Community Engagement Inc

FACILITATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE SOCIAL GOOD AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL GROWTH TO UNDERSERVED PERSONS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN A PREMIER SPONSOR OF BOCA DE ORO, THE FIRST FREE LITERARY ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL IN SANTA ANA, CA. THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL CURATES DIVERSE AND EVOCATIVE WRITERS, POETS, STORYTELLERS, AND ARTISTS WHO PRESENT THEIR WORK THROUGH LITERARY READINGS, WORKSHOPS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, POETRY SLAMS, SPOKEN WORD STYLES, AND MYRIAD VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES. BOCA DE ORO IS A COLLABORATIVE DESIGN PROJECT, PARTNERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SANTA ANA BUSINESS COUNCIL, SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, SANTA ANA COLLEGE, AND THE CITY OF SANTA ANA TO FOSTER LITERACY IN ALL OF THE ARTS. IT BRINGS OVER 100 AUTHORS AND 3,000 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN DOZENS OF EVENTS IN LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPONSORS THE FEEL BETTER COMMUNITY'S OUTREACH BY PROVIDING FREE YOGA CLASSES IN AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS. DURING COVID, THE PROGRAM QUICKLY SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL CLASSES/EVENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP RESIDENTS COPE WITH MONTHS OF LOCKDOWNS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALSO FUNDS THE WORK OF A CREATIVE IN SAN JOSE WHO DIRECTS AND ENGAGES OUTSIDE ARTISTS FOR MURAL AND OTHER IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS AT SEVERAL AFFORDABLE APARTMENT PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING IN SMALL GRANTS TO DESERVING INDIVIDUALS, PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS. PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT/INVOLVE LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND/OR THOSE LIVING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES WILL BE GIVEN PREFERENCE. IN 2020, IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTED $50,000 "COVID-19 GRANT" FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE TO ARTISTS LIVING OR WORKING IN ORANGE COUNTY. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROVIDED GRANTS OF UP TO $500 TO LOCAL ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, POETS AND WORKING PERFORMANCE ARTISTS NEEDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS. THE PROGRAM SERVED A VITAL SOCIAL PURPOSE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE LOCK DOWN IN PROVIDING A BRIDGE FOR LOW INCOME ARTISTS TO GET THROUGH HARD TIMES BEFORE OTHER ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE.

CREATIVES-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM, DESIGNED IN COOPERATION WITH GRAND CENTRAL ART CENTER, BROADENS THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY BUILDING AND ARTIST RESIDENCIES. THE PROGRAM PLACED OUR CREATIVES IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND INVITED RESIDENTS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN CREATIVE PLACEMAKING COLLABORATIONS WITH ARTISTS, FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTS THE GROWTH OF THIS MOVEMENT BY PROVIDING AN APARTMENT AND A STIPEND TO OUR CREATIVES AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP PLACE-BASED PROGRAMMING. OUR CREATIVE IN PORTLAND HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF SEVERAL CITY GRANTS AS WELL AS OTHER RECOGNITION FOR HER WORK AT CHERRY BLOSSOM APARTMENTS. SHE HAS BEEN SELECTED BY THE CITY TO COLLABORATE WITH CITY OFFICIALS IN DESIGNING A MODEL PROGRAM THAT MIGHT BE ADOPTED BY THE CITY AND OTHER APARTMENT OWNERS.

CONSULTING AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO PROGRAM SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN 4A-4C .