2024
The following non-profit organizations and schools were awarded grant funding from the
Tustin Community Foundation
Alzheimer’s Orange County received a CARES Grant to purchase personal protective items, cleaning supplies and sanitary items for homebound seniors and others with Alzheimer’s dementia who are unable to leave their homes.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Orange County received a Grant to purchase children’s books for their health clinics in the Tustin area.
The American Association of University Women received a Grant to send more 8th Grade Tustin girls to AAUW Tech Trek camp (held in the summer on a college campus) where they will do hands-on problem solving with female role models in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to place them on a path toward success.
American Legion Tustin Post 227 received two (2) Grants to continue companionship visits to veterans in need, sponsor high school representatives to Girls & Boys State and conduct dignified disposal of unserviceable flags on Flag Day. Six (6) additional Grants have supported the Veterans Emergency Assistance Fund to help pay unexpected bills incurred by Tustin area veterans in unusual situations.
The Art for the Community Club received a Grant to purchase art supplies that will be used to create small works of art that will be attached to letters for Tustin inbound senior citizens and teach a free art class at the Tustin Area Senior Center.
Arts & Smarts OC received a Grant to purchase supplies and art kits necessary to operate week-long art camps for several Tustin elementary schools during Summer 2025 and also collaborate with the City of Tustin to host a free community event centered around art lessons.
The Assessment & Treatment Services (ATSC) received funding to provide family counseling sessions to help divert children and youth from risky or unhealthy behavior.
Assistance League of Tustin received a CARES Grant to replace the income lost from closing their Thrift Store during the COVID-19 shutdown. They have also received three (3) Grants for their Operation School Bell program to provide school uniforms and basic school supplies to financially disadvantaged K-12 grade students within the Tustin Unified School District and a Grant to help provide collared school uniform shirts to all Currie Middle School students. They also received a Grant to fund the Project Today program, a unique collaborative relationship between the Assistance League of Tustin, the Tustin Unified School District and California Youth Services. Participation in this intervention program is part of a comprehensive educational strategy to steer students away from alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. It has been determined that participation in Project Today has successfully reduced occurrences of school suspensions. Another Grant supported their Children’s Crisis Residential Program and the CYP Youth Shelter to provide each student with basic toiletries, support holiday-based events and other year-round activities. The Youth Shelter offers a short-term crisis intervention residential program with the goal of family reunification. Another Grant was also awarded to support school attendance programs in Tustin Unified School Districts Title 1 schools by offering student incentives.
Barbara Benson Elementary School received a Grant to purchase library bound fiction and nonfiction books for their school library.
The Beckman High School Autism Program received funds to help cover the costs of community outings for students who are struggling with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder, considered English Language Learners and whose families are currently at poverty level. These experiences will ultimately give these students equal access to participate with the rest of the class in obtaining these valuable life skills.
Beyond Blindness (formerly the Blind Children’s Learning Center) received a Grant to support bilingual and bicultural early intervention services in their Infant Family Focus program and another Grant to support their program to empower children with visual impairments and other disabilities to achieve their fullest potential.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County received a Grant to offset salaries for staff that coordinate youth mentoring in Tustin and twice received a Grant to help fund the direct program costs associated with recruiting new mentors, making new matches, and supporting existing matches that provide adult role models to at-risk youth who reside within the greater Tustin area and a Grant to support the High School Bigs Mentoring program matching qualified Tustin High School students with elementary and middle school youth. This program provides an opportunity for the younger student to have an older friend as a positive peer and role model and helps the mentor gain experience to become a future community volunteer and leader.
A Box of Hope is a collection of thoughtfully selected items for police officers to present to families immediately after suffering the loss of a child. A Box of Hope was started by a Tustin mother after the loss of her 2 children to provide comfort and assistance to a family during an unimaginably challenging time and provide officers with a tangible way to offer support and show a genuine concern to grieving families. This heartfelt Grant to the Tustin Police Foundation funded 50 Boxes of Hope and it is the hope of the Tustin Community Foundation that they will never be used.
Boy Scout Troop 33, Tustin received funding to help cover the material costs for Eagle projects done in Tustin that would benefit the community.
The Boys & Girls Club of Tustin received funds that were matched to purchase 2 slightly used 15 passenger vans to assist with outreach to some of the neediest youth in our community and three (3) times received funds to help create an endowment fund to provide membership and transportation scholarships to youth located in the southwest portion of Tustin. They also received a Grant to provide membership scholarships for the entire 2017 school year to 100 youth from Tustin’s neediest families and another Grant to purchase educational materials, including books, technology, and supplies, for their tutoring and literacy programs to support the expansion of their inter-generational tutoring initiative with AARP which connects older adults with students needing extra academic support.
