HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Req - MountainStar Family Relief NurseryEconomic Development Fund
Discretionary Grant Program
Organization: MountainStar Family Relief Nursery
Organization Description: This organization provides comprehensive services to
families with children under 4 years old at risk for child abuse and neglect. This is the
only organization in Deschutes County providing therapeutic programs, parent services
and family support for 300 babies and toddlers with an average of 12 or more identified
risk factors for abuse and neglect.
Project Name: Healing Children Program: Therapeutic Classroom for Infants
Project Description: This program creates a safe, predictable, empowering environment
where at -risk and developmentally delayed infants and toddlers thrive, and heal from the
physical, emotional and social impacts of living in high stress and often chaotic
households. The program offers children and their families more than 300 hours of
intensive services in a program year. There have been 12 children and infants enrolled in
the program in the current year. However there is a waiting list for enrollment of over
100 children. Sessions are held for three hours once a week. The curriculum is highly
individualized to address each child's specific issues and developmental delays with
regular staff assessments of progress toward developmental milestones. This information
is shared with parents on a weekly basis. Teachers also make a weekly home visit to
identify family needs and risk factors, share information on available resources, and
provide coaching to parents. On an annual basis, teachers and parents develop a family
plan identifying attainable family goals. Anticipated outcomes and impacts include 90%
of families enrolled will remain free from confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect, 95%
will maintain child custody, 80% of children with behavioral and/or developmental
delays will show significant improvements in self-esteem, problem solving and social -
emotional development. The funds will be used for approximately 150 hours of contact
time including classes, home visits, parenting classes and phone support.
Project Period: July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
Amount of Request: $2,500
Previous Grants:
• FY 2009 Community Grant: $10,000
• FY 2010 Community Grant: $10,000
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960
(541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - �� �� .tip lltktcs.orc
DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND
DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
Direct Application to:
Commissioner Tammy Baney L Commissioner Alan Unger
Commissioner Dennis R. Luke { All Three Commissioners
Date:
15 Jan 2009
Project Name:
Project Beginning Date:
Amount of Request:
July 1, 2009
Healing Children Program: Therapeutic Classroom for Infants
$2,500
Applicant/Organization:
1 Project End Date:
Date Funds Needed:
MountainStar
Family Relief Nursery
Address: 2125 NE Daggett Lane
Contact Name(s):
Tim Rusk, Executive Director
Fax: [ 541.322.1884 1 Alternate Phone: 1
Tax ID #:
City & Zip:
Telephone:
Email:
June 30. 2010
March 1, 2010
42-1560891
Bend, OR 97701
541.322.6820
timr(&m oun tainstarfamily. org
On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions:
1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities.
2. Describe the proposed project or activity.
3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity.
4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health.
5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit.
6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the
source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will
support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future.
Attach:
Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status.
* Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget.
Tammy Baney: Amount: Signature:
Dennis Luke: Amount: Signature:
Alan Unger: Amount: Signature:
DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND
DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
MOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY:
RESPONSES TO APPLICATION QUESTIONS
1. MountainStar: Our purpose, leadership structure and activities
Purpose and Mission
MountainStar's purpose is to prevent child abuse and neglect in Deschutes County, Oregon by
providing comprehensive services to families with children under age 4 at high-risk for child neglect
and abuse. We are the only program in Deschutes County providing therapeutic programs, parent
services and family support for 300 babies and toddlers living in families with an average of 12 or more
risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Children at this age represent 40% of the victims of child abuse
and are at a stage in their development when it is critical to have attached and attentive caretakers.
Relief Nurseries have documented success in reducing family risk factors for child abuse and neglect,
improving family functioning and self-sufficiency and reducing foster care utilization. Our mission is
to keep children safe, parents successful and families together.
Leadership Structure
Our programs and services are championed by an experienced staff of 11 and a committed Board of
Directors of 12. Executive Director Tim Rusk has 17 years of management experience in the nonprofit
sector and a Master's Degree in Organization Development. Program Director Cherie Skillings
oversees program operations, including direct responsibility for the Healing Children Program. Cherie
has an M.S., in Counseling, Oregon State University Cascades Campus and a B.A. in Family
Studies/Psychology, Corban College. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor through the National
Board for Certified Counselors, and is registered with the Oregon Board of Licensing for Professional
Counselors.
