March 2009 - Little Dixie Community Action Agency

LITTLE DIXIE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
March 2009
Vol. 4 Issue 2
Little Dixie Digest
Brenda Needham to lead agency
Board’s unanimous selection, she has worked for LDCAA for 32 years
Brenda Needham was the unanimous
selection to become the fourth executive
director of Little Dixie Community Action
Agency, at the agency’s board meeting on
March 10.
Needham had served under all three of
her predecessors during her 32 years of
service to Little Dixie. She had served as
Little Dixie’s Interim Executive Director
for the past 10 months, and will continue
to be one of southeast Oklahoma’s most
influential leaders as the agency’s first
female executive director.
“I’m honored to be selected,” she said
after Tuesday’s vote by all 25 board members in attendance. “I will continue to put
my whole heart into this job and this
agency.”
Needham, a native of Baton Rouge, La.,
attended Louisiana State University and
Southeastern State College in Durant. She
was hired by Little Dixie in 1976 as an
administrative assistant to the agency’s
first director, Fred Tucker.
She was promoted to Personnel Officer
in 1988, and became an Associate Director
under Bob Yandell in 1993. She served in
this capacity until 2008, when she stepped
in for Randall Erwin as Interim Executive
Director.
Board Chairman Lewis Collins said
Needham’s unceasing commitment to Little
Dixie “shows her love for this agency.”
“It was a difficult process with so many
qualified applicants,” Collins said. “But
(Needham) knows the programs and the people in-depth. Her experience, dedication and
loyalty were key.”
She was among a field of 79 applicants
seeking the agency’s top job since the position was advertised in January.
Board member profile: Kenneth Hamilton
Lifelong newsman is no stranger to service
Kenneth Hamilton is in his
second three-year term representing Broken Bow Senior
Center on the Little Dixie
Board.
That’s a drop in the bucket
compared to his career in
journalism. Back in 2000,
Oklahoma Press Association
honored the Broken Bow
native for 50 years spent with
SE Oklahoma newspapers.
He started hand-setting lead
type at Broken Bow News at
age 12; he owned the paper
by 21. He spent years at the
McCurtain Gazette, was general manager of the News for
a time, and editor of Atoka
County Times for 12 years
asked him to run for the
Little Dixie board; turns out
he was the sole candidate!
“Little Dixie does a lot of
work in the three counties, a
lot of good things,” he said.
“The agency is involved in
Board Member Kenneth Ham- so many different things, and
ilton with Executive Director everything that’s done beneBrenda Needham at a recent fits people. That’s why
we’re here, to benefit as
board meeting.
many people as possible.
before he retired.
That’s when he became
acquainted with the
George A. Puckett Senior
Center in Broken Bow, a
Little Dixie RSVP volunteer station. The manager
“The more we benefit, the
better off we’ll all be.”
Hamilton and wife Helen
have two children, Becky
Dean and Keith Hamilton,
and six grandchildren.
Employees of the Month
December - Lashonda Johnson (with
Brenda Needham, top left). January Lisa Martin (with Needham and Board
Chairman Lewis Collins).
5K Walk/Run
April 4 @ Hugo Lake
$150 prize for signup!
Details on Page 3
Little Dixie Digest
March 2009
Page 2
You could win $150
for 5K Run signup!
Home Health gains patients,
employees lose weight!
Next Saturday, April 4th, 2009, Little Dixie C.A.A. (LDCAA) will be having a 5K Walk/Run at Hugo Lake State Park to Little Dixie Home Health is starting the new year
raise funds to replenish our Emergency Fund. In addition, a “Fun Run” for with some new staff and a little bit of friendly office
youth will be held immediately competition.
following the 5K event. New Administrator Brenda Ashalintubbi and Com The emergency fund was established in 2006 for the purpose of helping individuals/families in our tri‐county service area who are faced with unexpected catastrophic‐type events. The emergency fund is one example of how Little Dixie C.A.A. employees strive to meet our goal of “Helping People; Changing Lives”. munity Services Educator Deanne Taylor are just a
few of the fresh faces at “LDHH.” This branch of
Kiamichi Development Corporation has seen tremendous growth since its inception three years ago, and
they always seem to be adding new positions and contract providers.
As of January, LDHH had a total of 115 employees –
the second largest division of Little Dixie/KDC behind
Head Start. There were several hundred clients under
Pre‐registration which results in a $5 the LDHH umbrella of home health patients and prosavings is being extended to April 2nd, vider clients.