Breast Cancer Angels received two (2) Grants to provide financial assistance to individuals and families living in the Greater Tustin area who are undergoing breast cancer treatment.
California Carvers Guild #2 received funding to cover increased facility rental charges enabling them to continue to offer free woodcarving instruction to anyone in the community and to donate carved canes to disabled veterans.
California Youth Services purchased an Alco-Sensor FST® Breathalyzer for use in their Juvenile Alcohol & Drug Education (JADE) program. Over 300 of our local at-risk youth and their parents attend the JADE program each year to help families affected by substance abuse and delinquent behavior problems. They also received a CARES Grant to help cover operational cost deficiencies due to the loss of revenue from the Tustin Unified School District during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cancer Kinship received a matching Grant to help them increase awareness of their programs that support those with cancer and their families who live in Tustin, another Grant to support their Resource Navigation program which provides one-on-one, whole-person support to help meet the growing needs of Tustin’s cancer community received a Grant to support to purchase and two (2) additional Grants to distribute 22 new wigs to give to Tustin area residents who have been recently diagnosed with cancer as a way to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
Proceeds from two (2) Grants to Child Creativity Lab, Inc. provided STEM kits, on-site STEM Launching Pad workshops for all 3rd Grade students at Guin Foss, Benson and Loma Vista Elementary Schools to provide children with stimulating, hands-on tools to explore and discover creativity as an essential element in critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation leading to a passion for science, technology, engineering or the humanities. Another Grant supported the mobile creativity-based STEAM program serving all of the Tustin Unified School District Title 1 elementary schools. A third Grant fulfilled a comprehensive program for the Tustin Family & Youth Center, including an 8-week after-school program of STEAM education, a Professional Development course for TFYC staff, and 100 STEAM kits to be used for future family activities.
City of Tustin Parks & Recreation accepted a Grant to support programs for over 1,100 Tustin area youth attending the Little Folks, Camp Tustin, and Teen Tustin 2015 summer camps.
The Clinic in the Park twice received a Grant to expand their outreach by providing transportation and healthy snacks for families from all Tustin Unified School District Title I schools to the Clinic where children and their families were connected to safety net health screenings and medical and dental resources.
Columbus Tustin Middle School Parent Teacher Organization received a Grant to help them continue to assist students and their families with any hardships they faced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few years later they received a Grant through the TCF Adopt-A-School Program to purchase specialized equipment to support their growing robotics program for grades 6-8.
The Columbus Tustin Recreation Center received a Grant to purchase supplies and equipment for the Teen Room After School Program where teens can be with their friends and enjoy various activities, work on homework, play video games, participate in monthly challenges, create unique art and participate in special events.
The Community Action Partnership of Orange County received funds to expand the community garden, offer summer Zumba classes and provide resources on the importance of health and exercise to families at Thorman Elementary School.
The Council on Aging received funding to conduct community outreach to meet the needs of underserved and disadvantaged older adults in the greater Tustin area through their Caring Connection Friendly Visitor Program.
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are needed in the greater Tustin area. CASA’s two (2) Grants recruited, trained, and supported volunteer advocates who will protect the best interests of children who have been abused or neglected in Tustin. These volunteers made sure our youth in crisis were not lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languished in inappropriate group or foster homes.
Create To Learn received a Grant to fund a monthly podcasting session at Columbus Tustin Middle School.
Three (3) Grants to Dance to your Heart’s Delight to provide free access to their annual Nutcracker Ballet for individuals and families in Tustin who may not have access to professional performances, including seniors in assisted living, veterans, foster families, and those experiencing economic hardship. Through this community outreach, many hundreds of residents were able to see a real ballet at no cost each year. Tickets were distributed through local nonprofit organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin, the Tustin Area Senior Center, and the Child Abuse Prevention Center. Additionally, the Grants have covered the costs of free workshops and dance classes, ensuring that arts education is accessible to everyone in the Tustin community, regardless of financial means.
Divine Choices received funding to facilitate free “Stewards of Children” awareness/prevention workshops (the Crime Prevention Program of the Year) for up to 100 Tustin police officers.
Elijah’s Gift Food Distribution Program received funds to help eliminate hunger in the greater Tustin area by providing food for the disabled, elderly, and families in need.
Families Forward received funding to help provide transitional housing and support services to homeless families in the greater Tustin area and another Grant to provide food for their Food Assistance Program.
A Grant to Family Promise of Orange County was used to help open a new transitional home in Tustin for homeless families where entire families will be able to remain together as they get back on their feet.