MountainStar Board of Directors
Richard Burk, Corporate Executive (retired), 541/330-6205
Karen Cox, Elementary Teacher (retired), 541/389-3554
Ron Culp, Athletic Trainer (retired), 541/389-0371
Paula Day, Board Secretary, Occupational Therapist -High Desert ESD (retired), 541/389-3459
Jennifer Eales, Attorney, 541/390-5466
Pam Gillet, Licensed Professional Counselor, 541/388-3038
Matt Hillman, Vice President of Professional Banking, 541/617-3590
Nancy Hodge, Social Service Program Manager (retired), 541/419-5113
Nancy James, Community Volunteer, 541/318-5899
John James, Board Treasurer, Commercial Real Estate Investment, 541/318-5899
Gloria Lopez -Davis, Board President, School Psychologist (retired), 541/330-8727
Cathy Speckmann, PhD, Psychologist (retired), 541/385-1385
Susie Stuemke, Bank Branch Manager, 541/385-0458
MountainStar Activities
MountainStar prevents child abuse and neglect through intervention, support, counseling and
transportation services. Our primary programs include:
Healing Children: includes age-specific Therapeutic Classrooms, creating a safe, empowering
environment where at -risk and developmentally delayed infants and toddlers thrive, and heal from the
physical, emotional and social impacts of living in high stress and often chaotic households.
Safety Net: provides crisis intervention, community service referrals, and basic needs support for
isolated families and those waiting to enroll in our Therapeutic Classroom program.
Services to Strengthen Families:
Additional services are available to families in both programs. We offer 3 -hour respite class on Friday
mornings. We support parents through coaching, parent education and mental health counseling aimed
at increasing the long term health and resiliency of their families. We also provide food boxes from
NeighborImpact, a clothing closet for young children, and transportation to and from our location near
St. Charles Hospital in Bend
2. Project Description: Healing Children, Therapeutic Classroom for Infants
The Healing Children Program creates a safe, predictable, empowering environment where at -risk,
distressed infants and children can thrive. Children and families enter the Program with an average of
12 risk factors for abuse and neglect. We have enrolled 12children in the Infant Classroom in the
current year. Our waiting list for enrollment in the Healing Children program and Therapeutic
Classrooms overall now exceeds 100 children.
Multiple classes are run throughout the day and are divided into age-appropriate sessions. Our sessions
for Infants take place once a week for three hours each and include monthly 1.5 -hour home visits. Each
class maintains a ratio of at least one staff to three children. The class curriculum is highly
individualized so that we can address each child's specific issues and developmental delays. Staff
conducts regular assessments of children's progress toward developmental milestones and shares this
information with parents on an ongoing basis. The children's teachers home visit each family weekly,
with an opportunity to identify family needs and risk factors, share information on community
resources, and provide parents with coaching to help create a healthier family and home environment.
The teacher/home visitor also assists parents with connections to critical services for crisis support,
alcohol and drug recovery, and mental health, housing and medical services. The teacher and parents
develop an annual Family Plan identifying attainable goals that make sense to the family, and for which
the family is motivated to take the necessary steps to achieve success. The Plan also includes
milestones and measures to evaluate progress. Our goal is to help these babies grow into healthy,
thriving toddlers who are better able to deal with the challenging circumstances in their young lives.
Each child and their family receive 300+ hours of intensive services during the program year.
Anticipated Outcomes and impacts include: 90% of families enrolled in services will remain free from
confirmed cases of child abuse/neglect, and 95% will maintain child custody. Further, 80% of children
with behaviors and/or developmental delays associated with traumatic home environments will show
significant improvement in self-esteem, problem solving, and social -emotional development. Results
are measured and Outcomes are evaluated using Intake, Update, Family Plan, Ages & Stages
Questionnaire and Risk Factor Assessment Forms.
3. Project Timeline
The project is ongoing. Grant funds will be used through June 30, 2010
4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health.
The quality of life for a child and the contributions the child makes to society as an adult can be traced
back to the first few years of life. From birth until about 5 years old a child undergoes tremendous
growth and change. If this period of life includes support for growth in cognition, language, motor
skills, adaptive skills and social -emotional functioning, the child is more likely to succeed in school
and later contribute to society.' However, without support during these early years, a child is more
likely to drop out of school, receive welfare benefits and commit crime.
