Vacaville youth now have a cleaner ride thanks to a fully-electric passenger van purchased by the Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club with a grant from the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District. The $78,900 grant also funded installation of an electric vehicle charging station at the Club’s new location at 107 Peabody Road.
“We’re proud to have helped fund this van through our Clean Air Funds program, which reinvests a portion of vehicle registration fees collected by the DMV into projects that support cleaner transportation,” Air District Board Chair Jim Ermest said. “This is a great example of how those funds can make a big difference right here in our community. An electric van means fewer tailpipe emissions while helping the Boys & Girls Club continue its important work of connecting young people with the opportunities they need to learn and thrive.”
The electric van, a 2023 Ford E-Transit, replaces the Club’s 2014 Chevrolet Express gas-powered passenger van and was also funded in part by Kaiser Permanente, along with other community groups. The old van traveled about 50 miles per week transporting Club members to programs, field trips and enrichment activities.
“These short, frequent trips generate a disproportionate share of emissions due to frequent idling and stop-and-go city driving,” the Club’s Chief Executive Officer Anna Eaton said. “The addition of the on-site EV charging station at our new Clubhouse ensures consistent access to clean fuel infrastructure for our club and the greater Vacaville community. We’re happy to be able to reduce vehicle emissions while continuing to serve local families.”
The Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club serves 400 youth annually, primarily from underserved and working-class families. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, making projects that reduce emissions an important investment in public health.
The Air District’s Clean Air Funds Program provides grants for projects that reduce emissions from mobile sources. Funding is available to private companies, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other eligible entities through four project categories: Clean Vehicle Technology, Alternative Transportation, Transit Services, and Public Education.
The program is funded in part through Assembly Bill 2766, which authorizes California air districts to collect a $4 fee on annual motor vehicle registrations within their jurisdictions. The Air District invests a portion of these funds in community projects that reduce transportation-related emissions and improve air quality throughout Yolo County and northeastern Solano County.
