Q. WHY DOES HOPE’S HANDS NEED THIS CAMPAIGN?
A. Since 2005, the lives of children, youth and their families have been transformed as the result of community services provided through grants focused on substance abuse prevention and mental health services. The outcomes of these services is visible in Owen County: fewer students report they have tried alcohol and drugs; more students report their mental health needs are being met; academic performances have improved; and individuals, agencies and churches working to provide these services are working more collaboratively to increase efficiency and effectiveness of available resources.

Unfortunately, as is the case with all grants, the funding cycle for these life-changing monies is nearing the end. Because of the incredible impact the programs funded with these grants have made, there is a strong desire among community, business and religious leaders and Owen County residents to continue the services and collaboration that have been started with these grant dollars. The importance of these services in our community is so great we are willing to make personal sacrifices to support the on-going efforts as well as to ask our friends to join us in this work. We are calling our capital campaign Project Hope because we have seen the transformation of lives touched through these services.

Q. WHAT IS HOPE’S HANDS AND ITS PRIMARY GOALS?
A. Hope’s Hands is an independent collaborative that strives to partner community service providers with Owen County youth who have challenges brought on by substance abuse, emotional issues, academic concerns and family issues. Our primary goal is to unite the community to transform lives through the continuation and increase of substance abuse prevention and mental health services to Owen County’s youth and their families.

Q. WHAT ARE THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES FACING HOPE’S HANDS?
A. The most pressing challenge is to develop funding to maintain our core programs including the Kentucky Encouraging Youth to Succeed program (KEYS) and the Teen Alcohol Prevention Project (TAPP). Our challenge is to unite the Owen County community in our efforts as volunteers and donors.

Q. WHY DO WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY? WHY NOT JUST LEAVE THE PROGRAM AS IT IS NOW?
A. By Sept. 30, 2010, funding for the three-person mental health teams at the middle and high schools will cease. By Sept. 30, 2009, funding for the continuation of the Owen County TAPP program will cease. Every child in the Owen County school system has received some type of services from the TAPP program. All students at the middle and high schools have received significant support over the past four years as a result of these programs. Each three-person team costs approximately $200,000 a year. The prevention services provided represent approximately $200,000 per year in costs. To run these programs for one year as they currently exist represents a cost of approximately $600,000. If other sources of funding are not developed, youth and their families will no longer have access to these services. The end result will be escalating drop out rates, increased criminal, drug and alcohol activity as well as increases in the number of families living at or below the minimum poverty level.

Q. IF YOU RAISE THE $1 MILLION HOW WILL IT BE SPENT?
A. Through a successful campaign, we anticipate that eighty percent (80%) will be applied to substance abuse prevention and mental health services; and twenty percent (20%) to enhance the collaborative efforts of many agencies throughout Owen County to reduce duplication of services in the community. A board of directors control the use of the funds.

Q. What is the relationship between Hope’s Hands, NorthKey Community Care, KEYS, and TAPP?
A. Hope’s Hands is an independent collaborative made up of service agencies, organizations, churches and individuals in the community who are interested in collaborating efforts to provide services to Owen County’s children, youth and their families in the areas of substance abuse prevention and mental health issues. These services can and should be very broad because the causes of substance abuse and mental health issues stem from roots that are deep — lack of self confidence, generational considerations, unemployment, parental styles, etc. The goal of Hope’s Hands is to provide services to these children, youth and their families in as effective and efficient manner as possible without duplicating services provided. This requires local agencies to step out of their silos and work together to make community resources go as far as possible.

Under this umbrella are a variety of organizations who continue to operate based on their own missions and value statements, but understand that by working together we can develop a community culture that values the children and youth and provides services that help them be as successful as possible. Current partners include: KEYS, TAPP, NorthKey Community Care, Owen County Schools, Youth Service Center, NorthKey Regional Prevention Center, REACH, Epoch Fellowship, Monterey Baptist Church, Owen County Baptist Association, Court Designated Worker, Department of Juvenile Justice, Hesler Assembly of God, Community Learning Center, Dallasburg Baptist Church, Owen County Extension Office, North Park Pharmacy, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Site Environmental, Meeting the Needs Ministry, Three Rivers District Health Department, El Bethel Christian Church, Parks and Recreation, as well as individual parents, community leaders and youth.

NorthKey Community Care has provided the fiscal management for grants that started the KEYS program and the TAPP program. They also provide oversight for delivery of mental health and prevention services in the community. Because grant funding is ending, any monies raised from this capital campaign will be managed locally by the Hope’s Hands board of directors.

KEYS or Kentuckians Encouraging Youth to Succeed is a grant-funded project that provides mental health teams at the middle and high school to address behavior issues as well as mental health issues that are beyond the scope of a teacher or school administrator. The team also provides services to the family in order to increase the likelihood of the student’s success. As mentioned before, funding for this program is ending. While some components of the services provided can be billed to Medicaid to increase sustainability, others cannot. And at this moment, most services are not covered by private insurance. Maintaining the integrity of the three-person teams is important to ensure the greatest level of success for students.

TAPP, or the Teen Alcohol Prevention Project, is also a grant-funded project. TAPP has focused for the past three years on reducing underage drinking in the community by increasing the protective factors and resiliency of students and reducing risk factors that contribute to their choice to abuse substances. This grant is also ending. As we move beyond the grant, we will expand prevention services to include other drugs like marijuana, inhalants, meth, etc. in our prevention efforts.


Q. WHO ARE THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS?
A. Hope’s Hands is governed by by-laws and is incorporated with the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We have been in existence since November 2007. Patti Clark currently serves as the chairman of the organization. Other officers include: Tony Watkins, vice chair; Kathy Resetar, secretary; and Marsha Derringer, treasurer. Additional board members include: Trent Holbert, Elizabeth Price, Denise Beck, Pat Gibson, Kae Crenshaw, Kim Morgan and Becky Mefford.


Q. How do we become a partner?
A. Hope’s Hands would love to have additional partners join us in addressing the issues facing our children, youth and their families. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the high school. We welcome and encourage additional organizations, agencies, churches and individuals to join our efforts. There is room for nearly everyone in this work and the more people we have involved the better the services we provide will be.


Q. IS HOPE’S HANDS TAX DEDUCTIBLE AND HOW CAN WE GIVE?
A. Hope’s Hands is a 501 c 3 organization and your gifts are tax deductible. Cash donations and pledges are currently being accepted. We are also in the process of setting up an endowment fund to help perpetuate these projects. Gifts of annuities will also be accepted. Please talk with your tax advisor to determine the best avenue for you to contribute to this important cause.