Jim Receives Commendation from the City of Tustin

Jim Nominated as Tustin Man of the Year

Jim Leads Effort for Tustin Senior Housing

Jim Graduates from Tustin Police Academy

Jim Chairs Tustin Business of the Year Committee

Jim Leads Village of Hope Construction Project

Jim Supports Tustin History

Jim Serves as President of the Orange County Rescue Mission

Jim Supports Tustin Schools

Jim Serves as Board Member of Tustin Community Foundation

Jim Co-Chairs Tustin Mayor's Prayer Breakfast

Jim Named Rotary's Community Leader of the Year;

Jim Commended by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore

Jim Receives Commendation from the City of Tustin

Jim was commended by the City of Tustin on May 6th, 2002. “... Now, Therefore, the City Council of the City of Tustin, California, congratulates Jim Palmer on his 10th Anniversary as President of the Orange County Rescue Mission and for his humanitarian efforts and dedicated service to the city of Tustin and all of Orange County...”

Jim Nominated as Tustin Man of the Year

Jim Palmer was nominated Tustin Man of the Year for both 2004 and 2005 by the Tustin Community Foundation and Former Mayor of Tustin Mr. Chuck Puckett. The Tustin Man and Woman of the Year Committee recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to preserve, expand, and promote the civic, cultural and social well-being of the City of Tustin and surrounding community.

Jim Leads Effort for Tustin Senior Housing

Jim is a big supporter of housing for Tustin seniors. As Chairman of the Orange County Housing Authority, Jim was at the forefront of the groundbreaking ceremony for 53 affordable senior rental units at Heritage Place in Tustin. The groundbreaking took place on Thursday, January 17, 2002. The 53 affordable units were made possible, in part, by a Board of Supervisor approved Housing Authority Operating Reserve Fund loan of $541,903 from the Housing and Community Development Department (H&CD). The County also issued $4.8 million in tax-exempt and taxable bond financing.

The 53 units are part of the 700 new affordable housing units approved for construction by the Orange County Board of Supervisors during 2001. Heritage Place is being developed by American Senior Living, Inc. and will offer the 53 units to senior households earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income (approximately $30,960 a year or lower). 9 of the units are reserved for senior households earning less than 35% of the Area Median Income (approximately $18,060 or lower).

In its role to help create more affordable housing opportunities, the County acted as a conduit (Bond Issuer) for this financing, and in turn the bonds are used as construction and permanent financing for the project. The County’s loan of $541,903 leveraged over $6 million in other private and public sources to make this affordable senior project possible. The city of Tustin is providing $600,000 additional funding for the project with $350,000 in a city redevelopment loan and $250,000 in a State HELP loan.

Jim Graduates from Tustin Police Academy

Jim graduated from of the Tustin Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy on December 18, 2002. The Tustin Police Department's Citizen Academy program provides community members with an inside look at local law enforcement. The Citizen Academy is not a training program for law enforcement. The program's goal is to share with the community the various issues faced by the department, how they are approached and why. The program gives participants the chance to interact with police employees.

During the academy, students are exposed to a variety of topics, including the Criminal Justice System, Patrol and Traffic Procedures, Firearms Familiarization, Police Ethics and Discipline, Police Dispatch, Gangs and Graffiti, Narcotics, and CSI. A K-9 Demonstration, and patrol ride-along are included. The 12-week program is designed to give citizens an overview of the Tustin Police Department's policies and procedures. The curriculum and teaching methods are similar to a traditional police academy, so students can see how an academy class is run. However, the weekly sessions are not designed to train the participant to be a police officer.

Academy classes are taught by police employees, including Detectives, Patrol Officers, and Supervisors. Participants have a chance to meet with the Chief of Police and a variety of staff members. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and express their concerns to police employees. The Tustin Police Department hopes there will be a greater awareness and understanding of law enforcement's role in the community through the education provided by the Citizen Academy.

Tustin PD began its Citizen Academy Program in 1994 in an effort to reach out to the community about the issues facing our police department and community. On May 20, 2004 , Class #20 graduated. Other Department's have begun similar Citizen Academy Programs, and we are very proud of our program, instructors, and students.

Jim Chairs Tustin Business of the Year Committee

Jim is currently the Chairman of the 2005 Tustin Business of the Year Committee. Jim has served for the last two years on the committee, and in 2003 he served as the announcer at the awards event. Each year the Chamber of Commerce recognizes Tustin area businesses through its annual Business of the Year Awards.

