PROVIDING FOR A WORTHY CAUSE

Left, Civic Center Director Calvin Bird assists a student with her academics. The Civic Center received YELL money for general operation and to set up a resource library.

Below, United Way YELL Committeeman and Schnuck's Manager Dennis Marchi counts some of the $13,000 raised during last year's campaign

Each contribution to the YELL for Newspapers campaign helps support literacy and reading-related programs in the area. Last year nearly $13,000 was given to organizations through the United Way and YELL, with the largest single recipient being the Southeast Missourian's Newspapers in Education (NIE) program, which provides over 2,500 newspapers daily to area school children free.

"Simply stated, NIE is one of the best literacy programs there is," said Jon Rust, YELL coordinator. "Through the use of the newspaper, students become better informed and, consequently, become better citizens. Newspapers demonstrate practical applications of textbook skills and concepts, bringing them alive. But best of all, newspapers are fun to read, and fun motivates learning.

Kim McDowell, NIE coordinator for the Southeast Missourian, agreed. "The program has been successful far beyond our expectations," said McDowell. "Teachers told us students love it. Students start out reading the comics and police reports and end up reading the front page and following news events. This establishes a habit of reading in a child that will reward them the rest of their lives."

Without the support of YELL, McDowell explained, NIE would have to be reduced.

"We are scheduled to provide newspapers to over 360 teachers this year. The cost of doing this is over $120,000. While the Southeast Missourian is committed to funding over 66 percent of the program, we are supposed to determine this 66 percent by doubling how much the community gives through YELL sales and YELL advertising. YELL is the linchpin in determining the annual scope of NIE," McDowell said.

Last year, YELL sales brought in just over $6,000 to NIE, while YELL advertising donors contributed an additional $15,000.

"All in all, the newspaper picked up nearly 90 percent of the cost of NIE last year, and we can't afford to continue underwriting that much of the program," Rust said. "That's why a successful YELL is so important. Otherwise, we'll have to start turning teachers away."

Other groups receiving funding from the sale of YELL newspapers last year included the Community Counseling Center, Cape Girardeau Civic Center, Jackson public schools, Otahki Girl Scout Council, Lutheran Family and Children's Services, American Red Cross and the Cape Girardeau County Association for Retarded Citizens.

A $1,000 contribution to the Community Counseling Center helped fund a project that assists mentally ill people with easing their way back into the community and daily life.

"Project Transition was on the verge of ending early because funding was no longer there," said Denice Essner, director of Psychosocial Rehabilitation at the center. "The YELL funds helped us be able to continue the program for the rest of the year."

The project is a joint effort between the counseling center and the university. It allows people in Community Counseling Center rehabilitation programs to enroll in classes at the university as a way of easing them back into the community.

"It provides people with long-term mental illnesses an opportunity to have a variety of educational experiences," Essner said. "And it gets them into an integrated setting in the community. Some choose it as a way to get used to being on a college campus again. And, of course, the faculty can provide expertise that we can't."

In the past, Project Transition was funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Last year was the first year the education department wouldn't fund it completely, and the Community Counseling Center was faced with stopping the program, she said.

"The center didn't have the funds to carry the entire program. That's when we started looking into other funding," said Essner.

The people served by Project Transition are involved with the counseling center's many rehabilitation programs, including group homes, assisted-living apartment programs, or are living on their own. Some also come from local boarding homes.

"They are all in a rehabilitation program of some sort and involved in the psychosocial center," she said.

Other not-for-profit groups also received financial help from the YELL campaign.

Lutheran Family and Children's Services (LFCS) of Southeast Missouri used its YELL funds to purchase printed and video materials for the Single Expectant Parents and the Adoptive Family programs.

Nancy Stiegemeyer of LFCS said: "The tapes and printed material we purchased are used in the classroom to explain to kids why it's a whole lot better not to become single expectant parents.

"We stress the importance of education and being able to support children financially. For the adoptive family group, we bought materials that would be useful for families who have adopted children and are in the process of melding together. It's really a support group for adoptive families."

Stiegemeyer said information from the materials is used in a monthly newsletter called the "Family Line" mailed to 150 families.

She said if it weren't for the YELL funds, "we wouldn't have the materials available to us.

"It was really very valuable to us. Counselors would make copies of the materials and use them. The money was used in a good way and we're really grateful for it."

The LFCS operates through donations from private citizens and the United Way. They stress adoption as a means to deal with unexpected pregnancy, and they counsel mothers who choose to raise their babies on their own.

"We try to help them make the best decision for them and try to encourage them to continue to go to school," she said. "We try to help them see how they can manage best for their lives and for their babies' lives."

Other recipients of money raised from the YELL campaign last year: the American Red Cross purchased first aid workbooks used in first aid and CPR classes; the Jackson public schools used their YELL funds to purchase videos, posters and booklets for a "Becoming Aware" program for pre-teen girls; and the Cape Girardeau Civic Center was given funds to help with operational costs and to set up a resource library.

The Otahki Girl Scout Council used YELL funds in their "Right to Read" program and the Cape Girardeau County Association for Retarded Citizens used YELL funds to purchase educational tools to teach sign language, home safety and developmental training.

Groups with literacy or reading-related programs interested in receiving assistance from the YELL campaign this year should contact Dorothy Klein at the United Way, 334-9634. All groups seeking funding assistance must present a proposal for use of funds. Funds are allocated by a special United Way YELL committee, which is also responsible for fund use oversight.