|
|
Head Start Recognized
ESC was recently notified by the Office of the Governor that our Head Start program is one of five in the state identified as a Center of Excellence. In particular, the Early Head Start program's oral health program was identified for exceptional quality and innovation. Later this year, the program will compete with other Head Start programs from across the U.S. for national honors.
According to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, "Section 657B of the Head Start Act authorizes Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood to recognize programs of exceptional quality that can serve as exemplary models for other programs. The Centers of Excellence program has been allocated $2 million as part of Head Start's FY 2009 appropriation [Public Law 111-8]. The Centers of Excellence program will recognize Head Start and Early Head Start grantees that are performing at the highest levels of quality. Excellent and effective programs are those that have achieved and are actively building upon full compliance with the Program Performance Standards. These are programs that are implementing comprehensive, innovative and targeted approaches to enhance program services. Such programs are producing positive, measurable outcomes for children's school success; families supporting children's learning, and increased staff competency."
The recognized programs will provide all Head Start programs and other early childhood organizations opportunities to benefit from the practices that guided them on a path to excellence. Programs receiving Centers of Excellence grants will be required to use at least 15 percent of the funds to disseminate best practices to other programs across the nation.
Congratulations to Leisa Harnar, Amy Schmidt, Nancy Karst and the rest of the Early Head Start staff who work with families on oral health needs!
|
Missourians Building Assets
ESC currently has two openings available for participation in the Missourians Building Assets program. Participants meeting the qualifications of the grant program are qualified to use their savings, along with matching grant funds, toward the purchase of their first home. Employees are allowed to participate in the program if they meet eligibility requirements.
The program provides a match ratio of 2:1 up to $2000. This means that for every $1 a participant saves, the MBA program will match $2. If they are able to save the full $2000, they receive $4000 in matching funds for a total downpayment on a home of $6,000!
Participants are NEVER required to pay back the matching grant funds following the purchase of the home.
Along with the matching grant aspect of the program, MBA participants are required to be in the program for a minimum of 6 months and no longer than two years. During that time they must fulfill financial and home ownership literacy requirements which are completed through weekly case management meetings while enrolled in the program.
If you or someone you know is interested in being a homeowner, have not owned a home in the past three years, and are employed full-time, this is the program for you! Contact Suzanne Becker at 417-451-2206, Carol O'Brien at 781-0352 ext. 240 or Tammy Walker at 781-0352 ext. 216 for more information.
|
|
Life Skills Classes...
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.
February 10th-
NEOSHO: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
February 11th-
ANDERSON: Budgeting and Energy Savings from 9:00-3:00
February 17th-
LAMAR: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
February 24th-
NEOSHO: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
February 25th-
ANDERSON: Budgeting and Energy Savings from 9:00-3:00
|
|
Improving Graduation Rates
ESC recently began working on a collaborative project with the Joplin R-VIII School District which will develop community partnerships and resources in an effort to increase the graduation rate. The idea for the program began almost 14 years ago when a group of concerned community members established a taskforce called Graduating With A Future (GWAF). The program, sponsored by ESC, had a mission to increase coordination of at-risk youth services to ensure that all students graduated from Joplin High School. The GWAF taskforce has been providing case management services to at-risk students ever since. In March of 2008, ESC received an opportunity to participate in the Joplin R-VIII School District's Community Strategic Planning process. A work committee called "Persistence to Graduation" was formed and members worked to develop three plan of action statements. Most of the plans the group focused on centered around the organization of community support resources including: business partnerships, faith-based partnerships and human services partnerships. The ultimate outcome was simple, "increase the graduation rate and eventually have 'all' students graduate from high school." The action statements decided upon by the group were approved by the Joplin Board of Education last spring. Then, the stars aligned and a funding opportunity presented itself. Passage of the National Economic Stimulus Package provided funding for Community Development Block Grant (CSBG) programs. The purpose of CSBG funding is to allow grass-roots community planning in developing local programs. ESC placed a grant request for the program they had outlined in their planning and it was approved in October. 
Kim Vann has been hired by ESC and the Joplin R-VIII School District to serve as the Community Development Coordinator for this invaluable project. We welcome her to our staff and look forward to the benefits this program will bring to our community!
|
|
Need help filing your taxes?
ESC is once again providing income tax assistance through the VITA program to income qualified clients. We just recently received a new income guideline for the program, which now means that many of ESC's employees now qualify for this FREE program!
