Paso Robles Youth Arts Center receives unrestricted grant

Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo marks 25 years of support for local nonprofits

PASO ROBLES — Celebrating 25 years of empowering and enhancing communities, the Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County (CFSLOCO) has awarded $25,000 in grants to select local nonprofits. The Paso Robles Youth Arts Center (Youth Arts) is among the beneficiaries with a generous $5,000 unrestricted grant award. 

The funds will support Youth Arts’ expanding efforts to enrich the lives of area youth with free afterschool classes in the visual and performing arts. Explaining the community foundation’s approach to awarding unrestricted grants to local nonprofits, CEO Heidi McPherson says, “Our grantees are the experts in their particular fields and understand how best to leverage their grant awards for maximum impact.” 

With a shared commitment to helping communities develop, grow, thrive, and succeed, the partnership between CFLOCO and Youth Arts helps to provide creative arts opportunities not otherwise available to many local youths.

Youth Arts’ Development Director Emily Jagger was on hand to receive the award at CFSLOCO’s anniversary celebration. Youth Arts students performed at the celebration, including a number from Vivian Higuera’s hip-hop dance class and Emery Teale’s piano jazz rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”