United Way drops funding for 6 groups

Baylie Evansbr>

Oct. 8, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- CHEYENNE -- Six local organizations that currently receive funding from United Way of Laramie County will lose that funding for 2010 and 2011.

They are:

-- Operation Warmheart and Friends of Family from the Airmen and Family Readiness Center

-- Youth Programs with F.E. Warren Air Force Base

-- Traditional Scouting Program with the Boy Scouts of America, Longs Peak Council Inc.

-- Our Future Community; A Transition Program for Youth with Attention Homes

-- Prison Re-entry Program with Bethel Outreach Ministries

-- Serving Low Income Uninsured Residents with the Cheyenne Community Clinic

United Way received 65 percent more funding requests than it could afford for the 2010-11 cycle, Rod Hottle, the community programs coordinator, said.

"(Funding) is based on the merit of the application and how it ties to the impact that the program will have," he said.

United Way does not generally discuss the specific reasons for cutting a program to avoid making any program look bad, Hottle explained.

United Way used the same process for determining which programs to fund as it has in previous cycles, and it received about the same number of requests as usual.

Unfortunately, Hottle said, there is just not enough money to fund everything.

Still, the cuts will be major blows to some local organizations.

The United Way has funded the local Boy Scouts for a long time, said Reed Brannon, the scout executive and chief executive officer for the Longs Peak Council of Boy Scouts of America.

"The reason we were given (for the cut) ... was that we couldn't specifically show that scouting was relevant and the outcomes of scouting were measurable ... to the kids of Laramie County," he said.

It was a shock to learn that United Way wouldn't fund the Boy Scouts for the next two years, he said.

The Boy Scouts have other sources for money, but the cut will have an effect.

"That's going to leave a hole," Brannon said. "We will no doubt be doing some cutting back in some areas in Cheyenne."

Attention Homes, which works to serve at-risk youth with several different services, is in trouble when it comes to funding.

"We do have some worries about being able to stay open, or at least provide what we believe is a high level of service," Chuck Skinner, the interim director for Attention Homes, said.

Although United Way doesn't provide a large percentage of the agency's funding, it's another blow among several dwindling sources.

The agency has undergone some layoffs and is already struggling to provide services with a close-to-skeleton staff, Skinner said.

Bethel Outreach Ministries, which also was in danger of closing after the funding cut, has found a new home but will continue to rely on the community for financial support.

The agency provides assistance for people released from prison and their families.

It will move to an office at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

"Our mission ... will continue with the anticipated help of the citizens of Cheyenne who see the necessity of giving another chance to people who stumble," said a volunteer, Larry Schwab, in a written statement to the WTE.

Representatives from F.E. Warren Air Force Base and the Cheyenne Community Clinic could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

More information about the United Way of Laramie County is available at www.unitedwayoflaramiecounty.org.

More information -- unitedwayoflaramiecounty.org

The United Way of Laramie County distributed a total of almost $1.3 million for the 2010-11 funding cycle. Of that, $565,000 came from the city's and county's fifth-penny sales tax.

The United Way of Laramie County uses 20 percent of donations for management and fundraising. The rest is returned to the community.

2010-11 United Way of Laramie County funded programs

InitiativesandCollaboration:

Early Education Partnership

National Emergency Food and Shelter Board Program

PLAN 2-1-1

Unified Human Service Eligibility c/o Cheyenne Health and Wellness

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)

Prevention and Development:

Youth Development Program -- Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children -- CASA of Laramie County

Job Training for Single, Low Income Mothers -- CLIMB Wyoming

Connections Corner -- Laramie County Community Partnership

Serving Adolescents up to the Age of 20 -- Laramie County Adolescent Health Program

Supervised Visitation/Supervised Exchange Program -- Safe Harbor

Mentoring Children at Risk -- Special Friends of Cheyenne

Developmental Preschool Providing Early Intervention -- STRIDE Learning Center

Senior Volunteers/Youth Mentoring and Tutoring -- SE Wyoming Foster Grandparent Program

Wyoming Senior Companions -- Wyoming Senior Citizens Inc. (NYSE:CIA)

Safety Net and Core Services:

Disaster Preparedness and Response -- American Red Cross

Dental Assistance Program and Unified Human Service Eligibility -- Cheyenne Health and Wellness

Homeless Family Shelter and Transitions -- Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality Network

Bus Tokens for Low Income Riders -- Cheyenne Transit

Basic Emergency ShelterandTransitional Living Program -- COMEA House

Financial Counseling Program -- Consumer Credit Counseling Service

Centralized Pharmacy -- Laramie County Community Partnership

Meals and Services to the Homebound and Seniors -- Meals on Wheels

Crisis Food and Clothing Services --Needs Inc.

Emergency Mental Health Services -- Peak Wellness Center

Victim Advocacy Program -- Safehouse-Sexual Assault Services

Newstex ID: KRTB-0045-38652391