Spring is a time for renewal and a time for new beginnings. Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken, birds migrate, and the earth seems to come to life after a dormant winter.
There are several “new” things going on at CKCAC now too!
Head Start students are once again filling our centers. We welcomed students back on April 12, 2021, for full-time, in-person learning at their family’s discretion. There are a total of 354 Early Head Start and Head Start students attending in-person each day throughout the 6-county region.
One Call Now is being utilized to communicate with staff. One Call Now is a platform used to send mass e-mails, phone calls, and text messages to employees reminding them of days off, company benefits, showing them appreciation, etc.
New Board Members have been elected and appointed. In recent months we have welcomed Mr. Brad Allen Turner who is representing Larue County on the Area Board of Directors as well as Ms. Patricia McCoy who is representing Grayson County.
A new Program Director has joined our team. The Community Collaboration for Children program has named Ms. Ronda Bertrand as the new Program Director and Ms. Diane Redmond as a new In-Home Worker.
The two new Head Start facilities being built in Lebanon and Springfield are close to having Open Houses. Stay tuned for updates on when you will be invited to tour these new facilities.
New Day Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes have joined the food program and are now receiving reimbursement for serving nutritious meals to children who attend each day. There are now a total of 51 centers and homes participating throughout the state.
New grants from Tri-County United Way have been awarded to the Congregate Meals Program, Senior Companion Program and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. This money will help expand programming.
New volunteers have been added to several program areas which also allows for the expansion of programming and allows for more outreach in certain communities.
New vehicles have been added to the CKCAC fleet and the trip count per day has continued to increase so much so that the program is almost fully recovered from the COVID-19 crisis.
KY Works has a new client beginning unsubsidized work this month. Several other individuals have been hired through the program and continue to work daily.
New jobs are being posted weekly and many new hires have joined our team in recent months. We currently have jobs available through the CKCATS, Head Start, and Congregate Meals programs.
New opportunities for community members to receive utility and rent assistance have emerged and applications are still being accepted at this time in all local CSBG offices. We are currently offering scholarship opportunities for high school seniors through the CSBG program as well.
The new COVID-19 vaccine has become available and many CKCAC staff have already been fully inoculated.
Although we are excited about all the “new” things happening at CKCAC, we are still steadfast in our promise to change people’s lives, embody the spirit of hope, improve communities, and make America a better place to live. We continue to be dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
So, there will be more to come . . . much more.