Forsyth County hears nonprofit budget pleas

It is Grinch economy, but Forsyth County's human services organizations were asking the County Commission Dec. 9 to play Santa in light of pending budget cuts in state funding.

At workshop session, the commissioners heard from Jessie's House, Family Haven, Bald Ridge Lodge Boys Shelter, the Child Advocacy Center and the Forsyth Department of Family and Children's Services (DFACS) as they made their case for funding.

State funding cutbacks and the falling economy have created a perfect storm of need among these six agencies, all of which deal with the welfare of children either exclusively or in large measure.

In the case of Jessie's House, a shelter for girls 7 to 17, volunteers must be ready any time of day or night to receive clients.

"Children can be pulled from an abusive situation any time of the day or night," said Jason Dudley, Jessie's House board president. "They can stay up to 90 days, more in special cases."

It costs $135 a day to house, clothe and feed a child, but the state only pays $101.82. That shortfall will be around $100,000 in fiscal year 2009.

Jessie's House has a capacity of 12 beds, and it averages 10 girls every night. Although 66 percent of the girls are from Forsyth, other counties – Hall, White and Floyd – make up the rest but provide no funding for the group.

Commissioner Linda Ledbetter noted this was the only shelter for girls in the county.

"If we are going to help girls in Forsyth, then this is it," Ledbetter said.

The other nonprofits told a similar story. Plenty of clients and a shortage of funding.

Bald Ridge Lodge for Boys is a similar place for males, but it only opened this year. Already it expects a deficit of $161,000.

Mary G. Lamond, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Forsyth County Inc., and her 60 volunteers represent children's interest in the courtroom. While parents and state officials wrangle over where the best place for the child may be, it is the CASA volunteer who is solely representing the child's best interests.

"The state is moving away from foster care. It wants to return the child to a parent or relative. That is certainly the cheaper way for the state - it pays nothing for the child's care then. But is it the best place for the child?" Lamond asked. "That is what CASA is for."

Meanwhile, the state is cutting CASA's budget by half.

As the tales of shortfalls and budget cuts went on, Commissioner David Richard said the county may have no choice but to support these agencies.

"We may have to look at reallocating money from people and programs that are used to our support, because we need to allocate first to those who need our protection the most."

Forsyth County has advertised a public hearing Dec. 18 on the adoption of the budget and could vote on it that night.
- www.northfulton.com

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