Author: Kathy Mills

Goode News – May 2024

Central Kentucky Community Action Council is excited to celebrate Community Action Month in May by partnering with the Marion County Economic Development Council.  As part of the celebrations, we invite you to join us at the Friday Forum on May 17th, 2024, at the David R. Hourigan Building in Lebanon. Our guest Speaker will be Kentucky State Representative Michael Sarge Pollack.
Community Action Month is a time to celebrate the impact of Community Action and to recognize the individuals and organizations that make a difference in our communities every day. This year, we are thrilled to join forces with the Marion County Economic Development Council to highlight the importance of community action in building a stronger, more vibrant community for all.
The Friday Forum will be an opportunity for us to come together, share ideas, and celebrate the incredible work being done in our community. We will hear from community leaders, learn about new initiatives, and celebrate the successes of the past year.
We invite you to join us at the Friday Forum as we celebrate Community Action Month and the power of Community Action to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families in Central Kentucky. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient community for all.
Event Details:
Date: May 17th, 2024
Time: Noon- 1 PM
Location: David R. Hourigan Building, Lebanon
Lunch will be served.
We look forward to seeing you there!
More to come……………..much more …………….

Central KY Community Action Transportation Services (CKCATS)

The CKCATS team continues to work hard to provide services in all counties. Our newly added NEMT Medicare transportation is going well. We are pleased to be able to offer this service.
CKCATS held their annual Public Hearing meeting on February 28th at 1PM EST at the CATS Central Office. This meeting is advertised and made available to the public each year to address the needs of the general public in all counties. Surveys are given to clients and Stakeholders in all counties and the information gathered is used for discussion to help improve transportation services.
CKCATS is gearing up for the Senior Celebration that will be held on May 23rd at the Pritchard Community Center in Elizabethtown. CKCATS will be providing transportation from the Senior Centers to Pritchard Community Center for all seniors who pre-register for the ride. CKCATS will also have a booth at the Senior Celebration and will be talking with seniors to make them aware of the services that we provide and will be able to sign seniors up for our III-B Senior trips on the spot.
CKCATS attended a meeting with Spring View Hospital (SVH) and Marion County’s EMT services. This meeting was held to help the staff at SVH hospital differentiate the services of CKCATS and EMT. This meeting was very informative and helped all in attendance establish each other’s rules and guidelines of transportation.
Several staff members of the CKCATS team will be attending the Community Action Kentucky (CAK) Conference in Lexington from June 11-15. Myself and two other staff members from CATS will be attending a training course in Lexington from June 5-8. This training is a complete deep dive into being a Transit Director or Administrator. As always, these conferences and training are a great way to learn valuable information and to network.
CKCATS is fully staffed at this time, but we are continuing to accept applications for future hiring. If you or anyone you know would like to join the staff at CKCATS please go to careers@ckcac.org to apply.

Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Needs Volunteers!

Marge joined as an RSVP volunteer in February of 2024. Currently she volunteers two days a week at Griffin Manor Senior Center in Elizabethtown, where she enjoys leading chair yoga and crafting projects.
Marge was born and raised on her family farm in Shelbyville, Indiana. She has been married to her husband, Bruce, for 22 years. Together, they have three sons, two grandchildren, and are patiently awaiting the arrival of their first great-grandchild! Marge’s mother is 102 years old and currently resides in an assisted living facility in Wichita Falls, Texas.
In her professional career, Marge served within the Golden Corral catering department and as well as an employee of Arby’s for 15 years prior to her retirement. In her free time, Marge enjoys reading, collecting old records, crocheting, and quilting.
When asked about why she decided to become a volunteer, Marge stated that she was looking for something to do post-retirement and that she did not desire to work a part-time job. She further explained that she genuinely enjoys the freedom she has while volunteering!
RSVP would love to have more volunteers like Marge!

