Vol 2, Issue 2, September 2013 From the Executive Director's Desk By Carolyn VanderGiesen Recently, I spent four days in Chicago attending the annu

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Vol 2, Issue 2, September 2013

From the Executive Director's Desk

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By Carolyn VanderGiesen

Recently, I spent four days in Chicago attending the annual convention of the Community Action Partnership. It was very inspiring to hear all the success stories and listen to well-informed speakers!

Over the last 17 months, I have been a part of the local Community Action network, interacting with staff throughout New Mexico and appreciating the value and necessity of the anti-poverty programs. I have witnessed the impact of poverty on our citizens. Seeing how lives can be positively impacted with few resources is amazing.

That is why it is so disheartening to hear the recent news from Washington that the House has voted to cut $4 billion a year from SNAP (food stamps), a 5% reduction. If passed by the Senate, this will eliminate 3.8 million people from the program and seriously affect individuals who are already struggling. It will also impact our SafeLink program because many of our clients qualify for phones only because of their enrollment in SNAP.

This vote makes us more determined than ever to continue to serve the needy, as an agency as well as a state-wide community action partner, doing whatever we can to help our clients help themselves into more fulfilling and productive lives. Go team, go!

Association News

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CAASNM partners with Innovate+Educate (I+E) and Skill-Ready Doña Ana to Better Serve Job Seekers

In the spirit of collaboration and community service, CAASNM and the Skill-Ready Doña Ana program have aligned their resources in order to help more job seekers find employment. This partnership supports the mission of the local New Mexico Workforce Connections Office by creating an additional Community WorkKeys Skill-UP Site in Doña Ana County, NM. Adding a site will allow more job seekers to prepare to earn Work Readiness credentials (e.g. WorkKeys®) through the use of KeyTrain®.

CAASNM will provide staff members, computers, and technical support in order to ensure that job seekers have Internet access and that they are able to reap the maximum benefit from their participation in the program. I+E will contribute its expertise and consulting services, as both organizations conduct research and analyze the effectiveness of “skill up” strategies to improve job seeker performance on job skills assessments.

Read full article in the Las Cruces Sun-News here.

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Headed for a Bright Future

Five of our six member CAAs continue to operate successful Head Start programs: Eastern Plains Community Action Agency, Mid-West New Mexico Community Action Program, Southeast New Mexico Community Action Corporation, and HELP-NM.

Take a look at these impressive enrollment numbers from EPCAA!
* 329 3-to-5-year-olds in the Head Start Program
* 30 4-year-olds in the Pre-K Program
* 102 pregnant women, infants and toddlers in the Early Head Start Program
* 338 Families served in Head Start/Pre-K
* 95 Families served in Early Head Start

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SafeLink Success!

We are on track for qualifying over 400 applicants by the end of this quarter! This reflects a 45% increase over Quarter 2 (286 qualifications), and a 400% increase over Quarter 1 (59 qualifications)! We continue to expand our referral network, including several new recovery and half-way homes.

Thanks to all who support our efforts! Applications can be taken by phone at 505-321-4638 or in person at 5101 Copper Ave NE. A printable English/Spanish flyer can also be downloaded from our web site.

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Las Vegas & Española – Senior Volunteers Recognized

HELP-New Mexico, Inc. held two recognition luncheons for their SeniorCorps volunteers working in the Las Vegas and Española areas this summer. Over 115 volunteers participate in HELP-NM’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs sponsored by the National Senior Corps.

Senior Corps organizes volunteers over the age of 55 to provide services to children and other seniors in their community. Foster Grandparents volunteer in local elementary schools to provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring support to children with exceptional needs. Senior Companions assist other senior citizens, either in their homes or at assistive living facilities, with maintaining their independence. They provide companionship and assistance with daily living skills. In the past year, HELP-NM’s Senior Volunteers have provided over 100,000 hours of service to more than 200 children and other seniors. HELP-NM would like to thank all our great senior volunteers for making a difference in their communities.

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ROMA Training

Eleven staff from four member CAAs participated in a ROMA Training Session September 24th in Albuquerque. The training was led by Cari Karns, Noelia McNew and Carolyn VanderGIesen, candidates who are completing the ROMA Certification Course. These three candidates (from HELP-NM; CAASNM; and the Executive Director of NMACP, respectively) will complete ROMA Trainer Certification during a final training session scheduled for October 15th in Albuquerque.

Save The Date

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Region VI CAA 2013 Conference

October 23-25 at the Northwest Arkansas Holiday Inn in Springdale, Arkansas. Click here for registration and schedule.

National Community Action Foundation

October 27-31, Community Action Innovations Conference 2013, in St. Petersburg, FL. Visit the NCAF website for registration information, NCAF.org.

NMACP 2014 Conference

June 4-6, 2014, our member CAAs gather in Albuquerque to..... More info coming soon!

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