St. Lawrence CountyCommunity Development

Program, Inc

2016—2017Annual Report

Board of DirectorsAli Boolani

Dee Burlingame

Deborah Chase-Lauther

Nicole Conant

Ryan Coleman

Lori Elliott

Tessa Fields

Joseph Finnegan

Regina Fisher

Dana LaCoss

Christina Martin

Anne Mazzotta

Sohaib Obeid

Anna Sommer

Rich Will

Executive DirectorNorma S. Cary

Fiscal OfficerDavid H. Fenton

Program DirectorsBarb Adams Head Start

Nicole Woods Housing Choice Voucher

Jerry Snell Weatherization

Neighborhood Center DirectorsShannon Garvey Canton

Julie Vaisey Colton/Pierrepont/Parishville

Peggy Cronk Gouverneur

Emily LaShomb Massena

Nicole Sharpe Ogdensburg

Kristal Hayes Potsdam

Executive Director- CDP experienced another year with many challenges. We closed down the Personal Care Program last spring after trying a multitude of measures to try and keep the program viable. The process of closing down proved to be challenging as we transferred both our clients and the PCA’s to other agencies. We tried as best we could to have the clients and aides go together providing it was agreeable with both parties so that the clients had continuity of care. We worked closely with the NYS Department of Health as well as the local Department of Social Services. It was accomplished but was somewhat painful since some of the clients and aides had been with CDP for thirty years. Reports tell us that both groups have all settled into their new situations fairly well.

The Medicaid audit final report showed that we owed $121,045 which was extrapolated from the $535 in charges that were not valid. After many phone calls and letters, we have received an unofficial report that CDP will have no liability for those dollars. It appears to be based on the fact that we closed the program down and have disengaged from Medicaid altogether. We submitted a lengthy narrative which included financial information along an explanation of what our agency does and why the errors occurred. Once we receive the official letter, we will all rest a little easier.

John Thompson is still providing the services of maintaining and repairing vehicles for the agency through a contract which seems to be working fairly well. Both if these measures have improved our financial status.

We are concerned with the initial draft of the federal budget and the projected cuts. We are receiving word of positive support from members of Congress, however. David Bradley from the National Community Action Foundation lobbies on behalf of Community Action Agencies and seems to be gathering support.

Weatherization completed all the units that their 2016-17 contract called for. The 2017-18 contract showed a cut in dollars, but we often receive increases as the year goes on. There is the possibility of receiving some discretionary funds, but we never know until we actually receive notification from NYSHCR. Jerry Snell is preparing for the worst case scenario for the department. The staff is participating in the Shared Work Plan which is a program through the Department of Labor. CDP pays staff for 30 hours of work while DOL pays a percentage of unemployment for the remaining 10 hours per week

Housing Choice Voucher Program has had a really busy and productive year. Nicole Woods and her staff continued to work hard to add vouchers as encouraged by HCR only to have them decrease the number of vouchers to 689 in anticipation of cuts in the 2018 budget. We will drop back as families leave the program. Cambray Terrace, the new project in Gouverneur, was a huge undertaking and staff worked hard to complete the paperwork and inspections to bring seniors on to the program. The cut will impact the administrative income we receive from the program

Head Start has struggled with enrollment and constant turnover in staff. We have been creative by increasing the number of slots in some of the larger – space-wise -- centers. We also went to full day programming in some centers which is appealing to families who need full day for their children. Staff is working on collaboration with St. Lawrence Central which will be a plus for both the district and Head Start. Barbara Adams has spearheaded the enormous amount of work that went into all of these projects.

We have had a large amount of turnover in the Neighborhood Centers including the Neighborhood Center Director who was supervising the other directors. Since the Neighborhood Center Directors are now under the direction of the Executive Director, we are working to make sure that all the new directors are operating in the same manner. Four of the directors are relatively new. The Directors have offered numerous workshops with a focus on nutrition and budgeting as well as offering some creative ideas for different opportunities at the Centers. Potsdam continued with the VITA program which increased in size.

Our Finance Department has made a number of changes that have streamlined the operation while giving us better information under Dave Fenton’s guidance. Phyllis Shaw, our senior account clerk retired and we had Katelyn Autry-Agen work with Phyllis prior to her departure to learn the position. Katelyn came to Finance from the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

We are now entering client names into CAPTAIN, the new tracking system. It is a process as everyone learns the system and enters the names of our clients along with their services/outcomes. Once we have families entered into the system, we should be able to pull up reports for CSBG’s quarterly and annual reports along with Head Start’s Performance Information Review that is submitted to the federal government. There are changes to the format of the CSBG work plan and reporting in this next contract.

