Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan programs coming together
POMONA -- Programs to improve parent-child communication, community resource centers and assistance for residents in tackling neighborhood concerns are just some of the tangibles coming out of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan.
"We've done a lot and it's exciting," said Andrea Rico, youth and family services manager with the city. "We're really starting to see the fruits of our labor."
Programs ranging from the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley efforts to reach and draw high-risk youth away from negative behavior to efforts to establish a community foundation to help raise the money to support effective programs are all taking place.
All these, and others, are part of the effort to create a healthy environment in Pomona where young people have a chance to reach their full potential rather than following a path that leads to negative behavior.
Such efforts are the result of a violent act five years ago that shook the community profoundly.
Five years ago today, then 16-year-old Valentino Arenas shot and killed California Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Steiner as he was leaving the Superior Court building in Pomona.
The incident prompted the late Mayor Eddie Cortez to establish the Youth and Family Task Force as a way to identify and prevent problems that put young people on the wrong path.
The idea to create a youth master plan had been talked about before, but the shooting gave the concept momentum.
Community Board members say there is much to do, but they now have a number of avenues designed to help youth and families.
A Web site, www.pomonafamilyresources.org, offers youth and families a way to access information online for a variety of needs.
Those who need to speak with someone or need some guidance seeking help now have seven Community Resources Centers in city community centers to find someone who can assist them.
Residents are taking advantage of the Strengthening Families program offered through the city and other agencies helping parents and their children develop communication skills that result in better relationships.
Some Community Board members are working to bring neighborhoods together, helping them identify their needs and offering assistance to connect with those best suited to help them resolve their problems.
This can include assisting them in organizing Neighborhood Watch groups which also serve to create connections among residents, said Community Board member Nancy Matarrita.
Others, such Jim Henwood, are working to create a means to raise money to keep successful programs running.
The Pomona Community Foundation has been approved as a nonprofit by the state Secretary of State's Office, said Henwood, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles County Fair Association, who is also head of the fundraising subcommittee of the Community Board.
Members of the foundation's Board of Directors are waiting for nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service, Henwood said.
The initial board is made up of Henwood, Cal Poly Pomona President Michael Ortiz, Pomona Unified School District Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, Pomona City Manager Linda Lowry and Pomona resident and developer Ed Tessier. Additional board members will be added before long.
"A great community foundation is made up of people who reside and work in the city," Henwood said.
Work has already begun to identify strong programs that have demonstrated they are effective so that the foundation can raise funds for them, he said.
The foundation has already been involved in seeking grants to benefit programs in the city, with Fairplex providing professional grant writers, he said.
In the current economy, raising money will not be easy but organizations exist that are willing to help.
"People are concerned about youth and our community," Henwood said.
When it comes to working with high-risk youth, the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley has embarked on an effort to reach youth who may already be exposed to negative behavior in their homes or neighborhoods and offering them options that steer them toward positive opportunities.
The effort includes connecting youth and their families with other services and supporting youth with educational resources so they can succeed in school and increase their chances of staying on a positive track, said Victor Caceres, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley and a member of the Community Board.
What the club is doing "is super powerful but it's super simple," Caceres said.
The club is keeping track of its work and plans to present its results to the Community Board later this year and to share the results and the model with other groups so it can be replicated around Pomona, he said.
Among the things the Community Board members are working on at this time is gathering information on recreational, educational and job opportunities available to youth this summer, Rico said.
The idea is to provide families options so their young people are involved in safe, productive summer opportunities, she said.
Outreach to additional organizations, including faith-based groups, is another ongoing effort, said Candace Barry, Community Board co-chairwoman.
"There are a number of churches doing tutoring and offering food programs," she said.
However, that information needs to be shared among organizations to better serve those who can benefit from the services. One way to share that information is by connecting with the Community Board.
I would greatly appreciate additional information of other agency or community facilities that will be facilating the Youth and Family Master Plan Communtiy Center in the city of Pomona and neighboring cities, the Los Angeles Urban League Pomona Worksource Business and Career Center are very intrested in this family supportive Program we would greatly appreciate any information that you may have or contact person thank you for your time and opportunity.