Partnership, Resource Center share location

Citing budget cuts, the Family Resource Center has relocated to the site of the Alleghany Partnership for Children at 994 N. Main St. in Sparta.

The Domestic Abuse is Not Acceptable (Dana) program was set to move out of the Partnership building by July 1, leaving the Partnership to be the sole organization to pay rent at the North Main location.

Family Resource Center Director Pam Sizemore explained, "The original plan was since the Partnership couldn't sustain full rent cost they were going to move in with us at the Resource Center because we had more space there. At the last minute, we got a two-month gap in funding. At the very end of May, the state said basically, 'You don't get payment after June 10.' That cut off at the end of our year funding forced us to lay off two employees (Program Coordinator Crystal Isom and Program Assistant Debra Santiago), and our new contract wouldn't start till September, leaving July and August with no funding. It worked out at the last minute that we ended up having to move up here with them."

According to Sizemore, a team from Laurel Ridge Mission Camp went to the Resource Center's former site last week to help the organization move items to the new location. In addition, Sizemore credits the group for purchasing and installing a new fence, allowing the Main Street site to have a fenced-in playground, as well as creating a template to build a better swing set than the wooden one the members of the mission group did not consider to be sturdy enough for everyday use, Sizemore noted.

She said the staff would like to say a special thank you to Brad, Dan, Steve, Tena, Wes, Bradley, Chelsea and Leslie."We can't say enough about these wonderful, wonderful people," Sizemore added.

Plans are in the works to have a sign, attached to the Partnership sign to remind the public the two organizations that are under one umbrella, are now under one roof at the North Main Street facility.

Budget Cuts

In light of the organizational cuts at the Family Resource Center, the FRC is currently providing minimal services until Sept. 1. According to Sizemore, all family support/resource center grants funded through the Department of Health and Human Services are being cut by 30 percent. "We are only being funded at 70 percent of what we had last year," she said. "That's a significant decrease, but we're still going to be able to operate." The FRC also receives funding through the county commissioners and that funding was slated, along with several other organizations in the county, to receive a 35 percent cut in funding, which would take funding from $10,000 to $6,500. However, Sizemore received a letter last week from the Alleghany County Commissioners that stated the Family Resource Center would instead receive a 10 percent cut ($10,000 to $9,000). Sizemore stated, "That's wonderful news."

The Partnership for Children is also facing cuts this year of 40 percent less money in service dollars and 25 percent less money for administration.

Programs

Sizemore highlighted the different programs available through the Family Resource Center and the Partnership for Children.

A new program on the horizon for the Resource Center is the Darkness to Light Program. Darkness to Light is a child sexual abuse prevention program geared toward adults. Sizemore explained, "Research is now showing that all these programs that try to teach children to prevent sexual abuse are not as effective as programs geared toward adults.