Announcing Allocations Amounts

After months of reviewing applications, finding volunteers, and day-long allocations meetings, we finally have this year’s service partners and allocations amounts set! This year’s allocations process posed a lot of difficulties–lots of great programs applied for funds, the needs these organizations have continue to grow, and we had less money to allocate. The staff truly appreciates the time, effort and thoughtfulness our allocations committee and board members have put into these funding decisions. Its not easy work, but your work makes such an impact in our community.

You can find a listing of this year’s service partners and their funded amounts in the Great Falls Tribune.

No Takers

I went to check out the prescription bus today, which stopped for an hour this morning up at RSVP and would you believe that in the 20 minutes I was there, there was absolutely NOBODY there to meet with these folks and explore benefits they may qualify for.  Not sure if this was due to little or no marketing, but this seems to me like something people could get on board with. At least I got a nice tour of RSVP’s new location (thanks Audrey!).

A few years ago, UWCC’s board of directors had a series of guest speakers at board meetings, and one of the speakers talked about senior citizens and addiction–whether it be related to alcohol, drugs, and even prescription drugs. But this speaker also said that when seniors can’t afford their medications, they look for other options to self-medicate (like a glass or several of wine to ease arthritis pain or something like that…I’m sure this isn’t isolated to just senior citizens). So there must be a need for monetary help with prescriptions…I just find it hard to believe and a little disappointing that “the bus” didn’t get a turnout. Maybe next year…

RSVP Director Audrey Finlayson With "The Bus"

Prescription Help

With the cost of prescription drugs in these difficult times, many people are probably making the decision to forego buying their medications in order to make ends meet or get by. However, this morning we received an exciting press release from RSVP announcing the arrival of the Help is Here prescription bus! The bus will be at RSVP’s new office location, 1801 Benefis Court, on Wednesday, May 27, from 10am-11am.

This effort is a collaboration between America’s pharmaceutical research companies, and brings help to people who are uninsured or financially struggling. The bus is heading all across America to help people access their medications. What a fantastic resource for our community!

Teen Pregnancy

Today we received an email from Voices of Hope advertising a workshop addressing teen pregnancy in Cascade County and while this isn’t all that noteworthy, one of the statements in the press release stated that Cascade County has had one of the largest increase of teen pregnancies in the state of Montana. And according to a report released by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, Cascade County ranks in the top ten of counties in Montana in terms of teen pregnancies over a five year period. Yikes!

There are lots of local agencies working to combat teen pregnancy, both in the public and private sector. However, it seems like the media can almost put us two steps back to their one step forward by publicizing and glorifying teen pregnancy (think Jamie Lynn Spears). So it was interesting to see this week’s People magazine cover story, featuring teen mom Bristol Palin lamenting the consequences of her decisions. Maybe this is the best angle to teach teens.