SACRAMENTO - Assembly Member Anna M. Caballero, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention, today issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Governor’s Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy today that it had awarded $9.2 million in competitive, matching grants to cities, counties and community-based organizations for gang prevention and intervention, and $7.3 million for job training and education programs targeting youth affected by gangs:

“I’m very pleased that we’ve managed to direct some much-needed state financial help to communities around the state that are working hard to restore peace in their schools, neighborhoods and families.

“I’m particularly pleased that the Assembly’s Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention was able to shine a spotlight on the need for local gang prevention and intervention efforts.  It’s immensely satisfying to me that, through the Legislative Budget Conference Committee, we were able to work with the governor to carve out this bipartisan funding package.   
 
“It’s not a lot of money, but it will double to almost $20 million as a result of requirements we adopted in the Legislature to require a local match for the $9.2 million in awards to community-based organizations.

“I’m very pleased that my home town of Salinas competed and won a $400,000 grant.  These funds will help support better parent education, and give at-risk youth the training, counseling and support they need to turn their lives around.  My community will be safer, and some young people and their families will get another chance to have a future.

“This is one of the main reasons I came to the Legislature, to get things done for California.”