The Observer – Winter 2015 Edition

WINTER 2015
OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Happy New Year to All ~
2014 was an impactful year at MCCA! With the help of over 200 individuals and over
70 foundations, organizations, corporations, and churches, we were able to impact
the lives of over 8,000 community members. We provided $3,345,343 in direct client
assistance and leveraged $753,000 in homeownership promotion and preservation.
DEBORAH WHITE
Board of Directors
Mark Kotte, President
Jennifer Hanna, Vice President
Laurie Peterson, Secretary
Steven McCoin, Treasurer
Bernard Anderson
Dennis Arnold
Beverly Beyer
Mark Clinch
Terry Lindberg
Sonny O’Connor
Gayle Rogers
Lauren Satchwell
Ashley Scarborough
Timothy Shafer
Catherine Spitz
I am honored to introduce you to three of the individuals who you helped to positively impact last year.
A Domestic Violence Survivor: “I didn’t love myself, but the Neville House staff loved
me until I was strong enough to love myself. They not only saved me, they saved one
little girl’s mommy.”
A former Mayors Manor Resident: “I am so appreciative for MM. It provided me a
home and support for two years to progress in my life. I was sleeping in a car before
moving into MM and now I have a place on my own and a full-time job in the community.”
A Weatherization Recipient: “My utility bill for March was the lowest it’s been since
I can remember. I am definitely seeing changes. I cannot wait to see what happens
down the road!! There are not enough words to thank you and everyone who works
on and contributes to this program! Thank you so much!!”
I am pleased to share some additional outcomes that you helped make possible:
96% of people fleeing to Neville House reported feeling safer from abuse; and, 95% of
domestic violence survivors in counseling reported a reduction in trauma symptoms.
92% of residents living at Mayors Manor supportive housing accomplished their annual life plan goals. 88% of people in crisis reported maintaining safe and affordable
housing six months after receiving financial assistance and education.
To view our full annual report, please visit our website www.mccainc.org.
Help us make 2015 impactful!
Join us in celebrating our 50 years of service. We are seeking 50 people to share
MCCA memories and milestones since 1965. Please contact Kristen at
kristens@mccainc.org or me at dwhite@mccainc.org to participate.
I look forward to seeing you at MCCA and in our McLean and Livingston communities.
In closing, I would like to share a quote from Terry Lindberg, MCCA Board member:
“Sometimes our neighbors face obstacles they cannot overcome on their own. MCCA
provides ways our community can lend its collective strength to people in need.”
Sincerely,
Deb
MCCA celebrates 50 years of work in our communities in 2015! MCCA
has been fortunate to have a strong impact because of continuous
community support. In 2015, we will celebrate with “MCCA in May”
and hope you will join us for one of the exciting events below and help
support MCCA’s legacy of Healthy Relationships, Healthy Finances,
Healthy Homes and Healthy Neighborhoods into the future.
Save the Date
Friday, May 1, 2015
Cash Bar, Auction & Activities: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner & Program: 7:00 p.m.
Auction Check-out: 8:30 p.m.
Tickets : $50 per person
Table of 10 Sponsorship: $450
5th Annual Seeds of Change
At the Marriott Hotel, Uptown Normal
Save the Date
Registration: 11:00 a.m.
Shot gun: 12:30 p.m.
Happy Hour: 5:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner Tickets : $65 per person
Golf Foursome: $550
MAY 18, 2015
2nd Annual MCCA Golf Outing
& Dinner
To Help Drive out Domestic Violence
For additional details and sponsorship opportunities contact Kristen Sand:
(309) 834-9254 or kristens@mccainc.org
MCCA Out and About in the Community
We Care
Twin Cities 1/2 Marathon
Water Station volunteers
Ground Breaking Ceremony for WBHC
Habitat Home
Mayors Manor Hippie Halloween
MCCA staff & volunteers enjoy meeting community members and having the opportunity to share our programs. Please contact Kristen (kristens@mccainc.org) to share your upcoming event information. Thanks.
