Post by Okwes on Mar 18, 2008 20:58:21 GMT -5
Cheyenne River Youth Project in need of support
by: Staff Reports / Indian Country Today
The Cheyenne River Youth Project applies for a variety of grants throughout the year, but most grant money is intended for programming activities and supplies for the Cokata Wiconi teen center, The Main (youth center), family services or the Winyan Toka Win garden. While CRYP also conducts intensive year-round fundraising, the staff has found it's often difficult to raise money specifically for operational costs.
Organization needs to raise money to cover utility bills
EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. - This winter has been a hard one for the country's midsection, particularly the northern Great Plains. Fierce blasts of arctic air have kept the mercury low in the thermometers and sent energy bills soaring. For not-for-profit organizations such as the Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte, Mother Nature has guaranteed that the normally challenging task of making ends meet will be all but impossible.
''During a cold winter, our budget is severely strained by the cost of utilities, especially with the price of oil these days,'' said Julie Garreau, CRYP's executive director. ''As with all nonprofits, literally every penny in our yearly budget is spoken for, so when our bills increase unexpectedly, we face a financial crisis.
''At this point, we need support to cover the costs of these bills,'' she continued. ''Something extraordinary needs to happen, otherwise we're facing the prospect of severely limiting the amount of time we can be open for our kids.''
CRYP applies for a variety of grants throughout the year, but most grant money is intended for programming activities and supplies for the Cokata Wiconi teen center, The Main (youth center), family services or the Winyan Toka Win garden. While CRYP also conducts intensive year-round fundraising, the staff has found it's often difficult to raise money specifically for operational costs.
''We receive a lot of in-kind donations, which has been a blessing for our annual Christmas toy drive, our family services department, Passion for Fashion during prom time and the development of facilities at the new teen center,'' Garreau said. ''Financial contributions, however, are equally important, as we always need assistance in operating and maintaining our facilities. And we've learned that it's often much easier to raise money for a new program or a new structure than it is for covering electric and propane bills.''
Utility bills comprise a major portion of any business's annual budget, and when that organization is a not-for-profit that relies on grants and donations for its operations, those costs are even more critical. To operate The Main - CRYP's youth center for 4- to 12-year-olds - and Cokata Wiconi, the youth project spends approximately $6,000 on utilities each month. Regardless of CRYP's available supplies and facilities for its programs, the youth project must be able to cover these operational costs, or the doors won't be open for Cheyenne River's youth.
''While fundraising for specific activities and programs is important, we can never forget what it takes just to make sure that the lights and water are on and the rooms are warm when the kids come after school or on Saturday,'' Garreau said. ''We depend on the generosity and dedication of our partners and friends around the country - and even around the world - to make it all come together. Without that support, we wouldn't have the resources to continue providing services for our community's children and their families.''
CRYP is looking for organizations, businesses and individuals to partner up and make a difference for the children of the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. For more information about making donations to the CRYP capital campaign, call (605) 964-8200 or e-mail julie@indianyouth.org. Donations over the Internet are now possible through PayPal as well.
For more information about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org.
by: Staff Reports / Indian Country Today
The Cheyenne River Youth Project applies for a variety of grants throughout the year, but most grant money is intended for programming activities and supplies for the Cokata Wiconi teen center, The Main (youth center), family services or the Winyan Toka Win garden. While CRYP also conducts intensive year-round fundraising, the staff has found it's often difficult to raise money specifically for operational costs.
Organization needs to raise money to cover utility bills
EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. - This winter has been a hard one for the country's midsection, particularly the northern Great Plains. Fierce blasts of arctic air have kept the mercury low in the thermometers and sent energy bills soaring. For not-for-profit organizations such as the Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte, Mother Nature has guaranteed that the normally challenging task of making ends meet will be all but impossible.
''During a cold winter, our budget is severely strained by the cost of utilities, especially with the price of oil these days,'' said Julie Garreau, CRYP's executive director. ''As with all nonprofits, literally every penny in our yearly budget is spoken for, so when our bills increase unexpectedly, we face a financial crisis.
''At this point, we need support to cover the costs of these bills,'' she continued. ''Something extraordinary needs to happen, otherwise we're facing the prospect of severely limiting the amount of time we can be open for our kids.''
CRYP applies for a variety of grants throughout the year, but most grant money is intended for programming activities and supplies for the Cokata Wiconi teen center, The Main (youth center), family services or the Winyan Toka Win garden. While CRYP also conducts intensive year-round fundraising, the staff has found it's often difficult to raise money specifically for operational costs.
''We receive a lot of in-kind donations, which has been a blessing for our annual Christmas toy drive, our family services department, Passion for Fashion during prom time and the development of facilities at the new teen center,'' Garreau said. ''Financial contributions, however, are equally important, as we always need assistance in operating and maintaining our facilities. And we've learned that it's often much easier to raise money for a new program or a new structure than it is for covering electric and propane bills.''
Utility bills comprise a major portion of any business's annual budget, and when that organization is a not-for-profit that relies on grants and donations for its operations, those costs are even more critical. To operate The Main - CRYP's youth center for 4- to 12-year-olds - and Cokata Wiconi, the youth project spends approximately $6,000 on utilities each month. Regardless of CRYP's available supplies and facilities for its programs, the youth project must be able to cover these operational costs, or the doors won't be open for Cheyenne River's youth.
''While fundraising for specific activities and programs is important, we can never forget what it takes just to make sure that the lights and water are on and the rooms are warm when the kids come after school or on Saturday,'' Garreau said. ''We depend on the generosity and dedication of our partners and friends around the country - and even around the world - to make it all come together. Without that support, we wouldn't have the resources to continue providing services for our community's children and their families.''
CRYP is looking for organizations, businesses and individuals to partner up and make a difference for the children of the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. For more information about making donations to the CRYP capital campaign, call (605) 964-8200 or e-mail julie@indianyouth.org. Donations over the Internet are now possible through PayPal as well.
For more information about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org.