Pot times July 17, 2005

Funds Running Thin For Palmer Drug Program

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1126/a09.html
Newshawk: Herb

Pubdate: Sun, 17 Jul 2005
Source: Brownsville Herald, The (TX)
Copyright: 2005 The Brownsville Herald
Contact: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/contact.php
Website: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1402
Author: Laura B. Martinez

FUNDS RUNNING THIN FOR PALMER DRUG PROGRAM

Serious funding shortfalls may force the local Palmer Drug Abuse Program center to close after September, its executive director said this week.

Suzanne Clifton says she worries about making payroll every two weeks and fears having to turn away clients for lack of paid staff to provide counseling and guidance at PDAP on Cottonwood Street.

"At this time I don't have any funding for after that ( September ) except a small funding from the city of Brownsville," Clifton said.  "We have a serious timing problem."

For 22 years PDAP has served young adults with alcohol and substance abuse problems in Cameron County.  PDAP has 305 clients, including 109 from the Harlingen area.

The agency received $74,000 last year from Brownsville's Community Development Block Grant program and about $12,000 from the Cameron County District Attorney's Office drug forfeiture fund.  And while those funds are not exhausted, Clifton wants to ensure the agency can continue operating until she can get approved for additional funding from the United Way of Southern Cam-eron County.

The agency applied for United Way funding last year, but did not meet the criteria, said Traci Wickett, president and CEO for the United Way of Southern Cameron County.

If approved this year, money would be available next June or July.  Grant applications are also in the works, Clifton said, and donations are appreciated.

In the meantime, "I've got this nine-month dry spell," she said.  "We are going to have to be very creative to make it through the next nine months."

The annual operating budget for PDAP is $190,000, including salaries for three full-time employees.

Olga Villarreal, a PDAP board member and CEO for Valley Federal Credit Union, said PDAP's funding problems are contributed to cutbacks from agencies that have supported them in the past, including the United Way and Brownsville Independent School District.

Villarreal believes part of the problem is that area businesses -- which could be another source of funding for PDAP services -- aren't knowledgeable about the program.

"I'm hoping that someone ( in the community ) has a big enough heart to do it ( make a contribution to PDAP ), Villarreal said.

"I feel that there is sometimes more support for the sale of it ( drugs ) than there is for the prevention."

Clifton has struggled to keep the nonprofit open since she took over as executive director in February.  Clifton said PDAP's former board of directors voted to shut down the program when funds dwindled to $269, but she refused.

Instead, she cut employees' schedules for six weeks until the cash got flowing again.  Volunteers kept the office going.  Represen-tatives from the American Association of Retired Persons ( AARP ) and former and current PDAP board members helped answer telephones, clean and perform other office work until the staff's schedules were restored.

Clifton took her case before the City Commission.

City Manager Charlie Cabler said he understands the agency's predicament and said the city will provide whatever assistance it can, as long as PDAP justifies its needs and expenditures.

"Our planning department that oversees these federal funding programs are affordable and she can go and sit down with them and they will discuss with her how to possibly access some more money for the upcoming fiscal year," Cabler said.

The United Way and city of Brownsville also aided the Boys & Girls Club earlier this month amid a financial crisis that threatened to shut down the club's summer programs.

Clifton hopes for similar contributions to keep PDAP running.  She has sent letters to parishes in Brownsville seeking monthly do-nations of $100 or more.

"We cannot keep our doors open for the young people to have a place to go that is safe and drug free," her letter reads.  "We can-not offer them the counseling and guidance that they need so badly during these formative years.  We need the support of our com-munity."

To feed the agency's bank account, fund-raisers are being held, including an Aug.  1 raffle offering chances to win a trip to Las Vegas, a bay fishing trip and a television.

Brownsville businessman Elwyn Herman answered the call for help Wednesday with a $2,000 donation and video game equip-ment.

Herman, owner of South Texas Vending Inc., feels strongly about the services offered by PDAP and does not want to see the agency close.

"I feel that the kids and people on drugs, it is a sickness and nothing to be ashamed of," Herman said.  "It's habit forming...  They have problems and I feel that they need help."