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Agency Level Best Practices
Achieving Partnerships Among Supporters and Providers of Services to Low-Income People (Category 4)
Agencies Increase Their Capacity to Achieve Results (Category 5)
Achieving Partnerships Among Supporters and Providers of Services to Low-Income People (Category 4)
BEST PRACTICE 2007
Pickaway County Community Action Organization, Inc
Faith Based & Community Agency Summit
Rural communities have fewer resources to assist vulnerable populations. “It Only Takes A Spark” Faith Based and
Community Agency Summit which began in May of 2004 and was developed as an avenue to bring together service
agencies and faith-based groups who share a common mission of helping people improve their quality of life.
The summit mission statement is: “Building a stronger community through the creative partnership of
individuals, faith based and other community service groups”. Participants assess community needs,
celebrate accomplishments and break into groups to work on accomplishing one goal towards addressing
the identified needs.
Major outcomes:
- - 787 community members, educators, health professionals and law enforcement have attended “Bridges Out of Poverty” sessions and a Breakfast Club has been formed;
- - Obtained a grant for Middle and High School students to mentor Head Start children;
- - A pocket service directory was designed, printed and distributed;
- - Obtained a grant to provide mediation services at a parental visitation center;
- - A volunteer website has been developed;
- - Wrote a 10 year plan to address and end homelessness;
- - Increased knowledge of community needs and available resources to fill those needs;
- - Formed new community partnerships.
Dave Hannahs, Executive Director
740-477-1655
BEST PRACTICE 2007
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF)
Butler County School Supply Coalition
Due to duplication and disorganized community approach to help school children with schools supplies,
SELF was instrumental in the organization and operation of the Butler County School Supply
Coalition, comprised of seven other partners including county government and a large church. For two
years, the coalition has raised funds and purchased schools supply kits for children throughout Butler
County who are on the free or reduced lunch programs in all county school districts. In the fall of 2006,
the coalition raised $31,611.31 to help a record 5,357 children in grades K-12 (77 percent of the children
reported by the school districts to need kits).
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF)
Jeffrey A. Diver, Executive Director
(513) 868-9300
Honorable Mention 2006
Community Action Commission of Fayette County
Arbor Village
CAC of Fayette County operates a Self-Help Housing Program, where families work in groups to construct
their own homes. Over the years, CAC has found that building in subdivisions rather than scattered
sites greatly improves the effectiveness of operating this program. However, finding land, putting
the infrastructure and financing the land acquisition was financially difficult for CAC. CAC partnered
with the Woda Group, a private housing developer, to coordinate the construction of Tax Credit single
family housing and self-help owner-occupied housing on the same tracts of land. The developer also p
rovided office space on the site for the staff.
Community Action Commission of Fayette County
Jack Hagerty, Executive Director
(740) 335-7282
BEST PRACTICE 2004
Community Action Commission of Belmont County
CONNECT Project
was developed through co-location of Community Action, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
and other community based organizations. This partnership of connected services has helped to eliminate
the on-going problems of customers who often “get lost” in the social services system, and do not receive
the continuum of services necessary to address their needs. By operating the Belmont County CAC’s
Employment Division through the DJFS One Stop, they have increased both the quantity and quality of
services available to low-income people. From July 2002 through June 2003 a total of 123 CAC
program participants have received services through the One Stop Delivery System.
Community Action Commission of Belmont County
Gary Obloy, Executive Director
(740) 695-0294
BEST PRACTICE 2004
Columbus Metropolitan Area Community Action Organization
“On the Streets” Community Outreach
found that many of the persons in greatest need of services were not aware of available programs.
CMACAO targeted these persons in an intense door-to-door outreach project to locate and inform local
residents of available assistance. More than 11,400 households were visited in April and June of
2003. In addition to this community outreach, CMACAO partnered with other agencies and a local
hospital, to deliver services directly to several hundred persons on the streets of low-income
neighborhoods. Of the five partnering agencies contacted following the collaborative work, four
out of the five reported that they had a significant increase in inquiries immediately following
the outreach. This outreach included 500 children and adults receiving immunizations, 150 physical
examinations for preschoolers, 200 school readiness packets for children ages 4 and 5, and approximately
60 preschool children received health care assessments for Head Start or kindergarten.
Columbus Metropolitan Area Community Action Organization
George Yirga, President and CEO
(614) 324-5100
Honorable Mention 2004
Cincinnati Hamilton County Community Action Agency
Safe Pathways Program
was developed in response to the Cincinnati Hospital Medical Center’s report on childhood deaths from
injury. Each year more than 7,200 children die and another 50,000 are permanently injured by
unintentional injury. In Hamilton County, 44% of all children who die are African-American. The
solution was the development of Safe Pathways, a family safety program and curriculum designed to
utilize parental education to reduce unintentional injuries among children. Two sessions were
developed in conjunction with Head Start; (1) Safe Pathways for Children (teacher curriculum) and
(2) Safe Pathways for Families (take home activities that correspond with the teacher curriculum).
With a series of focus groups, parents completed safety questionnaires and gave feedback about views
on safety and barriers that they face. Gift certificates and child safety seats were given to parents
as incentives for participating.
