Ultimate Christmas Gift: Tonya's House receives $24,000 donation!
Tonya’s House received a very generous Christmas gift last week – an anonymous $24,000 donation.
The donation arrived in the mail Dec. 23, along with another $1,000 anonymous donation. The $24,000 gift is the largest single gift the organization has ever received in its nine-year history. The Tonya’s House Board of Directors would like to extend its extreme appreciation of the generosity of the community.
“It is so wonderful that we work on behalf of a cause that inspires this kind of compassion,” said Tonya’s House Board Chairman Chris Burford.
The donation will help Tonya’s House complete the renovation of the basement of its house for at-risk teen girls. The total project – estimated at around $25,000 – will transform the unfinished basement into a finished area, complete with common area, office, full bathroom and storage area. A $5,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation earlier this fall has already jumpstarted the project, which was awarded to Zollman Construction.
The Board of Directors for Tonya’s House hopes to have the project completed by this spring.
In addition to the monetary donations, all of the residents at Tonya’s House received Christmas gifts from the women of the Eagle’s Lodge.
Tonya’s House provides a home and services for homeless and at-risk teenage girls. Tonya’s House creates an environment where these girls can focus on their educations, life skills, health care and reuniting with their families. The organization coordinates with a variety of local service providers to develop treatment programs and life skills training for residents. The organization was founded by ElRae Wells in 2001, and now has funding support from Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. Tonya’s House also relies upon grants and donations from the local community.
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Link to KVEW-tv (Tri-Cities, Wash.) news story: http://www.kvewtv.com/article/2010/dec/28/pendleton-home-risk-teenage-girls-receives-24000-a/
Link to KEPR-tv (Tri-Cities, Wash.) news story: http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/112695119.html