Youth program receives Wal-Mart grant

The Orange County branch of Girls Inc., a charity for girls with an office on the Westside of Costa Mesa, received a $40,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Girls Inc. plans to use the funding for its programs, which help girls succeed in school and find jobs afterward, Director of Programs Veronica Escobedo said. The organization serves roughly 4,600 girls from ages 5 to 18 at its 52 sites in Orange County. She said the $40,000 is particularly important this year because less grant money than usual has been coming in.

Girls Inc. was one of nine charities chosen by the Wal-Mart Foundation. It’s the first time that Girls Inc. received money from the foundation.

� Katie Watson