May is Community Action Month under the leadership of the National Association of Community Action Agencies and the Wyoming Community Action Association. It is a celebration of community action successes and it is a time to share our message that Community Action Works!
About eight months ago, with the support of the Johnson County Commissioners, the Community Resource Center of Johnson County was challenged to become an "eligible entity" by proving itself to be a "community action type" agency. It did so by demonstrating that it serves the community as a whole through the varied services and programs it administers and coordinates through a volunteer board of directors, advisors, and dedicated paid staff. The designation was necessary to become eligible for Johnson County's allocation of Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) program funding of which the county was in jeopardy of losing.
The resource center serves Johnson County effectively through a "helpline" for information and referral of health and human services, the Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth asset building initiative and projects, coordination of the local health planning coalition, we are a liaison to Department of Employment for local resources, and we are strong advocates for tobacco use prevention as we receive funding from the State of Wyoming, Substance Abuse Division for local task force activities and tobacco control efforts.
The nine member Johnson County Tripartite Board (JCTB) was formed beginning with an election last October. Initially, three members were elected to represent the low-income population of Johnson County by verified low-income voters. An additional three members represent local elected officials and three more represent the community at large.
CSBG program funds have effectively funded critical needs of Buffalo's low-income population. Through the Buffalo Senior Center, as a grant recipient for over 11 years, programs including those that pay for transportation, housekeeping assistance, meals, and respite care have been funded. $18,000 was awarded to the center this current program year, which ends September 2001 for these same types of services.
Community Action is about real people with real stories. It is about volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours of their time and give openly to others. And Community Action is about the contributions of dedicated staff who make Community Action work in Johnson County.
The change in administration was proceeded by the Federal Government changing the laws which govern the structure that must be in place before CSBG funds can be allocated; hence the requirement of the tripartite board process.
The board of directors of the Community Resource Center of Johnson County wish to thank the community leaders that come together early on in this process to support and encourage this change.
Gary Maier and Jim Rolf of the Office of Community Services and Kathy Matson of the Wyoming Community Action Association provided utmost support and guidance through this tedious and methodical eligibility process.
We did succeed and the evidence of success is the funding of programs that serve low-income people. The Tripartite Board is dedicated to reducing poverty, empowering low-income individuals and families to become economically self-sufficient, and the maximization of resources that identify and reduce problems related to insufficient income and/or inadequate economic opportunities.
Thank you Johnson County citizens for the opportunity to serve you! Community Action Works!
Sincerely,Casper's Parkway Plaza will be the location slated for the statewide tripartite board training. Sponsored by the Wyoming Community Action Association and the State of Wyoming, Office of Community Services, six representatives of Johnson County will be participating.
Jack Tarter, John Trierweiler, Connie Ramsey, Loretta Funk, and Karen Miers are current Johnson County Tripartite Board Members and coordinator Shann Hauck who is also Executive Director of the Community Resource Center of Johnson County will be attending.
Board members who are unable to attend are Gordon Herring and Marilyn Vercimak of Kaycee and Marilyn Connolly and Elsie Stevenson of Buffalo.
Approximately 50 members and staff from across Wyoming will have the opportunity to meet and learn together.
The Johnson County Tripartite Board, formed eight months ago for the purpose of Community Service Block Grant Funding, is a member of the Wyoming Community Action Association (WCAA). As a recipient of CSBG program funding through the Community Resource Center of Johnson County, we are a part of a state and national network of programs that address the issues of low-income citizens in communities throughout our country.
By joining the Wyoming association, our community is represented in advocating for services to meet the needs of low-income people. The WCAA will unify our voice for the people of Wyoming and Johnson County and will assist each County Agency, like the Community Resource Center, with information and training to further our local goals.
For information please contact the Community Resource Center at 307-684-7933 or 1-877-684-7933.
El Belish of Guy Friday Consulting in Ranchester, Wyoming has been contracted by the Johnson County Tripartite Board to conduct a low-income services needs assessment survey. The survey outcome will help determine how Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) monies should be spent in Johnson County. The survey report is due to be released to the public by July 1, 2001. The project is funded by the State of Wyoming, Office of Community Services as a requirement of CSBG program funding.
The survey questions inquire only about opportunities available for people with low-income. Participants, not all of that were low-income, rated how services are being provided in Johnson County. Services included employment/training, education, housing (non-emergency), resource utilization, emergency (crisis) assistance, nutrition/food (non-emergency), transportation, and services linkage.
Agencies are asked about their current physical locations and whether they anticipate a need for new or improved facilities in the next five years. This question correlates with needs indicated during the listening sessions hosted by the community assessment team recently in Buffalo.
Johnson County partners for collecting data are the Buffalo Senior Center, Veterans' Home of Wyoming, Department of Employment, Public Health, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Headstart, Women's Health Forum, Department of Family Services, with special thanks to the Buffalo Community Health Fair participants, the Kaycee Medical Clinic and Connie Ramsey.
A public hearing reporting assessment outcomes will be scheduled early in July and poverty reduction goals will be set at the Tripartite Board's annual meeting on July 12, 2001.
For more information please contact the Community Resource Center of Johnson County at 307-684-7933 or 1-877-684-7933.
Johnson County Schools will be participating in the 2nd Annual Groundhog Job Shadow Day, Friday, February, 2, 2001.
Buffalo and Kaycee High Schools integrated this "Job Shadow" opportunity into their career development curriculum at the junior level. Last year, 116 students in Johnson County participated in Groundhog Job Shadow Day. As many as 74 different businesses volunteered to host a student for a day and in some cases more than one student went to the same business.
Job Shadowing provides an opportunity for students to be exposed to various career options that they may not have the chance to explore otherwise. Participating students will visit a work place and "shadow" a worker in a career they are interested in pursuing. This experience provides an up close look at how skills learned in school are relevant to the work place.
Job Shadow Day builds community partnerships between schools and businesses that enhance the educational experience of all students. It introduces students to the requirements of profession and industries to help them prepare to join the workforce of the 21st century and also encourages an on going relationship between young people and adults.
Funding for the Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2001 project is provided by Johnson/Sheridan Cloud Peak School to Career Partnership with additional financial support from Healthy Communities … Healthy Youth of Johnson County, Buffalo High School, and Kaycee High School.
A kick-off breakfast for participating students and their business match will be provided by the American Legion Auxillary the morning of Friday, February 2nd.
If your business is interested in participating in Groundhog Job Shadow Day please contact the local coordinator and Americorp VISTA, Paige Saxbury at the Community Resource Center 684-7933 or 1-877-684-7933.