Find Your Light OC received a Grant to help cover the cost making their musical theater camps and self-confidence workshops free of charge to youth in underserved communities within Tustin.
First Tee of Orange County received two (2) Grants to support their Golf Fore Life Skills program where modified, introductory golf equipment, including clubs, targets, and balls, were purchased and used to impact the lives of more than 600 Tustin elementary students through a curriculum that teaches life lessons and leadership skills through the game of golf. Additional funds were used to provide training to the THINK Together personnel at Beswick, Estock, Heideman, Lambert, Thorman and Veeh elementary schools.
The Foothill High School College & Career Center provides a place for students and parents to receive education and resources specific to the areas that create barriers for their educational success. The CCC gives families hope on how to further their education and gives students the tools to use when communicating with college representatives or potential employers. A Grant from the Tustin Community Foundation was used to fund a speakers’ series for students and their families.
The Foothill High School Instrumental Music Guild received funds that were used to pay for the reconditioning of old band uniforms and the purchase of new uniforms as needed.
The Foothill High School Knights Against Waste Club to start the Club and increase recycling at the school. The Grant will cover the cost to fund a recycling service offering multi-weekly pick-ups and recycling bins for each classroom to make recycling as easy as possible.
A Grant to Giving Children Hope added another Tustin Unified School District school to the We’ve Got Your Back program where backpacks full of nutritious food are distributed to homeless children and their families every Friday to ensure they have food during the weekend.
Global Hope 365 received a Grant to allow them to virtually train Tustin Unified School District high school teachers on the PROTECT program so they can educate students on the red flags of human trafficking.
G.R.A.C.E. Social and Medical Services received two (2) Grants to support their food pantry delivery service in Tustin, primarily serving Middle Eastern and North African ImmiGrants who do not otherwise have access to services due to language barriers.
Grandma’s House of Hope has been awarded five (5) different Grants to support their Nana’s Kids program that helps provide food and wrap-around programs to support disadvantaged school-age children at the Tustin Family and Youth Center. Each child receives a bag with enough food for 14 meals covering 2 weekends including healthy, non-perishable meals that can be prepared in a motel room with limited kitchen or even in a car. Proceeds from another Grant helped defray their cost to distribute healthy, non-perishable meals from their new partner site with Tustin Unified School District’s ASES program outside Thorman Elementary School.
The Grandparents Autism Network received funds for their Special Needs Acceptance Book Project to distribute books and teacher’s guides that introduce children to the challenges faced by those with special needs to all Tustin Unified School District elementary schools. The book covers a range of disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, asthma, blindness, deafness, emotional and behavioral challenges and learning disabilities like dyslexia and ADHD.
Greater Orange County Youth Services received funding for their Life Skills Development Program to support employment, budgeting, and credit awareness education to disadvantaged youth in the greater Tustin area.
Guin Foss Elementary School received a Grant to purchase an outdoor volleyball net, two pairs of knee pads, one coach clip board, five volleyballs, one ball bag, one score board, 2 uniform jerseys and a coach’s stipend for 4th & 5th grade after-school volleyball program.
Helen Estock Elementary School PTA received funds to provide partial scholarships to low-income 5th grade students enabling them to attend Outdoor Science Camp.
Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child received a Grant to purchase marketing materials and program literature for three community outreach events and tuition assistance for 20 students to participate in CPS classes and a second Grant to pay a bilingual Spanish trainer to translate their course/workshop materials into Spanish. They received a second Grant to hold a training presentation for Tustin Unified School District teachers, special educators, administrators, and any other school staff on the implementation of collaborative problem solving in academic settings.
The Heritage Elementary School Library received a Grant to purchase high interest, low level books that will motivate and encourage students to read.
High Hopes Neurological Recovery Group, Inc. was awarded funds to help brain-injured adults living in Tustin attend High Hopes who otherwise would not be able to receive services.
Hillview High School was awarded a Grant to pay for bus transportation for students to tour local colleges and university campuses and to take seniors to volunteer with the Special Olympics.
A Grant to Hope Harbor (formerly Laurel House) at the Orange County Rescue Mission purchased six sets of mattresses, sheets, pillows, and blankets to shelter the at-risk teen, runaway, or homeless teen boys at the Rip Tide Boys Home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they received a CARES Grant to support their efforts to continue to provide a nurturing home environment, mental health care, and supportive services to at-risk, runaway, and homeless teens in our community. Two (2) additional Grants helped them to provide direct services to teens in crisis.
Human Options twice received funding to provide case management, counseling and needed supportive services to domestic violence victims living in low-cost, long term transitional housing in Tustin to help these families achieve self-sufficiency and lead violence free lives. Another Grant supported their Teen Ambassadors Program in Tustin that will provide education and resources on teen dating violence to Tustin Unified School District middle and high school students.