2009 for Little Dixie C.A.A. employees LDHH has offices on West Jackson Street in Hugo,
who register for the event. THIS DOES in Atoka, and they have moved into new offices at
NOT APPLY TO NON‐LDCAA 1250 Lynn Lane in Idabel. The Hugo office has started
EMPLOYEES WHO YOU RECRUIT. All a friendly “Biggest Loser” weight loss contest as part
5K participants (including LDCAA of its effort to liven up the office.
employees) will receive a T‐shirt, and a Taylor said they held an initial weigh-in after the
“goody” bag on the day of the race. holidays, and those who gain
Employees participating will be eligible for a drawing on a $150 Wal‐Mart gift card!!! See LITTLE DIXIE, Page 8
Brenda Ashalintubbi, RN
Little Dixie Home Health Administrator
Deanne Taylor
LDHH Community Services Educator
Hugo Transit office moves to
1511 East Jackson Street
The decision to move the transit administrative staff from 511 West
Jackson to a leased facility at 1511 East Jackson helped us accomplish
several goals. For two years, the Hugo dispatch crew operated in a very
small facility at 601 West Jackson. This two-room facility housed two
full-time office personnel as well as 15 to 18 transit drivers. There was no
real opportunity for expansion at this location because the property on
both sides is owned by other individuals.
Therefore, we determined that we could find office space for the administrative staff elsewhere and re-locate the dispatch crew into 511 West
Jackson. With this move, the Hugo dispatch staff have acquired two separate spaces for the dispatch office personnel. There is a large, separate
space for a driver break room. In addition, they now have storage space
available whereas before they had none.
The location at 601 West Jackson has been remodeled to become the
transit training facility. Trainer Jim Earnest has a separate office space as
well as a large room to conduct training in.
The move to 1511 East Jackson gives the administrative staff adequate
Little Dixie Home Health team members pose outside of
the main office in Hugo. Those pictured include Little
Dixie Executive Director Brenda Needham and Associate Director Jay Weatherford.
office space as well as a large, separate storage area for program supplies and paperwork. The new location also gives
the agency an office presence on the other end of Jackson
Street.
Little Dixie Digest
March 2009
Page 4
SHARE - Little Dixie Self-Help Assistance, Resources & Education
Harrison, Arkansas
Self-Help Housing program set HAC Announces
to help four more families
SHOP Fund Awards
Anna Mathews, Carroll County News
CARROLL COUNTY -- Another four families are set to build
their own homes using sweat-equity in the coming months.
They are among a growing group of area families realizing the
American dream through the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program.
A half-dozen homes have already been constructed in Carroll
County under this program, and a dozen or so more have been
built in surrounding counties.
The program, which makes home ownership possible through
sweat-equity, just got a boost in the form of a $73,125 seed
money loan.
According to Moises Loza, executive director of the Housing
Assistance Council (HAC), the money goes to the Northwest Regional Housing Authority, which is one of 36 organizations across
the country that builds new homes under the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program -- funded by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
HAC granted a total of nearly $7.4 million in loans to those 36
organizations, said Loza. He said families selected by the chosen
organizations contribute their own "sweat equity" in order to reduce construction expenses.
“Family members will be hanging drywall, roofing, painting
and completing other tasks using their own sweat as 'equity' under
the supervision of a construction expert," he explained. “This is
the most exciting way I know of helping low-income families
help not only themselves but other families capture a piece of the
American Dream, not just this year but for years to come."
Most organizations receiving loans will also employ "mutual
self-help" methods in which each family helps other families
build their homes, he said.
The "mutual self-help" method is an integral part of the program
in place here.
Ken McDowell, executive director of Northwest Regional
Housing Authority, which oversees the local program, said, "Our
partnership with the Housing Assistance Council will greatly help
to achieve the goal of expanding homeownership for low to moderate income families established by our board of commissioners."
He said the Northwest Regional Housing Authority provides
assistance to the elderly, handicapped, and families with low to
moderate income to improve housing conditions and make additional housing available.
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) Loan Committee
met on February 6, 2009 to review and take action on the
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP)
2008 loan applications.
HAC received forty-one SHOP 2008 applications totaling
over $10 million to support the production of 732 units. The
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) awarded HAC $6.03 million under this funding
round to support the development of 402 units, resulting in
significant competition for these funds.
Below is a summary of funded organizations in Region 2
(South Central United States):
Organization
ST
SHOP
Units
Mennonite Housing Rehabilitation Services
KS
$405,000
27
Northwest Regional Housing Authority
AR
Proyecto Azteca TX
$75,000
5
$121,500
9
South Arkansas Community Development
AR
$180,000
12
Universal Housing Development Corp.
