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80,000.00 <br /> Is this a new project or continuing support? New <br /> Please describe how your project tits with the strategies. <br /> Please provide a brief history of your organization and its wrrent programs and services. (12011 <br /> characters) <br /> Redwood Ciry 2020 (R WC 2020) was formed in 1991 when the City o( Redwood City, San Mateo County, <br /> Redwood City School District and the Sequoia Union High School Dis[ric[joined forces [o serve children, <br /> you[h and families of Redwood City and North Fair Oaks in San Mateo County. These core partners have <br /> since been joined by Kaiser Permanente, the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at <br /> Stanford Universiry, and the Sequoia Healthcare District. RWC 2020 facili[a[es planning and support for the <br /> following initiatives: 1) the Community Schools Initiative that unites schools, families and communi[ies at 6 <br /> Redwood City School District schools; 2) [he Teen Resource Center and Wellness Cen[er at Sequoia High <br /> School; 3) the Community Youth Development Initia[ive involving 40 youth service providers and you[h <br /> groups to help you[h develop posi[ive assets and con[ribute to their communiry and 4) the Community <br /> Wellness Initiative that aims to improve [he health and well-being of all community members using <br /> environmental health promotion strategies. In January 2012, RWC 2020 will publicly launch its first major <br /> immigrant in[egration ini[ia[ive "Redwood City Toge[her". <br /> Please describe the issue/problem/need your organization is working to resolve and discass how you <br /> are addressing it. What research or best practice models support your methods? (1750 characters) <br /> RWC 2020 addresses some of the most pressing challenges in our community today, primarily: a <br /> deterioration of communiry connectedness exacerbated by a dwindling economy and long-[erm resident <br /> fears about our changing demographics; limited immigrant leadership opportunities; and the need for greater <br /> posi[ive youth-adult relationships and connectedness to our local institutions. While our communiry had <br /> been a thriving hub of civic engagement in previous years, engagement of immigrants and youth overall <br /> yielded less [han positive results. And while few would disagree with the importance of helping young <br /> people thrive, only 24.9% of I I" graders in our communi[y reported having a sense of hope for their future. <br /> For over 20 years, RWC 2020 has helped address [he basic needs of children, youth and families in our <br /> communiry through a wide array of services, supports and upportunities. Through this new initiative, <br /> "Redwood City Together", our focus now is to engage immigrants and youth, no[ only as recipients of <br /> services but as empowered contributors to local change efforts. ln the past two years, we have worked <br /> toward this end by: facilitating a cross-communiry ini[iative to increase immigrant access to safety net <br /> services; supported thriving family engagement programs at our local community schools; developed a <br /> stronger connection with Koshland community leaders in North Fair Oaks to engage Latino youth; and <br /> mobilized a strong immigrant youth action team. Furthertnore, we now believe we're betcer positioned to <br /> further engage immigrants and longer-term residen[s alike in a community-wide effort tha[ fundamentally <br /> change how community members in[eract with each other and [he local institutions intended to serve them. <br /> Please describe the work (program/project) your organizatlon is requesting funding for and describe <br /> the impact your organization is dying to achieve. Please address how yoar work aligns with ane or <br /> more of the Immigrant Integration Fund's grantmaking objecNves. (1750 characters) <br /> Our project builds on current services that promote economic stabiliry while placing a deeper focus on <br /> promoting full immigran[ integra[ion, which aligns with the Foundation's Objective 2. We will seed [his <br /> community-wide effort by expanding our coali[ion to include more faith-based groups and individuals <br /> through a messaging campaign highlighting the initiative and the contributions of immigrants and longer- <br /> term residents. Community volunteers will serve as Community Ambassadors, receiving leadership Iraining <br /> and support to engage their neighbors in civic engagement activities. We will strengthen our infrastructure <br /> and staff support to our youth organizing efforts in order to better facilita[e a more concerted local you[h <br /> 2 <br />