Modesto parents plan dinner to seek KaBoom grant for Fairview Park

At one time, gangs imposed their influence over Fairview Park in south Modesto.

Today, parents want their children to play in the county-owned park. To raise money for a playground, they will serve up food at a fundraising dinner Thursday at Harvest Hall on Cornucopia Way.

A neighborhood group called Manos Unidas hopes to raise $8,000 as a local match for a KaBoom grant to pay for playground equipment. The Police Activities League has looked into applying for the grant, which requires a 10 percent buy-in from the community, said Alfredo Guerra, PAL’s executive director.

“We will see if we can make this project happen,” Guerra said. “Hopefully we can make it work for the benefit of the community.”

For years, gangs, drug use and graffiti caused families to stay away from Fairview Park on Tucson Avenue, north of Whitmore Avenue. Volunteers with Manos Unidas began revitalizing Fairview four years ago and have become caretakers for the park.

“There are soccer practices at the park, and the parents of the soccer kids cut the grass,” said Joseph Sanchez of Manos Unidas. “There are no bathrooms for the kids. They use a neighbor’s house.”

Manos Unidas, or United Hands, has brought hundreds of people to the park with events including a soccer tournament, Easter egg hunt and a celebration of children.

Stanislaus County has applied for grant funds to replace the park restrooms, which were torched by arson. The county, which cut back on park upkeep during the recession, began watering the grass again, and parks commissioners worked with residents to develop a sustainable plan.

Another need for the park is a paved driveway for parents bringing their kids to play.

Manos Unidas believes the Bret Harte area, south of Hatch Road and west of Crows Landing Road, should qualify for a KaBoom project. Founded in 1996, KaBoom is a national nonprofit group that offers grants to bring play into the lives of children in poor communities.

According to the nonprofit, many children in low-income neighborhoods are missing out on play that’s crucial for development because they don’t have access to safe places.

Manos Unidas will hold the dinner featuring chile verde, fajitas, rice and beans, and tortillas at 6 p.m. Thursday at Harvest Hall at the Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, 3800 Cornucopia Way, off Crows Landing Road. Cost is $25 per plate and people can pay at the door. For more information, call 209-534-1211.

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Modesto parents plan dinner to seek KaBoom grant for Fairview Park."