We have had change and challenges in the past year, but CDP staff has worked hard to accommodate those changes. CDP staff should be applauded for their continued commitment to CDP and the families that we serve. Community Action and CDP have a history of working successfully through difficult times while continuing to offer quality programming.

Finance – Audit - The EFPR Group , has completed their audit work for the year ending December 31, 2016. The auditors gave us an unqualified opinion; which is the best report that can be given. The audit went very well, and CDP Staff were able to gather and offer information well in advance of the auditor’s arrival date.

Health Insurance Reform- The Affordable Care Act required detailed reporting of employee participation and eligibility this year. We contracted with an outside firm and produced the required Form 1095 for our employees prior to mandated date.

Budgeting- Budgeting was difficult in 2016; in part due to changes in CDP Auto, LLC and Personal Care. Minimum wage increases on the horizon promise to be a challenge for the agency as the gap between the NY State minimum wage and the federal minimum wage grows wider. Since most of our programs are federally funded, there is some question regarding whether grant funding will keep pace with our state minimum wage.

in-kind16%

Grant66%

Program16%

Donations2%

Other0%

Revenues 2016

Salaries41%

Fringe17%

In-kind16%

Insurance1%

Weather Materials2%

Depreciation2%

Space 2%

Vehcile Main-

tenance1%

Gas & Electric

1%

NC Client Services

1%

Food 1%

Training1%

Mileage & Trans-portation

2%

Tech support, phones,p

ostage1%

All other expense10%

Expenses 2016

Head Start - St. Lawrence County CDP, Inc. – Head Start provides a comprehensive school readiness program for 351 children their and families in St. Lawrence County. To improve school readiness, a wide range of services are provided that support the goals of children and families, resulting in improved outcomes. These services include health (including access to mental health services), dental and nutrition, social services and family development as well as family engagement opportunities and supports for children with disabilities (and their families). These are provided through a wide range of across the board services that lay the groundwork for children’s growth and development as well as positive family links. In collaboration with school districts, Public Health, Social Services, BOCES, and many other agencies within the county, the needs of children and families are met throughout the year.

Head Start continues to operate 14 classrooms in the county, serving 231 both 3 and 4 year old children and their families. Seven of our eight centers provide programming five days a week for 4 hours and one center provides programming four days per week for 3 ½ hours. In February of 2017, four (4) classrooms began full day programming. There is one classroom each in Gouverneur, Massena, Norwood and Potsdam serving 17 children each in this capacity for 6 ½ hours daily. This was made possible through the attainment of an extended duration grant. In the fall, Brasher Center will return to 5 day per week programming and offer a full day as well as a part day classroom. Additionally, as we move toward the new Performance Standard requirement of full day programming in all of our centers, two to three more classrooms will become full day as well in the fall of 2017. Criteria for full day programming included the need for childcare for working parents, parents attending school or training, or the need for respite care. All of our centers use the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to provide breakfast and/or lunch to the children following nutritional guidelines set forth by CACFP. CACFP is funded by the New York State Department of Health; St. Lawrence County CDP Head Start is reimbursed for providing nutritious and healthy meals to center based children. For full day programming, snack has been added to the reimbursement received from CACFP.

St. Lawrence County Head Start continues to provide home based services to 120 children and their families in their homes. This option provides the same quality services as provided in center based options in school readiness to children and the families and uses the home as the learning environment. Trained Home Based Visitors visit families weekly for 90 minutes and provide opportunities that enhance skills the child has and nurtures budding age appropriate development. Additionally, a minimum of twice monthly socialization experiences are conducted for all enrolled home based children and their parents. These experiences are modeled after a typical classroom day at centers. Beginning in March of 2017, snacks and food related items purchased by the program for use during Home Based Socializations were eligible for CACFP reimbursement. The same guidelines as required by centers were required by the Home Based option.

