Funding Issues Trouble Local Non-Profit

Marcos Vega, Juvenile Assistance Diversion Effort (JADE) Family Services executive director, has a tough job.

He not only runs JADE, a South Gate-based nonprofit that diverts young lawbreakers from the justice system and criminal culture through counseling services, but he also must deal with the toughest financial situation that his organization has seen since he took over 20 years ago.

“It is very difficult to fund our services with our budget,” said Vega. “If we are not able to get the support from our regular sources, which are mostly government, this program will cease to exist.”

JADE’s budget has decreased significantly over the past year. The agency currently operates with a budget of $240,000, but last year provided services with around $700,000. The nonprofit once employed 19, but functions now with 6 staff members.

“All the juveniles we are serving…where are they going to go?” asked Vega.

The program was started in 1975 by the city governments and law enforcement agencies of Bell, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood and South Gate. The idea was to set up an organization that would help decrease juvenile delinquency through a communal services approach.

However, as of 2005, it has functioned as an independent nonprofit, as a result of the budgetary issues that each municipality was facing. Only the city of Cudahy currently provides a yearly grant to cover all the costs of their residents using their services.

Among the most important and successful programs that JADE manages are the counseling services it provides to juveniles who have been referred by either the judicial system or law enforcement agencies.

Parents of attendees are also counseled in sessions to better their relationships with their children. Parents are crucial in ensuring that the juveniles rehabilitate themselves.

JADE estimates only 15 to 10 percent of the youngsters who attend their counseling program continue to have problems with the law.”

Expanding is something JADE would like to do, but has not been able to with current funding. To help more kids, and execute strategies that could prevent youngsters from running into the law, will take money.

“[We use to] provide counseling that helped prevent kids from getting into trouble,” said Daniel Trigueros, a counselor at JADE. The nonprofit currently only has the funds to counsel referral cases. “They are sent by probation, which is already after the fact.”

When the coffers of JADE were filled with more funds, it was possible to provide both free and affordable services to youth who were having problems in school.

“[These were] kids who were showing signs of pre-delinquent behavior like poor grades or running away...things they were not arrested for,” said Trigueros. Guidance counselors would send such students to JADE.

Despite their financial difficulties, JADE is still working hard to find more funds and keeping a particularly close eye on federal grants.

“Their funding opportunities are year round,” said Vega as he glanced over at his computer. “We have applied to a few.”

To make donations to JADE, call 323-564-5233.