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JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times

Second- and third-graders work on spelling with Diana Rayburn on Monday at the West End Center for Youth in Roanoke.

With donations down, an after-school program in Roanoke's West End neighborhood is using grants and strategic planning to continue its mission.

"Most people are drawing back a little bit," Director Joy Parrish said.

The West End Center for Youth holds after-school programs every day for about 85 Roanoke youngsters from low-income families. Programs are available for kindergartners through high school seniors, and are intended to provide instruction and recreation while keeping the students off the streets.

Cox Communications awarded the center a $5,000 grant last month, which Parrish said will go toward the Reading Adventure program.

Parrish said students at all grade levels participate in the program twice a week for 25 minutes to strengthen their reading comprehension and confidence.

"That's a good reinforcement to what they're already getting in school," Parrish said.

The center's biggest source of funds is donations, she said. Before receiving the grant, the reading program didn't have a funding partner. The $5,000 grant will be used for materials and rewards for students showing progress.

The Advancement Foundation works with the center to create fundraising initiatives to help keep the center afloat. President Annette Patterson said with many nonprofits struggling, both parties have their work cut out for them. She said the fact that the center succeeds in its mission continues to attract donors.

"I think it's all about results. The bottom line is if you've got an opportunity to transform lives, people want to be a part of that," Patterson said.

The on-time graduation rate in the city's public schools was 67 percent for 2008-09, with 80 percent of the center's participants contributing, Parrish said.

Patterson said the center, located at 1223 Patterson Ave. S.W., plans to aggressively solicit donations from the community by raising awareness of its programs.

In addition to Reading Adventure, the center offers programs that develop social skills, help avoid violence and high-risk behavior, promote fitness and nutrition, and offer mental health and counseling. Apart from mental health and counseling, Parrish said all grade levels participate in every program.

"Our goal is to get them while they're 5 and hold them until they're 18," Parrish said.

To keep providing these services, campaigns are in place to retire all debt and create an endowment that will support the programs long term, Patterson said.

Parrish said the center will continue to do everything in its power to continue giving youngsters a place to belong and grow.

"As long as they feel supported and cared about, it makes them want to be successful," Parrish said.

"It's a community, it's not just a program."

Online: www.westendcenter.org

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