Category: Newsletter

Bingocize continues to be a big hit. Right now Nelson, Hardin, Breckinridge, Grayson, Washington and Marion all offer bingocize classes at the Senior Center. We will be training staff from Larue and Radcliff very soon. Bingocize strategically integrates exercise and health education into a fun game of bingo. 

We recently had three clients from our Lebanon Senior Center express to us that the center has changed their lives. They said it keeps them active and they enjoy having a nice place to go, as well as meeting and congregating with people. I love hearing stories like these – it is why we do what we do!

All Senior Centers continue to get excellent monitoring reports from the Health Departments and the dietitian. We are blessed to have such remarkable participants and staff. Between July 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019, we served 519 unduplicated participants 26,166 meals.
We have also provided 1,497 Bingocize sessions to 171 unduplicated participants and 4,341 nutrition education sessions to 394 unduplicated participants.

CKCATS processed and delivered the 5310, 5311 and 5339 grants to the Office of Transportation Delivery in Frankfort on March 29. All grants were due on April 1 for the 2019/2020 FY. These grants provide operating funds for our day-to-day operations and capital funds to purchase vehicles. 

Our Central Office renovation began in March. Our new office space will house five new offices and two ADA-compliant bathrooms. There will also be a conference room and storage area on the second floor. Additionally, the current office will be renovated to house four offices, new bathrooms and a large work and break area for our drivers. We are very excited about this large project. It’s estimated to take about four months to finish. The project is possible with the 5339b grant funding.

CKCATS has just applied for a new Lo No Grant (5339c) that promotes vehicles with low or no emissions along with hybrid vehicles. CKCATS is requesting a portion of the $85 million grant to purchase hybrid vehicles for each county. CKCATS has received a letter of support from the New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future group in Springfield for the grant. We are also asking our County Judges for letters of support.

The Fulton County Transit Authority conducted a safety simulator training session on March 30 at the Nelson County CATS Office. Utilizing funds from RTAP, thirty drivers received this additional safety training and the remaining 35 employees will receive the training in the fall. It’s a great opportunity for our drivers to be more safety conscious.

Spring View Hospital, in Lebanon, recently placed a bus wrap promoting the hospital’s ER on one of our buses. There has been a lot of attention on the bus and other businesses have inquired about promoting their own businesses. This is a new venture that CKCATS has undertaken with the help of our Executive Director, Hal B. Goode.

We would like to extend a “WARM” welcome to our newest RSVP station, Warm Blessings in Elizabethtown. Warm Blessings, Inc. (WB) is a non-profit (501c3) organization dedicated to ministering to the whole person. The corporation is organized for the purpose of providing meals to hungry people with the vision to offer emergency shelter to people in crisis. Their goal is to serve patrons with dignity and compassion. Through the assistance of many volunteers, supporters, contributions from the community, and operating space donated by the congregation at College Heights UMC, Warm Blessings opened on July 17, 2006. They served only two people on opening night. By their first anniversary, the Soup Kitchen served 87 individuals. During their first six months they served 1,542 meals, but today it is not unusual to serve over 1,500 meals a month. The program is operated exclusively by volunteers. Volunteers serve between 550 to 725 hours monthly. 

Congratulations to the Central KY Community Action Council RSVP Program! The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recently announced that Hardin and Nelson County will receive funding for the continuation of our Senior Corps RSVP volunteers for 2019-2021. The grant, awarded to Central KY Community Action Council, Inc. will help strengthen the presence of Senior Corps programming in the area.

For over 33 years, Central Kentucky Community Actions’ 100+ RSVP partners have been the lifeline to Hardin and Nelson County nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups who depend on volunteers to help meet the increased demand for services. As community needs are identified, they respond quickly. Perhaps it’s providing food to hungry neighbors, offering support to veterans and military families, providing educational and cultural opportunities, supporting our local medical center or simply helping a child with homework. 