The filing season for 2009 tax returns began on January 19th, 2010... so don't delay!
For assistance, please contact or visit your local VITA location:
NEOSHO, Economic Security Corporation
Opens January 19, 2010
Mon-Thurs. 8am-7pm
Friday 8am-5pm
We prefer appointments but try to accomodate walk-ins when possible. Any tax preparation after 5:00 pm will ONLY be for employed clients, by appointment.
PINEVILLE, American Legion
Opens February 3, 2010
Wednesdays 1:00-7:00pm
JOPLIN, North Park Mall
Opens January 25, 2010
Mon-Wed and Friday 9am-4pm; Thurs 9am-7pm
During March this site will be closed on Wednesdays
CARTHAGE, Family Literacy Center
Opens February 5, 2010
Friday 4-7pm; Saturday 10am-2pm
VITA sites electronically file taxes for individuals and families. They reserve the right to deny doing a return that goes beyond the scope of the program. Examples include some self employment, farm taxes, minister tax returns and some truck driver returns. All volunteer tax preparers are IRS certified and use IRS approved TaxWise software for filing.
|
|
Changes to Project Help
ESC is the administrating agency of Project Help in a joint effort with Empire District Electric Company. The program is an assistance program created to meet the emergency energy-related expenses of the elderly and/or disabled residents in Empire's electric service area. For many of these people, protection against extreme heat or cold can be a matter of life or death.
Guidelines for the program were changed recently. Clients can now be assisted with current bills as long as they have experienced some kind of an emergency that caused them to not be able to pay toward their electric bill.
To be eligible for Project Help, applicants must reside in Empire's electric service area, be 60 years of age or older, or be disabled to the extent that they cannot be economically self-sufficient and have no other resource available.
ESC will determine when the emergency needs exist and will administer the use of available funds to meet those needs. The program is not intended to provide ongoing support but to provide temporary assistance to those in a crisis situation. Any energy bill of the truly needy for heating or cooling may qualify for the program regardless of fuel source.
Applicants must provide their bill, a listing of their expenses, proof of income and proof of disability or age.
Individuals wishing to apply for the program can either contact ESC at 781-0352 or apply online at www.escswa.org.
Wish to Donate?
Project Help is totally funded through voluntary donations and it is simple to donate to the program. By adding exactly $1 to your electric bill every month, the money is automatically donated to the Project Help program. If you would like to donate more than a dollar, just add that amount to your regular bill along with a note that those funds should be paid toward Project Help. All contributions received by Empire are given monthly to Economic Security Corporation to be used to help pay emergency costs of the truly needy. All contributions are tax deductible.
|
Rental Unit Available in Noel!
ESC is now accepting applications for its rental housing unit in Noel, which will be available February 18, 2010. The duplex, which was built last year, has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a single car garage. Rent is $425 per month with a $480 security deposit. Applicants must meet income qualifications.
For more information or to apply, please call 417-781-0352 ext. 222. |
|
Home Repair Assistance
The HOME Repair Program (HeRO) is seeking applicants from Jasper County. Through the HeRO program, selected eligible applicants will receive needed home repairs at no cost. These repairs could include, but are not limited to, roof repair or replacement, bathroom remodeling, window replacement and porch repair.
Applicants for the program must meet eligibility criteria:
- Clients must live in Jasper county.
- Clients must meet income eligibility guidelines that are based on a sliding scale. (Example: A single person household can have a gross income of no more than $26,800 annually, a three-person household can earn no more than $34,450).
- The property must be occupied by an income-eligible homeowner and be the owner's principal residence.
- The home must be located on less than 10 acres of land.
- If the home is a mobile home, it cannot be located on leased or rented land, must be permanently attached to the land by means of a poured concrete foundation, permanently attached to utilities, and the wheels, axels and hitch must be removed.
For those within the city limits of Joplin, priority will be given to residents of the Junge neighborhood target area.
For the rest of Jasper County (those living outside Joplin city limits) priority will be given to elderly head of households (65 or older).
For an application, clients should visit Economic Security Corporation's office in Joplin (302 S. Joplin) or Carthage (601 E. 6th Street). For more information about the program, please contact the housing department at 781-0352 or 623-0983.
The Home Rehabilitation Program (HeRO) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
| |
| 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. |
|
|
Home
