Santa Monica, CA, July 30, 2009 � On Thursday, July 30th, Bayside District Corporation was honored by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce�s Homelessness Committee for their commitment to end homelessness. Through the Business Cares Program, the Chamber recognizes businesses in the Santa Monica community that devote time and resources to this important issue.
�This issue has a powerful impact on our district and we will continue to work with the Chamber of Commerce, City of Santa Monica and local social service agencies that work towards ending homelessness in the Downtown Santa Monica area,� stated Bayside CEO Kathleen Rawson.
Bayside District Corporation is a non-profit entity created in 1984 to manage 30 blocks of Downtown Santa Monica, including Third Street Promenade. Bayside District Corporation has been a member of the Chamber�s Homelessness Committee for two years and actively participates with the Santa Monica Police Department�s Homeless Liaison Program (HLP), which is designed to respond to the community�s concerns regarding homeless-related issues and getting high-risk individuals off the streets. Last winter, Bayside raffled three playhouses at ICE at Santa Monica, donating all proceeds to the Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter of HomeAid, a leading nonprofit provider of housing for the homeless.
Since 1993, Bayside has been responsible for collection and dissemination of the dollars generated by the Dolphin Change Program. This program has provided the Santa Monica community and visitors a means to give responsibly to established social service organizations that help the homeless. Bayside District Corporation is proud to announce that this year, they will award a total of $50,000 in Dolphin Change Program Grants. Funds for these grants were made possible through a donation from the Marion Dorn Estate as well as donations collected from the Dolphin sculptures throughout the city.
�We are very excited to announce that we are able to award additional funds this year through the Dolphin Change Program Grant,� said Rawson. The economic downturn has had an extraordinary impact on funding to social service agencies and we know that this additional money will be put to good use.
The California Community Foundation, one of the oldest grant making organizations in Los Angeles County with extensive experience in managing and distributing charitable funds, will vet the Dolphin Change Program Grant applications.
To qualify, agencies must be located in Santa Monica and have programs that deal with the needs of the homeless in Santa Monica.
Selected grant recipients will be presented on Friday, September 25, 2009 at the annual Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition�s Celebrating Success Awards Breakfast.
For more information about Bayside District Corporation or the Dolphin Change Program Grant, please email Linn Wile at lwile@baysidedistrict.org.
For more information about the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce�s Homelessness Committee and Business Cares Program, please contact Brian Chase at govaffairs@smchamber.com.
