Saturday, July 31, 2010
West End Center has a good story to tell
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Walton Rutherfoord
Rutherfoord is development committee chairman of the West End Center for Youth in Roanoke.
In the heart of Roanoke's West End, the West End Center for Youth is changing lives and improving a neighborhood. When the center first opened its doors in the 1970s, it was a safe educational environment where local families could send their children after school.
After 30 years of serving more than 2,000 children in one of the city's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, that tradition still continues.
Today, the West End Center is located on Patterson Avenue and serves more than 140 children from the neighborhood through its after-school and summer programs.
During the school year, children are bused in from city schools just after the school bell rings. Once they arrive, the real work begins. Each child spends his or her afternoon participating in a range of activities designed to give them the tools necessary for becoming a responsible, productive citizen. The center does more than provide a positive after-school environment. It also encourages personal growth and smart decision-making.
The West End Center just completed its 2009-10 fiscal year on June 31 with record-breaking revenues, exceeding the average revenue total for the last 10 years by more than 15 percent and the prior year total by more than 18 percent. Its financial position is the strongest it has been in more than five years, due in large part to the generosity of supporters throughout the Roanoke region.
The road to this incredible milestone began at the beginning of the 2008-09 fiscal year when the center celebrated its 30th anniversary. At that time, the board and staff developed a strategic plan that included a bold, three-year capital campaign to increase operational reserves and to establish a permanent endowment.
Even in this challenging economy, the center has thus far secured about $1.4 million in pledges and gifts. In short, its donors have not only remained loyal, but in many cases have increased their commitments, and numerous new donors have joined the cause.
Executive Director Joy Parrish says the West End Center's success "can be attributed to the efficacy of the programs, the teamwork among the staff, the board and the generosity of donors in spite of the unprecedented challenges of the current economic climate." She also attributes much of the center's fundraising success to its partnership with The Advancement Foundation led by Annette Patterson.
As the campaign chairman and a longtime board member, I have had the privilege to see a community in action. Each day, local volunteers provide tutoring to children ranging from elementary to high school.
The staff of the center is there to help them learn valuable peer-to-peer social skills, the concepts of team work and the importance of diet and nutrition, and all of the children are encouraged to maintain a healthy physical activity level.
With the recent addition of a Community Garden project, which brings locally grown food into the West End neighborhood, the center's staff have never been more engaged with local families.
The success of the center's programs is undeniable. In a city where the graduation rate is 67 percent, the center is proud to consistently maintain an 80 percent graduation rate among its students. When you consider that more than 90 percent of the children are living in single-parent homes, and more than 50 percent are living in poverty, this achievement is astounding.
But the effects are not limited to school performance. Another impressive achievement for the West End Center is a .03 percent teen pregnancy rate, compared to the current 6 percent rate for Roanoke. The children are learning and applying the smart decision-making skills they discover at the center.
Ongoing financial support from the community makes the center's programs possible. It is fortunate to be supported by many regional organizations, such as the Foundation for Roanoke Valley, the Allstate Foundation, Cox Charities, Bank of America, the Target Foundation, The Roanoke Times, the Downtown Kiwanis Club and the Salem Rotary Club. Additionally, more than 500 individuals donate to West End Center annually.
With such strong support from the community and with such meaningful outcomes, West End Center is indeed positioned to continue helping children with limited resources find unlimited opportunity for another 30 years.
