Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
When Combined Community Services - North opened its doors at 612 S. Huntington St. in Syracuse in January 2001, several factories closed theirs.
On the scene, when it could offer the most assistance, the northern office of the faith-based charity immediately served 130 families. Now the number of new clients coming through the doors has trickled down to fewer than 10, and CCS' Syracuse office will close its doors Aug. 30.
"At this time the northern community clients represent less than 10 percent of all CCS assistance clients," said director Jim Coons, "and 50 percent of the total administrative costs."
That's about 40 percent too much for the tightly run organization. Administrative costs in Warsaw are figured at 8 percent.
It's CCS philosophy to gear funding toward programs, not paperwork.
The decision was made last Thursday at a board of directors meeting. The association of ministers was advised of the decision Monday.
Last September a Kosciusko County Community Foundation grant kept the Huntington Street office open. Donations from the area's churches are down and United Way contributions just weren't enough to fill the gap.
"We expected the northern office to handle 30 percent of our clients," Coons said. "They're at 9 percent."
The Warsaw office takes in more than 70 new clients per month.
Ron Wright, named director of the Syracuse branch in April 2001, said he was saddened by the closure of the office, where there are two full-time employees.
The building costs $4,000 a month to operate and does not include air conditioning.
"We spent $50 per client there versus $8 here (in Warsaw)," Wright said. He also maintains the Child Care Voucher Program, which ends in September when another agency takes over its administration.
When asked what he will do this fall, Wright said his passion is to serve CCS.
"If they have something to do, I'll do it," he said.
Coons wants to assure the public no one will go unserved.
"They'll just have to come to Warsaw," he said. "We're asking that northern-area churches take over the food pantry. Maybe one of them will allow us to offer professional consultations a couple of days a week. We don't know."
The Warsaw office will make every effort to help people with transportation from the northern townships, too.
"Really, it was a tremendous victory for us," Coons said of the re-centralizing move. "We took that as an affirmation of the need for our presence and set about helping many clients that had never before received assistance. It now appears the Syracuse office was a badly needed addition but only for that season or time."
CCS in Warsaw is at 110 E. Prairie St. For more information about the closing or services, call 269-6019.
