A Place To Live

This month has been an extremely hard month for a single mom who has always been able to provide for herself and her two children. 

 

She has worked at her employment for many years and has worked up on the pay scale.

 

The mom came to our office very emotional and feeling embarrassed at the same time having to ask for help. She stated that she has been so depressed because of having to move out of her rental due to it being sold, vehicle repairs, medical issues and missing work because of sickness and not knowing where they were going to live. 

 

We visited about the cost of high deposits on other rentals and utilities. I was able to make contact with a landlord for her in low-income housing, and there happened to be a family unit open where she will be able to move in next week. The landlord is willing to work with her on the deposit. The mom is so excited and thankful knowing she will be saving money, and her new place has just been remodeled. 

 

Today I saw a new person when she came in to the office thanking Community Action for helping her find housing and believing in her.

 ~~~by Jana Chase ~ Community Services Coordinator
Superior/Nuckolls, Webster, and Clay, Counties

Assistance For Jim

Over the last couple of months Hastings and Minden have seen an influx of seniors coming in to sign up for the Commodity Supplemental Food program and for weatherization. The economy has hit the older generation; at times it seems they are the ones suffering the most.

“Jim” came into the Minden office seeking deposit assistance. He is living on a fixed social security income and was needing $460 deposit and a prorated 1st month’s rent of $175 that would have taken most of his social security. Community Action was able to assist with the deposit, provide a food pantry, voucher for The Closet to help set up his new apartment, and signed him up for CSFP. Jim was thankful for all of the assistance that Community Action was able to provide.

 - Katie Shaw
Community Services Coordinator
Hastings/Adams, Minden/Kearney Counties

Breast Cancer survivors gather in Kearney

by General Reporter - KHAS Channel 5

A small group of Breast Cancer survivors gathered in Kearney Sunday to celebrate life and continue to raise awareness.

Either being a breast cancer survivor or a supporter of a survivor, the group of about twenty gathered at the Kearney Holiday Inn.

While honoring the attendees for the common bond they shared, organizers wanted to get the word out about the 2nd Annual Race for the Cure to be held in two months.

The central Nebraska group started holding its own race because traveling to Denver caused a strain for some.

"We started this race last year," said Julie Weir, a member of the Co-chair Central Nebraska Race for the Cure. "We had a core committee of about twelve people. We each had a different function within that committee and we put on this race and we were very pleased and surprised to have so many come."

The 2nd Annual Central Nebraska Race for the Cure will be held on September 29th at UNK. 

In This Month's Spotlight

In the SPOTLIGHT this month at Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska

C.A.R.E Program

Over the years, the Child Abuse Resource and Education program has offered many different programs.  Currently, C.A.R.E. offers four programs – Happy Bear, Bullying Prevention, Love and Logic, and Safe with You. 

            The Happy Bear presentations are provided to day-cares and schools in the Kearney and Hastings areas.  Generally, presentations are for kids from preschool through 2^nd grade.  During the presentations, issues like appropriate touch, boundaries and comfort zones are discussed.  We also talk about how to react to someone who makes us feel uncomfortable, including talking to a trusted adult.  Happy Bear does a great job of making this difficult subject easier for the kids to talk about.  Since I have been facilitating the Happy Bear program (just over one year), three children have disclosed inappropriate situations that have led to action being taken by school counselors.  In the past year, over 1,000 children have experienced a Happy Bear presentation. 

            Bullying prevention is available to schools as well.  Most of the requests come from elementary schools, but I have worked with the middle schools, too.  Bullying presentations vary depending on the ages of the kids, but we generally cover what a bully is/what they look like, why they bully, who they target and why they target them, how to react to a bully, and how to help someone who is being bullied.  In the past year, over 500 kids have attended this presentation. 

            Love and Logic parenting classes are offered approximately 3 times a year at Mid and per request from other organizations.  I attended the Love and Logic Train the Trainers in May and learned quite a bit from the founders of the program.  Generally, the Love and Logic classes occur once a week and last 4-6 weeks.  Topics discussed during the class include healthy relationships, sharing control, ending whining and arguing, potty training, morning and bedtime routines, modeling positive behaviors, and enforceable statements.  A fee of $25 per person or $35 per couple is charged for the class.  Class sizes have ranged from one-on-one to over 50 people.  Over the last year, over 100 people have taken a Love and Logic class through Mid, and we have had wonderful responses to the program!

            I recently became certified to teach the Safe with You program.  Safe with You is a three-part training that includes information on child abuse/neglect, shaken baby syndrome and safe sleep for infants.  This program is specifically geared towards child care facilities and anyone working with young children.  Although day-cares are not yet required by the state to take this training, many day-cares are already expecting their staff to attend because of the vital information it provides.

