Gillette, Wyo. — The Campbell County Board of Commissioners approved a grant submission to access federal funding from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, Community Partnership Grant Program during its meeting on Tuesday.
Accessed through the Wyoming Department of Family Services, the grant allows funding to be awarded to local organizations to support a wide range of services to assist families in need.
“Campbell County’s community plan includes nurturing parent classes, substance abuse treatment, case management, peer support, counseling, and case management to reunify families who have lost stable housing and also includes employment and job training skills and other supports.” Kristin Young, grant management specialist for Campbell County, explained in her presentation to the board.
The funding will be divided between four local organizations: Youth Emergency Services, the Council of Community Services, Personal Frontiers Inc. and Climb Wyoming. Young’s grant application will request $129,518.50 for the upcoming fiscal year, an amount similar to previous years, to allow for funding of existing programs.
If the grant application is successful, Youth Emergency Services will receive $38,212.75, Personal Frontiers Inc. will receive $10,705.75, Council of Community Services will receive $45,600 and Climb Wyoming will receive $35,000, according to the meeting agenda packet.
Before voting to unanimously approve the application, commissioners expressed concern over whether or not the funding or services furnished by it would be made available to undocumented immigrants.
Young said that while she was not sure of specific details at the time of her presentation, most intake processes for receiving services have requirements that often involve providing government-issued identification, meaning those without would not qualify.
The motion to approve the grant as presented was moved by Commissioner Bob Jordan and seconded by Commissioner Jim Ford.
