Category: Newsletter

Central Kentucky Community Action’s Weatherization (WX) Program has started off the year fully staffed and looking forward to what the new year will bring. The WX program already has 32 clients on the waiting list to receive services as of January 1^st 2021.

CKCAC’s WX program has completed a total of 13 homes with DOE and LIHEAP funding with only 2 cancellations since the new fiscal year started in July 2020. Unfortunately, we had to defer 15 homes due to having needs outside the WX program guidelines, such as mold issues or a leaky roof.

Central Kentucky Community Action Council has leveraged funds from utilities to expand the reach of the Weatherization Assistance Program. This year we are leveraging funding from DOE, LIHEAP, ATMOS, East Kentucky Power, Kentucky Utilities, and Louisville Gas & Electric.

Our goal with weatherization is to continue to reduce energy waste and ensure the health and safety of each client we serve. The testing we provide consists of; aliening air and thermal boundaries, pressure diagnostics, heating system diagnostics, indoor air quality, and base load energy consumption diagnostics. If you feel you may qualify for WX services, please contact David Lindsey at 270-259-0021.

The Weatherization Program is fully staffed with an in-house crew, but continues to utilize contractors outside of the agency to perform HVAC and Electrical work. The highly trained WX program staff consists of Denny Baxter, Dwelling Needs Evaluator EA/QCI; Josh Mattingly, Crew Leader; Ashley Hines & Tessa Hinton, Retrofit Installers and supporting staff Barbara Garrett, Accounting/Weatherization Assistant. There could never be enough appreciation and gratitude shown to the WX staff for their dedication to improving their quality of work and to ensuring the health and safety of all the clients we serve.

COVID-19 is still having a significant negative impact on the KY Works program. However, our staff continues to work as much as we can with clients. When we can’t work with clients, we engage in professional development activities.

The KY Works staff recently participated in a virtual learning series called “Calm in the Storm” which dealt with handling and adapting to changes in the world. The series focused specifically on the current worldwide pandemic and how each individual chooses to deal with it. KY Works employees have also participated in CPR & First Aid training.    

Due to the pandemic, the state has implemented a “Good Cause Exemption” where clients are not required to participate in the programs which is in effect through January 31, 2021, but could be extended beyond that date. The clients are not penalized for choosing not to participate at this time. However, we currently have 13 clients that are participating and are employed in the K-TAP Program. Our Employment Specialists continue to follow up with each of these clients and track the hours they are working.

On the SNAP Employment and Training program we continue to reach out to clients and complete assessments when they are referred to us. We continue to stay in touch with employers. When we get referrals, we match the clients skills with the job criteria order to have a good match which will hopefully lead to more permanent employment. We call new employers weekly and keep a current job listing for each county we serve.

Unfortunately, most of our Work Experience Program sites are either closed or unable to accept referrals because of the impact of COVID-19. However, there are currently 22 open and/or willing to accept referrals. Therefore, we continue to accept referrals and continue to work with clients.

In addition, we continue to offer a wage subsidy program to employers who hire K-TAP clients. These employers are reimbursed for a portion of the K-TAP client’s wages during the first six months of their employment. This is a huge benefit to businesses, especially small businesses, who otherwise could not afford to hire new employees right now.

The Kentucky Works Program supports the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the following Kentucky counties: Anderson, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Franklin, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, Washington, and Woodford. If you would like to learn more about obtaining job skills, training, or work placement through these programs, please contact Tommy Wheatley at 270-230-6418.

Tommy is also available to discuss the wage subsidy program with employers interested in partnering with CKCAC.

Your New Year’s plans for 2021 were probably a lot different than normal. However, it’s still tradition to decide on a few New Year’s resolutions. This year, a renewed focus on your health may be top of mind. Or, you may be tired of thinking about meals or your waistline, in which case you’ll turn your sights on your mental health, or your sleep routine, or the mess in your living room — or the mess of your closet!

If you haven’t given resolutions a thought at all, here are a few ideas to take into consideration that are great ways (and easy) to get your year started in the right direction:        

*Cook one new thing each week.  Everyone wants to eat healthier in the new year, but you should also try to eat more diverse foods.       

*Read more books. January is the perfect time of year to check out a new book. Local public librarians can offer suggestions for books you may like.    

*Eat veggies regularly. Whether you’re slimming down or just staying healthy, vegetables are your friends. (I keep telling myself, anyway.)       

*Take the stairs. Take 10 minutes to run up the stairs in your office or home.       

*Drink up. Drink more water and stay hydrated.

*Volunteer.   Research shows that pitching in regularly can lead to less stress and lower blood pressure.        

*Decorate with family history. In happy and long-lived cultures, people often display items from their families’ pasts.       

