By Brooke Huff Reporter On Friday, the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s office announced that several area agencies will not be receiving the Victims of Crime Act, VOCA, grant this year.
The VOCA grant, on which agencies such as the Hutchinson County Crisis Center are so dependent, was cut due to lack of funding from the federal government. Without the grant, HC3 Executive Director Norma Luginbyhl said, they will have to seek other avenues from which to get funding. According to Luginbyhl, the state took a 17 percent cut in funding. The Texas Panhandle, she said, took an even bigger blow with a 42 percent, or $200,000, cut, leaving five area agencies without funding at all. “This is devastating to HC3 as well as the community as a whole,” Luginbyhl said. “Without the necessary funding, we may no longer be able to offer all of the services needed.” The $70,000 VOCA grant, Luginbyhl said, helps pay for 50 percent of the shelter staff’s salaries, as well as other shelter and agency expenses such as utilities. The shelter at HC3 is manned 24-hours a day, along with providing a 24-hour emergency hotline. Without the grant money, Luginbyhl said that they may be forced to cut back on staff. Cutting back on staff, however, also means cutting back on services. Without the people in place, they can’t help the victims who seek their help. Luginbyhl said that it breaks her heart to think about having to cut back on services because many of HC3’s clients have nowhere else to go. “Many of our clients come here with no money and no way to go anywhere else,” she said. “HC3 is their only hope.” Another problem the lack of funding has presented is if the shelter cuts back on services, they may no longer be eligible for the Family Violence grant. Luginbyhl said that each year the shelter receives a family violence matching grant, which pays the other 50 percent not covered by the VOCA grant, but if they are no longer able to offer the necessary services, that grant will be revoked as well. Because HC3 is funded strictly through state grants and donations, the loss of any state funding is devastating. The VOCA grant, Luginbyhl said, should have taken effect on July 1, but since the government is deferring the money because of the Patriot Act and the war on terror, they are having to cover costs the grant would normally cover without reimbursement. Established under the 1984 Victims of Crime Act, the VOCA grant was created to help victims and victim service providers with program funding. Today, however, more and more of the money is being deferred for other government programs, Luginbyhl said. Upon learning of the situation, Luginbyhl said that United Way volunteered to help absorb some of the funding. Their willingness to help in such a great way, Luginbyhl said, proves just how important HC3 is to the community, which will help in their fight. Even with the help of United Way, however, HC3 will still need all the community support and assistance they can get. Luginbyhl said that she has been in contact with Representative Warren Chisum’s office and Senator Kel Seliger’s office to find out what can be done to help them financially. She is also working on trying to secure some discretionary money from the state to hold them over until they can figure out a solution. Along with that, Luginbyhl has already applied to several foundations to get emergency funding. “We are working every resource possible,” she said. “Closing the shelter is not an option. How can you turn away someone that is in dire need of help?” After talking with Representative Chisum and Senator Seliger’s offices, Luginbyhl learned that they are aware of the situation and are doing everything possible to help. Their staff have been making telephone calls to set up meetings with the Governor’s office to try and secure alternative funding to cover the losses. The most important thing the community can do for them, Luginbyhl said, is to support them by letting Representative Chisum and Senator Seliger know how important the center is for the community. HC3 is important to the community, Luginbyhl said, because it is the only shelter of its type in the area. Without HC3, victims of abuse in the Borger area have no other option. “It’s scary to think of losing this place,” Luginbyhl said. “Because we won’t be able to help people in dangerous situations, but we can’t do it alone.” Senator Seliger can be reached at his Amarillo office at 806-374-4607, at his Austin office at 512-463-0131, or by e-mail at
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Representative Chisum can be reached at his Pampa office at 806-655-3552, at his Austin office at 513-463-0736, or by e-mail at
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Other area agencies that will not receive funding this year include Family Support Services, Potter County, The Court Appointed Special Advocates, and Safe Place Incorporated. Only four of the nine agencies, The Bridge, Panhandle Assessment Center, Tralee Crisis Center, and Panhandle Crisis Center, received the necessary funding. HC3 has been serving the Borger community since April of 1995. Since that time, they have not only helped the victims of violent crimes but also brought about awareness of abuse in the community. They also serve the community by putting on prevention and safety programs for schools and other civic organizations. For more information on how to help HC3, contact Luginbyhl at 806-667-1701.
