Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation Awards $485,000 in Grants

    CAMARILLO, CA, November 05, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation announced twelve grants totaling $485,000. The grants will provide support in the areas of youth development, senior services, basic needs, the arts, veteran services, dental care, mental health, philanthropic services and scholarships.

Since joining the Ventura County Community Foundation as a support organization in 1994, the Smith Foundation has awarded more than 250 grants -- totaling more than $16 million -- to a vast array of organizations reflecting diverse interests with the common goal of improving the community and enhancing the lives of those who live in it.

"In supporting these organizations, we aim to strengthen the community and lift-up vulnerable people in Ventura County. We believe there's no better way to honor our parents," said Margie Tegland, Smith Foundation chair and daughter of the late Martin V. "Bud" and Martha Smith.
Recipients include:

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard & Port Hueneme to improve the quality of the Club experience while providing programs and services to youth and teens in the Oxnard/Port Hueneme communities, especially those who need the programs the most, with the ultimate goal of deepening the positive impact made in Club members' lives. $100,000

CAREGIVERS: Volunteers Assisting the Elderly for the expansion of the core program to sustain and grow volunteer practical care, support and transportation for frail and/or homebound, low-income seniors living in the Oxnard Plains region. $30,000

DRAGG, Inc. a matching grant to fund the creation of the Smith Foundation Program Director, who will ensure the future success of the program by taking command of daily operations, increasing donations, and expanding opportunities for local youth. $50,000

FOOD Share to provide much needed core operating support to sustain elevated level of service while working on long-term poverty alleviation. $25,000

Gold Coast Veterans Foundation a matching grant to fund two new positions in order to meet the growing demand for services from veterans: a Veterans Resource Coordinator and an Employment Program Assistant. $40,000

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association to support the Bereavement and Hospice Services Project for Seniors in Oxnard, which provides access to Camarillo Hospice's programs of practical and emotional support and counseling so that individuals and families can better deal with the realities of a life-limiting illness and/or grief related to the death of a loved one. $20,000

Museum of Ventura County for general operating support to help the museum pursue its mission to celebrate the history, art and culture of Ventura County and the Channel Islands through its collections, exhibits, educational programs and publications. $50,000

Salvation Army - Oxnard to support the Oxnard Dental Clinic, which provides free care to low-income and uninsured families and individuals, as well as resources and education aimed at reducing long-term oral health risks in the community. $40,000

Terra Marine Research and Education, Inc. to support the creation of a new research center and educational museum to be built adjacent to the Museum of Ventura County that will focus on the history of the California Channel Islands. $50,000

Turning Point Foundation for the Wooley House Permanent Supported Housing Program in Oxnard, which provides permanent supportive housing with mental health support for individuals in Oxnard who are homeless and mentally ill. $25,000

TEACh Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships for education and training to Ventura County youth who are or have been in foster care. $25,000

Ventura County Community Foundation to support a new position, Donor Services Officer, that will build a donor services model and assist in the administrative support for family foundations and donor funds. $30,000

About the Smith Foundation
The Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation was established by Martin V. "Bud" Smith and his wife Martha with the mission "To enhance the quality of life for the residents of Ventura County." Bud, the leading land and business developer in Ventura County for more than 50 years, and his wife Martha hoped that the Foundation would involve future generations of their family in continuing their appreciation of Ventura County and their care and concern for strengthening the community. Four of Bud and Martha Smith's descendants serve on the board of the Foundation. Joining the Ventura County Community Foundation as a support organization in 1994, the Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Foundation provides funding to nonprofits in Ventura County through an annual grant program, with an emphasis on organizations serving the Oxnard plain.

About VCCF
VCCF invests the charitable capital that drives the philanthropic engines of Ventura County. The foundation was established in 1987 and endeavors to build philanthropy in the region and to give generously for the well-being of all in Ventura County. For more information or to donate, visit http://www.vccf.org.

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