The Riverside County Board of Supervisors, acting on 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone’s recommendation, approved a $3,000 grant to the Idyllwild HELP Center. The funds will be used for center clients’ children who want to participate in Town Hall Recreation sports. The grant will fund sports shoes, registration fees for sports activities and any needed childcare, according to center Executive Director Karen Patterson.
“It is a one-time grant per child of $65, paid to Town Hall Recreation, to enable them to participate in sports activities,” said Patterson. Patterson stressed that the checks don’t go directly to center clients but to the county recreation program, to ensure they are used for clients’ children’s sports needs. Patterson suggested any interested center clients should come in and fill out the required forms.
Patterson touted the new center website as a way to promote the center’s activities and make online donation easier for on and off-Hill donors. See idyllwildhelpcenter.com for information on the center’s services, programs, events and monthly newsletter.
Patterson noted that, as the recession continues, center client load continues to grow and grant funding continues to decline. “We currently have a client list of 640 but each day we’re getting new ones,” she said. The center provides food, medical and utility vouchers.
