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Noon Edition

Youth Centers in South Central Indiana

Bloomington's Boy's and Girl's Club Executive Director Jeff Baldwin, Columbus' Foundation for Youth Executive Director David Westenberger and Terre Haute's Ryves Hall Youth Center Director Jim Edwards discussed the economic impact on youth centers in south central Indiana.

Columbus' Foundation for Youth Executive Director David Westenberger:

"It's unique in certain economic times that we not only see a reduction in revenues from contribution and gifts from endowments," Westenberger said. "Our endowments are low, everything's low. So we see the revenues drop off. In times like this, the need goes up as well."

"So we have increased expenses, increased use, more kids need services for a variety of reasons due to the current economic situation. And our revenues go down because of it. So we get it on both sides, which is a little bit unusual for business in general," he said. "Our costs go up to do businesses as well. 2009 will be a very tough year for all of us."

Ryves Hall Youth Center Director Jim Edwards:

"There's a greater demand to prove our assessment. To prove that we're meeting the goals we say we are. So we spend more and more time proving those goals instead of working with the children to expand the capacity of what we already have," Edwards said.

Bloomington's Boy's and Girl's Club Executive Director Jeff Baldwin:

"As times become more challenging, people tap our services, they need it. It's a nasty double-edged sword. And it does make it pretty scary," Baldwin said.

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