Category: Newsletter

On October 25th, over 700 military retirees, their families and surviving spouses from across the region attended the Fort Knox Retiree Appreciation Day. This event featured more than 60 booths, offering information from numerous organizations, including Hardin County RSVP Stations, the Fort Knox American Red Cross and Hosparus Health/Thrift Store. The Fort Knox Red Cross table performed blood pressure screenings.

RSVP’s current federal grant requires 3.1 Veterans & Families Served and 3.1 other focus areas, including active duty military, families, veterans, retirees, etc. As the nominated Kentucky Volunteer for the Fort Knox Soldier for Life Retiree Council, RSVP Director, Cathy Williamson, has served on the planning committee for several years.

CKCATS Transportation office renovation is scheduled to be finished in late November, 2019. The CKCATS current office will be renovated as well. The new office will have 5 offices and 2 ADA compliant bathrooms on the first floor. The second floor will consist of a conference room for meetings and training, 2 office spaces and a lot of storage. This renovation was funded by a 5339 grant and will be considered a FTA building when finished.

CKCATS just received four 2019 low floor mini vans. 3 mini vans were funded by a 5339 grant and 1 mini van was funded with 5310 funds. CKCATS currently has 73 vehicles, with 87% being wheelchair accessible.

CKCATS ordered 2, 12X2 buses, which should arrive in March 2020. CKCATS also received 3 SUVS on Bid #8 and are hoping to order those in December, 2019.

The Congregate Meals Program (CMP) had it’s very first Senior Community Day at the Larue County Senior Citizen Center and it was a huge success! There was a big turn out and everyone seemed to have a great time. The seniors participated in a cake walk, won door prizes and enjoyed some free food. CMP plans to have more of these events in the other counties we serve.

Open enrollment started on October 1st, 2019 for the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). SHIP provides assistance with access in public and private benefits. Medicare, Medicaid, private and other public programs can be confusing to the average community member. SHIP volunteer counselors are here to provide one-on-one assistance. Counselors can assist in comparing supplemental insurances, understanding policies, and applying for assistance. Information and assistance in filling out prescription drug discount program applications is also available. SHIP counselors will be at your local senior centers during November providing assistance.

CMP has served 10,384 meals to 433 unduplicated participants from July 1, 2019-September 30, 2019. CMP has provided 1,414 nutrition education sessions to 281 unduplicated participants from July 1st, 2019-September 30th, 2019. CMP has provided 893 Bingocize sessions to 159 unduplicated participants from July 1st, 2019-September 30th, 2019.

During the Senior Companion Program’s (SCP) October In-Service, our guest speakers were with the CSBG department within Central KY Community Action. CSBG Director, Ellen Leake and her staff, did a wonderful job presenting about LIHEAP. The CSBG staff come and speak to the senior in the program every year when enrollment begins. This is to promote awareness of the program and the wonderful services they provide.

The SCP also had their Thanksgiving and Christmas In-Service. During this meeting, each volunteer received a goodie bag, a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart and a meal voucher for Mordecai’s or Golden Corral.

The SCP will be accepting applications for Volunteer Leadership Positions in the six counties that we serve. All active volunteers, currently serving in the program, are eligible to apply. Leader Volunteer Positions receive an extra $50 a month for their roles and responsibilities. These responsibilities consist of the recruitment of new volunteers, assisting with fundraising and in-kind efforts, explaining the duties and benefits of volunteering to potential volunteers, signing new clients, informing the public about our services and working closely with the program director to ensure that the program operates to it’s fullest potential.

The CSBG Program continues its work from being an immediate emergency assistance provider to becoming a program that really helps low-income families change their lives. Although we continue to provide emergency assistance, we also assist with budgeting and developing strategies to avoid future emergencies. As we work with families to develop strategies to prevent future emergencies, we also provide tips such as, budget billing, paying your rent first, shopping at less expensive stores, and controlling impulsive spending. These tips are helpful and always well received.

Clients who are not working are encouraged to find employment. Our employment and education programs can assist with small barriers to gain full time employment or even better employment. How do we help? It can be partial assistance with a CNA or CDL class, proper clothing or shoes for a new job and even gas for transportation to work for a week.

The agency has been notified of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program allocations and spending has begun for Phase 36. The counties receiving funds are Breckinridge, Grayson, Larue, Marion, Meade and Washington, for a total of $40,663. This program provides funds to assist with rent, mortgage, utilities, shelter and food assistance.