The Illumination Foundation received a Grant to support their efforts to provide long-term sustainable housing solutions and comprehensive services to homeless and motel families with children in Tustin.
Kids READ! received a Grant to establish educational corners in laundromats in the Tustin Area and another Grant to support their Books for Moms program by supplying books to the obstetricians and pediatricians in the Tustin area. Their goal is that children who accompany their parents will be able to read books.
The Kiwanis Club of Irvine received a Grant to provide pancake breakfasts at the Tustin Emergency Shelter at least once a month for up to 60 temporary residents.
L.I.F.E Family Foundation received a Grant to support their one-of-a-kind impactful program to enrich the lives of adults with developmental disabilities and their caregivers by providing monthly arts, crafts, and recreational classes.The grant will be used to cover costs for materials, supplies, food and accessibility needs.
Laura’s House received financial assistance four (4) times for their emergency shelter and support services program to help meet the needs of individuals and families in our community, which are impacted by domestic violence.
Laurel House, Orange County Area Emergency Teenage Housing received funding for their T.E.E.N. Program – Teenagers Empowered, Equipped and Nurtured to Succeed, to provide counseling to at-risk teens and their families.
LEAP Learning Center received three (3) Grants to tutor academically at-risk 2nd – 5th grade students who attend Tustin Unified School District schools in North Tustin and another Grant to support the 2020 LEAP Reading Intervention Program for academically at-risk, as well as economically disadvantaged, elementary school children in the Tustin Unified School District. LEAP Learning Center received another Grant through the TCF Adopt-A-School Program to purchase thoughtfully selected texts to address the current reading needs of their students across all of their five (5) Tustin Unified School District Elementary Schools, plus additional materials to support their newest school, Loma Vista Elementary.
The Legacy Foundation awards scholarships to local special education students and received a Grant to cover the cost of a community meeting with school officials, past scholarship awardees and their families, Legacy Foundation donors and Board Members to determine how their program can be expanded and enhanced.
ListoAmerica Inc. received funds to purchase Raspberry Pi computers and accessories and a second Grant to purchase Micro:bits, a tiny handheld programmable computer, used in coding and computing to give them the flexibility to teach larger quantities of students physical computing in after-school workshops for underserved students in the Tustin Unified School District. They received another Grant for the acquisition of an Apple Vision Pro, a mixed reality headset, which will give their students hands-on experience with Spatial Computing, putting them at the vanguard of the digital frontier.
The Loma Vista Parent Teacher Organization received funds to purchase a piano keyboard for their music program and another Grant to support the Garden Learning Center where students and their families are educated on where food comes from as they personally experience the process of planting a seed and caring for it all the way to their plate.
Mary’s Path (formerly Mary’s Shelter) received two (2) Grants to help fund the staffing coverage required to ensure that Tustin teen mothers and their babies receive the nurturing and supportive therapies they need. They received another Grant to purchase new baby cribs that will comply with the new federal safety standards, and they also received financial support for their effective Prenatal Care Services Program to empower and equip vulnerable teen mothers and their babies for lives of hope, dignity, and self-sufficiency. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they received another Grant to help fund the staffing coverage.
The Meditation Gardens of Orange County, located in North Tustin, received a Grant to increase publicity of their Garden and events through signage upgrades and the continued development and management of a website.
Mercy House Transitional Living Center twice received funding to assist with the cost of ongoing case management to the women at their Regina House to help eradicate their plight of homelessness and assist them in the following areas: Financial Literacy, Wellness Program and Learning Matters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they received a Grant to help cover operational costs of their Family Care Center that provides Housing Navigation, Case Management, and Shelter Services to the most vulnerable families in Tustin.
Miracles for Kids received funding to provide financial support for low-income families in Tustin who, because of their child’s treatment for a life-threatening illness, struggle to maintain stability and meet basic financial obligations such as rent/mortgage, transportation, utilities, and medical insurance payments.
The Miss Tustin Scholarship Program received funding to restart their pageant in the 1990s to provide scholarship money to young women from the ages of 17-24 from the greater Tustin area and recently received funding to help with increased pageant costs.
Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) received funds to pay for the cost of towing their Crashed Car exhibit to the 4 Tustin Unified School District High Schools to provide a vital visual illustration of the dangers of impaired driving.
Myford Elementary School received funding to purchase a World Book Encyclopedia and Dictionary Set for their school library and another Grant to purchase library books for their scholars who are struggling in reading due to the COVID pandemic and who are far below grade level.
North Tustin National Charity League received funds to increase their support of their programs with the Blind Children’s Learning Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Tustin.