            School will be starting soon, and I look forward to another year working with the kiddos and helping them better their lives.  I will be having another Love and Logic class starting this fall – be on the lookout for info soon!

 – JESSICA DIETLOFF

You and Your Farmer's Market

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - -
Sell Your Home Grown Products Locally

Farmer’s Markets are great places to sell produce from your larger than family size garden, farm garden plot or from your kitchen. Following are some “pros” “cons” and “suggestions” for successful selling at local farmer’s markets.

Pros: You’ll get the best prices for your produce. You are ‘face to face’ with your buyers and see their satisfaction. Customers get to know your quality and will be repeat buyers. Minor imperfections do not normally affect sales. Large zucchini will sell here, nowhere else. Decorative items like fall gourds, pumpkins, colored corn, broom corn, etc. will sell very well. Home baked bread, dinner and breakfast rolls are in high demand. Urban markets allow you to charge more, but rural markets have cheaper vendor fees.

Cons: You must be there every week selling something in order to build a customer base. Pick, clean, package and take time to arrange your presentation. Sometimes you sell out and sometimes you take produce home and have to decide what to do with it. Have your vehicle clean and ready to pack weekly. You will need: tables, produce display containers, cash box, change, calculator, signage and canopy. These markets require planning, time management and a strict schedule, no exceptions.

Suggestions: Have a clean, well-organized stand and a clean vehicle if visible to the public. Adopt an outgoing personality and be able to “sell” your product over and over repeatedly throughout the market while you build a customer base. Present yourself in a neat, well groomed manner with clothing or apron that states your name so that your customer associates you with the produce.

Growing produce and homemade products can be an excellent source of additional family income. You will get best results by following good preparation and sales practices.

For more suggestions on sales at Farmer’s Markets, 

contact Bob Hobbs, mncaloans@mnca.net, 308-865-5675.

YRTC-K Youth Head to Head Start Program for Important Community Service Project

The young men of the Youth Rehabilitation & Treatment Center in Kearney's Washington Group 2 along with members of Washington Group 3 completed a community service project at the Head Start program in Kearney on May 18.

There were some low-lying areas on the Head Start playground that needed improving. The Head Start children were having trouble getting on the swing sets. So, the YRTC-K boys moved 5 cubic yards (one dump truck load) of black dirt to build up the low-lying areas of the playground. The boys also moved 30 cubic yards (6 dump truck loads) of cedar chips to replenish the playground's surface. The boys worked extremely hard. 

The little children from the Head Start program watched from their windows as the YRTC-K youth rebuilt their playground. This was a feel-good moment for the boys as they could see they were making a difference for children there at the center. For lunch the boys enjoyed a picnic prepared by the YRTC-K Dining Room Staff. Then it was back to work.

They finished in short order but were unable to present the fruits of their labor to the children as it was nap time at the Head Start center. All in all the boys worked four hours and were invited back to help with another project this summer.

By Mark Darby
YRTC-K Youth Counselor

Helping The Pajama Project

We always have a good time helping other agencies accomplishing their missions while assisting our clients in the process.
One such program is the Pajama Project in New York. A few months ago, the Franklin office was contacted to join the Pajama project in their quest to give away 500,000 pairs of pajamas in 2012. They sent new pajamas along with books to distribute to our youth.
It is so much fun when you see the kids pick out their own pj’s and books. You can just picture the kids cuddling up and reading their new books prior to going to bed each night.
Then this past month this program again contacted us to see if we could give away books. So, right now we are giving away about 150 books to the kids, which came at a great time since school just let out.
There are titles ranging from ‘The Bridge to Teribitha’ to ‘Spiderwick’.
Children, mothers and grandmothers get involved in this program, and it is fun to see the excitement on the children’s faces, especially knowing that they will enjoy reading the books as much as we enjoy giving the books.
      Bev McNiff
           Community Services Coordinator
           Franklin/Harlan and Phelps Counties

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program & The Food Bank

In the SPOTLIGHT this month -

                          NUTRITION SERVICES The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is a unique federal/state and public/private effort. The USDA purchases specific nutrient-rich foods at wholesale prices for distribution. Sta...te agencies such as the Departments of Health, Agriculture or Education provide administration and over-sight; contracting with community and faith-based organizations to warehouse and distribute food, certify eligibility and educate participants. This unique collaboration reaches even homebound seniors with vital nutrition.
