InAsMuch Social Service Agency Luncheon for April 30, 2010
Social Service Agency Luncheon Meeting, sponsored by InAsMuch Ministry
Broadway Christian Church, 910 Broadway, Fort Wayne, IN
April 30, 2010
Our guest speakers for the day were from:
Lutheran Social Services, Inc.–Annie Miller, Kristi Bates (spokesperson), Brianne Feek 330 Madison Street (260) 426-3347
LSSI is the umbrella organization for quite a few different programs. Kristi did an excellent job of outlining all of them. Here’s a synopsis:
Cup of Kindness—the financial assistance program, done on a referral basis only (from other ministries and social service agencies). This includes the “Pastor’s Fund” which is exclusively for members of Lutheran Churches. In general, Cup of Kindness only offers help to a client/family once in a 12-month period. Under this umbrella, they assist with homeless prevention (HPRP), i.e., the client is facing immediate eviction and has nowhere else to go; but they do not assist the homeless.
Children’s Village is their fully accredited and state-licensed childcare center for ages 6 weeks until age 5 (or kindergarten). It is located at Lutheran Homes (now called Life Villages). Life Villages is an integrated facility, so the residents are free to go and read, interact, play with the children. They also have a joint chapel service, and combined snack time.
CANI vouchers are accepted, and a sliding scale fee applies for all others. The facility can hold 121 children total. There are four infant/toddler rooms (6 weeks to age 2), which are usually all full. (There is a waiting list.) Typically one or two openings for older children. This changes week to week. Children’s Village does not provide transportation, nor does it allow children to be dropped off/picked up at will. Children must arrive by 9:30 am. The facility hours are 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM. It is on the bus line.
It is a highly structured, educational facility: High Scope curriculum is followed every day, which is comparable to preschool programs. They strive to ensure that all children are adequately prepared for full-day kindergarten in the FWCS system. They work closely with First Steps (physical therapy) and speech therapy. There are also social services offered for all families of children in the Village.
Financial Literacy: This is a proactive educational program, the budget portion of which is required of all clients helped through Cup of Kindness. Eight different 90 minute classes (group classes or one-on-one) are offered, free of charge, including: spending choices, budgeting, planning your spending, understanding credit, credit problems, building consumer skills, taking consumer action, checking accounts. The difference between wants and needs is emphasized. Each client takes both a pretest and a post-test , so effectiveness is measurable. They are happy to receive clients through referrals from other agencies. Most clients who sign up for one class, sign up for another.
Outpatient Counseling Services: Their therapists (male and female) are available Monday through Friday at the main office (330 Madison Street)and at several satellites, including Trinity English Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran in Decatur. Marriage classes are held at Messiah Lutheran. Individual, family, couple and children counseling. Initial appts not available right now any later than 4:00 pm. They do not accept private insurance and only take one form of Medicaid (not managed care). There is a sliding fee scale based on gross annual income plus number in household. The price range is $25 to $80 per session (none is free). Most clients (on sliding fee) meet with Brianne for intake and financial assessment–there is no charge for this appointment, which examines how counseling fees will affect their family budget. They do not provide drug/alcohol assessments or treatment…in order to receive counseling, a patient with addictive behaviors must be receiving treatment for this elsewhere. Addicts must be sober to be seen. They also do not have counselors qualified to treat mental illness, although bi-polar patients who are on medication can be seen.
ECHO—Education Creates Hope and Opportunity. Founded in 1998, this program targets teen moms, and works in collaboration with Catholic Charities in all Allen County school systems. They have a presence in all the FWCS high schools. ECHO works primarily in the schools, one on one, checking grades, looking at guidance records, attendance, etc. The counselors model good behavior, appropriate handling of conflict, etc.
Over 90% of girls in the program graduate from high school. 80% go on to higher education. Independent living skills, financial literacy, parenting skills are offered. Girls are seen in their homes, also, especially over holiday breaks and during the summer. Counselors plan ahead with them for a better school year, and help them set goals. ECHO also works with girls who are not in high school through GED programs at East Wayne St, etc. They primarily work with girls under 18, and often refer older girls to other agencies, since the primary focus of ECHO is education. ECHO hopes to expand to other counties.
Shepherd’s Gate: a 24-hour crisis hotline for pregnant women. Shepherd’s Gate also handles domestic adoption services (only infant adoptions). They offer free training to other agencies and medical professionals on the do’s and don’ts of adoption, how to have a non-coercive conversation with someone in a crisis pregnancy, what birth parents’ rights are, Indiana state adoption laws, etc. A minimum of 8 people are required for a class, and classes are held all over the state. They also offer foster parent training, as well as in-home assessments for step-parents wanting to adopt their step-children. Their adoption service is licensed throughout the state of Indiana. Shepherd’s Gate is a strictly pro-life program.
Healthy Families: This program is a collaboration with SCAN. Healthy Families does at-risk assessments in all area hospitals. (This assessment is for child abuse prevention. They have a 99% success rate.) SCAN does in-home services. [Note: Their Pregnancy and adoption services have experienced a 50% budget cut at the state level, but that may change by year's end.]
Paint-a-thon: This program provides labor and materials to paint lower-income houses for older people. This improves neighborhoods and maintains or increases property values.
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Here are a few brief updates from some of our other attendees on April 30th:
Love Church automotive ministry: Randy Glander, a licensed mechanic and minister, will do automotive work at $50/hr + parts (only 10% mark-up) for those who want car repairs. There will also be repair bays for two mechanic trainees who will intern under his supervision.
Homeless Task Force: May 10, 10 AM in the Omni Room Continuum of Care meeting. Contact Mollie Cripe (mcripe@ywcaerew.org) for more information
Arbor/Impact : Need plastic grocery bags—which will be crocheted into mats for the homeless. It takes 700 bags to make one mat. Contact Jeanine Martin (jeaninemartin@arboret.com)
Vincent Village: Is seeking childcare for homeless families. Contact Anne Helmke (mahelmke@vincentvillage.org)
Andrew Hoffman of Neighborlink reports that they have lots of new projects, including 100 new ones in last two weeks. More to date this year than last year.
Veteran’s Affairs is co-sponsoring a workshop on Tuesday, May 4th from 9 AM to 3 PM at 1st Presbyterian Church. The workshop is worth 6 CEUs.
CANI is sponsoring a Poverty Simulation on May 22nd. Click to see flyer below:
*;, I am very thankful to this topic because it really gives up to date information ‘.”