Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Club prevents homelessness as a result of the COVID 19 through a $25,000 grant to the Parker Task Force for Human Services
With the recognition that so many peoples’ lives have been upended by COVID 19, the Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Club boldly stepped forward to serve their community. They awarded an unprecedented $25,000 grant to the Parker Task Force for Human Services which will be used to prevent homelessness during the pandemic.
Josh Rivero, President of Cherry Creek Valley Rotary explained, “The Club reflected on what was going on and decided it had to make a substantial difference to help people in our hometown of Parker.” When the Parker Task Force told him of its plan to use the unrestricted funds to prevent homelessness due to COVID 19, Rivero said, “If we can keep just one family from being evicted through our partnership with the Parker Task Force, we will have succeeded. But of course, we know we will be helping a multitude of people with this grant at a time when help is truly needed.”
The Parker Task Force, an all-volunteer non-profit organization has assisted people in Parker for over 33 years providing food and limited financial assistance. Steve Budnack, the Director (a volunteer position) of the organization was ecstatic when Rivero called him with the news of the grant. Budnack had been concerned about the number of requests for rent and utility assistance coming to the agency that he projects will increase over the next several months. The Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Grant is the funding solution he was looking for.
Budnack said, “this grant will keep families in their homes and relieve some of the stress in their lives.” He shared the story of a single mother who lost her job because of the pandemic, applied for unemployment but had not yet received it. She received her child support but the amount was insufficient net to cover the rent, so she turned to the Task Force which paid the remainder of her rent. Budnack added, “We will be able to help so many more families because of this grant. We can’t thank Cherry Valley Rotary Club enough for providing the financial means to keep families under their roofs and our community intact.”Cherry Creek Valley Rotary was founded in 2006 and currently flourishes with a membership of 60 community minded individuals. They look forward to being able to resume their Wednesday lunch meetings and to continuing to serve.