Groups receive funds for service

By KATIE SEMINARA

The grants for Help Hotline and Community Solutions total nearly $1 million.

YOUNGSTOWN — Two Valley organizations dedicated to helping their communities recently found out how it might feel to win the lottery.

Community Solutions Association of Warren and Help Hotline Crisis Center of Youngstown both received hefty grants from The Raymond John Wean Foundation that will span over three years.

“We think that they are both doing important work in the community and having great impact in the areas they work in,” said Joel Ratner, president of the Wean Foundation, which aims to enhance the well-being of communities of the Mahoning Valley.

Both organizations came up with strong proposals that showed specific budgets, and the Wean Foundation worked to fulfill those needs, Ratner said.

“We want them to do the great work they are intended to,” said Ratner of the amounts given, which are higher than most grants the foundation awards.

Community Solutions will receive $540,737 over three years; Help Hotline will receive $344,650 over three years.

According to Kathie Marando, director of prevention and community service for Community Solutions, the grant money will cover the cost of their new program called SPARK — Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids.

“We are very fortunate in getting a three-year cycle, which means the program will be around for three years,” said Marando.

SPARK is an early childhood jump starter for children around 4 years old. Community Solutions will provide the program to 80 children in Warren.

“We zeroed in on two neighborhoods with the assistance from Warren City Schools,” said Marando. The criteria showed that kids who will be attending Willard School or the Jefferson School would benefit most from this program.

“Parent partners” provided by Community Solutions will go into the homes of the children and perform screenings that will be analyzed by professionals. Curriculum will then be assigned to the child and parents to enhance the child’s learning before entering elementary school.

“This program doesn’t replace preschool or day care and it’s not in competition. It’s a bonus, one of those enrichment pieces,” said Marando.

Help Hotline will be putting its grant money toward new technology improvements.

“The demand continues to grow, and we want to do things more efficiently,” said Duane Piccirilli, CEO of Help Hotline, of the large increase in calls, but the lack of technology to handle those calls the way he wishes.

Piccirilli hopes to purchase equipment that will enable Help Hotline to do its own statistics and record the incoming calls. He also wants to increase staff computer knowledge and possibly employ someone to focus on teaching technology.

“We want Hotline to be the one number to call,” said Piccirilli. “The grant will help us serve more people and give support to other agencies.”

Piccirilli said he was glad the Wean Foundation was innovative enough to see the need for an organization such as Help Hotline and is excited for the opportunity to develop over three years.

“This will help us compete in the future and help us position ourselves to be the safety net of the community,” he said.