AR
Totals
$225,000
15
$1,006,500
68
Congratulations, grantees!
The following SHARE grantees have been funded recently:
City of Junction City, KS
Ozark Foothills Development Association, Poplar Bluff,
MO
Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership, Madison, SD
(Rehabilitation Program)
Northwest Regional Housing Authority, Harrison, AR
Little Dixie Digest
March 2009
Page 5
SHARE - Little Dixie Self-Help Assistance, Resources & Education
These tips from the Proyecto Azteca News in South Texas can be
helpful to any homeowner. Proyecto
Azteca is one of several Little Dixie
SHARE grantees across the Midwest
and South. “Proyecto Azteca” means
Project Aztec in Spanish, a reference
to the native ancestry of the Latino
population in this group’s South
Texas service area. For more information, visit their website at
www.proyectoazteca.com.
Referrals needed for
Weatherization’s
expanded program!
The economic stimulus package being discussed by President Barack Obama, and the U.S.
Congress and Senate, could have a massive impact on improving energy efficiency and safety
in southeast Oklahoma homes.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Ozark Foothills grant will build 18 homes
On Monday, March 9, 2009,
Greg Batson, Dexter Area Director for
USDA Rural Development, presented a
mock check in the amount of $299,448
to Ozark Foothills Development Association (OFDA). The mock check represents the funding awarded to OFDA for
a Self-Help Housing Grant to aid in the
construction of 18 homes in Butler
County, Mo.
Those attending the grant announcement in“These funds will help jumpstart the cluded: Christy Ferrell, representing Sen. Claire
building of housing units to help strug- McCaskill; representatives from the followgling families while creating jobs and ing: USDA Rural Development, Ozark Foothills
putting people back to work,” said U.S. Development Association, Little Dixie CommuSenator Kit Bond. “I commend the nity Action Agency, and Smith & Company; SelfUSDA and Ozark Foothills Develop- Help Housing clients Keith & Heather Willis,
Cynthia Gorman, Michael & Shannon Ray, and
ment Association leadership for making
Robert Monroe.
this important project a reality.”
“During these difficult economic times
when so many people are losing their
homes, I am pleased to see that homes
will be built in Butler County,” U.S.
Senator Claire McCaskill said. “These
federal grant dollars will help provide
hard-working Missouri families with
homes that they build themselves for
their children to grow up in.”
Rural Development began it’s partnership with OFDA for Self-Help Housing
in 2004. Since the inception of the program, 23 families have constructed new
homes in the Poplar Bluff area. This is the
fourth grant awarded to OFDA for SelfHelp Housing.
“Rural housing is one of the most important issues in our region. We need to preserve the dream of homeownership and
ensure that the responsibility of owning a
home remains a key message in our communities,” said U.S. Representative Jo Ann
Emerson.
Little Dixie Community Action Agency is
anticipating a sizeable increase in weatherization
funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. In
addition, the income guidelines have been increased to include households well above the
poverty level. This means many more homes in
need of weatherization and energy efficiency
repairs will qualify, and more funding could be
available to perform the work.
Little Dixie is encouraging weatherization
applications in the three southeast Oklahoma
counties of Choctaw, McCurtain and Pushmataha. To submit an application, call your local
NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center: Hugo
(326-5434), Idabel (286-9348), and Antlers (298
-2921).
Weatherization grants are provided for homes
in need of a specific set of repairs to make the
home safer and more energy efficient. Grants
will not include extensive repairs such as roofing, add-ons, or foundation repairs. The main
services provided include additional attic insulation, replacement of cracked or broken window
panes, repair and replacement of exterior doors,
caulking and weather-stripping.
The program can also pay for replacement of
ineffecient refrigerators and gas heaters. Once
repairs are made, residents typically notice a
significant drop in their utility bills.
For more information about Little Dixie
Weatherization, or for an application, visit your
NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center in one
of the following locations: 500 E. Rosewood in
Hugo; 603 SW B St. in Antlers; 312 NW Texas
Ave. in Idabel.
Little Dixie Digest
March 2009
Page 6
RSVP Volunteer Station of the Month
March Birthdays
1 - Sammye Pitt
3 - Rhonda Brown
Josh Braziel
4 - Johnnie Mae Wilson
5 - James Perry
6 - Jutta Gee
Connie Easley
Connie Dixon
7 - Gary Teague
Cynthia Mills
Renee Ragsdill
8 - Marsha Zulkey
9 - Alta McDaniel
Terese Wolfe
11 - Dawn Kay Wall
13 - Brenda Norris
14 - Christy Roberts
16 - Christy Long
17 - Radonda Moffatt
Hugo Nutrition Center
The staff and volunteers at Hugo
Nutrition Center are proud to provide
meals and activities five days a week
to area senior citizens.