As required by Performance Standards, a research based curriculum, Creative Curriculum, is used by the program to promote school readiness. This curriculum aligns with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework as well as the NYS Pre-K Learning standards. Language, cognitive development, social emotional, physical, pre-reading and math are promoted through the use of Creative Curriculum. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire for Social Emotional continues to be completed by families to help Head Start determine social emotional development. Children are assessed three times yearly in collaboration with parents; goals are established for individual growth as well as for the group. These assessments are tracked through Teaching Strategies Gold. When one thinks of this assessment, the colors of the rainbow help to visualize where children are and where they are headed on the continuum. The data is gathered and analyzed for all children, regardless of when they entered the program. After the assessments are reported and calculated in a pivot table designed by a Clarkson University intern, data may be manipulated to pull out information based on age, gender, 2nd year enrollment, late enrollment and more. The results are analyzed by coordinators and shared with individual teaching teams and Home Based Visitors. This helps determine not only goals for individual children and classrooms, but professional development for staff, both as a group and on a particularized basis.

The analysis of the exit data, for Home Based, in 2015-2016 indicates that the Domains: Social Emotional, Language, Literacy and Mathematics continue to be targets for the county in the spring assessment period. Domains: Physical, Science and Technology, Social Studies and the Arts are areas of strength across the county. Within those Developmental Domains the data indicates that Objective #4 Demonstrates traveling skills, #6 Demonstrates gross-motor manipulative skills, #13 Uses classification skills, #14 Uses symbols and images to represent something not present, #17 Demonstrates knowledge of print and its uses, #18 Comprehends and responds to books and other texts are and #21 Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes are areas of strength across the county. The data indicated consistent growth across all of the objective areas. The biggest area of growth over the program year was in objective #12 Remembers and connects experiences, #13 uses classification skills, #14 Uses symbols and images to represent something not present, #17 Demonstrates knowledge of prints and its uses and #21 Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes.

The analysis of the spring exit data, for Center Based, in 2015-2016 indicates strengths in the domains of Science and Technology, Social Studies and The Arts. There was consistent growth across all domains throughout the program year, with the biggest growth (482%) in the Language domain over the program year and in the Physical domain (97%) from the winter to spring assessment periods. The data also showed strengths in objectives #2 Establishes and sustains positive relationships, #13 Uses Classification Skills, # 14 Uses Symbols and Images to Represent Something Not Present and #18 Comprehends and Responds to Books and Other Texts. The biggest area of growth over the program year was in objective # 12 Remembers and

Connects Experiences (2000%) and the biggest growth from the winter to the spring assessment period is in objective #22 Compares and Measures (386%).

Transitioning involves children, families, staff and community in meeting the needs of all. For families transition begins at recruitment where they learn about the programs available to them and their child. Once a family and child are accepted into the program and a rapport is built, an organized series of activities takes place that helps meets the needs of the children and families. This reduces stress for everyone involved and begins to build on the positive associations between staff, children families and schools. This includes transitions from home to Head Start as well as transitions for children with special needs. Throughout the year, Head Start staff meets with districts to obtain information regarding kindergarten expectations; Head Start children participate with children in UPK and kindergarten in joint activities. Throughout the year families are given information about available resources. Toward the end of the program year, children and families begin the transition from Head Start to school (or their next placement). A collaborative approach is used by Head Start and school districts to begin a seamless transition to a child’s next placement. With parent permission Head Start staff meets with school staff to exchange information about any needs of children who will enter school in the fall. Families are referred to community resources for summer activities which continue school readiness. Many activities occur throughout the program year which facilitates smooth transitions for all involved.

All of this is made possible by the involvement of parents at every level of the Head Start program. While engagement activities differ from location to location, there is one constant—parent volunteers make a difference. This current program year parents have been involved not only in governance activities, but have worked as paid substitute staff in classrooms and on buses, and volunteers in kitchens. Family literacy nights, parent meetings, field trips, building and gardening activities, workshops, and emergency preparedness are just a few ways in which parents have volunteered their time and their expertise. This year there were 487 volunteers who were current or former Head Start parents.

