"Park County Senior Coalition to receive $14,000 grant for meals program," The Flume

Other food and cash donations from community benefit county seniors

Posted: Friday, December 2, 2011
Laura Van Dusen, Correspondent

News was received by Park County Senior Coalition Executive Director Bobbi Gore this past week that an additional $14,000 in grant funds will be allocated to the meals program for qualifying seniors (anyone age 60 and older) in Park County. The extra $14,000 buys 2,800 meals, she said.

Gore said that the additional funds, plus cash and food donations that have been received from the community, will enable the senior coalition to continue to provide meals through the end of the fiscal year on June 30 to the 28 individuals currently in the program.

But to secure more food for seniors, the senior coalition has "partnered with the Park County Sheriff's Office, Victim Services and the Mountain Peace Shelter for their annual food and gift drive," said Gore. In addition, both the Platte Canyon and South Park chambers of commerce will be collecting donations for the senior coalition at their December mixers, and the Platte Canyon Chamber has volunteered to help in additional fundraising.

That means that not only will the 28 individuals already in the program receive food benefits, but, Gore said, "We are expecting to be able to serve all qualified seniors with some food." She is expecting the number of individuals provided some amount of food to increase to between 64 and 79.

"It will not be a complete solution, but continues to provide support and a relief from food anxiety," Gore said.

Grant money

The $14,000 will come from the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, or the PPACG, a Colorado Springs-based voluntary organization of 16 city, town and county governments. Park County and its incorporated towns of Alma and Fairplay are members.

At its Nov. 9 meeting, the PPACG board approved more than $200,000 in federal funding for senior programs in El Paso, Teller and Park counties. The amount allocated to the Park County home-delivered food program is $14,000.

"These funds will primarily be used to provide more meals to residents over the age of 60," said a Nov. 22 press release from the PPACG.

Guy Dutra-Silveira, director of the Area Agency on Aging, an arm of the PPACG, said in the press release, "Meals have been established as our highest priority."

According to Jason Wilkinson, policy and communications manager for the PPACG, the extra money is a carry-over from the 2010-2011 fiscal year ended June 30. "Essentially the State Unit on Aging received federal funds above a previously estimated amount," he said.

The El Paso and Teller County Golden Circle Nutrition Program received $96,000 and the remaining money, $90,000, went to other senior services such as transportation, caregiver programs, home-safety renovations, dental services, case management and in-home support.

Gore said the PPACG grant brings continuity and stability to Park County's senior services, but the coalition gets grants and donations from other services as well "to leverage their contribution and provide services to our seniors that would not be possible otherwise."

Membership counts

The funds were made available because Park County is a member of the PPACG and pays annual membership dues, which amounted to $15,400 for the recently paid 2012 dues. (See the Nov. 25 Flume.)

The money is a good investment, said Gore, because with the county's membership it receives more than $184,000 in program benefits to seniors. Those benefits go to not only the food program but also to transportation, homemaking and handyman services, and respite care.

She said that Park County Commissioner Mark Dowaliby attends the monthly meetings as the Park County representative. With a voice at the meetings, the county has a say in how funds from PPACG are allocated and ensures that a fair share of funds are allocated to Park County.

Community donations

When the Park County community was made aware last month of the dire situation for the senior coalition (see Nov. 4 and Nov. 11 Flumes), the coalition started getting calls and donations from the community. They received donations totaling $1,430 largely from three individual donors and from the Bailey-based women's social club, The Mountain Mad Hatters, a group that gets together to have fun but likes to give to local charities, too, said Mary Marsh, secretary-treasurer of the club.

Rocky Mountain Rural Health donated funds that will allow the senior coalition to pay transportation costs to take homebound seniors to area food banks, said Gore. This is a new program for the coalition. Previously, transportation was provided for medical purposes only.

She said the coalition is looking for volunteer drivers to help with that program, and she noted that the coalition will reimburse for mileage. Volunteer drivers must pass a motor vehicle record and criminal background check before working with the coalition.

Food funds from PPACG up 23 percent

With the additional $14,000 in grant money, the Park County Senior Coalition's funding from the PPACG for the 2011-2012 fiscal year is about 23 percent higher in funding than it was in 2010/2011, and 6 percent lower than it was in 2009/2010.

In the 2009/2010 fiscal year, the funding from PPACG was $31,680. Its funding was decreased by 24 percent in the next fiscal year, 2010/2011, to $24,080. In comparison, in the current fiscal year, 2011/2012, the funding amount from PPACG is $29,850.

However, the current year is especially tough because there has been a sharp increase in demand for meals in the past four months due to the tough economic times.