Santa Monica’s largest public foundation recently awarded $375,000 to 16 groups doing groundbreaking work regarding environmental health and justice.
The groups are addressing critical issues, including working to mitigate toxic threats near schools and residential neighborhoods, creating ecologically-friendly mass transit, and eliminating the use of lead-based paint in low-income housing.
“Community groups are connecting the dots,” said Torie Osborn, executive director of the Liberty Hill Foundation, which is responsible for the grants. “They’re making the connections between poverty and pollution, between low wages, poor housing and environmental injustice.”
The Liberty Hill Foundation has given more than $1.9 million to environmental justice community organizations in Los Angeles County since 1996.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 3, 2004. Read the original PDF.