In August of 2016, the following Program Information Report (PIR) was submitted to our funding source:

351 - Funded Enrollment 388 - Number of children served during the year

183 – three year olds184 – four year olds 1 – five year old 93 - % income eligible

98 - Total staff30 – current or former parents45 – Number of classroom staff

16 – Teachers9 - with Master’s degrees

4 – with Baccalaureate degrees3 – with Associate degrees

14 - Assistant Teachers 4 – with Masters degrees2 – with Baccalaureate degrees4 – with Associate Degrees 4 – with CDA3 – working towards a CDA

15 – Classroom aides1- with Baccalaureate degree1 – with Associate degree5 – working toward CDA

8 – no degree

3 – Teacher turnover367 – Children w/ongoing source of medical care284 – Children w/ongoing source of dental care 76 - HS children with a disability911 – Volunteers 340 – Families Served

177 – Single Parent Families 163 – Two parent Families 27- children being raised by someone other than Biological parents

3 – Homeless Families Served 194 – Number of males involved in activities with their child

Head Start Centers Home Based programs

Brasher Falls Potsdam *Brasher Falls *OgdensburgCanton *Canton *PotsdamGouverneur *Gouverneur *Surrounding areasMassena *Hammond Norwood *MassenaOgdensburg *MorristownParishville *Norwood

Administrative Staff at St. Lawrence County Head Start

Norma Cary Executive Director – CDPBarbara Adams Director – Head StartJanet Allen Parent InvolvementTona Bouchard Training CoordinatorAlissa Collier Education Coordinator

Rebecca Hannon Health/Disabilities CoordinatorKelley Martin Home Based/ERSEA CoordinatorTammy LaPoint Nutrition CoordinatorTeena Prentice Staff Advisor Terry Reilley Transportation CoordinatorPeggy Gaumes Administrative AssistantTammy Garno Secretary

2016 Financial ReportAnnual Budget

Federal Revenue $2,940,791 Total Expenses $ 2,795,613USDA Revenue $ 111,949 Depreciation $ 103,810 In-Kind $ 750,838 Fixed Assets $ 145,177 Program Income $ 1,378

Housing Choice Voucher Program - St. Lawrence County Community Development Program’s (CDP) Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) currently provides rental assistance to 750 low-income, disabled and elderly families throughout St. Lawrence County. It has been another very busy and productive year in the housing department. Compared to last year at this time, we are currently serving 75 more families with this program. Included in the 750 families is 1 First-time Homeowner and 30 families that are enrolled in our FSS (Family Self Sufficiency) Program. Of the 30 FSS families, 13 are new enrollees, 9 have an active escrow every month and 13 have an escrow balance. Last year at this time we had 26 enrollees in FSS.

In July of 2016 the HCVP regained the 40 project based vouchers that had previously been transferred to Jefferson County, with the enhanced voucher conversion. Along with the existing vouchers from Cambray Courts, came a new HAP contract for the Re-development Project known as Cambray Terrace. The completion of this project in February saw 51 additional project based units being leased up and vacancies to fill at the existing building, Cambray Courts. HCVP is still filling the last of the vacancies at this complex, with only two units to go. It has been a very busy few months with this project alone.

In December of 2016, the HCVP was once again awarded the funding for the full time position of the Family Self Sufficiency Program Coordinator. Justine Lechner was hired for the position and has since completed the required training and has passed her certification that is required through Housing Community Renewal in order to make the FSS drawdown monthly. Justine has

been busy meeting with new admissions that are coming onto the program and explaining to them the benefits they could gain from completing the FSS Program requirements and graduation from FSS into Home Ownership. Justine has also been busy updating the FSS information and enhancing our contacts with outside organizations that can assist our participants in reaching their interim and long term goals.

In October and December of 2016, we sent staff to Nan McKay training in Saratoga Springs, NY for FSS Training and Housing Quality Standards in Buffalo NY. In March of 2017, one staff member completed an online course for Rent Calculation, also offered by Nan McKay. This option saved some travel expenses associated with the cost of training and we are looking at more options like this for future training opportunities. Two of our staff members attended a HCV Roundtable Discussion that took place in Albany at the beginning of April. One main topic of discussion that was addressed at the meeting was the transition of positions that are taking place at HCR with the retirements of many key players at the state level. The roundtable gave us a chance to meet the new employees and discuss many of the potential changes coming in the future with potential cuts to affordable housing programs in NYS.

Weatherization - We were able to complete 86 units during the 2016 Program year with the additional funds that we received.

We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the St. Lawrence County Housing Council and Massena Electric. We have been working closely with the Housing Council and have applications out with Massena Electric.

We are working with the Empower NY Program and continue to bid on No Heat Emergencies for the HEAP Program. We completed 17 air conditioner installments for the Cooling Initiative Program administered through the HEAP Unit at Social Services.