*Sanitize your phone weekly. Like, now! We check our phones a gazillion times a day, and if you’ve taken yours into the rest room lately, you’re not the only one.        

*Explore new hobbies. Whatever is fun.        

*Take more walks. Even if you can’t keep track of a new fitness routine, keeping yourself moving on a simple walk around the neighborhood is a must.        

*Finally, ease stress with kindness.  Kindness towards yourself! Recent research shows that practicing self-compassion slowed people’s heart rate and sweating which are two symptoms our bodies produce when under chronic stress.

This year, fill your resolution list with easy, good-for-you goals. Find those easy ways to squeeze a little more of what you enjoy into your busy days.

CKCAC would like to thank the current CKCAC Executive Board of Directors for their commitment to our agency and the hard work and dedication that they have exhibited throughout the last 2 years. Now, a new Executive Board of Directors has been approved and those members will begin their term on January 1, 2021.

Selected as Chairperson for the upcoming Executive Committee is Judge David Daugherty who is a current Board representative of Marion County. The Vice- Chairperson is Mr. Andrew Adkins who represents Breckinridge County on the Board. Sister Barbara Joseph Lammers, who represents Nelson County, will serve as Secretary. And, the position of Treasurer will be Ms. Christy Carpenter of Washington County.

The Central Kentucky Community Action Council Board of Directors Meetings for 2021 have been scheduled for 3 p.m. on January 20 via Zoom. Other scheduled meetings are as follows: March 17, May 19, July 21, September 15 and November 17, 2021. The date and time for each of these meetings may change based on COVID-19 restrictions at the time. Meetings may be scheduled in person at the Lincoln Trail Area Development District office or via Zoom.

Goodwill Industries Part 2 of 2

Abraham Lincoln has been attributed as saying that the best way to predict your future is to create it. And, create it is exactly what Penny Dickens did when she decided she wanted a part-time job. She marched over to the Senior Citizens building in Washington County, asked if they needed any help, and told them she’d like a job.

Dickens interviewed with representatives of Goodwill Industries and the very next day began employment through the Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP). The Goodwill SCSEP is a government funded program that is able to pay Senior Citizens to do community service at non-profit and government agencies in the county in which they live while also helping them look for more permanent paid employment. “I was so, so, so happy to have a job!” Dickens said.

Dickens began employment through CKCAC in October of 2019 and has spent the entirety of her placement working at the Washington County Senior Citizens Center. Through her work, Dickens reported that she has learned to have even more patience. “You have to be understanding of what the elderly ask of you,” she explained. “You have to make them feel important – because they are important. I want someone to treat me that way when I get older.”

When Dickens talks about her work at the Senior Citizens Center, she smiles and can recall story after story about the individuals she has encountered through her work. She tells of compliments given to her by an elderly woman who uses a cane to walk. Dickens explained that she holds the arm of this woman and meets her at her car every morning to assist her in the building and then walks her out every afternoon and this lady always tells Dickens, “you are so sweet.”

Dickens indicated that she misses that daily interaction, however. Since the COVID-10 pandemic to keep the seniors safe, the Senior Citizens offices have been closed. Seniors are still being served hot meals each day, but only through a drive thru line. “It’s lonesome now. I miss them,” Dickens said.

Monday through Friday from 9 am – until 1 p.m., you can find Penny at the Senior Center. However, when she isn’t working she’s likely at church or with her family. Dickens has 2 sons and 1 daughter. Dickens lost her oldest daughter in a car wreck about 5 years ago. She also has 4 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. She praised each child and grandchild separately for their accomplishments in life. She also has 4 brothers and 4 sisters of whom she is the oldest. “And, they all love to tell that,” she joked. “I got to gamily get togethers and dance a little bit. I like to have fun. I like to take walks. I love my church and I read the Bible a lot. I have all kinds of love and I like being good to and helping people.”

Seniors interested in applying for a job through Goodwill Industries should reach out to Kimberly Culliton, SCSEP Coordinator, at (270) 823-6193. Culliton can also assist non-profit and government agencies by placing senior citizens in community service assignments at their facilities. Please visit www.goodwill.org/scsep/ for more information.

Although Tammy Stanley was just recently named as the Interim Head Start Director, she is no stranger to the CKCAC Head Start program. Stanley worked with the Head Start Program for almost 25 years before her retirement in early 2020. By late 2020, she was asked to come back to fill in until a new Director can be chosen. CKCAC is glad she accepted.

Head Start is continuing to provide services to meet the needs of the children and families as this pandemic drudges on. Staff are working closely with the Lincoln Trail Health Department in keeping families and personnel informed of guidelines and recommendations. Regular contact is made with each family to ensure their basic needs are being met and to assist if any type of crisis may arise. 

