Sprouts Awards $10,000 Grant to OAVC’s Care Closet Program
VENTURA, California (Sept. 11, 2025) — Outreach Alliance of Ventura County (OAVC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to volunteer work in Ventura County, has received a $10,000 Neighborhood Grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. The grant will support OAVC’s Care Closet food pantries at Healthy Start Elementary Schools in Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
Funds will provide staples such as rice, beans and cooking oil, as well as masa, boxed milk, infant formula, and nonperishable fruits and vegetables. These items will be distributed through Care Closet pantries, where staff connect children and families with immediate food assistance.
“This grant allows us to strengthen our outreach programs at Healthy Start sites and ensure families have reliable access to the foods they need,” said Kathy Kircher, OAVC Grants Chair. “With uncertain federal support for nutrition programs like school lunches and SNAP, this partnership with Sprouts comes at a critical time.”
The grant will be spent over the year, timed to storage capacity and family needs, with extra support during high-demand periods like the holidays. OAVC will track purchases, provide Sprouts with updates, and share photos and stories to highlight the impact on Ventura County families.
OAVC invites the community to get involved. Ventura volunteer opportunities include helping with Care Closet deliveries or supporting other programs. As one of the nonprofit organizations Ventura County depends on, OAVC thrives through donations and volunteer work that stay entirely local.
OAVC philanthropic programs include the following: • Care Closet, supplying food and essentials to children and families during emergencies • B.U.F.F.Y. Bear, comforting children experiencing traumatic events • Reading Club, promoting literacy among elementary school students • Scholarships, supporting Ventura County students pursuing higher education • Supplies 4 Success, providing underserved students with resources to succeed in school • Teens Helping Teens, building leadership through volunteer work in Ventura County.
With support from Sprouts and local volunteers, OAVC continues to meet urgent needs while building a healthier community.
For more information about OAVC’s Care Closet, to donate, or to learn about volunteer work in Ventura County, call 805-643-2458 or visit outreachalliancevc.org.
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Contact: Cindy Daly, Public Relations Chair, Outreach Alliance of Ventura County Phone: 805-701-0882 • Email: pr@outreachalliancevc.org
