Agenda - 1-5-15 Reg. Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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027 Planning Process Narrative Continued Johnston - Lee - Hamett Community Action, Inc. Pantry, The Hispanic Task Force, North Carolina Latino Foundation, the Belhaven Fire Department, Volunteer at Harnett County PTO Thrift Store, With Love From Jesus, SAFE and the Hispanic Coalition * The Human Services Director serves on the Johnston County Human Resources Council and is a Smithfield Housing Authority Hearing Officer. * The agency use data from our intake systems as a tool in verifying the validity of clients seeking services from our partners/lay people in the community. This process help determine if the needs presented by the participants are legitimate and to reduce the frequency of duplication and /or abuse of services. * The Head Start Director serves on the Partnership for Children of Johnston County Executive Committee, Lee County Partnership for Children Early Care and Education Committee and is a member of the board of directors , Harnett County Partnership for Children Outreach Committee and Executive Committee, NC Pre-K Committee in Johnston, Lee and Harnett Counties, Safe Kids, North Carolina Head Start Association (Budget, Conference and Executive Committee), Johnston County Ready Schools Committee, Johnston Community College Early Childhood Advisory Committee. Other Head Start staff serves on the Committee for Exceptional Children, Johnston, Lee and Harnett County Local Interagency Coordinating Council, NC Head Start Cluster B, Special Olympics and the Consumer and Family Advocacy Committee and the Coastal Girt Scouts Council. • Our agency work with banks and other lending institutions such as Rural Economic Development and North Carolina Housing Finance to assist with low- interest mortgage loans to help low- income individuals buy a home. In some instances, the applicant will not have to pay a down payment. We provide reverse mortgage counseling when the banks and/or mortgage companies refer families to the agency. Our agency provides pre - purchase, foreclosure prevention, default; reverse mortgage and delinquent mortgage counseling, • Through the Presbytery of New Hope's Outreach Ministry and the local Presbyterian Church, we received funds to provide rental deposits for low- income families. Counselors inspect the homes using HUD Section VIII criteria. A designated member from the local church and a CSBG staff member have the option to make a home visit to indoctrinate the family into the community when PNH rental deposit funds are used. The deposit is returned to our agency if a client moves and doesn't owe any money for rent or damages • Some local churches include funding in their annual budget to help those in crisis who come through our agency. Some churches /organizations have special projects to assist us in meeting the needs of local low- income residents. • Our agency is a CHDO, which is designated as Community Housing Development Organization and a charter member of the Job Link Program in Johnston and Lee Counties. • Area Ministries and local churches provide food and monetary support for our participants to help provide quality services and allow us to serve more low- income people. We received a grant for food from Food Lion that will lessen the predicament of the hungry in our three county service area. • We participate in and help coordinate Resource Fairs, Health Fairs, workshops and other activities with other partners that keep the public informed about resources/ services in the community. • The agency partners with local churches and other organizations to perform repairs on the homes of low- income people. Our agency provided the names and completed intakes on potential participants by collaborating with the local churches, more individuals living in substandard housing received housing services that they could not afford. • As a member and founder of the Johnston County Human Services Council, we meet quarterly with individuals from community, public sector, private sector, charitable groups and other group representative who have an interest in the welfare of the low- income. Discussions relevant to the needs and concerns or the availability of new opportunities are shared with the partners who then share with their participants. We provide training for each other's clients and staff members to ensure that issues affecting low- income people were being addressed. Fiscal Year 2015 -16 Community Services Block Grant Application Page 10 of 49