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The group sat down to a casual lunch of sandwiches provided
by Lincoln IGA and soft drinks provided by the United Way of Logan
County. In the relaxed setting of a meeting room at Lincoln
Christian Church, the guests took turns sharing information about
their agencies and programs.
Logan County Sheriff's Department
The sheriff's office often crosses paths with many of the social
agencies that were present in the room.
John Bunner of the Logan County sheriff's office said that, as is
the case with most government bodies today, the challenges the
department faces are budget cuts. Bunner said the department is
available to assist the other programs present in any way they can.
He also noted that he personally has experience with children since
he works as a truancy officer for the Logan-Mason-Menard Regional
Office of Education.
Bunner can be found at the Logan County Safety Complex on Pekin
Street.
Logan County 4-H
Patty Huffer was on hand representing Logan County 4-H.
Accompanying her was Carissa Akpore. Akpore has been with the Logan
County Extension office for about a month and is intent on working
with the youth programs. She told the group that 4-H is more than
just cows and cooking. There are programs in a wide variety of
venues that will attract the interest of all youth.
She also talked briefly about a program offered called a poverty
simulation. In the simulation, young people are faced with
real-world challenges that involve managing money and bank accounts
and keeping up with the daily living expenses of a family.
Apkore also noted that the 4-H and Extension office is interested
in partnering with other youth-based agencies to offer summer
nutrition camps.
The Logan County Extension office is on the northwest corner of
the Logan County Fairgrounds in Lincoln.
United Cerebral Palsy of Springfield
Amanda Miller was present from the United Cerebral Palsy agency
in Springfield. She spoke about their summer camps for children and
the very successful therapeutic horseback program. She also spoke
about their online programs that can be accessed from home
computers.
Miller said one of the biggest challenges for her organization is
in providing transportation for the clients. She said her hope and
dream is to one day have a real transportation program.
Miller noted that in addition to cerebral palsy, her agency
serves clients with other impediments as well, including a current
caseload of approximately 35 children who are autistic.
The United Cerebral Palsy office can be contacted by calling
217-525-6522.
United Way of Logan County
Marla Blair was on hand as the administrative director of the
United Way of Logan County. The phone number for United Way is
217-735-4499.
United Way offers a lot of financial funding to not-for-profits
that assist those in need in the community. Blair said this year she
has 15 agencies and 16 programs that seek annual funding. She said
applications for funding are currently being taken and decisions
will be made in June for this year's funds.
Blair said that United Way is evolving into more than just
putting money in the hands of agencies. United Way is working toward
becoming a social service agency that will work with its own
programs in addition to helping other agencies in the communities.
Blair also spoke about the new 2-1-1 program that is being
formatted for Logan County. The 2-1-1 program is widespread and has
been implemented in other areas. Logan County is not yet online in
the system, but the time is drawing ever closer when it will be.
Blair explained that the 2-1-1 is like 911 for emergencies and
411 for information, but what it does is provide information about
services available for those in need. When it is up and running in
Logan County, it will be a resource system that will give the caller
information about social service agencies, health providers,
schools, day cares, churches and much more.
Blair also shared that she had recently written a grant
application through the Healthy
Communities Partnership to receive a grant from the ALMH
foundation, and had just learned that she received the award. The
money will be used for marketing and advertising of the 2-1-1.
Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois
Peggy Ross-Jones from the Mental Health Centers of Central
Illinois said that the agency serves a six-county area, which
includes Logan County and the Logan-Mason Rehabilitation Center in
Lincoln.
She explained that in youth services, her agency is contacted by
other agencies that have concern for a child, and the MHCCI comes to
the child and does a screening to determine if there is a need.
The agencies provide counseling and psychiatric care. She said
MHCCI uses the Logan Mason Transportation Program through Community
Action to get clients to psychiatric treatment in Springfield. Other
needed services are offered locally. She also spoke briefly about
the Logan-Mason Rehabilitation facility in Lincoln for adults and a
home-based service that is offered for children.
She said that if anyone has heard the rumor that people are on a
waiting list for years to receive the services and care that MHCCI
offers, it is true. She said the funding is not there for the agency
to help everyone at once, so many have to wait long periods of time
to get attention.
