Community organizations were invited Friday to apply for funds through the fifth round of grants being offered by Los Angeles County as part of a voter-approved effort to prevent and provide alternatives to incarceration.
The county Justice, Care and Opportunities Department announced the fifth round of Care First Community Investment Care Grants. The program is a result of voters’ passage in 2000 of Measure J, which requires the county to allocate 10% of locally generated, unrestricted revenue to community programs and alternatives to “traditional justice system responses.”
Funding is available in 30 different program areas spread across five major categories — diversion, behavioral health and wellness; economic opportunity and sustainability; education access and youth development; housing stability; and re-entry and community reintegration.
According to the county, more than $350 million in grants have been provided to community organizations under the program since it was created.
Detailed information and applications are available online at jcod.lacounty.gov/program/care-first-community-investment-cfci-year-5-care-grants/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.
Applications must be submitted by Aug. 24.
I think this is a great way to break away from the old” Lock em up” way of thinking, by providing positive programs to steer people away from old harmful habits that always tend to be a way towards incarceration.