Earlier this summer, the Orange County Conservation Corps (OCCC) was awarded $813,677 from CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry, Proposition 68 Parks and Water Bond Fund (Prop 68) Grant Program. The funding will allow OCCC to plant 100 trees in Anaheim and care for an additional 150 trees while employing and training at-risk youth on the importance of urban forestry and arboriculture. In addition, the grant will provide Driver’s Education training to 30 non-licensed Corpsmembers as part of their career planning and workforce preparation curriculum.
“The Orange County Conservation Corps is delighted to receive this significant grant from CAL FIRE,” said Katharyn Muniz, CEO of the OCCC. “These funds will allow OCCC to pursue three important goals: provide paid employment, arboriculture training and educational services to Orange County’s hardest-to-reach and neediest segment of our young adult population while enhancing Orange County’s environmental footprint.”
Formed in 1993, OCCC creates a safety net and career pathway for at-risk young adults residing in Orange County who have dropped out of school by creating both career and workforce development programs. OCCC also provides academic support, leadership development, mentoring and education in order to help Corpsmembers attain their high school diplomas. Through its services, Corpsmembers gain hands-on work experience and develop important life skills and the value of saving our planet by protecting, restoring and enhancing America’s natural resources by working on conservation and environmentally driven projects.
About the Orange County Conservation Corps
The Orange County Conservation Corps (OCCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Anaheim. The OCCC serves young, at-risk adults through employment, training and educational programs that build self-sufficiency and benefit the community through conservation-related projects. Formed in 1993 as part of the City of Anaheim’s anti-gang task force, the OCCC has provided paid job training program support to more than 8,000 Corpsmembers during its 26 year history. By participating in OCCC programs, Corpsmembers receive an education, learn professional job skills and take critical steps toward becoming employed and self-sufficient adults.
About CAL FIRE
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is an emergency response and resource protection department. CAL FIRE protects lives, property and natural resources from fire; responds to emergencies of all types, and protects and preserves timberlands, wild lands and urban forests. The department’s varied programs work together using ongoing assessments of the condition of natural resources and challenges of an increasing population to plan protection strategies for California. Department personnel and equipment are a familiar sight throughout the state with responsibility for protecting over 31 million acres of California’s privately owned wild lands, as well as provide emergency services to 150 local government cooperators through agreements with districts, cities and counties.
