LOFT, Living Options for Teens, was able to secure funding for its transitional living program through March 2014 thanks to community donations and a $100,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust, according to program manager Melissa Parker.

“Our youngest donor was a 6-year-old who emptied his piggy bank for us,” Parker said. “Our oldest donor was a 98-year-old woman who gave us a two-dollar bill.”

The Bend shelter on Southwest 14th Street saw a generous influx of donations following a glitch in the federal grant application process that created a $200,000 hole for a one-year grant cycle that began in March.

The problem, which former LOFT manager Pat Gundy attributed to a formatting issue in the online application software, prompted calls for a fix by members of the Oregon congressional delegation to President Barack Obama’s administration.

The shelter, which is affiliated with J Bar J Youth Services Administration and is part of the Cascade Youth and Family Center, provides transitional housing for youth from a variety of challenging backgrounds, such as unstable homes, abuse, homelessness and runaway situations.

Traditionally, the center is heavily funded by a $200,000-a-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This year, a mistake in the online application process caused the shelter’s ranking to drop, Parker said.

“We received a letter from the family services bureau saying it was their mistake due to a glitch in their website,” she said. “It was very frustrating.”

Funding, however, had already been allocated for the coming year, leaving LOFT frozen out. LOFT sheltered 27 youths in 2012.

The shelter is on track to receive the grant next year, Parker said. The application has been submitted and the funds will be available in March 2014. The million-dollar grant is paid out in a five-year cycle in increments of $200,000 per year. Though the federal grant covers most of the shelter costs, J Bar J Youth Services development coordinator Toni Ryan stresses the program continues to need community donations.

“The need for assistance for at-risk youth in our community continues to grow. While we are over the immediate crisis, the LOFT continues to need community support,” she said. “Donations given to the LOFT directly supports young people in their pursuit of safety, stability and self-sufficiency.”

For information about how to donate to LOFT, contact Parker at 541-318-3436. All donations are tax-deductible.