On August 28, 2008 in Chicago, IL at the National Community Action Partnership meeting, Missouri was highlighted in three areas:
The 2008 Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Human Services Award was presented to Charles McCann, CCAP Emeritus of St. Joseph, Missouri. McCann has worked with Community Action for over 41 years, most notably with the Missouri State Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) office.
Missouri had the most 2008 Certified Community Action Professionals this year. Five of the 24 CCAPs (or 21%) were from Missouri. ESC's Community Development Director, Tammy Walker, CCAP, completed the re-certification process this year.
In addition, the 2008 Sargent Shiver Annual Achievement Award was given to Ms. Sara Heistand from Joplin, MO (article below). Sara greatly embodies the spirit of Community Action. She spoke at the awards dinner, broke the ice with a joke and then thanked everyone who had helped her along the way. She received a standing ovation by the over 1,200 people in attendance. It was a proud moment for all of the ESC staff in attendance (John Joines, Kathy Flinn, Beverly Heistand, Artie Monroe and Debbie Markman) to witness such a wonderful success story. Sara is the second Sargent Shriver award recipient from ESC.
This is what community action is all about and everyone that works for Economic Security Corporation should be very proud!
Article by Debbie Markman
Client receives national award!
ESC client Sara Heistand's hard work and dedication toward gaining self-sufficiency were acknowledged last week at the Community Action Partnership Annual Conference in Chicago. She was honored with the Sergeant Shriver Achievement Award which recognizes and honors achievements by individuals who, with the assistance of a Community Action Agency, have changed their lives and achieved independence.
Sara (who's full story was featured in last month's newsletter) worked with ESC case manager Suzanne Becker for the past 6 years. During that time she was able to obtain transportation, graduate from college as a Registered Nurse, purchase her first home and gain employment as a hospice care nurse for Trinity Hospice. She completed these goals with the assistance of a variety of Community Action programs. Sara's determination to reach her goals and make a better life for her daugher, Emma, helped her to overcome many setbacks along the way.
Sara continues to serve as an inspiration to our staff, clients and all who know her. We are proud of her and the dedication she gave to gaining self-sufficiency for her and her family.
ESC receives grant for tools!
Each year, the Directors of the Walton Family Foundation ask Arvest Bank of Carthage to advise them of outstanding charities in our local community to which they might provide assistance. This year, they selected Economic Security Corporation to receive a grant in the amount of $5,000.
These funds will be used to purchase tools for ESC's HeRO and Weatherization programs. Currently, grants for these programs provide only for labor and supplies. They do not allocate funding for tools. This lack of funding is what makes this grant from Walton Family Foundation and Arvest Bank so valuable to the continuation of this much needed program.
Through ESC's Home Repair Program (HeRO), low-income applicants can receive needed home improvements at no cost. These improvements could include, but are no limited to, roof repair or replacement, bathroom remodeling, window replacement and porch repairs. The result is a safer and more energy efficient home for our low-income clients.
ESC's Weatherization program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Some of the measures utilized in this program include replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lighting, adding insulation, weather stripping doors and windows, air sealing duct work and repairing electric furnaces.
Applicants for both programs must meet eligibility criteria.
By reducing the energy bills of low-income families instead of offering aid, these programs reduce dependence and liberates energy savings for more pressing family issues. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, weatherization reduces heating bills by an average of 31% and overall energy bills by $358 per year at current prices.
A Carthage home which recently received repairs through ESC's HeRO and Weatherization programs.
IDA participants purchase home!
Participants in the Missourians Building Assets program closed on their first home August 22nd. The Millers were able to save a down-payment for the home through the program, which provides matching funds to low-income clients attempting to increase self-sufficiency. ESC recently celebrated their achievement, while recognizing the partners who supported their efforts.
Micah and Diana Miller, parents to 7 month old Aiden, were the 1st of our many clients to purchase a home by putting 20% down, and paying off the PMI. Micah works for Vines and Violets, and Diana recently secured a part-time position as a dental assistant at Dr. McCready's office.
The couple had worked to save money prior to participating in IDA, and worked to increase their savings throughout the program. They came into the program with excellent money management skills, and had already been making sacrifices to achieve their savings goal of becoming homeowners.
The Millers have plans to continue saving in order to achieve a level of self-sufficiency that allows them room for emergency repairs to their home or vehicles.
The Missourians Building Assets Project is designed to allow low-income wage earners to save money in an account that is matched on a 2:1 basis toward a specific saving goal. That means that for every dollar a participant saves, they earn two dollars in matching funds. Participants can save up to $2,000 to be matched with funds from state, local and federal funding sources. A key aspect to the project is that participants are required to attend economic self-sufficiency workshops. Participants are then able to use their matched funds to buy a home.