Little Dixie welcomes
the following new
employees hired
since Jan. 12
Carrie Steadman
Charmaine Greene
Site Manager Crystal Allen said
meals are served at the 13th Place
center, or delivered to clients in town,
to the tune of 150 per day.
Sandra Siegle
But the center is about much more Hugo Nutrition Center clients gather
than lunch. Various activities are held around the domino table.
at the center, including holiday parties, health screenings, not to mention
the daily domino championships and
other brain exercising activities.
Radonna Brown
Recently, RSVP and Little Dixie
Home Health joined forces to sponsor
a cake walk at Hugo Nutrition Center.
More than $300 was raised toward a
new set of curtains for the center.
February Birthdays
“It’s a place where we can come and
feel part of a group,” said client Dot
Glenn. “I know I can get a good meal,
good friendship, and always be welcomed.”
Renee Dennisson
Tracy Bell
Christine Prothero
Shauna Wilson
Shannon Ward
4 - Carolyn Hampton
Sheila Price
Carrie Steadman
Deanne Taylor from Little Dixie
Home Health gives out a pastry to
one of the winners at a recent cake
walk fund-raiser at Hugo Nutrition
Center.
5 - Amy Scott
7 - Janell Hamil
Lenora Raymond
9 - Kyle White
18 - Florine Terry
10 - Jay Weatherford
21 - Bonnie Jean Sims
11 - Valerie Robinson
At left, cake walk participants
make the rounds. Below,
Deanne Taylor poses with a
cake walk winner at Hugo
Nutrition Center.
25 - Ronald Reese
28 - Rita Burke
29 - Tasha Buchanan
31 - Billy Johnson
12 - Deborah Ayers
Teresa Young
14 - Tonja Tomlinson
17 - Kathy Shannon
Crystal Gilley
Amanda Perry
18 - Leann Teal
RSVP shows love for Belmont Place
21 - Renee Macon
22 - Lori Nichols
28 - Laura Dickson
29 - Kishla Messer
At left, RSVP and Mays Home Health put on a
Valentine’s Day activity event for residents of
Belmont Place Senior Apartments in Hugo. Refreshments were provided and the residents took
pictures with a giant loveable bear.
Little Dixie Digest
March 2009
Page 7
Idabel CASA attends Tribal Collaboration Institute
Little Dixie’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) staff and two
CASA volunteers recently attended the
first annual Tribal Collaboration Institute in Oklahoma City. Different sessions were held throughout the day focusing on serving Indian children and
preserving Indian culture.
The Northern Plains Indian Children’s
Dance group entertained attendees dur-
Floyd and Sharon Payne, CASA volunteer advocates from Idabel, with Litle Dixie CASA
Coordinator Jerri Mitchell at the Tribal Collaboration Institute in Oklahoma City.
ing lunch and the children wore traditional regalia and demonstrated different
forms of dance.
Local CASA Coordinators, Jerri
Mitchell and Dawn Standridge, and
CASA volunteers, Floyd and Sharon
Payne attended this collaboration and
came back with lots of ideas to better
serve Indian children. They learned
“Keys to Best Practices for non-Natives
advocating for Native children.” They
also learned about the Indian Child Wel-
fare Act and its protection, rights to an
attorney and many other important variables in attending both court systems.
There are abused and neglected children in our community who need help.
It is CASA’s goal to diligently keep
working on different views and ideas to
try and combat these problems. Some of
the plans that CASA has are to look at
prevention in the area of juvenile delinquency, changing attitudes, gathering
information and collaboration with different agencies and entities.
It is CASA’s pledge to do our very
best to make sure none of the children in
our area fall through the cracks. But, we
need your help. CASA is always looking for volunteers to help make a difference in a child’s life. Volunteers are
everyday people who care about children. There are many qualifications for
CASA volunteers, but the main thing is
having a desire to help a child in need.
Floyd Payne (Left), a CASA Volunteer is chosen to do a
traditional Northern Plains Tribes version of the TwoStep dance with a young partner at the first annual
Tribal Collaboration Institute.
Snapshots...
CASA volunteers are appointed by the
Juvenile Court to serve as advocates for
abused children going through dependency court proceedings. CASA volunteers work with only one family at a
time and often become the most important person in these children’s lives.
