After a recent visit to Vive, Inc. ECS Board member Cheryl Rohde reported that the agency lost about $100,000 of funding from Erie County this year. At a time when government processing of refugees has slowed considerably, translating to longer stays for refugees housed at Vive’s facility on Wyoming Street in Buffalo, the cut has left the agency scrambling to make ends meet.

Mark Bozer, director of Cathedral Park Counseling says their program is receiving about 50% less funding
now than they were a few years ago. This includes reduced funding from the United Way.

“As a result, we are serving signifi cantly less families than we were a few years back, probably close to 50% less, as we now only have one staff member, whereas in the past we had two.

“If the cuts continue, we will have to keep reducing the number of families served. In the meantime, we are always attempting to identify other funding possibilities—although we haven’t been able to find anything yet.”

Sylvia Nadler says Compass House, a shelter and resource center for runaway and throw away teens hasn’t lost any government funding in the past two years, but still hasn’t recovered from the $67,000 cut in county funding they experienced in 2005.

“The county has instituted a new model of “wrap around services” for the entire family, which in theory should be most effective at remediation of family/youth problems, but often it’s just not enough for some of these damaged families.”

But some children never even get the chance at these services because in order to receive them, the family must at some level accept the system. “Many of those left out are the youth that we serve, those who don’t have families willing to go through the process or who don’t have families.”

Compass House continues to struggle with stagnant government funding sources, the majority of which have been that way for many years. “Our largest funder, the New York State Office of Child and Family Services, has only provided very minimal increases since 1989. Last year it was just a few thousand dollars. With the cost of everything rising—utilities, health insurance, food, etc., we continue to reduce the standard of the benefits we provide to our staff, who already suffer with exceedingly low salaries.

Kim Morris, Executive Director of Homespace, which provides housing and support services for single parents and their children, says her agency is in the midst of a major transition.

“I want to make clear that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) did not pick our program to cut our funding.” states Kim.

Before she became executive director, some miscommunication occurred that resulted in monies being lost, and since April 1, Homespace no longer receives any support through HUD.

“We have worked hard to fi nd alternatives that would not change our mission and values,” says Kim. “We have decided upon and been approved by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services to become a Supportive Independent Living Program for foster youth who are single parents between the ages of 17.5 and 21 years of age. This means that each of our residents will be in the care and custody of the Erie County Department of Social Services and parenting their own children.

“Though we are in a year of transition the board of directors, the agency, and I have made a commitment to not turn our six current HUD residents who are not in foster care out of our program without a plan for entry into another program.”

Two of the six, she says will soon move to their own apartments, while the remaining four will stay on at Homespace until such time as appropriate alternative support is arranged sometime within the coming year.

“This means that we are not seeking funding, except through grants and donations, to pay for the services we will provide to these young families; we are committed to the same level of support services that they have been accustomed to within our program and be included in each and every service we provide here at Homespace!”

In a year’s time, the population of Homespace will be comprised fully of single parents in need placed in foster care and their children.

“Often times these young families end up being the homeless of the future,” says Kim, and we are working hard to ensure that they leave our program with the concrete skills to provide for their families in a stable environment.”

Thus far, Genesis House in Olean has not been hit with government funding cuts, but, says director Lenore Lounsbury, “At a $150,000 budget any funding loss would be very hard to make up.”

Other ECS agencies, like Big Buddy and Interfaith Caregivers, do not receive any government funding, but they to impacted by rising costs and decreased funding from private sources like ECS. Through the generous support of many caring individuals, ECS enables its member agencies to provide much needed services to
our neighbors in need. The annual ECS campaign ended on Easter Sunday, but donations are accepted year round.