Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Pauline Kiser, director of the Community Council on Youth, stands in front of the new office on Fairview Drive. After being shuffled around for years, the council has found a permanent home. Below, Community Council on Youth staff members Amber Meeks, left, and Rosa Laurie unpack boxes Monday afternoon at the new offices.
After years of being shuffled from location to location - including the director's dining room - the Community Council On Youth has finally found a permanent home.
"We're really excited. For two reasons, really," explained director Pauline Kiser. "The biggest thing is it lends credibility when you have a professional office.
"It has also increased, by at least three times, our accessibility to the community. We're now here for everyone."
The council was established in 1999 to act as a go-between for youth organizations and city government.
Last year, council members filtered out $370,000 worth of applications to award $108,000 of grant money.
The council also raises money to award to various youth resources, including the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, the Mentor Center and the Ron Wood Family Resource Center.
Over the last five years, the council has distributed $725,000 to local agencies.
"That's why we worked out of my home. The money needs to get to the proper channels," Kiser said. "We still try to operate very frugally. Our goal is to make sure as much money as possible is funneled back out to direct-service providers."
The council was first housed in an office near the Boys and Girls Club. However, Nevada Hispanic Services expanded and absorbed the space. From 2000 to 2002, the members met in Kiser's dining room. In 2002, the Carson City Juvenile Probation Office donated 100 square feet of space to use as an office.
An $84,000 subgrant from the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, allowed the council to move into its own office suite in March.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for 2 p.m. today to announce the grand opening.
In addition to supporting alcohol- and tobacco-prevention clubs at the high school, Kiser said the council is planning a new group next year.
The group will consist of about 20 Carson High School students who will promote diversity awareness.
"Peer education gets much better results than adult lecturing," Kiser said.
"These kids realize that talking about a tough issue isn't always met without resistance, but they're committed to making change through their own actions."
With the new office, Kiser said she expects to see even more growth.
"We're getting more visible and therefore helping more people," she said.
Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.
