The Wonderful Company Awards over $400,000 to Valley Nonprofits

Wonderful Community Grants Offer Critical Funding to Meet Community Needs

Los Angeles, Calif. | Dec 13, 2016

Wonderful Community Grants, a program funded by The Wonderful Company and its owners Lynda and Stewart Resnick to maximize the impact provided by community organizations in Avenal, Sanger/Del Rey, and Wasco, today announced that over $400,000 has been awarded to 19 nonprofits to fund projects and programs of assistance to local residents.

Wonderful Community Grants invests in innovative work that directly benefits the community, particularly in the areas of health and wellness, supporting families, and community beautification. The grant recipients will be working to address critical needs and have demonstrated a strong commitment to serving the Avenal, Sanger/Del Rey, and Wasco communities.

“As a leading employer in the Central Valley, we are committed to giving back in the places where our employees live and work,” said Emily Kane Miller, Senior Director of Philanthropy for The Wonderful Company. “These deserving organizations will provide much-needed programs and services to help improve the lives of area residents.”

Wonderful Community Grants began in 2016 in Avenal and Wasco, expanding in 2017 to include the Sanger/Del Rey area. Each of the three communities is eligible to receive up to $150,000, with grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

The organizations and projects receiving a 2017 grant are:

Avenal

Champions Recovery Alternative Programs, Inc. ($25,000) - Provides families with case management and family support classes.

City of Avenal ($30,000) - Funds free computer literacy and small business marketing and development classes at the new Avenal Technology Center.

Kings County Library, Avenal Branch ($10,000) - Creates a “Family Place” area with books, a mural and materials for children ages 0-3.

San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization ($21,865) - Provides community outreach and workshops to help families apply for energy-efficient programs to reduce household energy costs.

Self-Help Enterprises ($50,375) - Installs water bottle filling stations in Avenal’s schools to promote drinking water.

Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation ($11,955) - Supports Child Passenger Safety program that will train car seat fitting technicians and distribute car seats at community events.

Sanger/Del Rey

City of Sanger ($16,770) - Purchases 12 fitness machines that will be available to the public at Jenni Park and JFK Park.

Community Resident Services, Inc. ($10,500) - Provides healthy snacks and nutrition lessons for the Unity Estates afterschool program.

Community Food Bank ($12,000) - Increases food storage capacity at three distribution sites in Sanger and Del Rey.

Comprehensive Youth Services of Fresno, INC. ($27,000) - Provides Del Rey families with social services support and parent engagement classes.

Healthy Smiles Mobile Dental Foundation ($21,000) - Brings a mobile dental clinic to elementary schools in Sanger and Del Rey.

SAM Academy ($26,500) - Brings a mobile workshop to Del Rey youth to participate in a hands-on STEM education program.

Sanger Chamber of Commerce ($5,200) - Develops a new website to encourage greater participation in chamber and community events.

United Way Fresno and Madera Counties ($10,000) - Provides two career fairs for the Sanger and Del Rey communities.

Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation ($14,955) - Supports Child Passenger Safety program that will train car seat fitting technicians and distribute car seats at community events.

Wasco

Art Council of Kern ($10,000) - Supports a fine arts program to provide 12-week painting and drawing classes for community members.

City of Wasco ($12,500) - Sponsors an art festival as part of the city’s Past, Present, Future Art Program.

Healthy Smiles Mobile Dental Foundation ($29,065) - Brings a mobile dental clinic to elementary schools in Wasco.

Kern County Library, Wasco Branch ($11,000) - Expands library hours to one Saturday per month and increases programming.

Kern County Public Health Services ($5,175) - Starts a free Zumba class twice a week for Wasco residents.

Kern Medical Foundation ($50,000) - Provides a range of health education programming, sports physicals and sideline physicians for high school athletic program.

Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation ($11,955) - Supports Child Passenger Safety program that will train car seat fitting technicians and distribute car seats at community events.

About Wonderful Community Grants

The Wonderful Company and its owners Lynda and Stewart Resnick have a rich heritage of investing in the communities their employees call home, particularly in California’s Central Valley. Through Wonderful Community Grants, The Wonderful Company is investing as much as $450,000 annually i