The agency is also preparing for LIHEAP. The official dates for Subsidy are November 4th through December 13th. November 5th and November 27th are Staff Days, which means that the agency is not expected to take applications on that day. The office will be closed on Nov. 11th, 28th and 29th for LIHEAP and the Thanksgiving Holiday. Nov. 15th, Dec. 6th and 13th will be Open days. This means if you miss your scheduled day, you can come in on the open days.

The Kentucky Works Program (KWP) was approached by a local school and asked to participate in their Job Shadowing Program. Our Hardin County worker hosted Paige Mullins, who is a senior at Thomas Nelson High School.

During Paige’s day of job shadowing, she learned just how busy working in an office environment can be. She learned that multi-tasking is a necessity and that you must learn how to prioritize different situations. When asked about the experience, KWP worker, Gayan Hutchinson, said that she enjoyed working with Paige and helping her see what the workplace is all about.

The KWP Staff has also been very busy learning about the new SNAP Employment and Training Program. Since completing the computer training, each Employment Specialist has been busy working with participants to help them set goals for their employment future. Some staff members have had additional training, where others have simply been introduced to an employer to help them get started with steady employment.

Central KY Community Action’s Weatherization Program has completed 9 weatherization units with 8 walkaway units. There are 35 clients on the waiting list to receive services. The Weatherization program is fully staffed with an in-house crew and is still utilizing contractors to perform HVAC, electrical work, as well as, weatherization that we have to perform to the dwellings that receive services.

Central KY Community Action 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.

The goal for the Weatherization Program is to reduce energy waste and assure the health and safety of each client that we serve.

September is Hunger Action Month, which led to a nationwide awareness campaign designed to mobilize the public to take action to help end hunger. The campaign brought attention to the reality of how bad hunger is in the United States and encouraged organizations to help get involved on the campaign against hunger.

The reality is that 1 in 8 people struggle with hunger every day in the United States. Our partner, Feeding America, stated that the latest research shows that hunger exists in every single county. Additionally, the people currently facing hunger are finding it more and more difficult to provide their families with the proper nutrition that they need.

During September, Central KY Community Action Council continued to help fight hunger in the communities that we serve. We distributed 612 Senior Commodity boxes in Breckinridge, Larue, Marion, Meade and Washington Counties. CKCAC passed out 250 boxes from the Marion and Washington food banks. We distributed 9 emergency food boxes and had over 50 referrals to food pantries. The Congregate Meals Program served 2,859 senior meals to 316 clients and gave out 255 food vouchers to 51 clients. CKCAC also hosted a Senior Community Day in Larue County where we were able to feed over 50 senior citizens and informed them about all of CKCAC’s programs.

Hunger Action Month is over but as we move into the final weeks of 2019, take a moment to consider the universal feeling of hunger and how that feeling prevents us from reaching our full potential. The icons of an empty plate, an uncharged battery or a gas gauge moving toward empty will function as a visual representation of what an empty stomach leads to: hunger.

On August 2^nd our Regional Network hosted a Poverty Simulation at the New Haven Elementary School in Nelson County. The Poverty Simulation asks each participant, “Could you survive a month in poverty?” The simulation is designed to have participants walk in the shoes of a family trying to survive from month to month. It is an eye opening experience to see what families in our communities experience daily.

Our first Regional Network meeting of the 2019-2020 grant year will be held September 18^th, 2019. Our meetings are held at the Nolin RECC Community Room on Ring Road in Elizabethtown. The Network Meetings begin at 10:30 and lunch is provided. The Regional Network is comprised of concerned individuals, from the Lincoln Trail Area, who are committed to raising the awareness and prevention of child abuse and neglect. We invite all concerned community members to join us in our mission.

We deliver quality In-Home services to our families and provide professional coaching and support. Right now we are aiding families in increasing positive parenting and discipline skills, obtaining housing, improving household cleanliness, increasing budgeting skills and financial management, building positive relationships with schools and most importantly we are providing a positive support for families. We are currently serving 11 families. With the beginning of a new school year, we have already completed numerous Family Team Meetings with families and school officials to address any issues and make a plan for the academic success of each child.

Central Kentucky Head Start is paving the way for School Readiness in our program and communities.  To better support our students and families we have implemented new programs and curriculums to ensure academic and social and emotional success.  We are exploring innovative ways to engage with students, families, and staff that encourage physical and mental wellness along with resiliency.        

Central Kentucky Head Start aligns goals and teaching efforts with the Head Start Program Performance Standards as well as the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.  The framework consists of 5 research-based domains that target specific skills that are imperative for school readiness:  Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, Cognition, and Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development.  Central Kentucky Head Start is passionate about using the framework and standards to intentionally plan lessons, establish goals, select appropriate curriculums and assessments, create professional development, and plan program improvements and implementation to ensure our students become lifelong learners.