Community Action Of Greater Indianapolis Inc

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY "AN ESTIMATED 48 AMERICORPS SENIORS FGP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. OF THIS NUMBER 45 AMERICORPS SENIORS VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL BE COMFORT/COMMUNICATE, ASSIST WITH COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES AND PROPER SOCIAL SKILLS, POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT/REDIRECTION, HELP WITH SCHOOLWORK, PLAY GAMES/PUZZLES AND READ OR TELL STORIES. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS EDUCATION, AND ENSURE YOUTH OR SAFE, ALIVE, AND PRODUCTIVE. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, AN ESTIMATED 114 SENIORS WILL HAVE SERVED OVER 2000 CHILDREN WITH 85% OF THE CHILDREN BEING SERVED AT OR ABOVE HIS/HER GRADE LEVEL. 70% OF THE CHILDREN WILL BE READING AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL AND HAVE IMPROVED IN SOCIAL SKILLS AND HAVE DECREASED DISCIPLINARY INCIDENTS. GRANDPARENTS WILL FOCUS ON SERVING CHILDREN FROM DAY CARE, (6 WEEKS) TO 12TH GRADE, (18 YEARS). THE ACADEMIC GOAL HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. THE AMERICORPS FEDERAL INVESTMENT IS $ 247,187 WITH A MATCH OF $29,511. PRIOR TO COVID: SENIORS ACTIVELY SERVED IN SCHOOLS, DAYCARES, SHELTERS, AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. GRANDPARENTS WENT TO THEIR SITES 4 - 5 DAYS A WEEK (4 HRS. A DAY). THE SENIORS WILL HELP THE CHILDREN WITH VARIOUS ASSIGNMENTS FROM READING, MATH, SPECIAL PROJECTS, ETC. BASED ON WHAT THE TEACHER NEEDED. THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO LEAD TEACHERS BY HOSTING READING CIRCLES AND ONE ON ONES WITH A CHILD THAT MAY BE ACTING OUT OR NEEDED EXTRA ATTENTION. INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DECLARED A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN MARION COUNTY ON MARCH 6, 2020. MARCH 16TH MARKED THE CLOSING OF PUBLIC AND TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION WAS IMPLEMENTED. THE ASSUMPTION WAS ALL SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS COULD MAKE THE TRANSITION TO 100% VIRTUAL LEARNING AND TEACHING. STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT LEARNING LOSS IN BOTH ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS, AND MATH ACCORDING TO MCKINSEY AND COMPANY. BLACK, AND LATINO COMMUNITIES ARE SUFFERING MOST FROM THE HEALTH AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC. STUDENTS IN THESE GROUPS HAVE BEEN DOUBLY DISADVANTAGED BY DISTANCE LEARNING. 80% OF THE STUDENTS WE SERVE ARE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE RELIABLE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS OR WI-FI, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS ONLINE INSTRUCTION. OTHERS HAVE LIMITED ADULT SUPPORT OR DO NOT HAVE APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING AT HOME, STRUGGLING WITH FOOD OR HOUSING INSECURITY. THE FGP PROGRAM WAS TREMENDOUSLY AFFECTED BY THE CLOSINGS. STUDENTS WILL BE INTENTIONALLY MATCHED WITH GRANDPARENTS WHO HAVE THE SKILLS IN MATH, READING AND LANGUAGE TO BRING STUDENTS TO GRADE LEVEL OR ABOVE. GRANDPARENTS WILL WORK WITH STUDENTS ACHIEVING HOMEWORK GOALS AND PROVIDE THAT IN-PERSON STIMULI THAT IS NEEDED. COVID HAS EXPOSED AN EVEN GREATER NEED FOR THE PROGRAM. IT IS ESTIMATED 89% OF STUDENTS HAVE SUFFERED FROM LEARNING LOSS AND THE BURDEN OF RECOVERY IS ON US. OUR PROGRAM CAN PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. SENIORS HERE IN MARION COUNTY, WHICH IS THE LARGEST COUNTY SERVE CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND HELP STUDENTS WHO HAVE SPECIAL AND OR EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. AN INTENSIVE SITE / GRANDPARENT MATCH IS DONE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM TO ENSURE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AFTER COVID TO PRESENT: SENIORS PROVIDE READING VIRTUALLY TO STUDENTS, OR ONE STUDENT AT A TIME. EACH YEAR WE WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,700 (FAMILIES) HOUSEHOLDS AND 1,200 OF THEM UN-DUPLICATED CHILDREN SERVED BY THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM IN MARION COUNTY.

