Orange County NC Website
<br />PAGE 4 <br />assistant Volunteers for Youth were able to provide between 300 and 400 hours per <br />month of one on one interaction between an adult volunteer and a troubled youth in <br />Orange Gounty. Second, the young people today lack po~tive role models. A .. .,,..~.~ <br />positive role model can help prevent substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, suieide~:. <br />and school dropout. Volunteers for Youth is a program that can provide a <br />tremendous difference in a young person's life. Third, they are making a concerted <br />effort to better serve northern and central Orange County. They are training a _ . <br />half-time (12 hours a week) staff person to recruit volunteers in the northern and <br />central area of the Gounty. Last year 20$ of the youth served by the Volunteers <br />for Youth were in northern Orange County schools. With more money, a youth staff <br />person could increase the number of northern Orange youth who could be served by <br />Volunteers for Youth. Finally, Volunteers for Youth is a growing agency. 7n the <br />eight years it has been in existence, they have served over 150 children. With the <br />current budget, the number of young people they can match is at its limit. This <br />month they are serving 26 youths which is the maximum set by State guidelines. <br />They have four trained volunteers who are waiting to be matched with troubled <br />youths. In addition, they have eight approved volunteers who are waiting to be <br />trained to work with the youth and at this moment they have 30 youth referred who <br />are waiting to be served by a volunteer. If they are to serve more people, they <br />must have more money. They-ask that the Board considers an increase in their <br />financial support so that they can increase their potential. as a positive <br />intervention force with Orange County's troubled youth. <br />FRAN FTNNEY, volunteer and a board member of the Orange Gounty Rape Crisis Center, <br />spoke about the needs of the sexual assault victims and survivors and for community <br />education on sexual assault prevention. The data to support the need for these <br />programs and the services provided by their center have been submitted to the <br />County budget staff by the Rape Crisis staff. She feels the major issue facing the <br />Center is securing sufficient funding to support the ongoing work. They depend on <br />public funds far a sizable portion of their operating budget. Public funds include `,: ,? <br />United Way, municipal; state and county monies. They were allocated from the <br />County $16,500 for fiscal year 19.89-90. This amount is about 13~ of their <br />operating budget. They receive money from foundations, local grants, donations and <br />from fundraising. They applied for and received in 1986 a two year Federal Victims <br />of Crime Act grant which enabled them to increase their staff from three to four. <br />That grant was nonrenewable. Because of insufficient funds, they have reduced <br />their staff to three full-time employees and plan to remain at that level. The <br />person eliminated was the community outreach coordinator. This will reduce the <br />number of people reached per year from 4,500 to 1,500 in educational programming. <br />They plan to request county funds for 1990-91 in the amount of $18,000 to $20,000. <br />Tkieir goal is to stabilize their programming and staff. <br />N4NCY MASSEY'with the Orange County Public Library distributed a copy of .their <br />goals and objectives for the coming year and a statistical report for the first <br />quarter. of this fiscal year. During the first quarter of this year, the library <br />circulation increased by 50~ over this same period last year. They have had 17,000 <br />people visit the library during that period. The large majority of people served <br />have been children. Their primary goal would be to expand services to children <br />through the provision of one full-time position. She asked for the Board's <br />continued support. <br />MR. DON INGRP!'I spoke on behalf of the Animal Protection Society. The APS continues <br />to be active in developing and implementing plans and ideas to maximize the <br />benefits and services that they provide to the community and do so in an efficient <br />