April was a whirlwind.  Thanks to the team at Central KY Community Action Head Start & the Community Collaboration for Children who hosted our Community Child Abuse Awareness Walk recently in Lebanon.  There was a record number of attendees and information booths.  It was an awesome way to show our support for taking care of our kiddos.   This type of outreach is essential for our clients to bring awareness of child abuse to our community.   Thanks again to all of those who supported and volunteered.

May is already ramping up.  May is Community Action Month and Central Kentucky Community Action Council (CKCAC) continues to recognize the success of the national Community Action Network. Community Action Month is a wonderful time to honor and celebrate the impact Community Action has in the lives of families and communities across the Lincoln Trail Area, Kentucky and the country.  Community Action offers insight to leaders looking to understand what is working on the ground to help families thrive—creating smarter solutions that can be put to work within our communities.   America’s Community Action Agencies connect millions of children and families to greater opportunity, transforming their lives and making our communities — and our nation— stronger.  This month, Central Kentucky Community Action Council will be engaging in programs and events that showcase our innovative work.  Follow us on Facebook or attend one of many events honoring this organization.  Helping people help themselves, that’s what we do daily.

May is also Older Americans Month and CKCAC will partner with the Lincoln Trail Area Development District for the Senior Celebration on May 16 from 9 am – 2 pm EST at the Pritchard Community Center in Elizabethtown.   The event will feature speakers, workshops, food, raffles and vendor supporters.  For over 30 years the Senior Celebration has been a fun and exciting day to honor our Senior Americans.   CKCAC is honored to be a part, see you there. 

As always, please reach out if we can assist.    More to come……much more.

Central Kentucky Community Action Council, Inc. (CKCAC) and the Marion County Area Technology Center (MCATC), along with the Family Fellowship Prayer Center have partnered together to provide beds for the children of Marion and Washington Counties. There are many children in both of these counties who are currently sleeping on the floor, and it is no coincidence that these are the children who are showing multiple school performance issues. Therefore, CKCAC needs the help of the community! 

Students at MCATC have volunteered to build the beds, but we are still in need of the supplies. We are looking for donations such as wood, fasteners and bedding for when the beds are completed and delivered to the children.

“There are children without beds. Hard to believe, but true,” said CKCAC Executive Director, Hal B.  Goode. “Ashley and her partners are doing a noble thing by providing what most of us overlook so a child will not have to sleep on the floor. Please support this program, continue to talk about the needs here for these families.”

If you would like to support this program, please contact our Community Collaboration for Children Director, Ashley Caldwell-May, at 270-766-8027 or acaldwell@ckcac.org. To hear CCC Director, Ashley Caldwell-May, speak about the Build a Bed Program, click here.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Below is a list of events CKCAC will be doing all month long across the Lincoln Trail Area.

Marion County – Child Abuse Awareness Walk with Head Start at Centre Square, Lebanon. April 13 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. There will be a petting zoo for families, a resource fair, giveaways, face painting and much more!

Marion/Washington – We have started a Build A Bed Program in Marion and Washington Counties in honor of April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month. We are in the very early stages of this program as we expect the production of beds to begin April 8.

Washington County – Cradle School with Washington County Family Resource Centers on April 26. I will be passing out information and discussing with parents how they can prevent child abuse and neglect.

Nelson – High School Kick Ball Showdown with Violence Prevention Group on April 22. We will have a resource table at this event and will also have time during the event to discuss the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Larue – Caterpillar Corner Day Care, Parental Skills Development Class. We will be passing out information as well as resources to the parents that attend this class.

Grayson – Baby Bucket Laugh and Learn with Grayson County Family Resource Center. The event will be held at the Grayson County Extension office on April 12 at 9 a.m. CT.

Hardin – Poverty Simulation with Hardin County Task Force Development. The Poverty Simulation will be held April 11 at the Pritchard Community Center. The simulation is designed to take participants through a series of tasks that are similar to what individuals living in poverty experience in their daily lives.

