ESC recently began a new Community Garden Project that will offer gardening space, tools and education to members of our community. Community gardens are places where people that do not have space for a garden, or just enjoy gardening, can garden with other members of the community. The project was initially developed to help low-income families improve their nutrition and self-sufficiency, but anyone in the community is welcome to participate. This truly is a a project designed to strengthen community ties.
Through the project, local Master Gardners and other volunteers will help educate participants on basic gardening skills and techniques. Gardens are located throughout Jasper, Newton and McDonald counties, so anyone in our service area has an opportunity to participate. ESC is hoping to locate garden sites at the following locations:
The Joplin Head Start and Early Head Start facility
The Boys and Girls Club of Joplin
A private lot located at 821 Central in Joplin
Crowder College (Newton County)
A private lot on 43 Hwy between Joplin and Seneca
House Inc. women's home in Silver Creek in Joplin
A city donated lot at 603 E. 20th Street in Lamar
Anderson United Methodist Church (McDonald County)
The McDonald County Senior Center in Noel
Container Gardens at Noel Early Head Start
Container Gardens at Candie Land Daycare in Anderson
Anyone that is interested in participating in the project must complete a participant application, which are available at all of ESC's outreach offices. Once the applications are processed, interested participants are matched with the garden site which is located nearest to where they live or work. The program will include periodic participant meetings for each garden site to discuss any garden details or issues that need to be addressed.
ESC is currently seeking donations for the program as well. Garden tools and supplies, especially small garden hand tools, trowels, shovels, forks, hoes and gardening gloves are still needed.
For more information about ESC's Community Garden Program please contact Randie Shrum at 417-781-0352 or by emailing her at rshrum@escswa.org.
Project Homeless Connect
ESC's 2010 Project Homeless Connect was held at Joplin Memorial Hall on March 17th. Over 100 homeless families were served by the event, which included participation by over 35 service providers! New to the event this year was the addition of free haircuts.
One participant stated, " I love that there is still hope for American people in America no matter where you come from or what social standard you come from and that through God, all things are possible."
The Project Homeless Connect is held bi-yearly and is sponsored by The Homeless Coalition of Jasper and Newton Counties.
Step Up To Leadership starts April 6th!
ESC is looking forward to the next Step Up To Leadership Program! This opportunity is aimed at training area community members who are interested in being more effective leaders in their current board and committees, or those who are interested in being a catalyst for positive change in their communities, specifically in helping low-income families.
There is a competitive mini-grant opportunity connected with the training. Applicants who receive the grants are provided with $500 to start something in their community that would address the needs of low-income citizens.
Classes are held at the Economic Security Corporation outreach office in Neosho MO. The program runs for twelve weeks and meetings are held every Tuesday evening. A light meal is provided from 5:30-6pm and training follows from 6-8 or 8:30pm.
For more information, please contact Suzanne Becker at 417-451-2206 Ext 101.
Life Skills Classes Available...
ESC's Life Skills Training continues to be successful and the Community Development division is excited to offer several more opportunities to join the class this month.
These classes help clients with skills such as budgeting, conserving energy and finding employment. Anyone can attend the trainings, but those wishing to attend must enroll in advance by contacting one of the following staff members: Sharon Havens or Sally McAffrey (Neosho) at 417-451-2206, Marcia Denny (Anderson) at 417-845-6011 or Wes Barbee (Lamar) at 417-682-5591.
April 8th-
ANDERSON: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
April 14th-
NEOSHO: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
April 21st-
LAMAR: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
April 22nd-
ANDERSON: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
April 28th-
NEOSHO: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
ESC Continues to Offer Free Tax Filing
ESC continues to offer free tax filing for eligible clients. The program is one of the few year-around Volunteer Income Tax Sites. We can file current taxes as well as back taxes for those who failed to file in previous years.
April 15th is the current year tax filing dead line, however, if you do not owe the IRS there is no penalty for late filing. There are several new credits this year that can increase returns. These include a more liberal guideline for the Additional Child Tax Credit, the Making work pay credit that can be up to $800 for married couples, as well as the Earned Income tax credit being available now to three children (as opposed to the usual two children). If you were a first time homebuyer last year or this year or purchased a brand new vehicle it could also mean significant money back on your return.
For further information, please contact Suzanne Becker at 451-2206 ext.101
Is there anything interesting going on in your department that you would like to share with our staff, board members and supporters? To have your information included in an upcoming issue of News from ESC, please contact Andrea Osiek at aosiek@escswa.org.
Economic Security Corporation of Southwest Area (ESC) is a private non-profit Community Action Agency, which was created in October 1965 to serve the needs of low-income individuals and families. The mission of the agency is "to help families currently caught in poverty to find a way out, and to work in our communities to prevent the conditions of poverty from affecting future generations."
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