Copperas Cove area nonprofits discuss services

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Area nonprofits and other groups from Belton to Copperas Cove gathered Monday evening at Grace United Methodist Church in Copperas Cove to network and talk about what they have to offer Central Texas residents, to include the young and elderly, as well as veterans and civilians alike. 

Groups included Hope Pregnancy Center, Armed Services YMCA in Copperas Cove, Hill Country Community Action Association, Refuge Corporation, Star Group – Veterans Helping Veterans, Methodist Community Outreach, Operation Stand Down Central Texas, Bring Everyone In the Zone, Lone Star Legal Aid, Bell County WIC, CASA of Central Texas, Operation Phantom Support, the Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas, City of Copperas Cove, and the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce. 

Violet Read is a licensed clinical social worker and director of family outreach with Methodist Children’s Home Family Outreach, based in Killeen. Read said they have been around for about one year now in the local area, and she is looking to make inroads into Copperas Cove to provide support for families with parenting classes and connecting them with local services. For example, they help caregivers like grandparents, who often find themselves raising their grandchildren. 

Jeri Wood, community outreach coordinator for the City of Copperas Cove’s senior center and public library, said the center at 1012 North Dr. is a hub of activities during the week for senior citizens. 

Starting August 12, the center is hosting a free diabetes self-management class from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., which will run every Saturday through September with the exception of Labor Day Weekend. 

Wood said the Saturday class is meant to accommodate those who can’t attend one of the classes offered at the center during the week. 

Susan Burchfield with the Area Agency on Agency of Central Texas, based in Belton, said her agency serves a seven-county area, including Coryell County and is the one holding the wellness classes in Copperas Cove. Preregistration is requested for those classes by contacting her at (254) 770-2356 or wellnesseducation@ctcog.org. 

Wood said the center has meeting space, as does the Copperas Cove Public Library, which makes the space available at a free or reduced rate, depending on the nonprofit.

Anna Leach, director of Hope Pregnancy Center in Copperas Cove, discussed what they do for the local area, and also talked about one of the needs they have for their building, located at 601 S. Main St.

“We need siding replaced on the building,” said Leach, “but we need to find a group that is willing to step up and do it.” She said the building also needs an ADA ramp.

Both Maureen Joeutt, director of Bring Everyone In The Zone, and Jonathan Valentine, CEO of Operation Phantom Support, suggested Leach look into applying for a Home Depot grant, which offers as much as $5,000 per grant to 501(c)3 nonprofits in the local area for specific projects. 

Jouett and Valentine said their groups have both reaped the benefits of the grants annually, and said the main thing is to get a quote for the repairs and then apply for a grant to fund the project. 

“This is what it’s all about, getting groups connected and networking with each other,” Joseph Solomon with Refuge Ministries, commented about the conversations that group representatives began to have at the meeting. 

Maureen Jouett talked about Bring Everyone In The Zone and the growth they have seen in their veteran support groups in the Central Texas area. 

“Six months ago, we had approximately 300 in peer-to-peer groups. That number more than doubled three months ago to 696, and the most recent number I have is 916 in support groups,” Jouett said. There are three such growing groups in Copperas Cove.

Jouett added that she is currently looking for a space to rent in Copperas Cove that would be a “one stop shop” for veterans, for holding peer group meetings, talking with veterans’ service reps for assistance, and even a place to put a pool table for veterans to hang out.

The GCCCAN’s next meeting will be held in September and be the last meeting for 2017. Solomon said they’ve been holding the meetings every two months for more than 20 years.

To be added to the contact list or for more information, contact Refuge Corporation at 254-547-6753.