Cincinnati/Hamilton Community Action Agency
Gwen L. Robinson, President and CEO
(513) 569-1840
Honorable Mention 2004
Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission
Marian Clark Center Expansion Project
was the result of a need for a nutrition site in Marion, Ohio. The Marian Clark center is a
multi-purpose center for meetings, social service providers and community groups. When the
need arose for a nutrition site, OHCAC spearheaded a 500 square foot room addition to serve
as a base location for the senior nutrition program. Local support from United Way and CDBG
funds, coupled with OHCAC corporate funds, began the process. With community support and
volunteers, the center was expanded to add an additional room to the original building to
serve as a community center and senior nutrition center base.
Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission
Joseph Devany, Executive Director
(740) 387-1039
Agencies Increase Their Capacity to Achieve Results (Category 5)
BEST PRACTICE 2006
Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Agency
LFCAA Materials Recovery Facility
Over the past forty years, we have faced many uncertain times regarding many funding sources, and it has
been our vision to create a stable funding sources, and it has been our vision to create a stable
funding stream to generate revenue for the agency. LFCAA first responded to this need in 1980 with
the development of a pilot recycling program as an economic development project. Since that time, our
full service Recycling Center has grown considerably in the scope of collection methods and the volume
and variety of materials collected, processed, and marketed. In May, 2006, LFCAA opened a new and
innovative Materials Recovery Facility. LFCAA has seen a 25% increase in revenue since it’s opening
in May, 2006.
Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Agency
Kellie Ailes, Executive Director
(740) 205-8004
BEST PRACTICE 2004
Kno-Ho-Co Ashland Community Action Commission
Emergency Services Program
was initiated in response to the unmet emergency needs of the low-income families served.
Implemented in 1997, the needs identified were rent assistance, utility assistance, food and
clothing. With CSBG base funding of $16,000 the program has grown to over $166,000 from several
funding sources as well as tens of thousands of dollars in in-kind merchandise contributions in
2003. The past two years the program has developed a one-stop shop concept, serving 889 families
with 1,054 members in 2003. These figures do not include the 4,060 family members receiving
$226,645 from the HEAP Program or the hundreds of children receiving clothing.
Kno-Ho-Co Ashland Community Action Commission
Bruce Kiracofe, Executive Director
(740) 622-9801
BEST PRACTICE 2004
LEADS Community Action Agency
Confronted with a lack of adequate space
to effectively house its Community Services Division. Without adequate office space and customer
waiting area, storage for materials and supplies, conditions and morale within the division were
poor. After looking at various options, i.e. purchasing a building and renovating, the agency
approached the Licking County Foundation for assistance. The buildings purchased with money
from the Evans Foundation have had a positive impact on services, savings to the programs and
additional value of the space as a match for future programming needs. Rental units also provide
extra dollars to maintain and improve all the agency properties. This allows LEADS to maintain
the properties without additional grant money, thus more funds are available for direct services
to the customers.
Licking County Economic Action Development
Kenneth Kempton, Executive Director
(740) 349-8606
Honorable Mention 2004
LEADS Community Action Agency
Integrating Technology into Our Service Delivery System
was implemented as a result of a review of the efficiency rating of staff operations and delivery
systems. Questions on how to improve tracking, avoid duplication, program efficiency, communications,
and deadlines were all reviewed. By purposefully integrating the use of modern technology into the
service delivery system, this provides a vital link in reaching the national ROMA goal: Agencies
Increase Their Capacity to Achieve Results. By utilizing the services of a MCP certified Information
Technology Coordinator, the agency has incorporated the most current technological system into agency
use so that the system can serve consumers in a more timely manner, market more services to the general
public, meet funding source requirements and work more closely as a team.
Tri-County Community Action of Champaign, Logan and Shelby Counties
Denise Bergen, Executive Director
(937) 592-3841
Honorable Mention 2004
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF)
SHALOM Project (Serving the Homeless with Alternative Lodging Network of Middletown)
is a partnership of nine churches developed when Middletown’s only homeless shelter was closed in
September of 2002. SELF organized a series of meetings with community and church leaders to brainstorm
and develop unity to meet the need for shelter. SHALOM, a church based homeless shelter network,
in Middletown, was formed. Homeless guests spend one week at a time at participating churches.
Staff from SELF and another non-profit, Transitional Living, provide case management to the homeless
through existing grants. Eighty five homeless men, women and children were sheltered during the
2002-2003 winter.
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families
Denise Bergen, Executive Director
(937) 592-3841
Honorable Mention 2004
WSOS Community Action Commission
Tornado Recovery Project
was the result of a devastating tornado, November 10, 2002 in Ottawa and Seneca counties.
Immediately the Family Advocates from the Family Service Department of WSOS Community Action
Commission joined with local organizations responding to the disaster. The initial purpose
was to assist those families whose homes were destroyed or damaged by the tornado and meet their
immediate needs for housing, food and clothing. Volunteer from all over the community responded
to the call and raised more than $300,000, which provided necessary resources to help the disaster
stricken families rebuild. Case managers from WSOS evaluated victims needs. A determination was
made to submit a proposal to the Ohio Disaster Relief Fund and Firelands Presbyterian Church.
The grant was funded and a case manager helped facilitate the organized effort to help the
survivors. A total of 104 households received assistance and/or referrals. This project now
serves as a model for future emergencies in the community and a beacon of hope for those in need.
WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc.
Don Stricker, Executive Director
(419) 334-8911