The contact number for MHCCI is 217-735-1413.
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 Lincoln Park District
Marcia Greenslate and Roy Logan were on hand from the Lincoln
Park District. They provided several handouts about programs offered
at the park district.
Perhaps their biggest bit of news was that they have funding to
start construction on the new aquatic center. The park district is
targeting summer of 2014 for the grand reopening of the pool.
Logan also talked about the summer program that the district will
offer in replacement of the pool. He said the "Awesome Afternoon
Adventures" will offer kids a wide variety of opportunities. He said
the program includes swimming at Lincoln College on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, but will also have many other activities, including a
tour of the local grocery store, fire department and a walking tour
of historic downtown Lincoln, just to name a few.
The main offices of the park district are at 1400 Primm Road in
Lincoln, next door to Lincoln Community High School. The contact
number is 217-732-8770.
Logan County Housing Authority
Steve Allen of the Logan County Housing Authority told the group
that one big issue he wanted to drive home is that 98 percent of the
people who live in subsidized housing are really good people. He
said the housing authority homes often get a bad reputation from the
2 percent who do tend to cause problems in public.
Allen said that because his housing authority is ranked very
highly among housing authorities in the United States, they are not
currently suffering severe funding problems. He said yes, they are
seeing decreases, but it will be a few years before it will have a
serious affect on this agency. He added that he still has the
ability to give raises to his staff.
One of the representatives from Community Action drove home the
stigma of public housing. She explained that Head Start has a
classroom at Centennial Courts. She has had people say they didn't
want to send their children to that classroom because it was at the
housing authority. However, she said that once they do get the
children there, they don't want to leave, because the staff members
are so caring and it is a nice location.
Allen said the housing authority has invested a lot of money in
the facilities at Centennial Courts, and they are proud of what they
offer the community.
Allen's office is at 1028 N. College St. in Lincoln. His phone
number is 217-732-7776.
Lincoln Parents' Center
Cari Rohlfs from the Lincoln
Parents' Center was also on hand. She said the services her
organization provides are very similar to the Head Start programs.
The primary difference is that the LPC programs are state-funded
instead of federally funded. She said her organization also suffers
from money restrictions all the time.
The Lincoln Parents' Center hosts
play groups four times a month during the school year and once a
month during the summer. The summer play group dates this year are
June 26, July 31 and Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day.
The center works with families as a
whole and provides services such as transportation to medical
appointments.
The Lincoln Parents' Center is part
of the Academic Development Institute, 305 N. Kickapoo in Lincoln.
The phone number is 217-735-4192.
Salvation Army
Tony Shuff of the Salvation Army could not attend the meeting,
but he provided the meeting coordinator, Coleen Moore, with
information about the programs he has to offer.
Moore spoke briefly about the flood cleanup kits offered this
year after the heavy rains. She also talked about Salvation Army's
free summer camp for kids age 7-17 and the Illinois American Water
assistance program that helps those in need get caught up on their
water bills and avoid shut-off. In addition, the Salvation Army
offers a food pantry and clothing pantry and has an emergency
shelter program at the Keest Center in Lincoln.
The Keest Center is on North Kickapoo Street in Lincoln. The
phone number for the center is 217-732-5899.
Healthy Families Task Force
Moore wrapped up the meeting by addressing the work of the
Healthy Families Task Force. She said the group had promoted
celebrating the Week of the Young Child with grocery bag art that
was placed on bags at Lincoln IGA and Kroger.
The task force is talking about having a family day in November
as a stress reliever for the holidays. She said holidays can
sometimes be the worst times for families. She believes they will
work the project into a movie night when families can relax and
enjoy some time away from the stressors in their lives.
Moore said that encouraging family events and helping parents is
so very important to keeping children healthy and happy. She drove
home her point, saying, "Parents don't plan to abuse their children;
it just happens." The goal of the Healthy Families Partnership is to
offer programs that will deter abusive behavior and keep the family
unit more stable.
Moore also told the group she loves to see collaborations. She
wants to see the groups continue to share information and start a
program of working together. She added that there will be more
meetings such as this in the future to help keep this open dialogue
moving in the right direction.
[By NILA SMITH]
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