BELATED HOLIDAY WISHES FROM MCCA STAFF!
Take Back the Night Event at ISU
Bethany, Deborah and Laura
Mike
WINNER OF UGLY SWEATER CONTEST!
Thank You to Chuck’s Harley-Davidson
& Friends
Neville House
24 Hr Hotline
(309)827-7070
Please consider donating your
used Cell Phone
to Neville House
These phones are used as part of a 9-1-1 Safety
Plan and recycled for Client Assistance funds.
Drop-Off
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL
If you would like to host a Cell Phone Drive at
your business or church, please call the Neville
House Business Line - (309) 828-8913
Our CDV team displayed the
Clothesline project and Silent
Witnesses at our agency last
October.
Thank you for your generous donation of Chuck’s boxes
for our Neville House families and for the support of
Neville House throughout the year. Our CDV team
appreciates your continued support of our mission.
MCCA would like to say THANK YOU to all the dedicated volunteers
who gave of their time & talents to MCCA during 2014!
We are thankful for the support & couldn’t do it without you!
JoAnn Smith
Donna Smaling
Lucy Moore
Judy Green
Marilee White
Elaine Herzog
Linda Morreau
Gerry Decker
Charles Bruno
Donna Bruno
Heidi Menard
Hussain Hussaini
John Colson
Julie Lee
Kristen Crombie
Lauren Abriani
Neha Raizada
Nick Rizzo
Paras Shah
Theodore Shepard
Vincent Ferrari
Suma Saligram
Dan Mulholland
Darcy Dague
Jason King
Carol Leary
Jean Girardi
Ethel Koney
Nicole Jovicevic
Veronica Watson
Kay Mills
Bob Ballantini
Vickie Smith
Helen Guth
Ann Forbes
Sue Reecer
Elsie Fitch
Dina Oaks
Brad Williams
Kathy Tosh
Nancy Zeigler
Sue Morgan
Ann Pelhank
Dianne Williams
Rob Stoop
Ann Kistner
Matthew DeSalvo
Megan Watson
Karen Fleming
Mike Fogle
Carol Aldridge
Phillis Cellini
Tonya Rose
Judy Green
Janice Wheatley
Jan Hazekamp
Ann Fritz
Alexis Kalish
Cameron Kurtz
Emily McLeod
Felicia Shaw
Michael Thomas
Renesia Martin
Sue Jefferson
Thanks again for your support of MCCA through
volunteer service.
*We apologize for anyone we may have missed.
Best Wishes For Retirement
MCCA celebrated the work and accomplishments of two
employees over the last month.
Kathleen Frank retired in December 2014. Kathleen joined
MCCA in March of 2011 to provide administrative assistance to
our leadership team. Kathleen provided great talent in designing our agency newsletter and flyers, helped implement our
agency events, and her organizational skills provided support to
the overall MCCA team.
Valorie Casson retired in January 2015. Valorie joined MCCA
in July 2011 as the Program Coordinator for Mayors Manor.
Valorie has done an excellent job overseeing the daily operations of Mayors Manor and providing a supportive environment
for residents. She has been a positive presence at both Mayors
Manor and our Homeless Coalition partners. Valorie took over at
Mayors Manor during a challenging time and worked on revamping Mayors Manor processes and procedures. She is great
at problem solving, conflict resolution, and utilizing resources
from the community. Valorie has been a great team member and
we appreciate her commitment and dedication.
Kathleen (left) helped
welcome and train our new
Administrative Assistant,
Theressa, prior to retirement.
Valorie (right) had the opportunity to show our new
program coordinator, Melissa, the ropes at Mayors Manor prior to her retirement.
MCCA Expanding Services to Livingston County Thanks to Grant Award
Thanks to The Caterpillar Foundation, MCCA will expand
services in Livingston County to include their Opportunities for
Financial Stability Program. MCCA received a $45,000 grant
from the Caterpillar Foundation to help launch the program in
2015.