THIS AWARD FUNDS THE APPROVED 2024?25 FGP PROGRAM. YOUR 2024?25 STATUTORY MATCH IS 10% AND YOUR BUDGETARY MATCH IS 14.71%. THIS AWARD IS APPROVED TO ADD $2,500 IN ONE-TIME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR TRAVEL RELATED TO TRAINING IN FY 24.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE COMMUNITY ACTION FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM WILL HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF 48 VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE YOUTH IN MARION COUNTY. THE ACTIVITIES THE GRANDPARENTS PERFORM WILL HELP THE CHILDREN THEY SERVE BECOME PRODUCTIVE ADULTS. GRANDPARENTS WILL FOCUS ON SERVING CHILDREN FROM DAY CARE, (6 WEEKS) TO 12TH GRADE, (18 YEARS). AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, 85% OF THE CHILDREN BEING SERVED WILL BE AT OR ABOVE HIS OR HER GRADE OR AGE LEVEL. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $214,903 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $23,000 OF NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES. EACH WEEK 4- 5 DAYS A WEEK, 4-5 HOURS A DAY, SENIORS 55 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER WILL TRAVEL TO DESIGNATED SITES ASSIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM TO WORK WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE SOME SPECIAL OR EXCEPTIONAL NEED. THESE SENIORS WILL HELP CHILDREN WHO NEED HELP IN AREAS OF LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION, HOMELESSNESS, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, EMOTIONAL OR SOCIAL NEED, LITERACY, ABUSED/NEGLECTED, SPEECH IMPAIRED, EMOTIONAL AND OR SOCIAL BARRIERS. THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY COMMUNITY ACTION OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS WHOSE MISSION IS TO EMPOWER THOSE WE SERVE TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT AND SELF-SUFFICIENT. COMMUNITY ACTION IS AN AGENCY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1965 TO CARRY OUT THE MISSION OF SERVING THOSE WHO FELL BELOW A CERTAIN INCOME GUIDELINE. IT WAS CREATED AS THE RESULT OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 1964. THIS WAS THE POVERTY LEVEL WHICH WOULD ALLOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES. THOSE SERVICES INCLUDED ASSISTANCE ON ELECTRIC AND HEATING BILLS, HELP WITH EMPLOYMENT, SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, HEAD START, ADULT BASIC EDUCATION, NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH PROGRAMS AND THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM TO NAME A FEW. COMMUNITY ACTION OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE REDUCTION AND ULTIMATE ELIMINATION OF POVERTY AMONG ITS CLIENTS IN CENTRAL INDIANA. EACH YEAR WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 (FAMILIES) HOUSEHOLDS AND 1,200 OF THEM UNDUPLICATED CHILDREN SERVED BY THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM IN MARION COUNTY. CAGI'S MISSION IS CRAFTED TO NOT ONLY GIVE INDIVIDUALS A "HAND OUT" BUT A "HAND UP" IN TERMS OF INCREASING THEIR CAPACITY TO BECOME MORE SELF-RELIANT AND SELF-SUFFICIENT. CAGI STARTED IN 1965 AS CAAP (COMMUNITY ACTION AGAINST POVERTY) BUT LATER CHANGED ITS NAME TO COMMUNITY ACTION OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS. COMMUNITY ACTION WILL SERVE IN FOUR COUNTIES IN INDIANA, (BOONE, HAMILTON, HENDRICKS, AND MARION), SERVING CLIENTS WHO FALL AT OR BELOW THE 150% POVERTY GUIDELINE FOR SOME AND THE 200% GUIDELINE FOR FOSTER GRANDPARENTS.

FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICE TO CHILDREN IN NEED

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICE TO CHILDREN IN NEED

FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM

5K HEALTH AND WELLNESS SENIOR WALK EXPO

TO DELIVER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME CITIZENS WHO ARE RETURNING FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OR ARE SUBSTANCE ABUSE USERS. - COMMUNITY ACTION OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS, INC.'S (CAGI) PRIMARY GOAL OF THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN BOONE, HAMILTON, HENDRICKS, MARION, AND TIPTON COUNTIES. MANY OF THOSE IN NEED OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES ARE INDIVIDUALS RETURNING FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL REHABILITATION FACILITIES, CAGI WILL SUPPORT SUBSTANCE ABUSE INDIVIDUALS WITH RECOVERY SERVICES. CAGI WILL ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO OUR AT-RISK YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-24 ENGAGING MRT PROFESSIONALS, LIFE COACHES, AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES CONTRACTORS.