Further, of the numerous projects and initiatives that state and local governments fund to foster new
private businesses and new jobs, most result in measurable private returns but relatively few public
benefits. In contrast, studies find that well -focused investments in early childhood development yield
high public as well as private returns.2
5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit.
The direct beneficiaries of this program are infants living in Deschutes County, living in households
with known risk factors for child abuse and neglect. For the first time our staff has used the term
"horrific" to describe the circumstances under which some families with small children are living. Staff
are seeing unprecedented levels of stress, and the number of risk factors for families at intake has
climbed in recent months from an average of 12 to more than 17. One family is known to have 28 risk
factors. Our programs focus on these at -risk families, including those with substance abuse problems,
involvement with the criminal justice system, domestic violence, and children with developmental
delays; under -served minority and ethnic populations; and under -served geographic areas with high
incidence of reported abuse and neglect, including rural communities of LaPine and Redmond, and
unincorporated areas of the County. One -hundred percent of our families qualify as low income with
80% living at or below the poverty level. A majority of our clients are women and their children,
including a number of single and teen mothers. According to the Oregon 2008 Status of Children
report, 268 children in Deschutes County were victims of child abuse/neglect. 48% of the victims are 5
years old and younger and include 15% of the victims of child sexual abuse -- 164 babies and toddlers!
These are the children who will benefit from our services, and from your investment.
Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source
and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an
ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future.
Grant funds will be used to fund staff working with the children and families enrolled in the Infant
Program. The annual cost of 1.5 FTE staff to carry out this project is $58,500. We have raised $53,
700 from community donations in the last 6 weeks to support this project and a grant of $2,500 would
bring us very close to fully funding staff costs through local, community support.
Essentially, our funding objective for all programs, including Healing Children, is sustainability
through strong community support. Since our inception we have adhered to the highest standards of
public accountability and fiscal responsibility, and plan and manage our operations to ensure long-term
sustainability. The Board of Directors works closely with staff to outline the organization's growth and
meet funding goals. A project to increase fundraising infrastructure is underway, enabling us to
maintain a strong fundraising trajectory. The Board utilizes a mission -based fundraising system with
great success and works to build long term donors through our Children's Expedition Society, now with
52 members giving at $1,000 and above each year for a 5 -year period. Pledge receivables are in excess
of $200,000 through 2011. We are also focusing on our major gifts program and an endowment
building strategy. In addition, we maintain a two-month operating reserve of $100,000 in anticipation
of any revenue shortfall.
1 Martha Farrell Erickson & Karen Kurz-Riemer, Infants, Toddlers and Families: A Framework for Support and
Intervention (New York: The Guilford Press, 1999)
2 Rob Grunewald - Regional Economic Analyst, Arthur J. Rolnick - Senior Vice President and Director of Research, Early
Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return (FedGazette, March, 2003)
r,:
(41
011766
IRSDepartment of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati OH 45201
MOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY
2125 NE DAGGETT LN
BEND OR 97701-6560
In reply refer to: 0248364801
Apr. 16, 2009 LTR 4168C E0
42-1560891 000000 00 000
00013472
BODC: TE
Employer Identification Number: 42-1560891
Person to Contact: Ms. Manuel
Toll Free Telephone Number: 1-877-829-5500
Dear Taxpayer:
This is in response to your request of Apr. 07, 2009, regarding your
tax-exempt status.
Our records indicate that a determination letter was issued in
February 2003, that recognized you as exempt from Federal income tax,
and discloses that you are currently exempt under section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code.
Our records also indicate you are not a private foundation within the
meaning of section 509(a) of the Code because you are described in
section(s) 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi).
Donors may deduct contributions to you as provided in section 170 of
the Code. Bequests, legacies, devises, transfers, or gifts to you or
for your use are deductible for Federal estate and gift tax purposes
if they meet the applicable provisions of sections 2055, 2106, and
2522 of the Code.
If you have any questions, please call us at the telephone number
shown in the heading of this letter.
Sincerely yours,
Michele M. Sullivan, Oper. Mgr.
Accounts Management Operations I