The OFS program is similar to the Next Step Options program
that MCCA launched last year in McLean County, thanks to a
grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Women
to Women Giving Circle. MCCA has seen success in participants
in the McLean County program and looks forward to celebrating that success in Livingston County as well.
The OFS program is a long term commitment between MCCA
and the individual to partner to make sustainable changes in
their lives. The program is not a traditional community action
program. While there may be resources available to assist in
reaching one’s financial goals this program really explores the
individual’s vision for their long-term goals and developing a
plan to reach them. The program is designed to help women
who are ready to get out of a crisis lifestyle. Women who
enroll in this program will have a life coach and financial coach
to help identify and achieve goals. There is no cost for the
services because Caterpillar is partnering to invest in women’s
lives in Livingston County.
The partnership between The Caterpillar Foundation and
MCCA shows the strong commitment from both organizations to help women reach their full potential. The Caterpillar
Foundation’s mission to turn the spiral of poverty into a path of
prosperity by investing in those proven to yield the best results
– women and girls is the perfect complement to MCCA’s mission to educate, equip and empower individuals and families
toward financially secure violence free lives.
COMING THIS SPRING
3rd Annual Westside 5K.
Watch for more details on how to get involved.
For questions please contact Kristen Sand;
Livingston County News
kristens@mccainc.org
Caterpillar representative presenting MCCA staff with
the grant award.
Next
Step
News
Financial Workshop Series
February 2 - You and Your Credit Score *Participants are provided a free credit report from 3 credit bureaus with scores (a $39 value)
February 9 - Personal Budgeting
February 16 - Cost of Credit Cards and
Personal Loans
Celebrating Success!
In December, MCCA celebrated with several Next Step Participants to highlight reaching particular financial goals and to
motivate each other to continue moving forward.
The luncheon celebrated participants success of decreasing debt,
finding employment, maintaining their budget while decreasing
debt and making choices to lessen their housing cost to decrease
debt. Each participant received a certificate to help keep them
motivated towards future goals.
During the luncheon, participants had the opportunity to share
the goals they met and what motivated them to obtain the goal.
They also shared their future goals and our financial coaches
shared how our agency can assist in those goals.
One participant brought along another family member, who
enrolled in Next Step and looks forward to her own celebration
luncheon.
Interested in learning more about Next Step and the Coaching
Services available, contact Jenna Kearns (309) 834-9211 or
jennak@mccainc.org)
Light dinner provided for participants.
Ask about our free financial coaching services
All workshops held at
5:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
Mid Central Community Action
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
Check out our
Homebuyer Education Online Classes at
www.mccainc.org
Class size is limited so RSVP is required
*A signed release for the free credit report MUST be submitted by 4:30 p.m. the Friday before the workshop to receive a copy of your report.
Call or e-mail NOW to register
(309) 834-9244
kelleys@mccainc.org
Watch MCCA’s web site for the most up to date class schedule.
Next Step participants show off their certificates that
highlight their success of meeting financial goals.
FREE IRS TAX PREPARATION
IRS VITA PROGRAM
Have your federal and state tax returns
prepared by an IRS-certified volunteer for FREE.
VITA services are provided by the Bloomington-Normal
VITA Foundation and Mt. Moriah Christian Church.
Wednesdays: 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
MCCA wants your feedback!
The Community Needs Assessment for 2015 is ready for distribution.
The purpose of the Community Needs Assessment is to measure the
importance and satisfaction levels community individuals place on
a number of topics ranging from the availability of affordable health
care to the opportunities available to continue an individual’s education.
The paper version of the Community Needs Assessment is available at
numerous public locations throughout McLean and Livingston Counties and this year is available electronically, utilizing Survey Monkey,
through the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CNA_2015.
We encourage anyone in McLean and Livingston Counties to complete
the assessment using the paper version or the link. Your opinion is
valuable to us as we make future service and funding decisions. Thank
you for helping improve our community!
