Agency: Housing and Economic Rights Advocates
Support Needed: $30,000
Purpose: Prevention and intervention services for residents facing eviction or foreclosure

Even though the housing crisis is well-worn news these days, the statistics remain staggering. Napa County logged 777 foreclosures in 2008--nearly four times as many as the year before. The first two months of 2009 show no signs of abating, with 119 and 67 foreclosures in American Canyon and Napa, respectively. One reason these cities are so vulnerable: Asians and Hispanics, many of whom were first-time home buyers, used subprime lenders with much greater frequency. Last fall, nonprofits working in the housing and family stability sectors developed a coordinated plan that offers no-cost foreclosure intervention and prevention services (in English and Spanish) to people at varying levels of crisis. The Napa Valley Foreclosure Collaborative is comprised of family resource centers, affordable housing agencies, Fair Housing Napa Valley, Legal Aid of Napa Valley and Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA), an Oakland-based nonprofit with expertise in foreclosure counseling and homeowner advocacy. Since January, the Collaborative has been providing: foreclosure counseling; legal assistance and representation to owners and renters impacted by foreclosure; re-housing services; and, credit and asset re-building education. The Collaborative also offers monthly foreclosure prevention workshops that inform susceptible residents and connect them to relevant services. So far, business has been brisk. For example: February and March workshops drew 100 people; HERA is working with 50 households to modify or renegotiate mortgages; Legal Aid and Fair Housing have been assisting dozens of tenants facing eviction because the property where they live is being foreclosed. Households served are primarily immigrants, seniors, and mono-lingual Spanish speakers. Total budget for the project is roughly $130,000, with the majority going to pay for staff time. Grants from the Community Foundation's Strong Communities Fund ($50,000), United Way of the Bay Area ($38,000) and the California State Bar Foundation ($12,000) leave a balance of $30,000. Your support will help residents preserve assets and avoid homelessness.

Agency: If Given A Chance
Support Needed: $30,000
Purpose: Education and living expenses for at-risk students

Even in a good economy, many of Napa County's high school graduates are likely to give up on going to college: kids who are fighting diseases like cancer, or others who grew up in unstable homes where they watched their parents go in and out of jail for drug possession. Many of these young people are at risk for dropping out of high school, joining gangs or developing other problems. Since 1993, If Given A Chance has been providing students that make good choices in spite of challenging circumstances with monetary awards that can be used for college or vocational school. More than 300 kids have received awards; this year, IGAC is helping 72 kids attend undergraduate or professional degree programs, as well as technical courses at 34 schools, including University of California Berkeley and Napa Valley College. An adult, such as a school counselor, nominates a candidate. Nominees complete an application that details the obstacles they have faced and overcome. IGAC's selection committee uses 20 evaluation criteria that cover not only the types of hardships, but also the choices the applicant made in response. Awards range from $1,250 to $2,500 per student per year, and can be used for tuition, books, lab fees or living expenses. The nonprofit also requires students to participate in a college preparedness class that teaches critical skills, such as cooking, managing money and good study habits. A part-time consultant with expertise in counseling also monitors recipients' progress and makes referrals to support services. Kids that maintain a "C" average can re-apply to IGAC as they continue their post-secondary education each year. In 2008, IGAC spent 55 percent of its $281,000 budget on financial awards; the balance pays the executive director's salary and fees for the consultant. A decrease in fundraising revenue has prompted IGAC to trim the number of new recipients from 30 to 10; award amounts also will be limited to $1,250 per year for each student. Even with other budget cuts, the nonprofit needs to raise $30,000 to pay for awards and guidance services. Support of this program will ensure the possibility of higher education for young people who have overcome significant obstacles.

Agency: Area Agency on Aging Serving Napa Solano
Support Needed: $24,000
Purpose: Home modifications for low-income seniors

As people age, fear of falling becomes a primary worry. It's no wonder, since a frequent outcome is loss of independence. Many will fracture a hip or fall repeatedly, both of which can result in moving to a nursing home. Each year in Napa County, some 500 adults age 60 and older take serious slips and spills that incur hospitalization and medical costs averaging $40,000 to $60,000 per person. In 2007, a county-wide coalition on aging launched a program aimed at reducing falls. Stop Falls Napa Valley (SFNV) uses a three-pronged prevention model that includes medical management, physical activity and home modification. So far, the effort has reached more than 5,000 people. Low-income older adults are a target population; statistically, they are more at-risk for falls and are more likely to be placed in a nursing home after discharge from the hospital. (Nearly 28 percent of Napa County's seniors live in or on the edge of poverty.) Specific elements of the SFNV program include: education events, where seniors learn prevention techniques and risk factors; and workshops for caregivers and medical professionals that cover safety, physical exercises, and medications affecting balance. SFNV conducts sessions in mobile home parks, public libraries, and senior centers across the Valley, where attendees are assessed for fall-risk. An occupational therapist also visits older adults in their homes, screens them for fall-risk, and takes a complete safety inventory. Uneven flooring, clutter, steps, and slippery bathtubs can prove hazardous. Volunteers are recruited to help with some modifications, like moving items out of high cabinets. Other improvements--installing grab bars, lighting systems, or converting stairs to a ramp--cost from $200 to more than $2,000. SFNV is spearheaded by the Area Agency on Aging Napa Solano (a nonprofit) and spends about $31,000 annually to contract with the occupational therapist. The program, which relies entirely on foundation and government grants to stay afloat, provides all services free of charge, and does not have a budget to pay for home improvements. Your support would help 50 to 60 vulnerable seniors live safely in their homes.