Teen Center receives $8,500 in grants

CALL YOUR SHOT — Nick Engels of Anderson takes aim during a game of eight ball while other youth play on a Nintendo Wii donated by the Anderson Exchange Club.

The Anderson Partnership for Healthy Children received three recent grants, totaling $8,500.00, for equipment and activities at the Anderson Teen Center, 2889 E. Center St.

The Community Foundation Rancheria Fund provided $5,000 in December for food, supplies and materials for weekly healthy cooking classes and to support providing nutritious snacks for youth involved in structured activities.

The Teen Center received $500 from the Shasta Regional Community Foundation McConnell Fund, also in December, to replace its aging foosball table. A holdover from the original teen center that had been in use for nearly seven years, the game table was truly falling apart.

"Game tables and other drop-in activities are frequently the draw that gets kids in the door so we can build a relationship with them and get them involved in the many positive structured activities we offer," said Melissa Peterson, the Senior Project Coordinator for Teen Center.

"It is often the availability of snacks that first attracts youth to get involved in these activities," Peterson said. "Then, we can help them build the skills and 'developmental assets' that help them make successful transitions to healthy adulthood."

Most recently, thanks to the ongoing support of City Councilman Keith Webster and Wal-Mart Store Manager Tim Trimble, the Teen Center received a $3,000 donation Jan. 30 from Wal-Mart for general support, the hardest type of funding to find, according to Peterson.

"We are very grateful for all of this support," Peterson said. "These are pretty uncertain times for programs like ours. Grant funding is being cut back at every level, with both government and private foundation sources feeling the effects of the recession.

"We plan to kick off a major fundraising effort this year, with the goal of acquiring half of our basic budget from local sources. Funding for staff seems to be the hardest to come by," said Peterson. "Donations from local businesses and individuals are more likely to let us use the funds for staff and general operations. So that's a huge help."

Peterson reported that the Teen Center has been fortunate, so far, in not taking any direct funding hits. But potential cuts are on the horizon as the recession deepens, the state decides on budget cuts, and private foundation sources tighten.

"Even the best outside funders are feeling the pinch," she said. "Plus, they are reluctant to fund community projects over very long periods once they are up and running. Eventually, they expect that the community will come together to support programs it values. So these local contributions help us show that we are on that path."

For more information about activities, donations or to sign up for the partnership newsletter, contact Melissa Peterson at 530-378-6060.