7/30/2019 Straight Talk December 2012 Web

1/2

DearFriend,

Wevebeenbusythisfall,buildinganewstrategic

planwithourBoardofDirectorsandcompleting

ourcommunityneedsassessment.WerealsoveryclosetofinishingupourOpportunitySt.Paul

initiativefor2012aftermanycommunitydialogues

andinput.Andfinally,wereveryproudofour

HeadStartprogramforatremendousperformance

intheirFederalprogramaudit.Soithasbeen

busybutitsbeengoodwork.Althoughwelive

insometroublingeconomictimes,werelooking

towardthefuturewitheyesopenandawareofour

shortcomingsandstrengths.Enjoythesestoriesandpleasesendanemail

tochightower@caprw.orgorcontactmeat

651-603-5950orwithideasorquestions.

Sincerely,

ClarenceHightowerExecutiveDirector

CommunityAction

PartnershipofRamsey

&WashingtonCountie

s

450SyndicateStreetN

SaintPaul,MN55104

Community Action

STRAIGHTTALKA quarterly update to close friends of

Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Countie

December 2012

7/30/2019 Straight Talk December 2012 Web

2/2

STRAIGHTTALKDecember 2012

ImpActful DecIsIons

The Board o Directors is in the process o working with sta on a 20132015 strategic plan.

They started by reviewing our Mission, Vision and Values. These words guide our work. Ater

considering our original charter, what has changed in the last ew years and where we want to

go in the uture, the Board ormally adopted the Mission, Vision and Values printed below.

MISSION

The mission o Community

Action Partnership o Ramsey

& Washington Counties is

to reduce poverty and its

impacts on people in Ramseyand Washington counties.

VISION

Community Action

Partnership o Ramsey

& Washington Counties

envisions a society where the

causes and consequenceso poverty are abolished

and where social justice,

economic opportunity and

basic human dignity is

established or everyone.

VALUES

We value Strongcommunity

engagement

Richcommunitydiversity

Partnershipsandcollaborations

Stewardship

Respectandcaringforall

progrAm news

Head Start Review Results

WeareenormouslyproudtoannouncethatourHeadStartprogrampassedthevery

difcult Federal audit with a long list o strengths, no concerns and just two corrections

which have already been addressed. Among the areas o strength particular to ourprogram was the work we do in serving a diverse immigrant population speaking a

total o 24 dierent languages. This includes having materials in multiple languages, the

diversity o programming with up to 10 languages spoken in most o the classrooms,

literature and art representing various cultures and bilingual bus monitors who support

communication with parents when children are picked up. Congratulations to all the sta

members who contributed to this successul audit.

AgencY news

2012 Community Needs Assessment Completed

We just completed a broad, quantitative survey o low-income persons living inRamsey and Washington counties. Here are some o the top fndings rom the report:

1in4childrenand1in3residentsofcolorliveinpovertyinRamseyCounty

1in4peopleindicatedthatgettingandmaintainingemploymentistheonethingthat would help the most in meeting the needs o their household

Two-thirdsofresidentsreporthavingInternetaccessintheirhomes,andnearlythree-quarterssaidtheyorsomeoneintheirhouseholdhasInternetaccessatthepublic library.

Obviously there is much, much more in this rich report and we want to share it with

you as a resource and as a picture o our community. Please visit www.caprw.org

to view the entire report.

pArtIcIpAnt storY

In2011,Vidette,aCertiedMedical

Assistant and single mother o our,

foundherselfatacrossroads.Shewas

unemployed, struggling to make ends

meet and dealing with the threat o

domesticviolence.Sheandherchildren

had just moved into a new apartment

rom a transitional housing program.

As part o this program, Videttes rent

was partially subsidized; however due

to unemployment she struggled to

come up with her share o the housing

expenses. Even more discouraging was

the act that Videttes CMA license

had expired and she didnt have the

resources to pay or recertifcation.

InJuneof2011,Videtteenrolledin

ProjectSuccessandshebegantoimprove her situation. Community Action

paid or Videttes CMA license and in

Septembershewasrecertiedthrough

the American Association o Medical

Assistants. Community Action also

provided her support with transportation

assistance, emergency energy assistance

and reerrals to other resources designed

to address critical issues in her lie. As

aparticipantinProjectSuccess,Vidette

received assistance updating her resume,creating a cover letter and enhancing her

jobsearchandinterviewskills.InMarch

2012, she urthered her development by

completingaMedicalOfceJobTraining

Program. Vidette is now employed ull-

time as a Medical Assistant at a local

health clinic, where she earns nearly

$15 per hour.

CommunityActionPartnershipofRamsey&WashingtonCounties450SyndicateStreetN,SaintPaul,MN55104651-645-6445caprw.org