Catalina’s CHOICES program that worked for more than a decade to keep Avalon’s youth on the straight path, free of substance abuse, continues to circle its financial wagons.
With the recent loss of a major annual donation of about $40,000, the non-profit program has been struggling to stay afloat and continue offering the services it provides.
Catalina’s CHOICES program that worked for more than a decade to keep Avalon’s youth on the straight path, free of substance abuse, continues to circle its financial wagons.
With the recent loss of a major annual donation of about $40,000, the non-profit program has been struggling to stay afloat and continue offering the services it provides.
According to Rhonda Kalish, the mostly volunteer program’s only paid employee, CHOICES is still struggling to find solutions to the program’s current financial crisis. In the meantime, supporters of the program are pulling out the stops and doing anything they can, large or small to raise money to keep it afloat.
To that end, with the help of Avalon residents such as Mindy Malan, there will be a “Save Me Saturday” fundraiser at Along the Way Thrift Shop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays from April 20 through May 18 at the shop located next to Cornerstone Teen Center at 236 Metropole Ave.
Avalon residents are asked to bring donations of “previously loved” items in good condition to the thrift store and to come and shop there during the fundraiser. All proceeds will benefit the CHOICES program.
Kalish and others involved in CHOICES recently held a planning session to develop plans to make the program more financially fit.
Part of the agenda included refining its goals and mission, which was described as being “to encourage community involvement in helping Island you make responsible decisions about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.”
Such a goal can be more of challenge in resort towns such as Avalon, where children grow up exposed to people on vacation, partying and imbibing alcohol and perhaps engaging in other substance use.
A portion of the meeting also focused on ways to generate funding for CHOICES.
“Everyone got into groups and brainstormed on how we could get funding,” Kalish, a continuing care specialist said.
One idea was to hire a grant writer who could bring in corporate and other donations. The group designated Dawn Sampson to lead a fundraising team.
“We also thought of some kind of tax per drink sold in Avalon to compensate all these kids exposed to this drunken behavior,” Kalish said. “The statistics show that in Avalon some kids start drinking regularly at age 10.” While the funding has dropped off, Kalish said CHOICES is carrying on as best it can.
“We are still doing a lot of the things to educate the community and schools and do some parent training and teaching,” Kalish said.
Kalish said CHOIICES used to offer an annual course in server training for restaurants, hotels and others that serve alcohol.
At the meeting it was revealed that CHOICES’ funding had dwindled to $12,547.
In 2012 its annual budget was $87,750—about $7,312 per month. Its expenses were about $20,229 more than its revenues last year.
Kalish said anyone wishing to help may contact her at (310) 848-4381.
