10 Nonprofits Receive Times $5,000 Partnership Grants

GLENDALE — Nonprofit groups offering services to children, senior citizens and low-income women were among 10 awarded Community Partnership grants Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times Valley and Ventura County editions.

Each of the organizations, selected by an 11-member panel of judges, was given a $5,000 award during a presentation attended by more than 400 community leaders and volunteers at the Alex Theatre.

Actress Joan Van Ark, whose credits include “Dallas” and “Knots Landing,” was the keynote speaker. The eighth annual awards were hosted by Julia C. Wilson, president of The Times Valley and Ventura County editions, and R. Marilyn Lee, Times vice president of public affairs.

“Supporting outstanding nonprofit programs is part of The Times’ ongoing commitment to the communities we serve,” Wilson said. “We are proud to recognize organizations providing the vital services that make a difference in people’s lives.”

The $50,000 in annual awards honors exemplary programs in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys and in Ventura County.

This year’s winners were selected in six categories: social, health, youth/education, senior citizens, environment/ecology and cultural arts.

Recipient organizations based in the San Fernando Valley include the following:

* Oasis Women’s Recovery Community in Sylmar; helps drug- and alcohol-dependent, low-income women.

* Kathryn L. Kurka Children’s Health Fund Inc. in West Hills; provides full or partial financial assistance for vision, dental or minor emergency medical care for children.

* Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar; presents exhibits and fairs on public health topics such as poison prevention, earthquake mitigation and health-related concerns of young people.

* The Halcyon Center for Child Studies Inc. in Van Nuys; provides counseling, education and enrichment programs for at-risk children and their families.

* Organization for the Needs of the Elderly in Van Nuys; promotes healthy aging, supports caregivers and builds understanding across generations.

* Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Assn. in Woodland Hills; builds and maintains trails in the Santa Monica Mountains and educates users.

* Deaf West Theatre Company Inc. in Los Angeles; provides theater arts activities in the Valley and elsewhere for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Ventura County groups named winners are the following:

* Fillmore-Piru Boys & Girls Club in Fillmore; works to instill social skills, positive attitudes and values in young people.

* Children’s Activity Center in Oxnard; provides cultural arts programs for at-risk children.

* Conejo Valley Senior Concerns Inc. in Thousand Oaks; manages and provides programs to prevent or postpone placement of senior citizens into institutions.

Judges included Dr. Laila Al-Marayati, a Glendale obstetrician/gynecologist; attorney Gary Barr; Sue Chadwick, regional vice president, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust; Jorge Garcia, dean of humanities, Cal State Northridge, and Linda Gary, president and chairwoman, James R. Gary & Co. Ltd.

Also judging were Larry Gonzales, principal of Pacoima Elementary School; Christopher Nance, NBC weather forecaster; Susan Ng, executive director, Asian & Pacific Islander Council of the San Fernando Valley; Anna Perez, vice president of government affairs, the Walt Disney Co.; Ventura Superior Court Judge Steven Perren, and Kevin Tamaki, director of public affairs, Pacific Bell.