Educational tablets sent home with enrolled children allows teachers to track their usage, measure their skill level and make changes accordingly. All centers are assisting the local school systems in providing meals to our families, as well as distributing back pack food. 
The two Head Start buildings that are currently under construction in Springfield and Lebanon are on schedule to be completed in April of 2021.

The Community Collaboration for Children program is working in full capacity as we approach the new year! But our program looks remarkably different than it did this time last year. COVID 19 has pushed us to implement our In Home Services in a different way. We are still providing services to families with children 18 year or younger. We continue to aid families in identifying their strengths and weaknesses and then in making a plan to address these weaknesses and improve their overall daily functioning. The pandemic has changed the way that we are able to interact with our families.

Though we are an In Home Service program we are no longer going inside homes to deliver services. We currently are able to meet with families outside their homes, meaning on their porches, decks or yards. We do follow all CDC recommended guidelines. We take our temperatures and assess our own physical health and wellbeing before driving to the home visit. We wear our masks and stay 6 feet away from our clients at all times. We also keep our own chairs inside our vehicles if we need to take a seat.

We are implementing the use of telehealth services such as phone calls, FaceTime, and virtual meeting rooms when needed. We continue to complete goals with our families, including parenting classes, self-sufficiency and overall family health. We are persevering to meet the needs of our families and do what we can to provide support, guidance and encouragement during this time. If you have any questions or are interested in our program or the referral process, please contact CCC supervisor, Ashley Caldwell-May at acaldwell@ckcac.org or 270-766-8027.

TRAIL OF HOPE LINCOLN TRAIL REGIONAL NETWORK

The Lincoln Trail Regional Network, Trail of Hope, held its first regular Network Meeting on September 23, 2020, via Zoom. Trail of Hope is a group of concerned citizens throughout the entire Lincoln Trail Area. The focus of this network is to increase the awareness and prevention of child abuse and neglect. The network uses its designated funds to assist in spreading awareness through various programs and activities in our service area. New members are welcome and this is the perfect time to join! If you are interested in attending please contact Regional Network Coordinator, Ashley Caldwell-May at acaldwell@ckcac.org or 270-766-8027. Our next regular meeting will be held January 20^th at 10:00 via Zoom.

Trail of Hope offered the Darkness to Light: Child Sexual Abuse Training via Zoom on December 9,2020, at 10:00am. Darkness to Light believes that protecting children is an adult’s responsibility and that through education and training adults will be empowered to act. The trainings are evidence-informed, adult-focused child sexual abuse prevention trainings proven to increase knowledge and change behavior. Trail of Hope will be offering the Darkness to Light Training again on February 11, 2021, from 6 pm to 8 pm. We hope that this later time frame will encourage more parents to attend the training.

Trail of Hope will be offering an ACE Study Training on March 31, 2021, at 10 am. This training will be a kick off for April’s Child Abuse Awareness Month. Dr. TJ Kimble will be training participants on how to use the ACE Study research and scores to better understand trauma and behavior. This training will lead us into many activities that will be happening for April’s Child Abuse Awareness Month. If you have any questions or would like to register to attend, please contact me at acaldwell@ckcac.org.

2020 has been an extremely difficult year for Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes. On top of the three-month closure ordered by the Governor, each center or home must temporarily close for 14 days every time a staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19. This has been a huge financial barrier for all my centers and the families of the students. Luckily, I work with very good providers and the amount of temporary closures, since the centers reopened in June, has been far less than expected.

                Even with the barriers Covid-19 has presented, the Child and Adult Care Food Program was able to sign up three new centers during the month of November. The program has welcomed Educating Butterflies in Springfield, Kids Universe in Elizabethtown, and Kyle’s Corner Learning Center in Lawrenceburg. Adding new centers to the program during such a difficult time for childcare providers has been a huge accomplishment.  We have been actively searching for new centers and homes to expand the program even further.

                If you are a Family Child Care Home or Child Care Center and would like more information on the Child and Adult Care Food Program, you may contact Jane Claire Hupman at 270-402-1977.             

December 2020

Mr. Rogers was one of the kindest men I knew growing up. When watching television, he always reminded me to be kind and love one another. He taught me that it does not matter what we have, but how we use it. He always stood up for children and reminded us that we should always help others. The Central Kentucky Community Action Council

team embodies the spirit of Fred Rogers each and every day. But this past year, that spirit shown even brighter. 2020 brought us unprecedented challenges, but also tremendous rewards. Despite the circumstances, CKCAC teams were able to continue our outreach efforts, changing people’s lives, improving communities and making our region a better place to live. We care about the entire community and are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. As we reflect upon this last year, it’s so uplifting to know that we all came together to do just that – help each other.