CSFP food packages are designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of these vulnerable people and include fruits and vegetables, juices, meats, fish, peanut butter, cereals and grain products, cheese and other dairy products. The foods provided are designed to provide protein, calcium, iron and Vitamins A and C. CSFP helps assist in providing proper nutrition for seniors and promotes health, treats chronic diseases, decreases length of hospital stays and saves health care dollars. Hunger increases their risk of stroke, exacerbates pre-existing ill health conditions, limits the efficiency of many prescription drugs and may affect brain chemistry, increasing the incidence of depression and isolation (The National Council on Aging, 2005).
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is our nation’s first food assistance effort designed to provide protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. The USDA food package average cost is $15 each. The retail value of each package is approximately $50.
CSFP was created by Congress to address hunger in specific population groups in a way that mutually promotes agriculture policy and alleviates hunger through the use of food commodities acquired under government farm supports. CSFP is an important outlet for the food commodities supported under various farm programs.
CSFP seniors responded to a national survey conducted by the National CSFP Association to determine whether seniors make food choices based on personal preference, nutrition knowledge or on economic conditions. The most notable data was [1] only one in four seniors on CSFP are simultaneously accessing food stamps; [2] over 60% of seniors use money for medical bills, not food; [3] over 50% of seniors said they ran out of food during the month; and [4] households of one who responded, more than half reported an income of less than $750 a month, of those in a household of two, more than half reported an income of less than $2,000 a month.
CSFP provides federal commodity food, nutrition education, and related services to pregnant and post-partum women, children under 6 (exclusive of WIC recipients) and seniors 60 and over each month who are at nutritional risk due to low income and poor diet. 90% of participants are seniors. Seven new states were granted approval for funding in fiscal year 2010. These new states are Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Utah. The Program is currently available in 39 states, 2 Indian Tribal Organizations, and the District of Columbia.
In addition to federal resources, CSFP is supported at the community level by three million volunteer hours, hundreds of non-profit and faith-based organizations, and locally raised resources. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program reaches seniors in their homes and gathering places, with dignity and uncomplicated paperwork and with specific food designed to supplement their diet.

FOOD BANK
Community Action Partnership of Mid Nebraska operates the Mid Nebraska Food Bank. The Food Bank is a non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger through the collection of donated food and household products and the distribution of these items to charities and organizations that help people in need. The Mid-Nebraska Food Bank addresses the emergency food needs in 29 counties in central and western Nebraska. We collect food and paper items from donations from individuals such as manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. These are items that would otherwise be thrown away because of mislabeling, overstock, and/or discounted items. Thanks to the Food Bank and the 125 agencies it serves, we are able to help individuals get the assistance they need to help feed families in crisis. Client agencies, such as food pantries, meal providers, emergency shelters, low-income child care centers, senior citizen programs, and rehab centers are all examples of these partner agencies that benefit from the donations from those able to give.
The Food Bank provides a centrally located facility for collecting and distributing the merchandise. The donors can call to offer a donation and know that it will be distributed where it is needed most. Mid-Nebraska Food Bank staff are trained and equipped to handle food according to food industry standards. We operate under a permit issued by the Nebraska Department of Health and as a secondary Distribution Organization inspected by the Nebraska Food Bank Network according to the guidelines established by Feeding America. Feeding America is a national network of Food Banks from which we receive necessary training and technical assistance, as well as about 80% of our annual food donations. The Food Bank also collects food locally through food drives and from local food manufacturers, food distributors and grocery stores.
The Mid Nebraska Food Bank operates a Food Rescue Program with a reefer truck that was obtained through a grant from Feeding America. For the past three years we pick up donations of all types of foods, including frozen foods, from donors such as Wal-Mart and other grocery stores. We make this food available to all Food Bank agencies. We also donate these food items to CSFP clients and to senior housing authorities. During the first six months of this fiscal year, the Mid Nebraska Food Bank donated over 167,000 pounds of food to individuals.

CSFP CLINICS FOR JUNE June 5 Cozad, Lexington
June 7 Arapahoe, Cambridge, Curtis
June 12 Clay Center, Superior, Red Cloud, Franklin
June 21 McCook, Benkelman
June 26 Kearney

The Children Are Our Future

IN NEBRASKA, EVERY PERSON IS A MANDATORY CHILD ABUSE REPORTER.

