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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 2017)
10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL AUGUST 23, 2017 Local group seeks help Health, Happiness Parent Partnership funds run dangerously low When it started, it was in the closet off of the side of the state at the high school. A place where students who had children could leave them knowing they were safe and cared for while they continued their class work and eventually, hopefully, graduated high school. That was in 1989 and since then, Parent Partnership has grown to continue its goal of allowing girls to fi nish their education through collaboration with other commu- nity organizations. It has moved out of the closet by the stage, to a space at the new high school when it was built years ago, now to Delight Valley with Kennedy High School. However, as executive director Karol Kuhn-Simons prepares to step down, she may be taking Parent Partnership with her. It's not Kuhn-Simons' choice. When she started as executive director a handful of years ago, it was as a volunteer, giving her time to the organization and the cause she believed in. However, in the search for an executive director to take her place, the organization has found a need. "We're holding on. Barely," Kuhn-Simons said. While she has donated her time, she said the group must pay the next executive director, something she's not sure the group has the funds to do while sustaining its other services. Currently, Parent Partnership receives its funds from the state for its child care pro- gram but it also earns funds from school district employees who utilize the daycare. "It made sense to include district employees because we're on the same schedule," Kuhn-Simons said, "We're open during the school year and closed during the sum- mer." The group also receives funds through donations and grants but the system is a bit of a catch 22. "The more donations we get, the more grants we can apply for," she said. "The less donations we get, the fewer grants we can apply for." Parent Partnership has a yearly budget of $160,000. However, it's not currently using that much money because it's not paying Kuhn-Simons and still, the fi nancial picture is bleak. "There's been a few times it was going to go under but we held on and we're hanging on now," Kuhn-Simons said. In addition to the child care services for high schoolers who hope to complete their education, Parent Partnership also runs Teen Connection for at risk youth and works with the McKinney Vento program, which helped just over 160 children that the McKinney Vento act describes as homeless during the last school year. The group has planned several fundraisers including Sunday Funday at the Brewsta- tion where Parent Partnership earns profi ts from patrons as well as a coming event at Saginaw Vineyards later this year. "We don't have any reserve funds," Kuhn-Simons said. The search for a new executive director is still ongoing but Kuhn-Simons says ser- vices are the focus of the organization for now and notes that she hopes the commu- nity comes forward. Interested residents can contact Parent Partnership at (541) 942-2104 or, Kuhn Simons says donors can contribute by sending checks or money orders to Parent Partnership at P.O.Box 1529 Cottage Grove Oregon, 97424. & Wellness By Caitlyn May cmay@cgsentinel.com A guide to local businesses committed to helping our community thrive Counseling & Mental Health South Lane Mental Health Serving Cottage Grove Since 1988 • Outpatient Counseling for Children, Adults & Couples • Psychiatric Medication Management • Crisis Assistance 541-942-2850 • 541-942-3939 • www.slmh.org Dental Health Delaying going to the Dentist? Sedation Dentistry is a Dream come True... find out if its for You! 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