WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES ACTION INC

WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY ACTION'S (WCMCA) HEAD START PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGN THAT SUPPORTS THE GROWTH OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITHIN THE FAMILY AND THE GROWTH OF FAMILY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY NURTURERS, EDUCATORS, AND ADVOCATES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THIS FAMILY CENTERED APPROACH WORKS TO PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES. WE DELIVER COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES INCLUDING: HEALTH, NUTRITION, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE, PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. PROGRAM SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH CENTER BASED (CLASSROOM) FOR PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND HOME-BASED (HOME-VISIT) FOR ENROLLED PREGNANT WOMEN OR CHILDREN AGES 0-3. WE IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH CURRICULUMS THAT ARE PROVEN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN FAMILIES LIVES AND IN CHILDREN'S LEARNING OUTCOMES. THE STAFF OF OUR HEAD START PROGRAM ARE TRAINED AND COACHED TO IMPLEMENT RESEARCH STRATEGIES AND CURRICULUMS IN THE CLASSROOM AND DURING HOME VISITS TO PROMOTE POSITIVE, SUSTAINED CHILD OUTCOMES. WE ARE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND LITERACY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY PROVIDING YOUNG CHILDREN THE LANGUAGE-RICH, STIMULATING ENVIRONMENTS THEY NEED TO DEVELOP STRONG VOCABULARIES. A DUAL FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM IS TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH INTENTIONAL SCAFFOLDING OF SUPPORT TO MEET INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. COMMUNITY RESOURCES ARE MATCHED WITH PARENT/FAMILY NEEDS TO ACHIEVE GOALS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. AN ADDITIONAL UNIQUE PART OF HEAD START GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS THE POLICY COUNCIL. POLICY COUNCIL MEMBERS OVERSEE THE DELIVERY OF THE PROGRAM SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. POLICY COUNCIL IS COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE AND PARENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE HEAD START CENTERS AND THE EARLY HEAD START HOME-BASED PROGRAMS. THE PARENTS OF ENROLLED HEAD START CHILDREN AT EACH CENTER ELECT THE REPRESENTATIVES. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE EQUITY BY SERVING LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVED UNDER THIS PROGRAM IS 370.

WCMCA'S WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, AND THE CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE FUNDED BY THE LOCAL UTILITY COMPANIES. THESE PROGRAMS HELP HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOWER INCOMES CUT THEIR HEATING COSTS AND IMPROVES THE COMFORT LEVEL OF THEIR HOMES BY MAKING ENERGY SAVING HOME IMPROVEMENTS. SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE: INSULATION, AIR SEALING, VENTILATION, AND MECHANICAL REPAIRS AND/OR REPLACEMENTS. TO BE ELIGIBLE, HOUSEHOLDS MUST HAVE INCOMES THAT ARE AT OR BELOW 200% OF POVERTY, OR IS ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE UNDER THE LIHEAP INCOME, WHICHEVER IS GREATER AT THE TIME OF ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE A PRIORITY SYSTEM TO TARGET THE NEEDIEST. THE PRIORITY SYSTEM CONSISTS OF: HOUSEHOLDS OF ELDERLY, HIGH CONSUMERS, DISABLED INDIVIDUALS, AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO HOMEOWNERS AS WELL AS RENTERS. WCMCA'S HOUSING AUDITORS COMPLETE THE ENERGY AUDIT OF A HOME TO DETERMINE THE IMPROVEMENTS ALLOWED. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE USE OF OUR ENERGY MODELING TOOL SOFTWARE. LOCAL CONTRACTORS ARE THEN HIRED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOME. THE STATE AVERAGE WEATHERIZATION COST PER HOME IS $8,547.00 ; THROUGH LEVERAGING WE ARE ABLE TO GET OUR AVERAGE PER HOME DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY $4,500 PER HOME IN OUR PRIMARY DOE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM. THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED IS 293.WCMCA'S ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HELPS LOW-INCOME PEOPLE MEET THEIR HOME ENERGY NEEDS. ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE GRANTS TO HELP PAY ENERGY COSTS. ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS REDUCED THROUGH HEATING SYSTEM AUDITS, RETROFITS, CONSERVATION, AND REPAIR ACTIVITIES. CRISIS ASSISTANCE GIVES IMMEDIATE HELP TO THOSE IN EMERGENCIES. ENERGY-RELATED REPAIRS PROVIDE HEATING-RELATED REPAIRS FOR EMERGENCIES WITH NON-FUNCTIONING HOME HEATING. ACTUAL HEATING COSTS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S HEATING SEASON, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND HOUSEHOLD SIZE DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THAT IS RECEIVED. ALL PAYMENTS FOR PRIMARY HEAT ($2,434,888), CRISIS LIHEAP ($766,891), AND ENERGY RELATED REPAIR ($860,275) ARE GENERATED FROM THE STATE OF MN THROUGH THE E-HEAT SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, FUNDS ARE PROVIDED BY COMPANIES AND DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS TO PROVIDE CRISIS PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CLIENTS: 47 CLIENTS RECEIVED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE REACH OUT FOR WARMTH PROJECT.THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE BUILDING OF NEW HOMES, THE CONTRACT FOR DEED HOMES, AND THE REHABILITATION OF HOMES. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS SERVED: NEW HOMES - 2 PARTICIPANTS, CONTRACT FOR DEED HOMES - 16 PARTICIPANTS, HOUSING REHABILITATION - 5 PARTICIPANTS, AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST - 12 PARTICIPANTS.