Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 22, 1995 TAG: 9508220092
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Three days after the basic health care program for low-income children kicked off its annual fund drive, a donor Monday announced that he was giving $12,500 to the organization. Plus, he pledged to match - dollar for dollar up to $12,500 - gifts of $50 or more from people who did not give to CHIP last year.
The donor "had done some research and gave us a call," said Michael Ramey, CHIP's development manager. "He loved what we were doing and wanted to be included. He decided that rather than just hand CHIP another $12,500, there would be a catch."
CHIP no longer can rely on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant it received as start-up money seven years ago. That grant expired at the end of the 1994-95 fiscal year, Ramey said.
The organization receives state and federal funds. But federal dollars have decreased, Ramey said, and state funds carry so many stipulations that nonprofit programs such as CHIP are having to scrape for dollars.
The only bright spot has been increased donations from Roanoke Valley governments - up from $64,980 in the last fiscal year to $102,100 this year.
"We have to reach out more to the community," he said. "We really need to get down inside the valley and get the community to embrace what CHIP is doing and not rely on federal or state money."
CHIP set a goal of raising $250,000 between Aug. 18 and Sept. 28. About $200,000 of that goal represents money that CHIP needs to meet its $780,000 operating budget, Ramey said.
The remaining $50,000 would be used to increase the number of family intervention specialists. The organization has eight but needs 11, Ramey said.
The specialists visit CHIP families' homes, teach proper nutrition and child safety, discuss educational opportunities with parents and ensure that children are being properly educated.
"They try to build self-esteem inside the home," Ramey said. "CHIP is so much beyond just fixing a child's immediate health needs. It's about building self-esteem in the family, giving a child what he or she needs to go to school - and have hope."
CHIP was founded in 1988 as a private/public coalition that provides comprehensive health care for Roanoke Valley children living at or below the poverty level.
The program served about 1,500 children from birth to age 6 last year in Roanoke, Salem and Roanoke, Botetourt and Craig counties. An estimated 5,000 children in those localities have been identified as needing CHIP's services, Ramey said.
CHIP raised $165,000 in its 1994-95 fund drive.
For more information about CHIP or its fund-raising campaign, call 857-6993.
by CNB