For more information about the Missourians Building Assets Program, please contact Suzanne Becker at 417-451-2206 Ext. 101.
Transitional Housing Opening...
The Transitional House in Neosho is located at 307 Glenview and is a 3-bedroom house. It is complete with furniture, appliances, washer and dryer. A family must have children in their custody and be homeless. All adults must be willing and able to work full-time and it they do not have a high school diploma or GED, they must attend GED classes each week. The family must also have transportation. The Neosho Transitional Housing Program allows a family to stay in the house for a year. During that year they will meet weekly with a case manager to help them with their goals and secure permanent housing.
If you know of a family that is homeless and wants to better themselves through this program, contact one of ESC's outreach offices. The family must have an intake done and then they will be scheduled for an interview with the Transitional Housing Coordinator - Carol Thomas. If you have questions, please contact her at 417-781-0352 ext. 240.
Head Start "Kick Off"!
Representative Ruestman to join celebration
ESC's Head Start program is gearing up for back-to-school and will be celebrating the start of a new school year with a series of "Kick Off" events. These events will be fun and informal evenings planned for parents and children to meet the staff and teachers at the centers they will be attending.
South Joplin's Head Start "Kick Off" will feature a special appearance by Missouri District 131 Representative Marilyn Ruestman, who will join ESC in celebrating the beginning of a new Head Start child care year. Their event will be held Thursday, September 11th beginning at 5:30 pm.
Dates and times of the other Kick Off events include:
Carthage: September 11th at 5:00pm
Golden City: September 10th at 6:00pm
Sarcoxie: September 11th at 6:00pm
North Joplin: September 9th at 6:00pm
Webb City: September 15th at 6:00pm
Carl Junction: September 11th at 3:00pm
Anderson: September 11th at 5:00pm
Granby: September 15th at 6:00pm
Longview: September 15th at 6:00pm
Neosho: September 10th Open House 10am-6pm
Noel: September 12th at 5:30pm
Seneca: September 4th at 6:30pm
South Joplin: September 11th at 5:30pm
Please join us as we begin a new and exciting year!
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: Joanna Watson, 417-781-0352 Sally McAffrey, 417-781-0352 Marcia Denny, 417-845-6011 Sharon Havens, 417-451-2206.
September 3rd-
LAMAR: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
September 4th-
ANDERSON: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
September 8th-
LAMAR: Budgeting from 9:00-1:00
September 9th-
JOPLIN: Energy from 1:00-3:00
September 10th-
NEOSHO: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
September 11th-
ANDERSON AND JOPLIN: Budgeting from 1:00-5:00
September 22nd-
JOPLIN: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
September 25th-
ANDERSON: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
September 26th-
JOPLIN: Budgeting from 8:30-12:30
Back to School Fair!
Friday, August 1st, ESC's Barton County outreach office hosted the county's first Back to School Fair! A variety of agencies participated, providing everything from information on area programs to haircuts. 119 pre-qualified students from Lamar, Liberal and Golden City attended the event and received school supplies.
The school fair was made possible through contributions made by area businesses, enabling the purchase of supplies for students.
In an effort to reduce the strain on Barton County businesses, a raffle was held to finance the purchase of supplies for the 2009-2010 school year. The winner of the drawing received two nights lodging at the Hall of Fame motel, two tickets to the Dixie Stampede and two tickets to the Jim Stafford show, all in Branson. Proceeds from the raffle raised $293.
For more information about the fair, or how you can contribute to next year's event, please contact Pam Judd or Wes Barbee in the Lamar office at 682-5591.
Kinder "Keeps the Heat On"
Peter Kinder, Missouri's Lietenant Governor was in Joplin on August 22nd to introduce his new initiative, "Keep the Heat On". The initiative is intended to give Missouri seniors information on how to prepare for and reduce their winter heating costs.
The "Keep the Heat On" initiative includes ways to make your home more energy efficient and provides low-income seniors with the resources to find programs and services to help pay, or reduce the cost of, their monthly utility bill.
During Kinder's time in Joplin he also helped to promote LIHEAP, Missouri's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The Missouri Department of Social Services' Family Support Division partners with ESC and the 18 other Community Action Agencies in Missouri to administer the program.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program which helps low-income individuals and families with their heating and cooling bills. Missouri's LIHEAP has two parts: energy assistance (EA) and the energy crisis intervention program (ECIP).
For more information about LIHEAP, Weatherization or other energy related programs at ESC, please contact a Community Development Staff member at 781-0352.
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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