FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Karen Hawes, Lee County Human Services, (941) 656-7930

LEE HUMAN SERVICES ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY AGENCIES

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 11, 2000) – A citizen advisory board is recommending the county allocate $1.9 million to community agencies next year through the Community Agency Support Program (CASP).

The 20-member Human Services Funding Committee – which reviews grant applications from nonprofit human service agencies that are seeking funds – recently announced its recommendations (see below). The recommendations will be incorporated into the fiscal year 2000-01 county budget preparation process this summer. The county’s budget will be finalized during two public hearings in September (Sep. 6 and 20).

The Human Services Funding Committee was established in 1994 to bring a business approach to the funding of local human service programs. The method has helped streamline and depoliticize the funding process.

Some of the guidelines used include: a total of 20 agencies may be funded and applicants may not request more than 25 percent of their total budget; the program must serve low-income, homeless, elderly, developmentally disabled, or handicapped residents of Lee County; and only “core services” can be funded through this program, which includes food, emergency shelter, and programs supporting self-sufficiency and independent living.

Committee members review applications, conduct site visits, meet with agency boards, study the financial conditions of agencies, and assess the community’s need for the services. Finally, they prepare a funding recommendation to submit to the Board of Lee County Commissioners. The FY 2000-01 recommendations are:

§ Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. -- $242,671

§ AgeLink of Lee County, Inc. -- $38,500

§ Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, Inc. -- $65,000

§ Boys and Girls Club of Lee County, Inc. -- $75,000

§ Cape Coral Caring Center, Inc. -- $38,850

§ Catholic Hispanic Social Services -- $64,933

§ Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. -- $324,000

§ Deaf Service Center of Southwest Florida, Inc. -- $37,000

§ Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc. -- $62,635

§ Harry Chapin Food Bank, Inc. -- $12,000

§ IMPACT for Developmental Education, Inc. -- $180,000

§ Lee Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. -- $443,400

§ Lee County AIDS Task Force -- $88,000

§ The Nations Association, Inc. -- $41,758

§ Our Mother's Home -- $0

§ Senior Friendship Centers of Lee County, Inc. -- $127,500

§ Visually Impaired Persons, Inc. -- $58,000