The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved to distribute $3 million to help people suffering complications from respiratory and cardiopulmonary disease, officials announced on Thursday.
“The Port considers itself a part of this community, and we listen to our neighbors. The grants program was created in direct response to the community’s advocacy,” Harbor Commission Vice President Tracy Egoscue said in a statement. “This kind of targeted help to our neighbors was exactly what we envisioned when we started the Community Grants Program. We’re honored to help fund these projects to improve community health.”
Funds come from the Community Grants Program, created in 2016 to lessen the Port’s impacts of goods movement. Port staff administer the grants and funds to residents affected by air and noise pollution.
Together with a five-member advisory committee appointed by Mayor Robert Garcia, the Port approved the following grants:
- St. Mary Medical Center – $970,000 for their Respiratory Rescue Program which includes mobile health screenings, education and home visits
- The Children’s Clinic – $920,000 for Breathe Better Together, an asthma and cardiopulmonary care program that involves home visits
- MemorialCare Medical Center Foundation – $600,000 for the Community Health Worker Asthma Intervention Program
- City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services – $360,000 for the Cambodian Community Asthma Management Program
- California Aquatic Therapy and Wellness Center – $150,000 for the respiratory Health Improvement Program
Commissioners awarded $743,631 in October to fund nine air filtration projects in Long Beach, Compton and Paramount and are currently in talks to determine funding categories to be awarded for 2018.
They have awarded almost $22 million in grants to communities affected by pollution.
More information about the Community Grants Program is available here.