Orange County NC Website
6 <br /> 1 Dorothy Johnson said she is here on behalf of the Fairview Community Watch <br /> 2 requesting $4000 to support their summer monitoring program at the Fairview County Park. <br /> 3 She said the funds would be used for an adult monitor and a youth assistant to work in the park <br /> 4 for 18 hours a week, for 8 weeks from June to August. She said the monitors assist in <br /> 5 distribution of games and such to attendees and are a friendly presence to oversee activity and <br /> 6 monitor unwanted behavior. She said the program was started in 2012 with a grant from the <br /> 7 New Hope Presbyterian Church. She said the program has been a great success, and it is <br /> 8 hoped that it will continue to grow from year to year. She added that raising funds has been a <br /> 9 struggle and last year the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) saved the program. She <br /> 10 said the neighborhood is of low income and would like for the BOCC to consider making this <br /> 11 program an annual part of the County's budget. She concluded that Fairview Park is vital to the <br /> 12 success and safety of the neighborhood and she commended the BOCC for all that it does for <br /> 13 Orange County. <br /> 14 Sharon Freeland is the Executive Director for Orange Congregations in Mission (OCIM), <br /> 15 and she thanked the Board for partnering with OCIM for almost 35 years. She said there are <br /> 16 hunger issues in Orange County. She said she is a native of Orange County and she has seen <br /> 17 hunger even with her former classmates. She said over the last three years, the OCIM food <br /> 18 pantry has seen an increase of over a thousand individuals each year, adding that last year, <br /> 19 8900 individuals were served, of which 4500 were children. She said it is a privilege to OCIM to <br /> 20 take the gracious bounty, and to share with OCIM clients. She said notepaper and pencils are <br /> 21 kept in the OCIM reception area, in case clients want to leave their thoughts. She read one of <br /> 22 those notes to the Board. She explained that the current OCIM policy states that a household <br /> 23 may receive a week's worth of groceries six times, in a twelve month period; however, this is <br /> 24 often not enough. She said OCIM does as much as possible to meet those extra needs. She is <br /> 25 asking for additional funding to allow households two additional opportunities to visit the food <br /> 26 pantry. She said OCIM would purchase perishable items and has asked United Way to fund a <br /> 27 part time food pantry manager. She thanked the BOCC for their efforts in Orange County. <br /> 28 Marci White is the Executive Director of Mental Health America of the Triangle. She said <br /> 29 her outside agency request can be found on page 356 of the budget document. She thanked <br /> 30 the BOCC for their ongoing support of the Advocacy Network program via County matching <br /> 31 funds for State JCPC dollars. She said tonight she is requesting that the BOCC reconsider the <br /> 32 staff recommendation to not fund a new and different program called Compeer for Seniors. She <br /> 33 said $21,000 is being requested from the County to go towards a part-time position to develop <br /> 34 this program. She said this program will target a specific and well documented Orange County <br /> 35 need, especially in the outlying areas of the County. Compeer for Seniors will address isolation <br /> 36 for seniors at risk of depression and for those in early stage dementia. She said the program <br /> 37 will use volunteers to provide long term friendship through which trust and intimacy will occur. <br /> 38 She said the Compeer volunteers commit to at least one year. She said the power of friendship <br /> 39 is compelling and while the volunteers are not trained medical professionals, they are likely to <br /> 40 notice subtle changes in health due to the close friendships established with the seniors. She <br /> 41 said her agency works closely with the Orange County Department on Aging and are also a <br /> 42 partner agency with the Family Success Alliance, and are the only partner physically located in <br /> 43 Zone 6. She said her agency carefully considered the request being made to the County <br /> 44 knowing that the County supports many of their other programs. She added that this particular <br /> 45 program is necessary as the number of individuals with the aforementioned risk factors is <br /> 46 growing. She said her agency is uniquely equipped and situated to deliver a very cost effective <br /> 47 and meaningful service to Orange County senior citizens. <br /> 48 Elvira Mebane said she is a parent of a child in the OCS, and she supports the budget <br /> 49 for OCS. She said she is the President of United Voices of Efland-Cheeks, and is asking for the <br /> 50 Board's support of the Efland-Cheeks Community Center. She said United Voices of Efland- <br /> 51 Cheeks have been meeting with County staff about upgrades to this Center. She said this <br />