ACE Overcomers, in partnership with Merced County Navigation Center and UC Merced, will launch a new program to provide individuals experiencing homelessness with life skills training to help them move toward employment and housing stability.
Funded by a grant from the Central Valley Opportunity Fund at the Central Valley Community Foundation, ACE Overcomers’ “Building Healthy Life Skills” project draws on a proven curriculum to address the effects of childhood trauma on teens and adults through evidence-based intervention.
“We are excited to collaborate with our partners at the Merced County Navigation Center and UC Merced Translational Research Center on this innovative project to address the psycho/social needs of individuals experiencing homelessness,” said Dave Lockridge, Founder, and CEO of ACE Overcomers. “Individuals in residence at the Navigation Center will have the opportunity to attend ACE Overcomers Building Healthy Life Skills classes that will give them the tools necessary to overcome some of the barriers they may be facing as a result of experienced trauma. UC Merced’s Transitional Research Center will study and evaluate the effectiveness of the program in real-time.”
“None of this would be possible without the funding provided by the Central Valley Opportunity Fund,” Lockridge continues. “The Fund’s commitment to addressing the underlying issues contributing to homelessness in our community and their trust in our vision to doing this work means so much. We are grateful for their support!”
The Central Valley Opportunity Fund (CVOF) is dedicated to improving the lives of residents of the greater Merced community. Founded in 2017 by private, philanthropic investors with a passion for Merced, CVOF is administered by the Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF). Prioritizing three focus areas - Youth Development, Economic & Workforce Development, and Housing & Homelessness - CVOF seeks to utilize the power of collective impact philanthropy by serving as a catalyst to draw in additional public and private resources and establishing regional partnerships to pursue strategic, research-driven investments aimed at equitable, lasting, and systemic change.
For more information about the Building Healthy Life Skills project and other ACE Overcomers programs, please visit: www.aceovercomers.org
For more information on the Central Valley Opportunity Fund and other Central Valley Community Foundation funds, please visit: www.centralvalleycf.org
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