By Chris Cobb
The Herald-Zeitung
Published April 6, 2010

Area nonprofits received what representatives said was much-needed funding this past week to help programs devoted to caring for those in need.

Each year, United Way of Comal County allocates its donations to fund efforts by other organizations to address youth and family services, seniors, community health and crisis care.

This year local United Way is awarding the more than half a million dollars in grants to area nonprofits and charitable organizations.

“To some of these agencies we do supply a vital need,” said UWCC President Rhonda Zunker. “We try to reach everybody.”

The organization is giving $574,622 to 26 nonprofits throughout the county, with some of the biggest recipients being Communities in Schools, the Comal County Senior Citizens Foundation, the Crisis Center of Comal County and the Community Resource and Recreation Center of Canyon Lake.

“These funds are vital to what we do,” said Darin Zumwalt of the CRRC in Canyon Lake, which was one of this year’s largest grant recipients.

Zumwalt said the $19,000 awarded to the nonprofit would help fund their crisis program, which provides things like a charitable food pantry, financial assistance for prescriptions drugs and help paying utility bills.

The money couldn’t come at a better time, as he said the need and demand for their services has grown around 38 percent over the past year.

“So we need all we can get,” he said.

And CRRC is just one of the more than two dozen grant recipients, all providing what United Way representatives said are vital services.

“We really do try to make sure that services aren’t duplicated, and that are help is really going to where it will have the most positive impact on the community,” Zunker said.