Cloud County Resource Center requests $5,000 boost after serving 2,021 people this year

Tonya Merrill, director of the Cloud County Resource Center, told the Cloud County Board of Commissioners on June 15 that the center is requesting a $5,000 increase in its 2027 county budget and presented data on client services and fundraising for the year.

Merrill said the food bank served 2,021 people; the center has applied for about $30,000 in additional grant funding and has secured nearly $20,000 so far. She described programming partnerships with K‑State River Valley Extension and the Concordia Farmers’ Market, school‑bag distributions that served roughly 300 clients, holiday meal baskets and gift distributions (including 62 Silver Santa senior gifts, 120 holiday food baskets and about 2,000 gifts connected to local drives). The center reported 55 volunteers contributed nearly 300 hours; its crisis fund aided 368 people with bills and provided 484 rides to the food bank.

Why it matters: the Resource Center provides social‑service supports used by thousands of county residents over the year; the board’s budget decision in the county budget process will determine whether the requested increase is adopted.

Board response and next steps: the presentation was entered into the minutes as a budget request. The transcript does not record a vote or commitment on the $5,000 request on June 15; the request will be considered through the county 2027 budget process.

The minutes list the center’s metrics to justify the request but do not record additional follow‑up directives or conditions. The county’s formal budget hearings and staff budget recommendations will determine whether the increase is adopted.