Who qualifies?
Mid Central Community Action
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
* SINGLE individuals with no dependents and income should
be $35,000 or less
* If you are SINGLE WITH DEPENDENTS your income should
be $55,000 or less
* If you are MARRIED your combined incomes should be
$55,000 or less.
Please bring:
* Tax information such as W-2, 1099, etc.
* Social Security cards (or ITINS) for all persons on the return
* Government issued picture ID
*Copy of your 2013 Federal Tax Return
Collaborative Construction Zone
MCCA recently purchased our
second home on W. Jefferson
St. in Bloomington as part of
the West Bloomington Housing Collaborative (WBHC)
Revitalization efforts. This
purchase is the second of 13
homes that will be revitalized
by MCCA as a partner in the
WBHC.
Construction will begin soon and should be completed
by late spring. Rehab work includes a new roof, kitchen
remodel and updating the heating system. The team will
also focus on preserving the original aspects of the house;
including beautiful woodwork. MCCA will host an open
house for this home during the Community Innovation Fair
on April 25, 2015.
The WBHC was formed last year as a collaborative focused
on housing on the Westside of Bloomington. The WBHC
received funds from the IL Attorney General’s office. MCCA
is one of eight community partners committed to the collaborative and one of three organizations that will organize
housing construction projects. In addition to MCCA’s 13
rehabs, Habitat for Humanity will build 3 homes and the
West Bloomington Revitalization Project will complete 20
homeowner occupied projects.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Baker,
Director of Rehabs & Revitalization (309) 834-9237 or
jenniferb@mccainc.org.
You’re Invited!
Community Innovation Fair
Contractor Informational Meeting
for
MCCA’s Rehab Program as part of
West Bloomington Housing Collaborative
February 12, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00pm
Mid Central Community Action
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL
Refreshments provided
Please RSVP by February 9, 2014 to
Jennifer Baker at jenniferb@mccainc.org or
ph. (309) 834-9237
Green Winter Tips to Save
Money and the Planet
Your Home Energy Savers Book – Project Energy Savers, LLC
Friendship Park Neighborhood Area,
West Bloomington
April 25, 2015
Visit our web site for more info on how to participate (mccainc.org)
Questions or more information, please contact
Jennifer Baker, Director of Rehabs & Revitalization
(309) 834-9237 or jenniferb@mccainc.org
Adjust Your Thermostat: Set it high in the summer, to 78 degrees.
It should be warm but still feel comfortable. Turn on a fan before turning on the air conditioner. In the winter, set the thermostat at 68 degrees and reach for a sweater before turning it up. For every one degree you turn down the temperature, you will save up to 5 percent in heating costs or about $45 during the winter heating season. Five degrees can save up to $225!
Turn Down the Water Temperature: Your water heater has a
thermostat that controls the heat of your water. Set it to 120
degrees. This will save you energy and save you from scalding hot water.
Unplug Your Second Refrigerator: A second refrigerator can use
a lot of energy. About 7 percent of your home’s energy use goes to powering your refrigerator – and that amount is doubled if you own two. You can save up to $250 on your
annual electricity costs by using just one refrigerator.
Mid Central Community Action, Inc.
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
NOTE: If you would prefer to receive an electronic copy of the newsletter, email theressal@mccainc.org
How to contact us:
McLean County Office
1301 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 829-0691
Fax: (309) 828-8811
Livingston County Office
210 W Water St. Suite 1E
Pontiac, IL 61764
(815) 844-3201
McLean County Domestic
Violence
24-hour Hotline
(309) 827-7070
Mayor’s Manor
Supportive Housing
504 W. Washington St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 827-2967
by email:
mcca@MCCAinc.org
on the web:
www.MCCAinc.org
www.facebook.com/MCCAinc
www.twitter.com/MCCAinc
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Please consider partnering with us to “Educate, Equip & Empower
individuals & families toward financially secure, violence free lives.”