Hoag to fund Families Costa Mesa

Elise Gee

COSTA MESA -- After narrowly missing out on federal grant funding

administered by the county, Families Costa Mesa learned this week that

Hoag Hospital will step up and fund the collaborative for the remainder

of the year.

The Orange County Social Services Agency has recommended six agencies

receive about $1.2 million in Families and Communities Together grant

money. However, Families Costa Mesa, which has been funded for the past

three years, was ranked seventh and narrowly missed out on the funding,

said Jeannette Tozaki, management analyst for the agency.

The $180,000 grant received last year runs out in September, said Leda

Albright, program director for Families Costa Mesa.

Through the Hoag Hospital Community Medicine Department’s benefit

program, Families Costa Mesa will receive funding through December. The

grant will give the organization some breathing room while seeking other

funding alternatives

“It’s a wonderful statement of support that what we’ve been doing is

making an impact and we’re needed,” said Karen McGlinn, chairwoman for

the collaborative.

Families Costa Mesa is a collaborative of eight social service agencies,

including Share Our Selves, the YMCA, St. Joaquim Catholic Church, Save

Our Youth and the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter. During this summer

alone, the collaborative has sent dozens of children to summer,

leadership and sports camps, and provided parenting classes and respite

care to adults.

Members of the collaborative contribute resources to the organization.

Grant funding allows them to have a central location and staff members,

McGlinn said.

Besides Families and Communities Together grant money, the collaborative

also receives support from the city in the form of Community Development

Block Grants.

Families Costa Mesa is applying for a number of foundation grants that

they hope will take them beyond December.

“We’re staying one way or another,” Albright said. “The difference is

who’s going to be funding it.”