Spectrum - Volume 20 Issue 11 November 6, 1997 - Tech employees efficient CVC fund-raisers

A non-profit publication of the Office of the University Relations of Virginia Tech,
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Tech employees efficient CVC fund-raisers
By Ronda Huffman Moore, director of communications, United Way of Montgomery, Radford, Floyd

Spectrum Volume 20 Issue 11 - November 6, 1997

Virginia Tech employees helped raise enough funds during last year's Combined Virginia Campaign (CVC) that 100 percent of the maximum amount recommended by the fund-distribution volunteers was awarded to 37 local health-and-human-service agencies. This was the first time in our community's history that this was able to happen. In previous years, it took approximately two years to raise enough money to fund the requests received by the local partner agencies. Almost $74,000 more dollars were raised during the 1996 campaign. Things are not business as usual for the Combined Virginia Campaign and its partner agencies.
A new partner agency will begin its participation with the CVC this year. Comprehensive Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) is a program that provides health care, home visitation, and follow-up to children ages six and under who are under or uninsured. In addition, the parents receive parenting training and individual instruction on caring for their child or children.
The Free Clinic of the New River Valley and Program for Special Medical Care opened a satellite office on October 4 in Floyd County. They are also greatly expanding their dental services due to the high unmet demand for those services in the community. Approximately 450 people are on the Free Clinic waiting list to meet emergency dental-care needs. The Free Clinic received a 13.3-percent increase in their funding to enable these changes to take place. This increase in funding is significant because they receive the greatest dollar amount of any one agency.
The Mental Health Association of the NRV will be starting a "Pro Bono Counseling Service" in early 1998. This program will provide free counseling services to uninsured or under-insured persons without mental-health insurance coverage. The Mental Health Association received a 27.3-percent increase in their funding to help make this new program possible.
The Child Abuse Prevention Coalition (CAPCo) has begun sponsoring regular parenting classes and has expanded public-awareness presentations and membership involvement to increase the prevention of child abuse and neglect. CAPCo received a 72-percent increase in their funding to enable their organization to increase its community involvement and program offerings in addition to expanding its hours of operation from approximately 15 hours a week to 25 hours a week.
The Montgomery County Community Shelter, the only transitional shelter in the New River Valley, is looking to occupy a new shelter and offer expanded services. They have had significant difficulties with their physical structure over the past year.
Literacy Volunteers of the NRV has started a new family literacy program which strives to involve at-risk families--parents and children--in learning to read and break the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy. Their goal is to serve 10 to 15 pre-schoolers at eight different sites around the New River Valley.
The Radford Red Cross received a 10-percent increase to help them re-locate to a handicapped-accessible office where additional services and access to those services could be increased.