State Bank of Hawley donates $2,500



Bruce Tellefson (center), State Bank of Hawley President and Emily
Hagen (left), Personal Banking Officer present a check of $2,500 to Lori Ward,
Lakes & Prairies Director of Operations. 

A $2,500 gift from the State Bank of Hawley became worth even more with a match grant of $1,000 from Dakota Medical Foundation.  The gift and match will be used to support current health & wellness projects and to provide start-up funding for the 2013 Group Workcamp Home Repair project.  

Applications are already being accepted for the home repair project.  The first review of applications will begin November 1, 2012. Additional information can be found on the Lakes & Prairies website.  The host community for this project is Hawley, MN where some 400 volunteer youth and adult leaders will come together from across the country to repair homes for seniors, persons with disabilities and families experiencing economic hardship.

Health & wellness projects include ongoing efforts in the areas of counseling and application assistance for Medicare Part D recipients, health related programs for seniors, prescription assistance referral, File of Life materials distribution, and food support outreach projects including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Nutritional Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS).

The gift, the match it created and an earlier gift of $500 for Mobile Food Drops in Clay County adds up to $4,000 of helping people and changing lives.  Thank you State Bank of Hawley.  .  . 

Save the Date! -- KIDS COUNT COFFEE

Kids Count Coffee-Moorhead - Sept. 25, 1:00 P.M.



Save the date for the Children's Defense Fund -Minnesota KIDS COUNT Coffee.  Learn about regional trends in children's health, education, and economic stability.  Get a special look at Kids Count data from a rural perspective.  Find out about best practices being used across the state to improve outcomes for children, adults and families.  Those attending will receive copies of all presentation materials.  

This year’s 2012 Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book entitled Children Across Minnesota explores the unique challenges of families living in Greater Minnesota and addresses the often overlooked realities of living in rural areas.

When:	Tuesday, September 25th, 2012* 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Where:	Map this event » Family Service Center 715 11th Street North, Meeting Room 4 Moorhead, MN 56560
Contact:	Ken Fredette kenf@lakesandprairies.net for more information

Registering to attend is helpful but not mandatory.

You can register by emailing kenf@lakesandprairies.net just put the words KIDS COUNT in the subject line or call 218-299-7315.

* A Kids Count Coffee is also taking place on Wednesday, September 26th at West Central Initiative in Fergus Falls at 10:00 A.M..  Go to www.wcif.org for more information and click on their events calendar.

Group Workcamp Home Repair - Applications now Accepted

Helping agencies, community organizations, county social service agencies, faith communities, service organizations, businesses, and others are encouraged to make the below information available to homeowners who might benefit from this home repair project. A simple, one-page application is available on our website that can be printed, filled out, and returned to us.

We will be happy to provide you with posters, flyers, handouts, applications, or scripts for bulletins and newsletters. You can do this by calling the Lakes & Prairies Family & Community Services office at 218-299-7314 or toll free at 800-452-3546.  Thank you.

________________

Are you or someone you know in need of

Home Repair Assistance?

The Lakes & Prairies Group Workcamp Home Repair project is now accepting applications from seniors, persons with disabilities and families experiencing economic hardship.  Eligible individuals or families must be homeowners  and live in Clay County or northern Wilkin County, MN.  Projects that will be considered such as interior/exterior painting and building or repairing a wheelchair ramp, are listed on the application.

Site Selection begins November, 2012.   

Otto Bremer Foundation presents check for almost $200,000

Left to Right are: 
Howard Barlow, Bremer Bank Community Service
Representative;
Kelli Rohrer, L&P Child Care Resource & Referral;
 Brian Hagen,  President, at Bremer Bank;
Joe Pederson, Executive Director Lakes & Prairies;
Colleen Murray, Director, L&P Family & Community
Services.  

Lakes & Prairies received a $188,000 grant to benefit low-income children and families.  The check was presented on behalf of the Otto Bremer Foundation by Brian Hagen, president at Bremer Banks.  The grant will be used to: expand Child Care Resource & Referral services; initiate a community-based “Circles of Support” program,  and provide match funding for special projects and initiatives including Group Workcamp Home Repair, the Lakes & Prairies Tax Site, Food Support outreach, and Clay County Seniors.

At the presentation, Pederson spoke of the
importance of this grant to maintain and expand needed services for children and families.

Top Ten Head Start Outcomes

Top Ten Lakes and Prairies CAP

Head Start Outcomes!

Our program has been fully enrolled with a waiting list all year.
 
Our average daily attendance is 88 percent.

We are one of eight Head Start programs in the nation selected as members of a Learning Community around Parent, Family, & Community Engagement.

96.3% of enrolled Head Start children left last year’s program up-to-date on a schedule of preventive well child care.

98.7% of children left the program having had a dental exam. All of these children left with a “dental home” also.

99.6% children left the program with all of their immunizations up-to-date.

There were 57,915 nutritious meals and snack served to Lakes and Prairies Head Start children this year.

Each child enrolled in one of our classrooms had 65 hours of large motor play outside or in the gym this school year.


School Readiness Goals are aligned with the Minnesota Early Learning Standards and the Head start Outcomes Framework.

All CLASS observations have met or exceeded the minimal criteria as determined by the Office of Head Start

It was a beautiful early summer evening.  I sat at a picnic table at Gooseberry Park with five Head Start moms.  The End-of-the-Year picnic had come to a close.  It seemed like a great time for a Transportation Committee meeting.   We’ve just lost $80, 000 in state funding and need to drop a bus route.

 The EOY picnic is a bittersweet time and the mood is right.   Parents are glad school is out for summer, but terrified of what they are going to do with these kids all day.  The children dash off hand in hand, oblivious to the fact that they just saw their friend an hour ago.  But I’ve never played with you here before!  It’s a joy to see how fast they can climb to the top, how quickly they find friends, how much less needy they are than when we first began.

  

Teachers feel the relief of being nearly done-- done with the burden of risk, done with assessing school readiness, done with high overlook and the dizzying sensation it brings.  Look how much they’ve changed.

As a manager, I’m ready to be done with daily operations for another  year.  There’s a sweet sameness about this annual event.  I have to hug the past Head Start siblings  that tag along for the picnic.  When did you get so tall?  When did I get so old?  

The Transportation Committee stays late to brainstorm, to problem-solve, to be solution-focused, to make it work.  

How are we going to get 144 kids on two 38- passenger buses two times each day for 128 days? 

Mobile Surplus Food Drop scheduled for Wilkin Co.

Mark your calendars!  Thursday, May 24th has been set for the Free Surplus Food Drop in the communities of Rothsay, Campbell and Breckenridge.  Your help in getting the word out to those who would benefit is appreciated.  There are no income eligibility qualifications to participate.  If you eat, you are eligible.  Thank you to our community partners for their part in making this possible