SWHRA
Receives Regional Award
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Submitted by Southwest Human Resource Agency
Southwest Human Resource Agency recently received the William "Sonny" Walker Self-Sufficiency Award presented at the Awards Banquet during the SEACAA (Southeastern Association of Community Action Agencies) 2018 Annual Training Conference, in Orlando, Florida. SWHRA Executive Director, Mike Smith, and other Southwest employees were on hand to accept the award.
The award is presented to an organization that has operated an outstanding program or project which has promoted self-sufficiency. SWHRA's Fatherhood Program, "Inside-Out Dad", and a comparable program, "How to Be a Responsible Mother" provide incarcerated individuals with basic needs to prosper upon re-entry into society. The curriculum includes instruction on being a better parent and spouse, adult education classes for those interested, resume and interviewing guidance, and becoming acquainted with the services available through various agencies in the area. The efforts not only benefit the individuals incarcerated, but positively impact their families and the communities of which they are a part.
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SWHRA brings home the SEACAA William "Sonny" Walker Self-Sufficency Award.
Pictured l to r: Christy McMahan, Jimmy Bell, Mike Smith (Executive Director), Tim Carothers
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Tim Carothers, SWHRA's Re-Entry Coordinator, presented at this year's TACA Annual Training Conference in Chattanooga.
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Mid-Cumberland's Paula Daniels
Selected
as TIAA Difference Maker
Submitted by Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency
TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America) has selected Case Manager Paula Daniels of Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency as recipient of a Difference Maker 100 award. This award is designed to honor extraordinary people who have devoted their lives to improving the world and making a recognizable difference in their communities and the nonprofit organizations they serve. TIAA received over 4,000 applications for the awards and narrowed their selection to 100 honorees. Each nonprofit represented by the honorees will receive $10,000 from TIAA.
Daniels was selected based upon the social impact of her work in helping people from poverty to financial stability. As a case manager, she considers the individual circumstances facing the customers she serves and helps them design a plan to improve their lives as a whole, from creating a budget to paying rent or utility bills to helping an individual improve job skills. Daniels utilizes a variety of MCCAA progams and community partners to help her customer access the help they need to move from lack to self-sustainability.
MCCAA is very poud of Daniels and congratulates her on her many accomplishments. She is truly an asset to the team as she helps MCCAA fulfill its mission of empowering people and communities toward economic independence.
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Mid-Cumberland's Paula Daniels, TIAA Difference Maker
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Agency Board Member Receives National Network Scholarship Award
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From the Community Action Partnership
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Pictured below l to r: Rebecca Parr,
Deisha Finley,Misty Goodwin
of Knoxville-Knox County CAC.
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TACA congratulates Rebecca Parr on receiving the Arvil Weisman Annual Convention Scholarship Award. The scholarship was established by the Community Action Partneship in 2016 in honor of Avil Wesiman, who was devoted to Community Action for 28 years prior to her retirement. The award reflects Weisman's dedication and passion to Community Action as well as her dedication to ongoing learning, professional enrichment, and
the Community Action Brand.
Parr has served as a representative of the Head Start Policy Council to the board of the Knoxville-Knox County Action Committee since November 2013. Encouraged by her role on the board, Parr found her voice within her community, and in 2017 she ran for a City Council seat. Though she did not win, she made it to the general election.
During the time that she was running for City Council, Parr decided that giving voice to the marginalized was not enough - there was more that she could do to bring about the change she wanted to see. So, she began meeting with community partners and spent time in various trainings on housing and combatting opioid use. In March 2018, Parr established an organizaton called Next Step Invitaive. The goal of the oganization is to bring about hope and change for families dealing with poverty and addiction. The organization does referrals and advocacy around many isses, but primarily getting individuals into treatment for addiction. The Next Step Initiative is already showing signs of succcess in education and training around drug distribution and use.
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Chattanooga OFE Doing 2Gen
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From Chattanooga Youth and Family Development Office of Family Empowerment
Just before summer ended, the City of Chattanooga Youth and Family Development Office of Family Empowerment held it's first Family Empowerment Program Orientation. Chattanooga OFE officially rolled out it's 2Gen Initiative to achieving positive outcomes for the whole family earlier this year.
Orientation participants included Chattanooga OFE staff, families, Family Coaches and Family Support Specialists. Discussions topics centered around program goals, family goals, civic engagement, accountability, advocacy and leadership. Lurone "Coach" Jennings, Chattanooga OFE Administrator, shared with the group his journey out of poverty, wisdom, and gave words of encouragement. City Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod came to meet the families and offered herself as a resource and support.
This initial meeting laid the foundation for working to transform Chattanooga one family at a time.
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Pictured: Standing-Rachel Howard, Director, Chattanooga YFD OFE leads orientation.
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UETHDA Gives Students a Jump Start on College
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Submitted by Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency
According to a study in 2017 published by the Tennessean, Hancock County (Sneedville,TN) is the second poorest county in Tennessee, followed by Grundy County. With that, other studies from around the world have shown there is a direct correlation between education and income. In the United states, 87% of people earn a high school diploma and 30% earn a bachelors degree or higher. Education levels in most of UETHDA service area counties are significantly lower. In Hancock County, about 75% of residents obtain a high school diploma or higher and 11% obtain a bachelors degree or higher.
The Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency's Hancock County Neighborhood Service Center is working to change that statistic by partnering with the county's high school to offer dual enrollment to students. Through this program, students can take college courses through their high school to get a head start on their college education, learn better study habits, see what areas of study interest them, and graduate high school with distinction. Since its inception in 2012, the program has had 44 participants.
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Pictured are recent UETHDA Hancock County Dual Enrollment participants.
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TACA Agencies met with Faye E. Kinner (third from left), Energy Assistance Specialist, Atmos Energy Corporation, during their recent quarterly meeting; ahead of Energy Awareness Month.
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Tennessee Association of Community Action
www.tncommunityaction.org
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