The Tri-County Independent Living office in Crescent City plans to soon open a multi-purpose interview and sensory room for clients, staff, and community members thanks to a $6,000 Strategy Grant from Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Foundation.
HAF+WRCF’s strategy grant program, funded by its generous donors, is designed to assist groups and projects in Humboldt, Del Norte, Curry, and Trinity counties, furthering a healthy, just and equitable region where community members and families can thrive.
“We are grateful for the grant and the support of other local agencies such as Rural Human Services and SMART Workforce that will make this all possible,” said Sequoia Commins, site supervisor for Tri-County Independent Living’s Del Norte County office. “It’s great to see it go from just an idea several months ago to reality so quickly.”
The nonprofit’s mission is to promote the philosophy of independent living, to connect individuals with services, and work to create an accessible community, so that people with disabilities can have control over their lives and full access to the communities in which they live. The Crescent City office is located at 286 M Street, Suite C, formerly occupied by WIC.
In 2023, Commins and her staff started thinking about expanding their office to include a private room that would serve as a safe, child-friendly space for clients, especially those with sensory issues and other disabilities, Commins said. The room would also serve as a quiet space for community members and as a private conference room for staff.
“A room like this would have come in handy last summer during the Smith River wildfires,” Commins said. “For example, we could have provided a quiet place for evacuees needing a break from the busyness of the Red Cross shelter; or for the emergency responders who might need some relief.”
She applied for a HAF+WRCF Strategy Grant in late 2023 to help cover the additional rent for the room as well as furnishings and office supplies. She received the grant, one of five distributed, in December. HAF+WRCF has distributed more than $700,000 in Strategy Grants since July 2022.
For more information about Tri-County Independent Living visit www.tilinet.org/delnorte, or call Commins at 833-866-8444, ext. 705.
Learn more about HAF+WRCF’s grants via email grants@hafoundation.org or call 707-442-2993.