Olive Crest received a Grant to purchase small appliances, such as microwave ovens, for the foster and probation youth homes in their Transitional Housing Placement Program located in Tustin Legacy.
Hunger and lack of nutrition result in reduced academic achievement, lower test scores, higher absenteeism, and more grade repeats. Nearly 2,500 low-income students in the Tustin city parameters qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. OneOC and AmeriCorps volunteers used this Grant to provide healthy snacks for the neediest students in Tustin Unified School District schools to make sure no local child goes to sleep hungry.
One Seed Community Garden received a Grant to help with the startup costs associated with creating a community garden.
Operation Warm Wishes has received two (2) Grants to support Tustin families in need of shelter and food. During the COVID-19 pandemic they received another Grant to purchase personal protective items they passed on to Tustin’s homeless population.
The Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center received a Grant to support the Well Program to directly connect needy Tustin area families to necessary mental health support and community resources and a Grant that was matched to enhance the capacity of the Home-Visitation Program that helps to create safe, secure, and nurturing environments for Tustin children.
The Orange County Food Access Coalition received a Grant for their Harvest Club program to equip teams to harvest surplus fresh fruits and vegetables from backyards in the greater Tustin area and divert this often-wasted food into approximately 53,300 servings of fresh food to feed neighbors in need. A second Grant was awarded to support outreach efforts to increase the number of harvests as well as the number of deliveries within the community.
For 2 years in a row the Orange County Rescue Mission received Grants to provide several thousand meals for homeless individuals and their families living in the community of greater Tustin. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they also received a CARES Grant to help cover the increased cost of staff personal protection equipment and increased janitorial expenses.
The PADRE Foundation (Pediatric-Adolescent Diabetes Research and Education Foundation) received funding to help educate children with diabetes and their families who reside in the greater Tustin area on how to live with diabetes. PADRE offers monthly educational and support classes, including a Caregiver’s class, which helps grandparents, relatives, and babysitters gain knowledge about diabetes safety.
Patriot Aquatics received a CARES Grant to purchase required personal protection equipment and to cover the cost to pay the Tustin Unified School District for pool rental during the COVID-19 shutdown.
Proceeds from two (2) Grants were used to provide direct services for Tustin veterans through Patriots & Paws Provisions for Patriots program to cover expenses in transportation, rent and household items.
The Pioneer Middle School Library received funding to purchase research materials that support 7th grade Visual and Performing Arts curriculum and 6th and 7th grade Social Studies standards.
Rx Ballroom Dance received a Grant to support their ballroom dance therapy programs by making afflicted Tustin residents aware of this free service. Additional funding will help them provide more classes.
The Raise Foundation, Orange County’s designated Child Abuse Prevention Council, received funding to support their Caring for Kids community program to help meet the basic needs of disadvantaged families living in the greater Tustin area.
Robert Heideman Elementary School, a Tustin Unified Title 1 school with a majority of ESL students, received a Grant to purchase recently published books and replace worn, high-demand books in their school library. This Grant application made TCF aware of the need for library books in all our Tustin schools and led to a community book drive where over 6000 books and more than $1500 was collected to purchase books for every school in the school district.
The Showtime Ballet Company received a Grant to work with the Tustin Unified School District to bring dance to public school students as a pilot program.
SOCAL Aquatics Association received funding to purchase a much-needed pace clock to help with training, benefiting all two17 SOCAL members who range in age from 5 to 83.
South Coast Symphony received a CARES Grant to purchase plexiglass shields and additional personal protective equipment to protect their musicians and audience members.
Special Olympics Orange County twice received funding support for Special Olympic program sites at Currie Middle School, the Tustin Boys & Girls Club and Community Team sites within Tustin. Participation is open to anyone age eight and older, and programs are designed to serve all ability levels, all at no cost to participants and another Grant to help cover the increased cost of transportation to competitions for their Tustin area Special Olympians.
The St. Cecilia Catholic Church Food Pantry received a Grant to provide food and resources to anyone of any faith in our community. They are open 7 days a week.
St. Cecilia School (a designated Red Cross Center) received funding to purchase a Tri-Mode Solar Power Pack and a Solar Survivor Watermaker to provide a renewable source of energy for power lighting and communications equipment and to convert non-drinking water into potable water for the community in case of an emergency.
Access to showers is limited for those who are unhoused and the ability to shower offers a sense of wellbeing and dignity. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church received three (3) Grants to support their weekly Sunday Showers program by funding the cost of water and towel service for a year. The program is open to anyone, of any faith and is a partnership with Family Promise of Orange County.
