The Payroll Department recently announced that it has awarded its 12.4.2 grant to La Plata Family Centers Coalition and La Plata Youth Services, which supplied each organization $12,000 in matching funds.
It is the fourth year that The Payroll Department has offered grants to organizations in La Plata County and, this year, the matching grant was increased from $10,000 to $12,000. The two recipients for 2018 were selected from 19 applications from La Plata County nonprofits.
La Plata Family Centers Coalition will use the grant funding to support the Bayfield After-School and Summer Enrichment program, which – abbreviated as BASE – provides after-school and summer care at Bayfield Elementary School for children ages 5 to 12 years old.
“There are limited options for quality child care locally. BASE allows parents to work full time or part time and perform even better at their jobs because they know their children are being cared for by licensed child care providers who are personally invested in the well being of their families,” said Roseann McDermott, LPFCC executive director. “The added bonus is that BASE is fun and kids enjoy their time with us. We are grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the 12.4.2 grant and we are thrilled that The Payroll Department is supporting BASE in its integral role of helping to raise the newest generation of Bayfield.”
Each year, the BASE program serves more than 200 children from the area.
La Plata Youth Services – a nonprofit that provides support for youths who face challenges at school, home or in the court system – will use the grant funding to expand its program outreach through parent referrals for youths and families in La Plata County. Since 1994, the organization has offered resources, including advocacy, activities that build social and life skills, mental health counseling and mandatory substance abuse education ordered by law enforcement, the court system or schools for truancy. However, recent resource limitations have forced the nonprofit to stop accepting parent referrals to its diversion program. As a result, it has only been possible to offer limited programming to families who request services, without in-depth behavioral health screening, case planning and ongoing support.
“Families in our community need places they can go to find support for themselves and their youth,” said Katy Pepinsky, La Plata Youth Services executive director. “Our diversion program is very successful, and early intervention could save taxpayers thousands of dollars, not to mention the obvious benefits to the youth and the community.”
The youth services organization’s goal is to offer individually-tailored case management to youths and families in need on a voluntary basis to further reduce the risk of juvenile justice system involvement. Payroll Department funding matched by community support will allow families and youths the opportunity to be referred directly to the diversion program before contact with law enforcement or the court system takes place.
“We are honored to partner with the Payroll Department to expand these resources for youth and families,” Pepinsky said.
The grant annually awards two organizations $12,000 in matching funds. The dollar-to-dollar match is an incentive by The Payroll Department to double the impact of the funding awarded and motivate nonprofits to seek new sources for funding and develop long-term relationships in the community. To this end, La Plata Family Centers Coalition and La Plata Youth Services will conduct local fundraising efforts through Oct. 12 to match the funds provided by the grant.
The Payroll Department provides payroll and timekeeping services for more than 700 businesses and organizations in La Plata County and the surrounding area and partners with Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado every year to manage grant applications and the review process. The grant committee narrowed the list of 19 applicants to five finalists that best fit the selection criteria, and staff reviewed and selected the final two grantees.
“Each year, we receive many deserving applications, and selecting the final two grantees is always a difficult decision,” said Payroll Department staff member Eric Malone. “We believe our giving will make a strong impact for these two worthwhile organizations and we hope to see many of the strong applications we received this year return in 2019.”
fstone@durangoherald.com
