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The City Council has approved a two-year grant agreement with Trellis International, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit, to manage a program that provides ongoing cleanup projects while training formerly homeless and housing insecure individuals to reenter the workforce.
The City’s partnership with Trellis began in September 2021 under an initial one-year, $30,000 grant. During the past 12 months, Trellis’ Community Impact Team has completed nearly 100 City-directed work projects at 24 locations throughout Newport Beach, including cleanup and beautification efforts at City beaches, parks and facilities.
Under the new, two-year agreement, Trellis will increase its four-hour work projects to 156 a year – two a week from October through April, and four a week during the busier tourist season.
The City’s grant will also increase to $50,000 a year.
The Community Impact Team (CIT) is a volunteer service program, through which participants develop skills and job traits needed to successfully reenter the workforce. Each team includes three or four volunteers and a supervising team leader. Trellis provides CIT volunteers with work uniforms, transportation to and from the work projects, continuous supervision, water and snacks.
Multiple CIT volunteers have gone on to find permanent jobs and stable housing. At least two homeless individuals in Newport Beach have become involved with the program after seeing volunteers working in the community.
The Trellis agreement is part of the City’s comprehensive strategy to reduce homelessness through partnerships with multiple service agencies, nonprofit and community groups.
