From: Jennifer Griffin
To: Web-City Clerk
Subject: Written Public Comment for CDBG Recommendations Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 2:53:26 PM
*** EXTERNAL EMAIL: Please use caution when opening links or attachments.*** My name is Jennifer Griffin, and I serve as the Executive Director of Access Central Coast, formerly known as the Independent Living Resource Center. I am so sorry I can not be there in person tonight due to our monthly board meeting. I’m writing to thank you for your past support of our work in Santa Maria — and to share why continued partnership from the City is so critical at this time.
For nearly five decades, our organization has provided essential services to Santa Maria residents with disabilities and older adults.
Like so many nonprofits, Access Central Coast is currently facing serious challenges due to reductions or potential reductions in several longstanding funding sources. We are actively working to protect and replace this funding, but the loss of CDBG support from the City this year would create a significant gap — one that may directly affect our ability to maintain services and staffing in Santa Maria.
We understand the difficulty of making funding decisions with so many worthy organizations seeking support. However, I want to emphasize that our work is not duplicative — no other organization in Santa Maria provides the same breadth of disability-specific, community- based services that we do. Without support, there is a real risk that these critical services will become unavailable to the people who rely on them most.
We respectfully ask the Council to consider a discretionary allocation to allow us to continue our work in Santa Maria. We remain deeply committed to this community and are eager to continue partnering with the City to support residents with disabilities and older adults.
Thank you again for your leadership and consideration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can provide any additional information.
Jennifer
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Jennifer Griffin
Executive Director
Access Central Coast
423 W. Victoria St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-963-0595 x112
jgriffin@a
ccesscentralcoast.org