CASA volunteers can be the difference
between hope and despair in a child’s
life. By simply listening, encouraging,
guiding and speaking up for a child,
CASA volunteers help these vulnerable
children and teens to reach their full
potential.
Antlers Masons donate to CASA
Little Dixie CASA and Antlers Masonic
Lodge #39 AF & AM held the Cutest
Kids in Camo Contest during the 7th
Annual Deer Festival & Outdoor Show
in Antlers last year. As a result the
Lodge was able to present a $2,000
check to Program Director Karla
Luginbill for CASA. Raymond Lough,
Secretary, Ray Pool, Worshipful Master and Larry Gilbert, Treasurer are
shown here making the presentation.
Those attending the Southeast Oklahoma Regional Health Network meeting in Idabel recently included: Trilla Frazier, Amy Gilbreath,
Pam Covington, Teresa Noah, Dr. Jon Maxwell, Sherri Briggs, Mike Turner.
Hugo City Manager
David Rawls signed a
proclamation for National Mentoring Month
in January. Passport to
the Future’s Choctaw
County coordinator
Tonya Finley is in the
background.
Little Dixie Digest
LITTLE DIXIE COMMUNITY
ACTION AGENCY
Helping People. Changing Lives.
February 2009
Page 8
Little Dixie Home Health continues success
Continued from Page 2
have to pay $1 a pound. “If you lose weight,
that’s rewarding enough.” This will run until
the winner is announced after April 2 at a
“salad social.”
BRENDA NEEDHAM
Executive Director
LEWIS COLLINS
Board Chairman
Little Dixie Home Health is also making
gains outside of their own office. Staff providers and schedulers are building partnerships in the community and within the
agency overall. They work with Little Dixie
Transit to provide Home Health clients with
transportation services. They are getting involved in county Turning Point Coalitions.
HERB MATLOCK
Vice Chairman
BRENT FRANKS
Secretary/Treasurer
cal community can get familiar with LDHH
staff.
Home Health also will continue its promotional efforts, with fancy pens given to doctors, setting up booths at health fairs, giving
puzzle books to hospital patients. They are
putting LDHH logo tissue boxes in Little
Dixie Transit vans as part of that partnership.
It’s all part of Little Dixie Home Health’s
ongoing effort to reach the top of a crowded
field of providers: “Good better best, never
let it rest, until the good is better, and the
better is best!”
If anyone in the Little Dixie family knows
of a family member or neighbor who could
use a new or improved home health provider,
call 877-326-5344. Also call this number if
you know of any qualified providers looking
for contract employment through LDHH.
Board Members: Choctaw County
Leeoma Caldwell, Lewis Collins, Kevin
Cory, Leona Edwards, Ray Noble, Charles
Partin, David Rawls, William Smith, Susan
Wall.
“We’re striving to show that we are working as a team,” Taylor said. They are sponsoring the first ever Little Dixie 5K run in
April, plus a team from LDHH will be participating. Tailgate parties are planned for the
spring so LDCAA employees and the medi-
Board Members: McCurtain County
Jennifer Bennett, Clint Bray, John Dean,
Kenneth Hamilton, Andrea Henkel, Keith
Lowe, Herb Matlock, Jerry Shinn, Arthur
Stewart, Jr., Jane Wooten.
Wal-Mart donates to YouthBuild program
The Wal-Mart Foundation recently donated $2,000 to Little Dixie YouthBuild
to help provide breakfast and lunch
food items to its participants. They
were joined in making the donation by
all three local Hugo banks. Pictured
above are Wal-Mart Assistant Manager
Kerry Wyrick and YouthBuild participants Paul Clements, Dessie Babb,
Tiffany Keller, Assistant Teacher Corey
Cleaves, Shawn Lemons, Nick Norris
and Teacher Kathryn Covington.
Board Members: Pushmataha County
Brent Franks, Joe Hill, Vickie Leathers, Eddy
McIntosh, Mark McIntosh, Frank Rosenthal,
Joel Taylor, Jana Wallace.
Parting Shots...
Idabel Head Start has been
busy with visits from McCurtain County EMS, Idabel
Police, a hands-on trip to
Pizza Hut and a visit from
the Crow Boer Goat Farm.
Little Dixie Digest
209 N. 4th St.
Hugo, OK 74743
Contact: Zach Maxwell
Sharon Holland is given her five-year Phone: 580-326-3351
service award by Brenda Needham and zmaxwell@littledixie.org
Lewis Collins.