Sunday Suppers has received six (6) Grants to purchase food for their free Sunday evening meals for people in our community who are hungry. One-third are elderly men and women, 1/3 are families with children and 1/3 are homeless. Guests receive meal plus a bag of food to take with them for the week. Sunday Supper received an additional Grant to purchase a new stove hood and the required fire suppression system. In addition, these Grants have helped purchase bus passes to enable those without transportation to attend.
Sycamore Magnet Academy Parent Teacher Association received a Grant to fund supplies for 300+ Sycamore Sunshine Care Boxes containing disposable masks, personal hygiene products, sanitizers and family fun activity supplies distributed to at-risk families in their South Tustin community during the COVID pandemic. They received a 2nd Grant to support the staging of the first ever school musical which will have approximately 60 actors from grades K-6 and another Grant to help send 100 2025 5th graders to Outdoor Science School/Outdoor Ed, an overnight camp where students get to participate in numerous science activities in an outdoor school setting.
The All-American Boys Chorus received a CARES Grant to supplement their budget to cover lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to assist with the purchase of enhanced safety requirements. They received a 2nd Grant to expand their music program. All choristers participate in afterschool and weekend music lessons with rehearsals as well as performances, recordings, and an annual week-long summer camp.
Food insecurity is a prominent issue in Tustin. Four (4) Grants to The Giving Tree Orange County (formerly Fresh Start Charity) paid for necessary truck and trailer repairs on their 2005 Ford F250 pickup truck and purchased additional non-perishable food and personal hygiene items that are needed but not regularly donated. This program has allowed families to stay off the streets because they could take the money they were spending on food and apply it to rent.
The Priority Center received a Grant to support the Bright Futures program, which addresses child abuse prevention and intervention services for high-risk families in Tustin.
The Salvation Army Pioneer School of Music received funding to award scholarships to youth in the greater Tustin area who are unable to afford music lessons and a Grant to purchase musical instruments that are age appropriate for the 2- to 5-year-olds attending Creators Corner Pre-School.
The Salvation Army Tustin Ranch received a Grant to purchase iPads for their hybrid Learning Support Program and Henley Youth Center and another Grant to purchase necessary supplies and materials for their after-school program, including cooking utensils, mats for tumbling and yoga, and equipment for cheerleading.
The Seneca Family of Agencies was awarded a Grant to support the Children’s Mental Health Clinic which provides in-home and on-site mental health services to an annual average of 250 children, siblings, and caregivers.
The Voices of Tustin received a Grant to purchase sound equipment, which they have never had, to be used during their performances which include civic engagements and community events.
Theatrical Productions, Inc. received funding to provide free theatre tickets to local charitable youth organizations including Boys and Girls Club, and the Orange County Youth Center.
Top Hat Repertory received a Grant to upgrade their current lighting system so they can use the money saved to provide additional scholarships for local actors from low-income families that are unable to pay participation fees. This will lead to an increase of approximately 20% more participants.
Tustin Aquatics received funding to repair or replace existing water polo goals used by youth and high school students in the greater Tustin area.
The Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts (TACFA) received six (6) Grants to add additional low-income schools to their Tustin Unified School District Art Masters program to help students learn to recognize artistic elements, become better observers, expand their vocabulary, and gain a lasting appreciation of art. 2 other Grants supported their Koncerts for Kids program by covering the cost to provide transportation for TUSD 4th grade students to attend a South Coast Symphony Orchestra concert. Another Grant to the Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts (TACFA) helped purchase the Orange County Health Department-approved food service tents required at Broadway in the Park.
The Tustin Area Senior Center received two (2) Grants to help subsidize the senior meal program offered at the Center in partnership with Community SeniorServ. A separate Grant helped expand their free Transportation Program for those individuals who are unable to drive on their own to the Senior Center. The Grant was also used to publicize and promote the Congregate Meal Program by reaching out to senior apartment homes and low-income senior communities. Another Grant purchased a Wii console with games for their senior fitness program and another one helped cover the cost of 2 free Senior Dental Clinics held at the Hurtt Family Health Clinic at the Orange County Rescue Mission.
The Tustin Area Senior Center Fund received a Grant to supply special lotions, body care products and face creams to homebound seniors and those without families living in local assisted living facilities in greater Tustin in support of their Adopt-a-Grandparent program and the SmileMakers program at the Council on Aging. Another Grant funded their monthly Birthday Celebration Luncheons which are especially significant for seniors who do not have families and often suffer from social isolation.
The Tustin Chamber of Commerce received a Grant to help fund their programs, including the Hangar Half Marathon, so that they can further support the Tustin business community.
