Care Council recommends county funding for local social-service programs, including meal sites, CASA and child advocacy center

Haley Belzer, chair of the Care Council (housed under United Way), presented the council's funding recommendations to the commission and explained the group reviews applications, performs site visits and recommends funding for specific programs rather than general operating costs.

Belzer said the council seeks to fund program-specific work and that requests were reviewed by a 12-member volunteer panel comprised of county, city and United Way representatives. The presentation listed recommended allocations including: 1st Call for Help local assistance $2,000 and backpacks for kids $1,000; Heartland Community Foundation match month $5,000; Ellis Alliance Sustainability $5,000; Big Brothers Big Sisters $9,000; CASA $6,000; Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center (Hays) $10,000; Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging match $30,000; Ellis Nutrition Center $23,000; Victoria meal site $2,500; Hays Senior Center $39,565; Options domestic-violence shelter $10,000; foster grandparent program $7,500; senior companion program $11,000; and recommended splits of county alcohol-tax funds between Dream Inc and Smoky Hill programs.

Belzer noted site visits and application review are part of the process and said, "on behalf of the agencies that requested, they're all very grateful," adding the council was generally able to recommend nearly the full amounts requested. Commissioners thanked the volunteers for conducting site visits and performing the evaluation work.