Marcia Williams of ATCAA explained that SH Cowell is a private foundation for most of northern California. She indicated that once the Foundation decides to fund an area they basically adopt the county and look at other areas that are in need of funding as well. Nina Machado of First Five offered background on why they decided to try to secure funding for community centers. She explained that a community needs assessment was completed in early 2000. In that assessment it was determined that individuals were really interested in activities and opportunities closer to their homes. She stated that Amador Co. did not provide many services for the unincorporated areas of the county. Machado pointed out that First Five funded the start of the 2 family resources or community centers, however she explained that First Five cannot be the sole funding source for sustaining the needs of the community. First 5 has received funding from other sources, but Marcia Williams pointed out that in order to expand services the centers will need to be open longer. An opportunity arose to apply for the SH Cowell grant so it was decided that a tri county application be developed with Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne counties, as well as other partners. Machado emphasized that the agency has been working very hard to get to this point as they have had a hard time receiving support as Amador is a rural county and because of demographics does not necessarily appear to be “poor”. “We don’t have those pockets of poverty that show up in a census…We had to get creative and go upcountry and find areas that (demonstrate poverty).

” Williams said that the Foundation stipulated that the County also participate in funding the community centers, or as Machado refers to it -as a “buy in”. She explained that the stipulations are different for every county and that locally the need for community based centers is present it’s just not as apparent as it would be in an urban area. She also pointed out that there are monies available through the Mental Health Services (MHS) Act as the act contains a portion that takes monies received form Prop. 63, out into the community and provides services. She said once the MHS plan is approved the department will be providing services through the family resource centers and ATCAA & First Five and other involved partners will have an opportunity to expand services as well because the MHS will contribute money in the form of rent payments. Tracy Russell of the Mental Health Department confirmed that the plan set aside 15-20 thousand dollars for this purpose. Ultimately the Board decided to match with $50 thousand, however pursue structuring it into two payments as the monies were not budgeted for this endeavor when the county’s budget was structured last spring. Machado said that the Project Managers will present the information, including the successful match, to the Cowell Board sometime in the middle of October and that soon after they will find out if they were successful in securing the grant.