Project Grant 16VSPCA025

III-A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN 1968, NORTH COAST OPPORTUNITIES (NCO) INCORPORATED AS A NONPROFIT WITH THE MISSION OF DEVELOPING AND PROVIDING SERVICES THAT STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY, ONE PERSON AT A TIME. WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, NCO STRENGTHENS THE SAFETY NET FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT RANGE FROM VOLUNTEER COORDINATION AND FOOD SECURITY TO HELPING PEOPLE DEVELOP JOB SKILLS AND MICROBUSINESSES, AND FROM HEAD START TO SENIOR COMPANIONS. NCO IS REQUESTING SIX VISTA MEMBERS WHO WILL WORK ON TWO PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HOUSING) AND HEALTHY FUTURES (BOTH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND OBESITY AND FOOD). THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE THE COUNTY'S CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS AND TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. ONE MEMBER WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE LAKE COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR THE HOMELESS WORKING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. TWO VISTA MEMBERS WILL WORK WITH NCO'S GARDENS PROJECT, ONE IN LAKE COUNTY AND ONE IN MENDOCINO COUNTY HELPING TO REBUILD FIRE DEVASTATED COMMUNITIES THROUGH GARDENING. A FOURTH MEMBER WILL WORK WITH THE HOPE RISING INITIATIVE IN LAKE COUNTY AND A FIFTH MEMBER WILL WORK AS THE LOCAL FOOD ACCESS COORDINATOR. THE SIXTH MEMBER WILL WORK WALK BIKE MENDOCINO TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTHY HABITS. ALL OF THE VISTA MEMBERS WILL WORK WITH ONGOING COMMUNITY EFFORTS THAT ARE NCO PROGRAMS, FISCALLY SPONSORED BY NCO, OR LED BY NCO STAFF. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT AN ESTIMATED 3,000 PEOPLE AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD.