La Jolla Community Foundation to Grant $26,100 to Community
La Jolla Community Foundation (LJCF) will award $26,100 to five nonprofit organizations to enhance community aesthetics.
The grants will be formally awarded at the LJCF 2nd Annual Grant Celebration on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. The programs funded include: Whale View Point and Wedding Bowl project by La Jolla Parks and Beaches Inc. ($8,500); Edwards Sculpture Garden Revitalization and Enhancement by Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego ($5,100); Bird Rock Elementary School Playground Ball Court by Bird Rock Foundation ($5,000); Coast Walk Trail Maintenance and Restoration by Friends of Coast Walk Trail ($4,500), and AWAY Project by 1 to 1 Movement ($3,000).
“The La Jolla Community Foundation is thrilled to provide funding for five well deserving projects which will most definitely enhance and improve our community,” stated Susan McClellan, Grants Chair of the La Jolla Community Foundation. “Those who live, work and visit La Jolla will enjoy first-hand the impact of our grants.”
In 2014, LJCF granted $35,000 to programs focused on the arts and science during its first grant cycle. La Jolla Playhouse received a $7,500 grant to support their Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour. The POP Tour is an education initiative, targeting elementary and middle school children, which enables La Jolla Playhouse to fill the void of arts education in the school system.
“The La Jolla Community Foundation’s support helped us reach students at seven La Jolla schools – our highest ever!” expressed Alexandra Kritchevsky, Grants Manager for La Jolla Playhouse. “In total, over 2,300 elementary and middle school students and 73 teachers from La Jolla schools attended the POP Tour thanks to LJCF.”
LJCF is dedicated to improving the quality of life and meeting emerging needs in La Jolla by increasing responsible and effective philanthropy; building a community endowment for the benefit of the region; providing funds annually to community organizations and causes, and giving the community a vehicle for legacy planning and gifts that will benefit La Jolla now and forever.
About the 2015 Grantees:
Whale View Point and Wedding Bowl | La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc.
The grant of $8,500 will support Whale View Point’s multi year, multi-aspect program to beautify and preserve the coastline in the 300 to 600 blocks of Coast Boulevard in La Jolla. The stretch includes tide pools, surfers’ breaks, a grassy knoll and bluff-side paths to small, mostly rocky, beaches. Over the last 20 years, the increase in pedestrian usage has degraded vegetation at the site causing erosion of footpaths on the bluffs. Funds will be used to clear the remaining overgrowth, purchase and install native California drought resistant, coastal plants, and maintain the plantings until the plants are established. Project organizers anticipate working with Boy Scout Troup 506 in La Jolla to assist in this project as a part of an Eagle Scout project.
Edwards Sculpture Garden Revitalization & Enhancement | Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
The grant of $5,100 will assist in the revitalization and enhancement of the Edwards Sculpture Garden at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD). The near 75-year-old sculpture garden is in need of maintenance to improve aesthetics and enhance educational components to create a more welcoming community space. The grant will allow replacement of aging plantings and hardware, expand the free mobile tour with new content about the garden, raise awareness of this free space through new signage, and improve lighting for evening use.
Bird Rock Elementary School Playground Ball Court | Bird Rock Foundation
The grant of $5,000 will assist Bird Rock students and community members who have been actively working to provide a sport ball court at the Bird Rock community field. The court will be enjoyed before and after school hours, on the weekends and during the summer. The ball court, inspired by the court at the La Jolla Recreation Center, will be utilized for numerous sports such as; tennis, handball, soccer, racquetball, lacrosse and wall-ball.
Coast Walk Trail Maintenance and Restoration | Friends of Coast Walk Trail
With the grant of $4,500, Friends of Coast Walk will preserve and replant the coastal bluffs north of Devils Slide. The grant will alleviate the issues faced at Coast Walk Trail that without proper preservation and maintenance will lead to continued deterioration of the trail and instability of the cliffs. This project will help preserve this beautiful natural environment for the community and visitors.
AWAY Project | 1:1 Movement
The grant of $3,000 will fund the AWAY Project to assist in accomplishing a hands-on waste diversion program focused on community beautification and student engagement. A 1:1 Movement educator will provide students with repurposed duffel bags. Students are then challenged to collect all of the (acceptable) waste that they generate over the course of a week. The 1:1 Movement educator returns to conduct waste audits with the students and develop specific solutions that apply to each student. 1:1 has reached 5,128 students with this interactive and inspiring project.