Resource Center News: Grants and New Programs
A Message from Executive Director: Martha Deichler
We are excited to announce our receipt of two grants to improve the facilities and services at the Resource Center. San Diego County’s Neighborhood Revitalization Grant for $39,000 will be used to improve the flooring in the Center as well as to install a sink with hot water and storage cabinets. These will allow our facility to be a safer place for the public and for our volunteers.
The Borrego Valley Endowment Fund’s $6,750 grant will be used to purchase a large reach-in refrigerator for the Food Bank. This will allow us to receive additional perishables and store them safely between food distributions. We are grateful to BVEF and the County for realizing the vital role the Resource Center plays in Borrego Springs.
Along with the facility improvements at the Resource Center, we continue to add services for the community based on feedback and requests. Our Calendar lists these on our website.
Spotlight on Our Current Programs
In each newsletter we plan on focusing on one of our programs at a time, to help give a more detailed understanding of its purpose.
Let’s Go Borrego
Living in a rural community like Borrego Springs, our elder, disabled and low income populations often face transportation challenges. Quality of life is affected when they are unable to receive healthcare services, shop for fresh, nutritious, affordable food and stay connected with family and friends. Based on a Transportation Assessment conducted in 2020 and the Borrego Springs Senior Center Assessment in 2019, Let’s Go Borrego was born through the Borrego Springs Community Revitalization Subcommittee. Let’s Go Borrego is a Volunteer Driver program. It was based on a well-established BRIDGES program that operates in Stanislaus County since 2009.
A Rider Provided Driver (RPD) volunteer program is a community-based transportation program which relies on a rider’s personal network to find drivers for a trip. Riders are reimbursed for mileage at the rate of $0.50 per mile, 330 miles a month. Riders report monthly trips based on Google-calculated mileage, reimbursement checks are mailed to the rider, who pays his/her driver.
An application process ensures that the riders meet the eligibility criteria.
Drivers can be friends, neighbors, or family members. Trip destination and times are arranged between the rider and driver. Because drivers are chosen by the rider, the organization does not need to provide a vehicle or driver liability insurance. This type of volunteer driver program is used in Borrego Springs for destinations outside of the area including San Diego, Poway, Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, and Calexico.
For further information, or to register for Let's Go Borrego, please call Silvia Arambula at 760-237-8205.
New Programs at the CRC
We are currently working on obtaining the necessary permits and insurance to offer 3–4 hours of daycare for Alzheimer’s patients in order for their caregivers to receive a much-needed respite. Watch our online calendar for details.
Borrego Valley Stewardship Council
As a newly adopted program under the CRC we want to keep you updated here on what we are working on. We have been very busy wrapping our final deliverables as part of our grant funding under Prop 68. We have spent the last 18 months hosting Borrego Us, Townhalls, and collecting data on the vision for Borrego Springs. Our last task is to present a draft white paper on Environmental and Community Resiliency for public review and comment. We want to add your feedback into the final draft.
You can learn more here:
Environmental and Community Resiliency White Paper - Borrego Valley Stewardship Council
Bri Ford
Executive Director
Anza-Borrego Foundation
TheABF.org