A child abuse report does not necessarily mean a child is automatically removed from the home, unless the child is clearly in danger. Support such as parenting classes, anger management, or other resources may be offered first to the parents. Early identification and treatment can help mitigate the long-term effects of abuse. If the abuse is stopped and the child receives competent treatment, the abused child can begin to regain a sense of self-confidence and trust. 

By reporting, you can make a tremendous difference in the life of a child and the child’s family, especially if you help stop the abuse early. If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, it is better to be safe than sorry.

NE child abuse hotline Toll-Free: (800) 652-1999

Tyson Foods Helps Fight Hunger With Huge Food Donation!

Rich Weiss, Nutrition Services Director, reported that the Food Bank received a donation of a little over 10,000 lbs. of hamburger from Tyson last week on Friday in Lexington. Thank you Tyson for helping to fight hunger with your generous donation! For more information watch NTV News coverage at this link

http://www.nebraska.tv/story/18336358/tyson-meat-gives-5-tons-of-beef-to-food-bank#.T7pEakIDWr4.blogger

YEAH! That’s what we want!

     We successfully made it through the Signs of Spring Craft and Trade Show! Thank you to all the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska staff that helped set up. It feels more like an agency event when you are there!  We had volunteers come and work in the Beads in a Box booth. They had a great time and we really appreciated their commitment. 

Simply Door Art

      Not knowing my involvement with Beads in a Box, one customer mentioned that I should move that jewelry booth when you first come in because it causes such a stir.  I thought, “YEAH! That’s what we want!”

     We ended up having 204 booths for our record breaker and customers were circulating all day even though the weather was causing some stress for the Show Promoter.  For us oldies, we also appreciate all the young legs and strong backs when it comes time to tear it all down. 

     In our April newsletter we touched on the huge push for the Sandhill cranes. We put them in several stores and now we wait to see if there is any success. Hopefully, it won’t be a let-down.  With the huge push on Bazangles and preparing for the Signs of Spring Craft Show, the development department has been looking for a slow-down. Well, the slow-down consisted of preparing for the CSBG monitoring and the Board of Directors’ meeting. 

     A large bulk mailing is almost ready to go stuffed with the applications for the Holiday Splendor show in November. 

     In April we mentioned that the Nebraska Historical Society asked us to create specific Nebraska tourism Bazangles. Janice has been working hard on that and we have wonderful prototypes to send to them.   

     On May 8^th, Beads in a Box is having an open house for Mother’s Day at the Kearney Woman’s Club from 3:30-7:00 p.m. The month of May, we will be preparing new designs and display boards for Bazangles to make its debut at the American Crafters and Retailers Expo Wholesale Show in Las Vegas.  Thinking seasons ahead, we must be preparing fall and Christmas holidays for displays. We’re so glad we got some wonderful volunteers! The Development office and the Beads in a Box room remain in the whirlwind! 

                      Tootles for now, Kyla

Volunteerism

Why is it important to do volunteer work?

 
Volunteer work provides organizations with a free resource to help meet their mission. It helps fill the gap between an individual and the resources of the community. 

Some volunteerism benefits individuals while other types of volunteerism benefit a broader base of people or community needs. 

Volunteerism benefits the recipient as well as the volunteer, as most volunteers donate time and/or resources to support causes or needs that they are passionate about supporting. 

Volunteering doesn’t need to consume all of a person’s free time. Many times an hour here or two hours there is as appreciated and needed as much as a larger time commitment. 

Volunteer work is also an important part of a resume. It helps to show community support and a willingness to work. If you aren’t currently a volunteer, try it out. You may find it a very enjoyable experience.
 

You can help in many ways, from creating a piece of jewelry, to organizing paperwork, to assisting an elderly person with a few day-to-day chores. Call us to find out what you can do to help at 308-865-1354
     by Lori Gerih
             SCVP/COMPASSIONATE CONNECTIONS

Vaccine program gives kids its best shot

by Danny Gruber C-H staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:42 pm
LEXINGTON – It probably isn’t a surprise to most people that raising children is an expensive undertaking.

From diapers and formula to prom and senior photos, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated in 2010 it can cost as much as $475,680 to raise a child to the age of 18 and that doesn’t include college costs later.
“It’s important to young families to get a little help,” said Julie Weir, Health Services Director for Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, the agency which administers “Vaccines for Children,” the immunization program for Dawson County.
According to Weir, the cost of vaccinating a newborn through the age of 18 months is $1,244.02. That cost is the price of the vaccine alone; it does not include any administrative fees or office visit charges.
“Doctors don’t make money on vaccine,” Weir added, stating the price of immunization doses and handling requirements make it costly.

