Port of Long Beach invests $383,000 in community organizations
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners voted Friday to award 76 sponsorships totaling $383,200 to local community organizations to help engage and inform residents about the Port of Long Beach’s mission.
From helping needy children to celebrating Long Beach’s rich diversity, the local groups receiving the sponsorships represent a wide cross section of the city and support causes such as the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation.
In August, the Board of Harbor Commissioners adopted new guidelines for its community sponsorship program to bring greater transparency and accessibility to the program.
Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán said the guidelines also were designed to enhance the Port’s social responsibility efforts.
“The Port is part of the community and we are investing in local organizations that represent the diversity of Long Beach,” Guzmán said. “These are the kinds of activities and events that bring a community together, and we want to show how the Port is a vital part of the city.”
The new sponsorship guidelines establish two application periods per year. These awards came from submissions in September through Oct. 2. The Port received 112 applications, including 16 first-time applicants, putting the Port on track to receive more sponsorship requests than any previous fiscal year. The next call will be in March 2016.
