Kaufman County hears funding requests from shelters, child-advocacy and transit groups at nonprofit budget workshop

Kaufman County Commissioners Court held a nonprofit budget workshop where local nonprofits presented funding requests and program updates, including a $207,000 operational request from the Children’s Advocacy Center and a request from Lone Star CASA to increase county support to $82,000 plus $10,000 to start a juvenile-justice program.

The Children’s Advocacy Center, represented by board president Randy Squib and Executive Director Shannon (last name not provided), told commissioners the center served 959 clients last year, including about 690 new customers, and that 67% of cases were sexual-abuse related; Shannon said the center must meet Texas Family Code requirements to provide multidisciplinary child-abuse investigations and forensic interviews. "The Texas Family Code says we have to," Shannon said, describing the center’s statutory role and the cost of professional services, training and secure digital systems the center must maintain.

Lone Star CASA Executive Director Lauren Rowe said the organization has seen a 32% increase in children served this fiscal year and asked the court to raise the county’s contribution from $35,000 (about 4.2% of the organization’s costs) to…