The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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Leaders of agencies are watching as the United Way of the Flint Hills’ annual campaign draws to a close. With about $65,000 still needed to reach the $600,000 goal, directors know that a shortfall in funds means budget cuts for their agencies.

A few of those directors talked recently about significant changes that would have to be made if they do not receive the full allocations they have been hoping to receive.

Emporia Child Care

Cuts in services to children and hikes in fees their parents pay likely would be the results if the United Way falls short of its goal.

“We’re already operating on a shoestring budget and, ultimately, any kind of cut affects the children,” said Director Deb Crowl.

Crowl said she is especially concerned about aspects of the budget that she cannot control.

“The first thing that comes to mind is utilities,” she said. “I always stress on that.”

Utilities must be paid; supplies for art, language development, fine-motor activities would need to be cut.

“We may have to cut back and not use as much,” Crowl said.

Basic nutritional needs of the children would continue to be fulfilled, though children with heartier appetites might be denied extra helpings. For some, that would be a hardship, Crowl said, explaining that some children who leave day care do not eat again until they return the next morning.

“We’ll probably have to increase our rates, which will affect the families,” Crowl said. “And you know as well as I do that most of the families that have young children are just starting out, are on tight budgets, too.”

Cutting staff is not an option when funds are low.

“We can’t change our staff any because we’re required to have a certain number” to meet the staff/child ratio, she said. “You can’t do that because of state licensing and we’re in a nationally accredited program, so we will uphold those ratios. There’s no getting around that.”

SOS

Budgets for two services — the Child Visitation and Exchange Center and the Crisis Services Program — would be cut and services reduced proportionately if the United Way drive falls short of its goal.

“It really plays havoc in a lot of areas,” said SOS Director Susan Moran.

The center has served 469 visitation clients in the first nine months of this year, 70 more than for the full year in 2005. The exchange function of the center has helped 879 clients.

The number of sexual assault victims who utilized the Crisis Services Program also has risen sharply. In 2005, there were 127 new, unduplicated clients. In the first nine months of 2006, there have been 130.

SOS would need to cut back hours for the shelter manager, who also helps raise funds and organize volunteers in addition to her managerial duties, Moran said.

Victim assistance to help pay for prescriptions, bus tickets, gasoline and other expenses would need to be cut. Officers who provide security for clients also would need to be cut, as would continuing education for staff.

“It’s just a variety of things (the United Way allocation) helps with,” Moran said.

If enough donations do not materialize, client services will be cut.

“That’s the problem,” she said. “No matter what happens, it really does impact client services in one way, shape, or form.”

Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Compeer

The boards of directors of Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Compeer worked together to consolidate some aspects of both agencies to make more funds available for client services. With small budgets and correspondingly small staffs, the work of both agencies would suffer if they do not receive full allocations from the United Way.

Kim Waybright, executive director of both agencies, said that the agencies, while completely separate, share her and their office space as part of the cost-cutting efforts.

Staff has not been increased since a previous allocation shortfall eliminated one of two program coordinator positions at BB/BS. That hampers the ability to recruit volunteers and subsequently delays matches with youngsters on the waiting lists in the four counties the agency serves.

“It doesn’t allow us to be as thorough with the services as we provide,” Waybright said. “So, if we don’t have a large pool of volunteers to choose from, we’re not making the best matches for the kids.”

Waybright will try to “pick up the slack” caused by the program coordinator shortage, but that work takes her away from her own job duties, which includes grant-writing, fundraising and other administrative tasks.

“We’ve kind of given up some things that we’re used to having as an agency,” she said. “We don’t want the program to suffer because we don’t have staff. We’ve kind of given up some things that we’re used to having as an agency.”

Compeer will experience similar problems. The agency serves more than 20 adults and children who are referred through the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas. The clients are matched with volunteers who spend an hour a week together in activities they enjoy.

“They have so many people telling them what they can and can’t do,” Waybright said. “This is an opportunity for them to just have a friend of a companion to share an ice cream with or have a Coke in a nice, non-threatening type of way.”

Waybright said that the smaller agency’s “struggle comes from the overhead to run a non-profit.” Through the cooperation of both boards of directors, they have worked on an “out-of-the-box approach to try to serve more people through Compeer,” she said.

“If their funding was cut, then I would have to make choices concerning how far their program expands,” Waybright said. “Then we have a program in jeopardy; we have an agency in jeopardy.”