Action Resources Inc

ESTIMATED TOTAL FUNDS REFER TO THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR CASH GRANTS WHILE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF GRANTS EQUALS TOTAL OF ALL AMERICORPS VISTA PROJECTS, TH

THE SATANKA FOOD AND COMMUNITY INNOVATION HUB WILL FILL A LONG RECOGNIZED GAP IN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM IN ALBANY COUNTY, WYOMING BY FACILITATING CONNECTIONS AND BETWEEN LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND COMMUNITY BASED INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASERS. ALTHOUGH WYOMING HAS AN EXTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARY PRODUCTIVITY, THE CHALLENGES OF GEOGRAPHY AND DISPERSED RURAL POPULATIONS MEAN THAT THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM IS UNDERDEVELOPED AND VULNERABLE TO DISRUPTIONS IN DISTANT SUPPLY CHAINS. ALBANY COUNTY HAS HIGH RATES OF POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY. BETWEEN 2014 AND 2016, SEVERAL COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM STUDIES CONCLUDED THAT WYOMING IS WELL SUITED TO FOOD HUB DEVELOPMENT AS A MEANS OF CREATING A VIABLE STATEWIDE FOOD SYSTEM. THE SATANKA FOOD HUB WILL START ON A DELIBERATELY SMALL SCALE, WITH CLOSE COLLABORATION BETWEEN PRODUCERS, BUYERS, FOOD HUB MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE DEVELOPMENT THAT ALIGNS WITH NEEDS AND CAPACITIES ON ALL SIDES AND MEETS THE LOGISTICAL AND FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF FOOD STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, AGGREGATION, AND DELIVERY. FOOD HUB OPERATIONS WILL EXPAND STEADILY, REACHING 8 LOCAL REGIONAL PRODUCERS, 3 INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS, AND AN EXPANDING MENU OF PRODUCTS AT INCREASING FREQUENCY IN THREE YEARS. PRODUCERS WILL BENEFIT FROM EXPANDED AND STABLE SALES OUTLETS INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS WILL BENEFIT FROM BEING ABLE TO ADD LOCALLY PRODUCED GOODS TO THEIR FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY IN THE PROCESS. ULTIMATE BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES, WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD AND A MORE LOCAL VIBRANT ECONOMY.

ACTION RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL (ARI) WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION FOR FOSTER GRANDPARENTS OF THE WYOMING ROCKIES WHICH IS CURRENTLY OPERATES IN SEVEN WYOMING COUNTIES COVERING AN AREA OF JUST UNDER 36,OOO SQUARE MILES: ALBANY, CARBON, SWEETWATER, UINTA, LINCOLN, SHERIDAN AND JOHNSON. FOCUS WILL CONTINUE IN THE AREA OF COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES OF K-12 SUCCESS AND SCHOOL READINESS, WITH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES IN CHILD SAFETY, WELFARE AND HEALTH. ARI WILL AGAIN PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT INCLUDING A COMMUNITY LED ADVISORY COUNCIL; A HOME BASE, OFFICE SPACE AND MATERIALS SUPPORT; AND FISCAL, PERSONNEL AND PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM. AN ESTIMATED 42 FGP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE TUTORING AND MENTORING FOR PRE-READING ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN DAILY ASSIGNMENTS, ENDEAVORS AND TASKS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE SKILLS, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS AND POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-LITERACY SKILLS FOR SCHOOL READINESS, AND TUTORING IN READING AND IN BASIC MATH CONCEPTS AND COMPUTATIONAL SKILLS. NOT ADJUSTING FOR THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN WORKPLANS WHO MOVED, IMPROVEMENT WAS MEASURED AT 92% IN YEARS 1 AND 2 OF THE PREVIOUS GRANT CYCLE. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS EDUCATION. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, THE FGP PROJECT WILL HAVE MEASURABLY CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, AND FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL AND/OR EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $199,228 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY APPROXIMATELY $122,354 IN NON-FEDERAL FUNDS INCLUDING A STATE OF WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GRANT, IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS, FUNDRAISING, AND GRANTEE SUPPORT. ARI IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN 1991 AND GRANTED FEDERAL 501(C)(3) TAX EXEMPT STATUS IN 1995, WITH THE OVERARCHING MISSION TO ERADICATE AND PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. IN CARRYING OUT THIS MISSION, THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORS AND CONDUCTS PROGRAMS TO HELP ACHIEVE OVERALL HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT ARE ACTION ORIENTED, COMMUNITY BASED AND DRIVEN BY INDIVIDUALS WHOSE EXPERTISE IS PRIMARILY INFORMED BY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED, BACKED BY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THAT EXPERIENCE WAS CREATED. ARI ORIGINATED AS THE INTERNATIONAL NGO "LOOKING UP," WHICH WAS BASED IN MAINE FROM 1983 -- 1991, PROVIDING EDUCATION AND INDIVIDUAL VICTIM AND SURVIVOR SERVICES TO OVER 10,000 INDIVIDUALS AND SERVICE PROVIDING ORGANIZATIONS A YEAR THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND IN NINE ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES. ARI EVOLVED FROM THAT WORK, DEVELOPING A BROADER VISION THAT INCLUDES SOCIAL CHANGE EFFORTS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE THROUGH A LONG TERM, MULTI-FACETED DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING FOR SECURITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE IN DIVERSE COMMUNITY SETTINGS.

