Significant Awards Announced By Sonora Area Foundation

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Sonora, CA — Two local groups received the Irving J Symons Community Impact Award this year, and an additional two were picked for the Elaine Symons Baker Award.

They are notable awards, which come with financial gifts, given out annually by the Sonora Area Foundation.

During last Friday’s Clarke Broadcasting Cash Drive For Interfaith Social Services, which raised over $184,000, Sonora Area Foundation Executive Director Darrell Slocum announced that Interfaith is the recipient of the prestigious Irving J Symons Community Impact Award, and with it, comes an unrestricted grant of $40,000. The SAF board was so impressed with the work Interfaith has done in the community that it was bumped up this year to $50,000 as a match to donor fund representatives and the community.

For the first time in the foundation’s history, a second IJSF Community Impact Award was also named. Not My Kid, a collaboration of local agencies working to address declining youth mental health in Tuolumne County, will receive a $40,000 award. The money will be distributed between participating groups like the YES Partnership, Tuolumne County Behavioral Health, Lantern of Light, Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools Office, and Sierra Bible Church,  for future events. The Not My Kid committee put on two well-received, and well attended, events earlier this year.

The Elaine Symons Baker Award is going to both the Southside Community Connections of Groveland for their ongoing work, along with the Tuolumne Community Workforce Collaborative which does pre-apprentice construction training cohorts designed to prepare participants for entry-level construction jobs. Both received $10,000 awards.