CCS Hopes To Open Office In Syracuse
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Twenty-four percent of Combined Community Services' clients were from the northern part of Kosciusko County between January and June 2000, according to Pam J. Houser, CCS quality child care coordinator.
However, northern county residents must drive to Warsaw to access CCS' services. And because of transportation problems or time constraint, they aren't always able to make the trip from North Webster, Syracuse or Milford. Residents who could use the services aren't able to reach them.
To resolve those problems, CCS hopes to open a second location in Syracuse with community support.
This year, CCS applied for a $45,000 grant from K21 to help with the first year's funding. Recently, CCS learned they will not receive that grant because the K21 board wants to see a broad base of support for a northern CCS, Jim Coons said. Coons is the CCS executive director.
"If I were K21 ... I'd say show me a broad base of support," said Coons. "I believe it's there."
He said K21 probably wants to see some financial commitment from the area's towns, churches and civic organizations for a northern CCS. Coons said he wants to see the communities in northern Kosciusko County show their support for a northern CCS office and encourage K21 to join them.
"If we find enough support from the community, we'll go forward in anticipation of further support," said Coons. He said he recognizes that just because there is support, that doesn't obligate the K21 to support the project.
"We'd love to see it," he said. "We feel this segment of the community probably has a higher number of needy people per capita. There's a higher minority in that area per capita. We believe there'd be an increase (for assistance) if we were up there."
According to information provided by Houser, a 1999 LifeQuest survey estimated that 69,932 people lived in Kosciusko County in 1996. Of that population, approximately 36 percent lived in Plain, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek and Van Buren townships combined.
When combined, there are as many northern residents that need served as there are Wayne Township clients needing service. However, many northern clients are not accessing the available services. In 1999, nearly 13 percent of Wayne Township residents were served at CCS but only 3.7 percent of the northern townships populations were served at CCS during the same time period, according to the survey.
During 1999, CCS saw 19 percent of its total clients from the four northern townships. In the first half of 2000, that number jumped to 24 percent, showing that the demand for services is rising in these townships.
Coon said they need the support of the community to convince their board they need to be up there.
A northern CCS also would be a center for Warsaw-based agencies, such as the Mental Health Association. "Some other agencies have expressed an interest in remote intakes," said Coon.
"I can think of nothing more exciting than to share all the benefits with all the community," Houser said.
"That's our dream and that's what we see," said Coon.
CCS is a nonprofit, United Way agency established in 1984 by local churches and community leaders to help economically disadvantaged and unemployed or under-employed residents of Kosciusko County. In 1994, CCS began taking on governmental grants that would be targeted at the client base that its food pantry and clothing closet serve. This year, CCS has a $1.6 million operating budget and operated with only a 16 percent administrative overhead. [[In-content Ad]]
Twenty-four percent of Combined Community Services' clients were from the northern part of Kosciusko County between January and June 2000, according to Pam J. Houser, CCS quality child care coordinator.
However, northern county residents must drive to Warsaw to access CCS' services. And because of transportation problems or time constraint, they aren't always able to make the trip from North Webster, Syracuse or Milford. Residents who could use the services aren't able to reach them.
To resolve those problems, CCS hopes to open a second location in Syracuse with community support.
This year, CCS applied for a $45,000 grant from K21 to help with the first year's funding. Recently, CCS learned they will not receive that grant because the K21 board wants to see a broad base of support for a northern CCS, Jim Coons said. Coons is the CCS executive director.
"If I were K21 ... I'd say show me a broad base of support," said Coons. "I believe it's there."
He said K21 probably wants to see some financial commitment from the area's towns, churches and civic organizations for a northern CCS. Coons said he wants to see the communities in northern Kosciusko County show their support for a northern CCS office and encourage K21 to join them.
"If we find enough support from the community, we'll go forward in anticipation of further support," said Coons. He said he recognizes that just because there is support, that doesn't obligate the K21 to support the project.
"We'd love to see it," he said. "We feel this segment of the community probably has a higher number of needy people per capita. There's a higher minority in that area per capita. We believe there'd be an increase (for assistance) if we were up there."
According to information provided by Houser, a 1999 LifeQuest survey estimated that 69,932 people lived in Kosciusko County in 1996. Of that population, approximately 36 percent lived in Plain, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek and Van Buren townships combined.
When combined, there are as many northern residents that need served as there are Wayne Township clients needing service. However, many northern clients are not accessing the available services. In 1999, nearly 13 percent of Wayne Township residents were served at CCS but only 3.7 percent of the northern townships populations were served at CCS during the same time period, according to the survey.
During 1999, CCS saw 19 percent of its total clients from the four northern townships. In the first half of 2000, that number jumped to 24 percent, showing that the demand for services is rising in these townships.
Coon said they need the support of the community to convince their board they need to be up there.
A northern CCS also would be a center for Warsaw-based agencies, such as the Mental Health Association. "Some other agencies have expressed an interest in remote intakes," said Coon.
"I can think of nothing more exciting than to share all the benefits with all the community," Houser said.
"That's our dream and that's what we see," said Coon.
CCS is a nonprofit, United Way agency established in 1984 by local churches and community leaders to help economically disadvantaged and unemployed or under-employed residents of Kosciusko County. In 1994, CCS began taking on governmental grants that would be targeted at the client base that its food pantry and clothing closet serve. This year, CCS has a $1.6 million operating budget and operated with only a 16 percent administrative overhead. [[In-content Ad]]