ACTION RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL (ARI) WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION FOR FOSTER GRANDPARENTS OF THE WYOMING ROCKIES WHICH IS CURRENTLY OPERATES IN SEVEN WYOMING COUNTIES COVERING AN AREA OF JUST UNDER 36,OOO SQUARE MILES: ALBANY, CARBON, SWEETWATER, UINTA, LINCOLN, SHERIDAN AND JOHNSON. FOCUS WILL CONTINUE IN THE AREA OF COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES OF K-12 SUCCESS AND SCHOOL READINESS, WITH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES IN CHILD SAFETY, WELFARE AND HEALTH. ARI WILL AGAIN PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT INCLUDING A COMMUNITY LED ADVISORY COUNCIL; A HOME BASE, OFFICE SPACE AND MATERIALS SUPPORT; AND FISCAL, PERSONNEL AND PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM. ARI INCORPORATED IN 1991 AND WAS GRANTED FEDERAL 501(C)(3) TAX EXEMPT STATUS IN 1995, WITH THE OVERARCHING MISSION TO ERADICATE AND PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. IN CARRYING OUT THIS MISSION, THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORS AND CONDUCTS PROGRAMS TO HELP ACHIEVE OVERALL HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT ARE ACTION ORIENTED, COMMUNITY BASED AND DRIVEN BY INDIVIDUALS WHOSE EXPERTISE IS PRIMARILY INFORMED BY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED, BACKED BY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THAT EXPERIENCE WAS CREATED. AN ESTIMATED 42 AMERICORPS SENIORS FOSTER GRANDPARENT VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. OF THESE, 33 WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME-BASED ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE TUTORING AND MENTORING FOR PRE-READING ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN DAILY ASSIGNMENTS, ENDEAVORS AND TASKS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE SKILLS, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS AND POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-LITERACY SKILLS FOR SCHOOL READINESS, TUTORING IN ELL, READING AND IN BASIC MATH CONCEPTS AND COMPUTATIONAL SKILLS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS EDUCATION. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, THE FGP WILL HAVE MEASURABLY CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, AND FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL AND/OR EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. BASED ON PREVIOUS SUCCESSES, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 92% OF STUDENTS WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS. THE AMERICORPS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $217,686 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED $111,388 IN NON-FEDERAL FUNDS INCLUDING A STATE OF WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GRANT, IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS, FUNDRAISING, AND GRANTEE SUPPORT.

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

ACTION RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL WILL SUPPORT TWENTY-FIVE (25) VISTA MEMBER SERVICE YEARS, THROUGH WHICH MEMBERS WILL BUILD CAPACITY AND COMBAT POVERTY THROUGH COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN WYOMING AND COLORADO THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT AIM TO INCREASE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS AND SECURITY; ENHANCE SHELTER, SAFETY, PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE, EDUCATION AND OTHER HEALTH-RELATED EFFORTS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON ESTABLISHING REGIONWIDE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN AND AMONG GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY-BASED AND LED PROJECTS. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD, THE VISTA MEMBERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING MORE PEOPLE: * LIVE WITH SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY (INCLUDING INCREASED OPTIONS FOR ACCESSING FRESH FOODS; INCREASED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CONSUMPTION; INCREASED LOCAL PRODUCE PRODUCTION; INCREASED INTEREST IN GARDENING, FOOD PRODUCTION AND HEALTHY EATING; INCREASED OPTIONS AND CAPACITY FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION; INCREASED FOOD SYSTEM INITIATIVES AND LEADERSHIP BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS; INCREASED SUSTAINABLE FUNDING STREAMS FOR COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PROJECTS; INCREASED DIGNITY THROUGH WHICH FOOD IS ACCESSED); * BUILD, LIVE IN AND SUSTAIN SAFE, SUPPORTIVE, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, THE VISTA MEMBERS WILL LEVERAGE 1000 VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL BE ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY-BASED, SUSTAINABLE, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROJECTS. AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH POVERTY, PEOPLE LIVING WITH FOOD INSECURITY, PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES, LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, HEALTH, SHELTER AND EDUCATION, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. VISTA MEMBERS WILL FACILITATE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FOR COLLABORATIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND SOLUTION BUILDING THAT INCLUDES IDENTIFICATION OF AND ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE FUNDING STREAMS; WITH THE HELP OF VISTA SUMMER ASSOCIATES, THEY WILL DEVELOP, ORGANIZE AND IMPLEMENT AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM SITES, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PROGRAMS THAT OFFER HEALTHY FOODS, FUN LEARNING AND ACTIVITY COMPONENTS, ALONG WITH SUPPORT FOR HEALTH, WELLNESS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EVENTS; AND VISTA MEMBERS TOGETHER WILL CONNECT COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS TO BUILD REGION-WIDE NETWORKS OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS. SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES FACING RURAL COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WHO ARE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED.

THIS AWARD FUNDS THE APPROVED 2024?25 FGP PROGRAM. YOUR 2024?25 STATUTORY MATCH IS 10% AND YOUR BUDGETARY MATCH IS 11.2% THIS AWARD IS APPROVED TO ADD $2,500 IN ONE-TIME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR TRAVEL RELATED TO TRAINING IN FY 24.

COMMUNITY TO GARDENS AND BACK AGAIN: FEEDING LARAMIE VALLEY`S COMMUNITY-ENGAGED AND DRIVEN PROJECT TO INCREASE SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD IN ALBANY COUNTY, WYOMING