary for campus tree plantings and a student marine life outreach programme; and the Port of Los Angeles High School for an ‘Aquaculture at the Port’ course.

HCBF administers the Port Community Mitigation Trust Fund (PCMTF) funded by the Port of Los Angeles, the product of an environmental settlement between community advocates and the Port of Los Angeles.

The port and HCBF have awarded a total of US$6.3m in grants and contracts under the fund.