OACAA Briefing: The latest news from OACAA and Ohio's CAAs



February 2020
RESOURCES & ASSOCIATION UPDATES
School lunch program still serving 4 in 10 Ohio students
By: Cathy Candisky , The Columbus Dispatch

Key poverty indicator shows economic recovery stalled in the Buckeye State.

Despite talk of an improving economy, stagnant levels of school-lunch aid indicates “wages just aren’t going up. We’re still waiting for tax cuts to trickle down” to lower-income families, said Phil Cole, executive director of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies . >>> READ MORE
2020 Community Action Leadership Training
Applications are now open for the 2020 Community Action Leadership Training Series! This training series, now in it's fourth year, is available free to OACAA members and is suitable for aspiring, emerging, and experienced leaders throughout the network.

Interested applicants should complete and submit an application on our website no later than March 27, 2020 to be considered. Applicants are asked to commit to attending all five workshops in the series. Spaces are limited.

Visit our website to learn more today!
Census 2020 Resources
Community Action is in a unique position to help ensure a fair and accurate count by helping reach many of America's Hard-to-Count populations. The census is easy, safe, and important. #YouMatterBeCounted

Census Resources:
NETWORK NEWS & SUCCESSES
Forum aims to help businesses seeking to boost employee retention
Local companies looking to tackle employee retention issues will soon have a way to do so.

“An ERN is a demand-driven partnership that pulls together business leaders to discuss workforce needs such as employee retention, skills-building, and advancement,” according to Jeffrey Diver, executive director for SELF  >>> READ MORE
Aces of Trades: Deidrua Getz's volunteer work at community action is work based on love
(Source Lancaster Eagle Gazette, By Jeff Barron)

LANCASTER - Dierda Getz works at the Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Agency Choice Food Pantry five days a week and puts in almost a full day each day. But there's a major difference between her and most other people who go to work-- she doesn't get paid for her time.

"It started out being just a few hours," Getz said. "And I liked the customers, liked the people, and just really enjoyed doing it. It's like a job, but it doesn't feel like it. I really enjoy it.

 >>> READ MORE
Fostoria YouthBuild to provide more than just a HS diploma to disenfranchised youth
(Source: The Advertiser-Tribune, By Bret Nye)

When people ask John Page, Career Coach at Fostoria YouthBuild, who he hopes to recruit for the YouthBuild program, he tells them he goes after the “tough kids.”

Page said the program, which operates through the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership and is located at the Fostoria Learning Center, 342 E. Perry St., is seeking young adults age 18-24 who need a second chance, who have dropped out or been kicked out of school, who have struggled to find and secure the resources they need to jumpstart their careers and lives. >>> READ MORE
Ohio Loves Transit and so does Mayor Bricker
East Liverpool Mayor Greg Bricker decided that Friday was a good opportunity to give the local shuttle service a try, as the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County celebrated Ohio Loves Transit Week.

In Columbiana County, CAA offered all riders of public transit both Valentines and a sweet treat in addition to transporting them for free on the Make The Connection shuttle, which had been piloted in the East Liverpool-Calcutta area last year. 

>>> READ MORE
STAY CONNECTED
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Connect with us to get instant access to news, events, and more!