Weir’s clinic receives funding at the federal level through the Centers for Disease Control. Money is distributed to each state and then to clinics within those states.
The immunization program is designed to help children who are under-insured, are Medicaid eligible, are Native American or Native Alaskan or who just don’t have insurance.
The vaccine program serves children ages 2 months to 18 years old, and clients are those who couldn’t get vaccines from a private doctor due to restrictions on those facilities to serve under-insured or uninsured patients, unless those patients are able to pay on a cash basis. Weir said that community health programs step in to cover those uninsured.
“We ask for a $10 administration fee for each vaccine,” Weir said, “but we never turn anyone away.”
Weir and her staff of two part-time nurses and two part-time interpreters come to Lexington on the first and third Mondays of each month to administer vaccines to those who need them. She says her office has a great relationship with the Lexington community and credits Maria Barocio at Community Action Partnership’s Lexington office as key to that relationship.
“She’s a great community resource,” Weir stated. “She knows where to send [clients] for help.”
Barocio also schedules those clients for their appointments with Weir and her nurses, a coordinated effort that is crucial because of the issues of traveling with sometimes-delicate vaccine doses.
At her office in Kearney are a series of refrigerators and freezers, each containing vaccine doses that prevent everything from measles to tetanus to hepatitis. Weir also has a deep freeze with cold packs that are frozen to –20 degrees Celsius and a compact refrigerator that plugs into the cigarette lighter in most vehicles for transport from Kearney to Lexington, twice each month. In the summer months, sometimes it’s once per week.
“On hot day I have to make sure I take enough [ice packs] for safety reasons,” Weir explained. “That’s why it’s a big deal to travel.
“It’s not high-tech, but it’s safe.”
To further insure safety, each of those cold units is equipped with a sensitive temperature gauge connected to a computer that is ready to call Weir should the temperature creep out of the safety zone.
“If it beeps, I have to drop everything and come in,” Weir said, “even if it’s Christmas morning.”
Weir, who is a registered nurse, started working at Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska in 1991 as a volunteer nurse, working a couple of days a month for about 10 years.
After her children graduated from high school and left for college, a second income started looking pretty good. Weir decided to work at the clinic full time.
Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska is one of the partner agencies of the Lexington Area United Way. According to Weir, money received from the LAUW has been a Godsend to her clinic.
Weir explained her office jumped from giving 733 immunizations in 2010 to 1,926 in 2011 because of a state health mandate that children receive an additional chickenpox shot before they could attend school.
“That was a huge increase,” Weir said, and it required extra clinics to get eligible children covered before the start of school.
“The United Way made that possible.”
Weir is grateful for all the monies her program receives, from the federal money to the patients who can pay the $10 suggested fee to the help received from the United Way.
“It means the world to my program,” Weir said, “because every dime counts.”
The Lexington office of Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska is located at 931 West 7th. For more information about the immunization program, call Barocio at (308) 324-4219 or Weir at (308) 865-5675.

Community Action Agencies to Release Study of

Financial Behaviors Among Adults in Nebraska

Community Action of Nebraska and the nine Community Action Agencies in Nebraska released the results of its 2011 Community Assessment Focus Survey on March 13, 2012.

The Community Assessment Focus Survey Report is based on a random survey of residents across the entire state of Nebraska conducted in May of 2011.  The assessment survey asked questions covering several topics including: financial behaviors, financial services, resources and planning for the future.

The intent of the survey was to discover the financial challenges faced by Nebraskans, to deepen our understanding of financial decisions Nebraskans are making and assess their knowledge and general attitudes about money. Community Action Agencies in Nebraska will use the results to evaluate and revise their financial literacy and education in programs and services to better fit the needs of the community.

Key findings in the survey reveal the hard financial choices faced by many living in the state. Of those surveyed 85% feel emotionally stressed about money, 60% stated that they run out of money to pay for living expenses, and 61% worry about job security.

This focus survey report is intended to complement the more comprehensive State and Regional Community Assessment completed in 2010 (available at www.canhelp.org) and future documents being developed by Community Action of Nebraska.

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are private, non-profit organizations dedicated to helping low-income people attain self-sufficiency in all 93 Nebraska counties. The agencies are established under federal law to combat the presence and impacts of poverty in communities across the US.  Programs commonly administered by CAA’s include employment assistance, home weatherization, Head Start and Early Head Start, food assistance, housing assistance and utility assistance.

For further information, contact Carrie Eurek, at ceurek@mnca.net or (308) 86-5675.