YMCA of the Foothills to lead CV Alliance
Officials with the YMCA of the Foothills announced Friday morning that they will take over leadership of the CV Alliance to provide programs the organization has offered for several years to help prevent local underage substance abuse.
The announcement came during the CV Alliance’s quarterly “Strategic Partners” meeting, where educators, law enforcement officials and drug experts discuss local drug trends.
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During the quarterly meeting in December, CV Alliance officials said the organization was looking for sponsorships because it did not receive a renewal in September of a five-year grant worth $625,000, or 125,000 annually, from the Drug Free Communities Support Program through the President’s Office of the National Drug Control Policy.
At the time, CV Alliance officials speculated that they did not receive the grant because the types of drugs used in the Glendale area were not harsh enough. Data showed local underage use of alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes, whereas groups that did receive the grant included ones in rural locations where there was evidence of heroin and opioid use.
Tyler Wright, president and chief executive of the YMCA of the Foothills, said that when he learned the grant was not renewed, he approached the CV Alliance about establishing a partnership.
After having directed youth programs at the YMCA from 1989 to 1994 and returning again to the YMCA roughly 20 years later, Wright said he observed that the Y was too focused on improving its facilities rather than creating community programs.
“We had become a little building-centric,” he said, and then, referring to the work the CV Alliance was doing in its mission to prevent underage substance abuse, Wright recalled saying, “That’s the kind of work that the Y should be doing.”
A partnership would be a good idea, he thought.
“We feel this is a perfect marriage and opportunity to continue to expand the wonderful work that you’ve done,” Wright said on Friday.
Suzy Jacobs, executive director of the CV Alliance, said she is planning to move on from the organization, and added that she is pleased the organization will remain in the community.
“I’m really glad that we’re going to be able to continue…and the people who started this grassroots — the community leaders are also getting back together and doing a lot of activities. There’s going to be a lot of opportunity in the community to keep it going,” she said. “What am I going to do in the future?” I don’t know. My daughter said, ‘Do something cool.’ I’m going to try to do something different and something cool.”
Julia Rabago, who is on staff with the CV Alliance, will continue to work with the group.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