Tustin Eastern Little League (TELL) received 2 Grants 7 years apart to purchase new pitching machines and machine pitch baseballs which benefited approximately 750-1000 players each year. Additionally, the Grants helped cover the cost of renting the TUSD fields which will help keep player fees as low as possible.
Tustin Dollars for Scholars runs a popular food booth at the City of Tustin’s summer Concerts in the Park to raise funds to provide renewable 4-year college scholarships to Tustin students. TDFS used one Grant to purchase a 10×10 foot canvas pop-up printed with their name, logo, and mission statement to shade their workers and increase knowledge of their organization and another Grant to replace a BBQ grill. A second Grant supported the Scholarship Award Fund and a third Grant was used to refurbish and repair their BBQ grill, upgrade the pop-up tent and screens, and buy new inside food warming components in order to be Orange County Health Dept compliant. A third Grant covered required expenses paid for events ultimately not held during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tustin Family & Youth Center received funds to help purchase backpacks, school supplies and copies of the popular book The Giving Tree for their Kids Corner Preschool graduates with a goal of giving them the best possible start in school, funds to purchase a Wii console and games for their youth fitness program and an additional Grant to purchase hygiene kits, including shampoo, bath soap, deodorant, toothpaste and tooth brushes, 1,250 toothbrushes for the Holiday Basket Program given annually to needy families in the Tustin community. A separate Grant started a Birthday Celebration Program for the youth who attend their after-school program, which may be the only celebration some of these children receive. A 4th Grant supported their Super Saturdays program by purchasing equipment for the Keep Tustin Clean program. This group, led by city staff, will identify an area that needs cleaning up and then group members will spend a portion of their time during Super Saturdays picking up trash.
Tustin Girls Softball received a Grant to purchase new nets for the batting cages at Columbus Tustin Park and help fund a new pitching machine.
Tustin High School received a Grant to purchase a new electric kiln for their Ceramics Program. This new kiln will not only assist in firing ceramics projects in class, but will be able to be used at family art nights and afterschool programs at UTT and CT middle schools.
The Tustin High School Baseball Booster Club received funding to purchase much needed new netting in the batting cages that are used by the Tustin High School Baseball teams and Tustin area youth attending winter and summer baseball camps, and funds to kick off their Scoreboard Fund as they were the only team in our district and their league without a scoreboard. They also received a CARES Grant to cover the cost of high school field maintenance, player supplies and equipment due to the cancellation of team fundraising events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two (2) more Grants were awarded to purchase field maintenance equipment including the equipment to improve, level and maintain the infield dirt and outfield surfaces. Unfortunately, the team at this Title 1 school must fund their own maintenance.
The Tustin High School Boys Basketball Booster Club received 2 Grants to support their robust 11-month program by purchasing new uniforms and helping to defray costs for equipment, team meals, tournament fees and transportation.
The Tustin High School Dance Team Booster Club received a Grant to cover all costs to bring the art of dance to the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin by performing their Spring Show at the Club for members and their families and then putting on two (2) free dance camps for all interested youth. In addition, youth attending the Tustin Family and Youth Center received scholarships to the Dance Team’s week-long summer Dance Camp at Tustin High. Three (3) additional Grants have been used to purchase costumes and props for use over many years. Another Grant covered transportation costs to take them to their competitions and another helped fund program costs as the team was unable to hold their traditional fundraisers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tustin High School Golf Program received a Grant to purchase buckets of balls at the driving range and practice rounds at neighboring golf courses for their team members.
The Tustin High School Football Booster Club received funding to provide safer equipment and basic needs not otherwise provided at this Title 1 school.
The Tustin High School Girls Soccer Booster Club received a Grant to purchase reusable uniforms and warm-ups for both the Varsity and Junior Varsity soccer teams. Ten (10) years later, they received a Grant to replace those uniforms which will also ensure that every player has a uniform for the first time in several years. Extra funds will be used to offset tournament fees.
The Tustin High School Girls Softball Booster Club received a Grant to replace 10-year-old team softball uniforms and another Grant to purchase field maintenance equipment.
The Tustin High School Grad Night Committee received funding to help defray the costs of bus transportation to Grad Night 2008.
The Tustin High School Instrumental Music Organization received funds to repair existing school-owned instruments and purchase much needed new instruments. Two (2) additional Grants purchased a Harmony Director (the most powerful tool instrumental music teachers can use to improve the sound, balance and tuning of their ensembles), two wall-mounted speakers and an amplifier.
The Tustin High School Soccer Booster Club received funding to purchase much needed new soccer goals for the Tustin High School Boys and Girls Soccer programs.
