Riverside County authorities award nearly half a million dollars to local organizations

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin and other law enforcement officials came together Thursday not to seize money, but to give it away.

“Seeing it here in person today, and hearing the stories by some of the individuals who’ve benefited from these programs, really was heart warming and encouraging,” Hestrin said. “It reinforces and confirms for me that we’re doing the right thing, and helping our county and community to fight crime.”

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were awarded to local organizations working towards keeping kids away from crime and off of drugs, being a special fund set aside by the state legislature.

Carolina Vasquez with the Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley shared her story along with other groups, about how funds like this will help keep thousands of children moving forward.

“Society doesn’t have to deal with adults later in life that are in the criminal system,” Vasquez said. “As people support our programs, like the District Attorney, the Sheriff, and the Probation Department, we’re avoiding sending more people through that.”

With law enforcement officials hoping the fund continues to grow, along with children in the programs.

“Drug traffickers deal in human misery, and drugs are a scourge in the community,” Hestrin said. “When we catch up to them, and when we seize their assets, absolutely it should go back to the community, and help kids stay off drugs and out of gangs.”

Hestrin said the way the funds get divided by law enforcement officers looking over applications, and weighing merits and experience helping children.

Other organizations benefiting from the funds present at the D.A.’s office Thursday included the Calicinto Ranch, Boys and Girls of Prisoners Foundation, the Riverside Branch of the NAACP, and the Raincross Boxing Academy.

To see which organizations were awarded, click on the link attached to this article.