Congregate Meals Program

The Congregate Meals Program continues to grow weekly, currently averaging over 2,000 meals served per week! Our two kitchens are doing an amazing job at getting all the extra meals out.
This month, we had multiple volunteers which visited with Congregate Meals seniors at our senior centers. Central Kentucky Community Action Inc. Head Start employees visited our seniors in Meade County and played bingo with them. Kids within the Marion County Gifted and Talented program visited the Lebanon center to eat lunch with and play bingo with the seniors. In Washington County, Hosparus visited and brought the seniors superhero costumes and accompanying backdrops to use.
The Congregate Meals Program is still looking to fill vacant positions!
 Bardstown: Cook (part-time and full-time)
 Elizabethtown: Coordinator (part-time)
 Grayson: Cook (part-time) & Coordinator (full-time)

Senior Companion Program (SCP)

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) is actively looking for volunteers…

The Senior Companion Program is adding new volunteers and clients every month. Volunteers are out in their communities assisting those elderly people who want to continue to live independently in their own homes but need a little help around the house or running errands. They are checking in on people and making sure they know that they aren’t forgotten or alone. They are bringing smiles to peoples’ faces and joy to their homes. 
 
We currently have 23 volunteers and will be enrolling more this month. Our volunteers are looking forward to this month’s Lincoln Trail Senior Celebration at the Pritchard Community Center on May 23. It’s a fun and informative way to get out and celebrate Older Americans Month. We will have an information booth set up and cannot wait to share our story with other seniors in our community. If you are age 55 or older and would like to have more information about becoming a senior companion, call Mary Jean Blake at 270-402-7194 or 270-692-2136 ext. 601.
 

Head Start Monthly Profile for February 2024

CKCAC HEAD START
Monthly Profile May 2024 

ENROLLMENT    Head Start:  470 children  /Early Head Start:  24 children

PFCE   

Family Service Action Events from August, 2023-April, 2024

-Communication:  12.097

-Food Distribution:  179

-Home Visits:  671

-Parent Event Collaborations:  427

-Referrals:  72

ATTENDANCE      Head Start: 84%               Early Head Start: 75%

POLICY COUNCIL 

May Policy Council Meeting: 

May 16, 2024 at 11:00 A.M.                           

SPECIAL EDUCATION    # of Children with an IEP or IFSP: 95

% of Funded Enrollment: 19%    

EDUCATION                                                          

% of Students Meeting School Readiness Goal:

-Approaches to Learning:  84% HS/100% EHS

-Social Emotional:  86% HS/95% EHS

-Language and Literacy:  85% HS/95% EHS

-Cognitive, Math, Science, and Social Studies:  93% HS/95% EHS

-Perceptual, Physical, and Motor Development:  90% HS/100% EHS

MENTAL HEALTH                                                

# of Referrals in April:  0

# of Students who Began Mental Health Services in April:  2

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Areas Monitored: Teaching Strategies

Gold Spring Checkpoints

 

CKCAC Area Board of Directors Meeting

As a non-profit agency, Central Kentucky Community Action, Inc. is required to inform the local community of the Area Board of Director’s Meeting which is open to the public. The meeting will be on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 11:00 AM EST. For more information, call the Central Office at 270-692-2136.

CKCAC Area Board of Directors Meeting

As a non-profit agency, Central Kentucky Community Action, Inc. is required to inform the local community of the Area Board of Director’s Special Meeting which is open to the public. The meeting will be on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 10:00 AM EST. For more information, call the Central Office at 270-692-2136.

Public Review of the Community Services Block Grant Proposal

Central KY Community Action Council, Inc. is holding a public review of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) proposal 2025. The proposal is prepared annually by Central KY Community Action Council, Inc. and is submitted to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Community Action Kentucky. It describes Central KY Community Action’s plan for the use of the funds in the Central KY Community Action’s services area, which includes agency capacity building, civic engagement and community involvement, employment, education & cognitive development, income/infrastructure/asset building, health & social/behavioral development, housing, linkages, and services supporting multiple domains. It also includes the results of the local community needs assessment.

The proposal will be available on Central KY Community Action’s website (www.ckcac.org) on 4/16/2024. Comments or questions may be forwarded to Ellen Leake, Central KY Community Action Council, Inc., 332 Hood Ave. Lebanon, KY 40033; or call (270) 692-2136; or email ellen.leake@ckcac.org.

This project is funded, in part, under a contract with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services with funds from the Community Services Block Grant Act of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Central KY Community Action Council, Inc. will not discriminate against anyone applying for or receiving assistance or services based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, political beliefs or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity or any other protected class identified in federal, state, or local laws.

***Central KY Community Action Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Equal Housing Provider***