To be considered as a candidate for nomination a business should: Provide services and/or products that add value to the community and its customers; Participate in local professional organizations, civic clubs, and community organizations; Have the ability to demonstrate a commitment to Business Ethics: i.e. awards, references, and/or other recognition; Have a commitment to Environmental Stewardship practices or policies; Demonstrate its achievements, awards, or recognitions in business, and its Mission or Ethics Statement embodying areas of achievement mentioned above.

The selected nominees are invited to attend the Chamber's Annual Ball and Awards Dinner where the presentation of the Business of the Year is made. The Chamber presents a Large Business of the Year Award and a Small Business of the year Award, but may make other awards available. Applications can be accessed here.

Jim Leads Village of Hope Construction Project

Jim is serving as the primary developer of the Village of Hope for the Orange County Rescue Mission. Jim was able to successfully negotiate the first transfer of land from the Department of the Navy for the Village of Hope project, which was the very first project to break ground on the former Tustin MCAS (now known as the Tustin Legacy).

Five acres will be converted into a haven designed to heal hurting families. It will provide housing for a total of 192 homeless men, women and children, with facilities for 36 families and 88 single adults. The Village of Hope will include 128 dorm rooms, a child development center, playground, parent education center, vocational training classrooms, health care facility, donation warehouse, and support offices. There will also be a cafeteria with an outdoor dining area, and vegetable gardens. An eight-foot, ornate metal fence will surround the Village, providing visual interest and security.

When completed, the Village of Hope will serve as a national model, demonstrating how to successfully redevelop closed U.S. military bases to help the homeless.

Jim Supports Tustin History

Jim has been a long time Member of the Tustin Area Historical Society. The Tustin Area Historical Society began as a result of Tustin’s celebration of the US Bicentennial in 1976. Planning for the celebration solidified in 1974 with the incorporation of the Tustin Area US Bicentennial Foundation. The Heritage Section established the Tustin Area Museum in 1975, when the City offered the empty police building on Third Street for a temporary museum.

Jim Serves as President of the Orange County Rescue Mission

Jim has served as the President of the Orange County Rescue Mission since 1993. Under Jim’s direction, the Orange County Rescue Mission received the 211th Presidential Point of Light for program excellence and cost effectiveness for services rendered on behalf of the homeless in Orange County, California. The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions has awarded OCRM with the “Certified Mission” certificate, along with reaching the level of “Certified Excellence,” making the Orange County Rescue Mission one of just seven Rescue Missions in the United States to reach that level of excellence.

Jim was responsible for leading OCRM as the recipient of several of Orange County’s Most Prestigious Awards: 1998 Outstanding Non-Profit Organization; 1998 Most Technological Non-Profit; The Disneyland Community Service Award, Education Category, for the most innovative and successful non-profit organization; and The Publisher’s Award from The Register Charities Awards.

Jim Supports Tustin Schools

Jim has served his community by serving as a member of the Red Hill Elementary School Site Council for two terms. Red Hill Elementary School ("Red Hill") is committed to providing a challenging instructional educational program for all students. Red Hill's physical plant is a well-maintained, safe campus which provides a nurturing and welcoming learning environment.

School programs at Red Hill are oriented toward development of good citizenship while providing strong foundations for life-long learning and achievement. Red Hill is dedicated to joining together students, teachers, and parents for the purpose of creating a community of learners to work cooperatively together for the benefit of all Red Hill students, K - 5.

The entire school staff meets annually to evaluate the School Improvement Plan and set goals for the next year. Goals are based on standards implementation. The plan is adjusted each year based on needs assessment, evidence of accomplishment from the previous year's plan and the assessment summaries. A draft of the School Improvement Plan is submitted to the School Site Council for approval.

Jim Serves as Board Member of Tustin Community Foundation

Jim currently serves as a Board Member of the Tustin Community Foundation. The Mission of the Tustin Community Foundation is to underwrite Tustin’s civic activities, programs and services. This includes family support services, enhancement programs, Tustin youth center, after school programs and Miss Tustin Scholarship Pageant. Future plans include encouraging greater community participation, partnerships and collaborations with the Foundation.

Jim Co-Chairs Tustin Mayor's Prayer Breakfast

Jim served as the Co-Chairman of the 2003 Tustin Mayor’s Prayer & Thanksgiving Breakfast, a fundraiser sponsored and coordinated by the Tustin Community Foundation, in association with the City of Tustin and the Orange County Rescue Mission. The goal was to provide 11,000 meals to hungry and homeless men, women and children in Orange County.