Fact

Sheet

Community Impact Initiatives

2007 - 2010

United Way of Rockland County is a local, independent non-profit dedicated to building a stronger Rockland community. Here in Rockland we are focused on the most critical issues including helping families meet their basic needs, nurturing children and youth and enhancing seniors’ independence.

Rockland’s United Way brings together people and resources from the entire county to create lasting changes in everyone’s lives. Contribution to United Way of Rockland County’s Community Care Fund is an investment that gets results.

Protecting and Meeting Basic Needs

Family Transportation Assistance- Child Care Resources of Rockland will coordinate this initiative to provide private transportation vouchers and free bus tickets to families earning 200% of the current poverty level. These vouchers will be used for transportation from home to child care provider to work and return.

Transportation Assistance- AVI will provide transportation to the blind and visually impaired. This initiative will accommodate blind consumers with special needs to medical facilities, dialysis, and doctor’s appointments enabling individuals to remain independent and maintain their health care needs.

Homelessness Prevention - Legal Aid Society of Rockland and Catholic Community Services will work together on this imitative that will provide legal assistance to low-income families to prevent eviction as well as support services to enable families to work towards financial self-sufficiency.

Culturally Competent Mental Wellness Counseling -- This initiative will situate VCS, Inc. satellite counseling sites in the offices of both Community Action Program and Haitian American Cultural and Social Organization and will recruit culturally diverse volunteers to be trained as VCS counselors. Grant funds will also support the development of materials to raise awareness of the program’s availability among targeted audiences

Healthy Eating: Feeding Our Children - This initiative will provide more healthy meals and snacks to low-income children at four Head Start sites throughout Rockland County. Cornell Cooperative Extension will hold nutrition education workshops for parents will be held at all four sites. Nearly 90% of program participants come from families living below the poverty line.

Disaster Assistance- American Red Cross manages this initiative providing relief to victims of disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Emergency Food and Shelter Program – UWRC administers the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) here in Rockland. Working through a local EFSP board, federal funds are allocated to provide county food pantries with grants for food and other supplies. EFSP funds can also be used for emergency shelter and utility relief.

CASH – Creating Assets, Savings & Hope – CASH provides free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers to those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), as well as other tax credits that may be available to them, by filing their federal and state tax returns. CASH helps meet an important need right here in Rockland by putting money into people’s pockets -- money that is spent supporting local shops and businesses.

2-1-1 Helpline – United Way’s 211 helpline is free, confidential, accommodates more than 150 languages and is available 24/7 throughout the Hudson Valley 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember number that makes a critical connection between individuals and families in need and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. By making services easier to access, 2-1-1 encourages prevention and fosters self-sufficiency

Nurturing Children and Youth

Changing Conditions That Lead to Violence - Rockland Family Shelter will continue to implement this initiative that provides emergency care, education and training for children and youth to decrease the incidence of domestic violence, sexual trauma, date rape and other forms of violence.

Child Care Tuition Assistance - Child Care Resources of Rockland will manage this initiative to provide tuition assistance to low-income families throughout Rockland County.

Healthy Eating: Healthy Children – This initiative will provide services at two YMCA locations that support and strengthen family life. Providing children nutritious meals, offering quality child care programs, and providing learning opportunities that enhance family life.

Good Vibrations – Y. A.I./Rockland County Association of the Learning Disabled will implement this initiative that helps children with an autism spectrum disorder and their families learn strategies to cope better with the many emotional and social challenges they face.

Strengthening Families - CANDLE will implement this national initiative aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency and other anti-social behaviors in middle and high school youth by increasing the availability and accessibility of after-school programs.

Expanding Early Literacy Efforts - Rockland Schools for the 21st Century will enhance this program to make it possible for more families challenged by poverty, limited education and language barriers to prepare their children for school through expansion of the Parent-Child Home program, a home visiting program for two- and three-year-olds.

Mentoring- Big Brothers Big Sisters will provide a comprehensive, full service, off site mentoring program to serve at risk youth from one parent homes between the ages of 7-18 years.

Enhancing Seniors’ Independence

Improving Access to Home Care for Seniors - Home Aides of Rockland will implement this initiative that enhances seniors’ independence by making home care accessible to homebound and low-income elderly Rocklanders.

Reaching Out To Seniors in Diverse Communities - This Meals on Wheels initiative will reach out to isolated ethnically diverse senior populations to increase their awareness of and access to existing Rockland programs and activities to help them maintain their independence.

Foster Grandparents - This initiative provides an opportunity for low-income seniors age 60 and over to provide one-on-one supportive assistance to children with special need in Rockland public schools and child care sites.

Senior Training Program - EPIC will provide training for senior citizens to work countywide in Rockland school districts and early child care provider settings with at-risk youngsters

From Home to Help – Transporting Senior Volunteers - RSVP will provide free, safe and reliable transportation for senior volunteers to the more than 150 Rockland nonprofits and other organizations that utilize their volunteer skills.

For more information, contact Trish Austin, UWRC’s Director of Community Impact at taustin@uwrc.org 845-358-8929, ext. 14.