The Tustin Host Lions Club – Beckman High School Leo Club received a Grant to purchase Eyeglass Collection Boxes, a cash box to be used at events, prizes for the City of Tustin Easter Egg Hunt game booth and funds to help grow the program so additional students can participate and experience the rewards of community service. A second Grant purchased an Orange County Health Department-approved food service tent.
The Tustin Meadows Tiny Tots Program received a Grant to purchase cleaning supplies to maintain and keep up with COVID-19 protocol and school equipment needed.
The Tustin Police Department originally received funds to purchase the Santa Sleigh that visits all Tustin neighborhoods during the holiday season and later received a Grant for its repair and upgrade.
Six (6) Foundation Grants to the Tustin Police Foundation (and formerly the Tustin Police Officers Association) Cares Program (TPOACares) provided staffing, participant t-shirts and 26-mile Completion Medals for their 9-week Run with a Cop Program. Their program at Heideman Elementary School was so successful that the TPOA expanded their officers across more schools and touched the lives of more children in the community. Participants not only run but are given a series of challenges to reinforce healthy eating, physical activity, proper sleep habits and “being a good citizen.” The Tustin Police Foundation received a Grant to help defray the cost of the Team Kids staff salaries, materials, and t-shirts for each of the 4th and 5th grade participants at Heideman, W.R. Nelson, Veeh and Thorman Elementary Schools. The staff manages all the paperwork and administrative details, so the Tustin Police Officers can devote their time solely to the children. The event features a school-wide Kick-Off assembly with police and fire fighters, community leaders, and parents, weekly challenges, and an end-of-challenge school-wide carnival. Every 4th and 5th grade volunteer receives specially printed t-shirts identifying them as Team Kids Leaders.
Tustin Pride received funding for their programs including Angels in Tustin, Student Poster and Essay Contest, Graffiti Removal, Shopping Cart Collection, etc. Tustin Pride became a fully funded program of the Tustin Community Foundation in 2013.
The Tustin Public Schools Foundation (TPSF) received funding for their Save Our Sports (SOS) program to help fund after-school sports programs for middle school students in the TUSD and funding for their Tutors for Tustin program to help middle and high school students in the academic middle succeed in taking rigorous classes and to prepare for college admission. TPSF also received funding for the tutorial component of their AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program that helps prepare students in the mid-range of academic achievement (between 2.0 and 3.5 Grade Point Average) for admission to 4-year universities and colleges.
The Tustin-Santa Ana Rotary Club received funding to support their special occasion lunches with the Tustin Area Senior Center.
Tustin Meadows Tiny Tots received a CARES Grant to pay for fixed expenses incurred during the COVID-19 shutdown and the cost of required personal protective equipment and safety barriers for classrooms.
The Tustin Unified School District received funding to replace both home and visitor field benches at Northrup Field on the Tustin High School campus. Benches are used by Tustin, Beckman, and Foothill High Schools during football season and by Tustin High School during cross county, lacrosse, soccer, and track seasons.
Tustin Youth Baseball Association (Tustin PONY Baseball) received funding to help pay to lease the baseball fields on the Sycamore Magnet Academy site from Tustin Unified School District so more player scholarships can be awarded. Another Grant subsidized their Everybody Plays Program – Although Tustin Pony offers youth baseball programs to the entire City of Tustin, most players come from the area surrounding Thorman Elementary and Currie Middle Schools and are severely financially disadvantaged. Tustin Pony does not want to turn any players away because of the cost.
Tustin Youth Football received a Grant to help lower registration fees so more families can afford to participate and help pay for the rental of Tustin Unified School District fields.
Veterans First was awarded a Grant to help with outreach to Tustin area veterans and their families and to help fund their Safe Haven emergency shelter.
Two (2) Grants to the Veterans Legal Institute will help fund the salary for an attorney to provide free legal services to Tustin veterans.
Vital Link Education-Business Consortium received a Grant to offset the additional cost for a virtual event platform that will be used for the Tustin Unified School District 2020 Virtual College and Career Fair Event.
Waymakers has received two (2) Grants to support their Tustin Youth Shelter project to aid Tustin children ages 12-17 who have experienced a suicide attempt or threat. A 3rd Grant helped fund coping skills supplies and suicide prevention kits for both of their Tustin Youth Shelters.
Women Helping Women received a Grant to support their Professional Apparel component of their Employment Success Program to provide Tustin residents with 2 complete business outfits and help them re-enter the workforce.
Working Wardrobes for a New Start received a Grant to support their Career Success Institute, which provides career development services for unemployed and underemployed persons seeking to find and maintain employment,
The Young Mens Christian Organization of Orange County, known as the YMCA, received a Grant to purchase workstations for students to use to do homework in the after-school tutoring facility at Estock Elementary School in Tustin.