The CKCAC Board of Directors came together in support of our programs and helped us establish and follow new guidelines for working through COVID-19. The call for creative solutions was answered by all. The transportation program expanded into neighboring counties. And when the need arose for quarantined seniors to receive daily meals, transportation stepped in to help transport those meals. When individuals were being laid off because of the pandemic, Kentucky Works collaborated with regional employers to keep clients working. When bills began piling up for individuals impacted by COVID-19, Community Services assisted in paying those bills, while the Weatherization team made energy-efficient upgrades to homes to reduce future energy costs. When it was recommended that senior centers shut down, the Congregate Meals program adapted to accommodate drive-thru services, providing

record-numbers of hot meals to seniors daily. The Senior Companionship Program began making phone calls and became pen pals with clients when the crisis eliminated the opportunity for home visits. Community Collaboration for Children decided a change of scenery was needed for some families, providing parenting education services “camping” style on front lawns and backyards. Amidst the shutdown of child care programs across the state, the Child Nutrition Food Program continued to grow and support childcares by helping them serve nutritional foods and snacks. Head Start prioritized distance learning by supplying households with tablets, giving young children exciting, educational experiences that included working with technology.

Speaking of technology, let’s not forget our IT department employees who helped install software programs on all

those tablets. From Finance ensuring timely payment of funds and HR modifying policies and procedures to ensure employee safety to Public Relations distributing timely information to the community, our behind-the-scenes workers also had important roles in helping CKCAC persevere this past year.

We’d also like to extend our gratitude to one very special behind-the-scenes worker, Larue County Judge Executive Tommy Turner. Judge Turner was a CKCAC Board member from 1984 until his recent retirement in 2020. His work and dedication to our organization was instrumental in helping CKCAC fulfill its mission for 36 years.

Every program – every office – every board member – every person at CKCAC came together to share responsibility within the last year. This year is dedicated to our front-line workers – the CKCAC team serving clients during the pandemic and being HEROES in our communities.

Goodwill Industries Part 1

Lawncene Flowers began her employment at CKCAC as part of the Goodwill Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP). Goodwill SCSEP is a government funded program that’s able to pay Seniors to do community service at non-profit and government agencies in the county they live while also helping them look for jobs.  After working for the Goodwill organization in the Lebanon location for one year, Flowers transferred her job placement to CKCAC as a receptionist and is now working to assist the Family Child Care Homes and Unaffiliated Centers Food program.

Flowers began looking for assistance in getting job after living in California and working in the field of social work for many years. Flowers explained that her daughter wanted to raise her children in a less fast-paced, more peaceful community and when she decided to move to Kentucky – Flowers decided to follow. Flowers worked with the Kentucky Career Center to create a resume, cover letters, etc. when her journey to find employment began. She reported that she was looking for a part time job and when she heard about the SCSEP program, she decided to apply and participate.

Throughout her experience with SCSEP, Flowers reported that she has gained training from both Goodwill Industries and CKCAC in the areas of office etiquette, calculating monthly reports, completing monitoring forms, filing, and answering multiple phone lines. She reports that she also received extra practice with sending fax messages, copying, typing, etc. Flowers reports that having multiple job placements has allowed her to learn to get along with a variety of people all whom have different personality types. Almost all the training done through the SCSEP is on-the-job training provided by the placement agencies. Career Coach Kimberly Culliton referred to Flowers as a” model participant as well as a wonderful person in general.” Flowers reports that after 3 years in the SCSEP she is looking for long-term, permanent placement and when that is achieved, she will no longer participate in the SCSEP. Flowers indicated that the best part about her employment with CKCAC is the “ability to help others help themselves” and “giving back to the community.”

Flowers discussed the importance of staying healthy and active as a senior citizen. Flowers not only keeps her mind sharp by continuing to work each day, she has church to help with her emotional well being. When Flowers is not working, she reported that her spiritual life is very important to her. “I love my church,” she said. “I love helping people in need.” Flowers is also a high impact advanced aerobic instructor and spends 1 hour and 20 minutes each morning working out before coming to the CKCAC office to stay in good physical shape. In addition, Flowers reported eating a healthy vegan diet each day.

Flowers reports that participating in the SCSEP has been a good experience for her and she would “encourage other seniors to apply.” If you are a senior interested in applying for a job through Goodwill Industries, please visit www.goodwill.org/scsep/ or contact Kimberly Culliton, SCSEP Coordinator, at (270) 823-6193. Agencies looking to partner with SCSEP should also contact Culliton as she reports that “we have positions in 54 counties in Kentucky that are currently open” and she is “searching for agency partners that can provide community service assignments for our participants.