Meade – The Thaw & Crawl 5K will be held April 19 at 6:30 p.m. We will have a resource table at this event to pass out materials and information that raise the awareness and the prevention of abuse and neglect.

Breckinridge – We will have a resource table set up in the Breckinridge County Library. The table will contain free information and resources that raise the awareness and prevention of abuse and neglect.

Central Kentucky Community Action’s Weatherization Program is in full swing and performing weatherization services in our eight-county service area. As of the end of December 2018, CKCAC’s weatherization program had completed 25 homes with 11 walkaways. As of January 1, CKCAC had 30 clients on the waiting list to receive services. The Weatherization Program is fully staffed with an in-house crew, along with contractors to perform HVAC, electrical work as well as weatherization that we have to perform to the dwellings receiving services

Staff includes highly trained supporting and technical staff personnel consisting of Denny Baxter, Dwelling Needs, Evaluator/QCI, Dustin McGowan Crew Leader, Aaron Haycraft, Retrofit Installer, Bob Turci Retrofit Installer, and supporting staff Barbara Garrett, Payroll and Weatherization Assistant.

Our services include testing of aliening air and thermal boundaries, pressure diagnostics, heating system diagnostics, indoor air quality, and base load energy consumption diagnostics. Weatherization staff attended training in the months of January and March to obtain new certifications, which are now required by the US DOE to participate in the weatherization program.

Denny Baxter will be attending training in the month of April to obtain his certification of BPI Energy Auditor as required by the DOE. We would like to say a huge thank you to all weatherization staff for their dedication for improving the quality of work and the dedication to ensure the health and safety of all the clients we serve.

CKCAC’s weatherization program has received funding from both DOE and LIHEAP with DOE funding of just over $260,000 and LIHEAP being just over $699,000 for 2018/2019. 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 is to continue to reduce energy waste and assure the health and safety of each client we serve. We look forward to the future of CKCAC’s weatherization program to progress and better serve our eight-county service area.

We have several programs updates to share.

LIHEAP Crisis – The application deadline for LIHEAP Crisis has been extended through April. County office staff members have processed 4,920 Crisis applications for 3,179 families between January 8, 2019 and April 3, 2019 for a total of $1,017,775.48 in benefits.

Kentucky Utilities Heating Assistance Program – The Community Services staff has re-certified 101 active participants in the KU Heating Assistance Program. Through this program, eligible Kentucky Utility customers will receive an $88 credit on their electric bill during the seven months of expected highest electricity usage. The total value of this program equals $62,216 for families. To qualify for the program, the family must be a KU customer, and have made an application for LIHEAP Subsidy.

Educational Scholarship Program – Scholarship packets have been delivered to the principals and counselors at each high school and vocational school, and the Adult Learning Centers in our service area, informing them of this program. Students are encouraged to apply for the scholarships which are paid directly to the college or technical school for tuition or books.

Community Needs Assessment – The Community Needs Assessment has been completed. Results will be used to establish the priorities for the CSBG Work Plan that will be included in the 2019-2020 CSBG budget proposal. Thanks to all who completed the Needs Assessment Survey Form. In all, 1,598 surveys were completed.

We will start with the most exciting news— the Kentucky Works Program (KWP) has once again been offered a contract for the next fiscal year. CKCAC has had this contract since 2007, and has expanded services from the original eight CKCAC counties to currently providing services in a total of 17 counties, encompassing the state’s Salt River region.

Having the opportunity to serve in counties outside of the original eight has allowed CKCAC to forge partnerships with other agencies and organizations that have benefited not only KWP, but also the entire agency. We hope that these partnerships will open doors for other program opportunities.

Staff regularly attend Inter-Agency meetings in all eight counties to ensure that we can offer all available resources to our participants. In addition, the collaboration with the other agencies also helps to spread the word of the many different programs that CKCAC has to offer. Community Partnerships are the key to any programs success and has proven so valuable to the Kentucky Works Program.