We submitted a grant proposal to DANC (Development Authority of the North Country) for $200,000 to complete rehabilitation work on houses that need repairs in regards to code violations and health & safety issues.

Our waiting list for Weatherization Services is three to five years based on current funding levels.

Canton Neighborhood Center - has once again experienced many changes this year. In August, the Center’s Director moved to the Potsdam Neighborhood Center and a new Director was welcomed. At that time, the Center had its Summer Food Program going on, where families with children were able to receive an extra package of food for the months of June, July,

and August. It was also the start of the Back-to-School Program that gave families backpacks filled with school supplies as well as laundry detergent and some personal care items.

For Thanksgiving this year, we used funding to buy turkeys for families. The Center gave 54 turkeys away to families. Some of the families also received pre-packaged food baskets put together and donated from Save-A-Lot in Canton. That month, we also passed out carbon monoxide detectors for families who were home-owners.

For Christmas, the Center received over 800 toys from the Fort Drum Army Base. The Center used these toys as part of its Holiday Program this year. Families were very excited and thankful to be able to receive such a surplus of toys.

Upon entering the New Year, we partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension to have nutrition classes. The classes were once a week for six weeks and meetings were held at the United Methodist Church here in Canton. We learned about simple healthy recipes, how to shop on a budget, and also crockpot cooking. People who attended classes received gift certificate to Price Chopper and crock-pots that included crockpot recipes.

Throughout the year, the Neighborhood Center has had many great volunteers and workers who each have brought their own uniqueness to the Center. They have helped to reorganize and really help give the Center a nice welcoming feel.

The Neighborhood Center has had many things to be grateful for this year. We received all kinds of donations from items for our thrift store, food pantry as well as monetary donations. This year, we have received generous donations from the Stewart’s Holiday Match Program, Northern New York, St. Lawrence Board of Realtors, the Girl Scouts of Canton, Lights on The River Program, and also some from our community members. We receive donations almost daily for our thrift store. These items include clothes, household goods, kitchen goods and personal care items.

The Center has still been continuing its Food Sense program where families can buy monthly food packages that help stretch families’ grocery dollars. We recently have been having health insurance representatives come in once a week and provide information on health insurance. Families are able to sign up for health insurance at this time. We are also able to write Salvation Army vouches here at the Center, which further helps us to help our community members in a time of need.

The Canton Neighborhood Center is very grateful for all of the opportunities it has had this year. We are looking forward to the future as well as new opportunities that may come our way.

Colton, Parishville, Pierrepont Neighborhood Center - had a goal this year to increase our focus on the challenges hindering the senior citizen and disabled portion of our population. The nutritional, financial and isolation challenges facing this population affects their health and

quality of life. We have increased the number of workshops offered in the Parishville area where lack of transportation increases the isolation experienced by residents. We worked with United Helpers to assist residents at Mill Yard Estates to utilize services we offer beyond simply getting food from our pantry. Residents participated in our garden buckets project creating a small community garden utilizing buckets and plants obtained through local business donations and planted by the Girl Scouts. Classes are offered monthly and transportation issues are being addressed on an individual basis. Our director went to the senior citizen buildings and completed Care and Share applications increasing the number of families who were able to utilize this program offered through National Grid to low-income families. Seventy emergency back packs were distributed to households with senior citizens and/or people with disabilities. Donations from the Salvation Army helped make this program possible. We are working with the administration at Hilltop Manor in Colton and Mill Yard Estates to provide access to the pantry food program through a shopping list/pick up program for individuals without transportation.

Local organizations continue to sponsor fundraising events to benefit our Center. Extra food is distributed to families identified by the Colton Pierrepont and Parishville Schools through a back pack program. Our Center subsidizes their own back pack programs a total of five times throughout the school year over long week-end breaks.

The director and volunteers of Colton/Pierrepont/Parishville Neighborhood Center are committed to providing each site with a stable food pantry, consistent support, respect and a welcoming environment. Increasing the communities’ involvement and their understanding of the purpose and services of their Neighborhood Center is always our goal.

Gouverneur Neighborhood Center - The Center has had a good year and has regular hours of operation. There are several volunteers who donate time including disabled individuals as well as community service workers.

The director has worked closely with several families on Family Development and has seen them make good progress. Two have found employment and one graduated from college and another is in college.

The pantry is now open during lunch hours to accommodate working households and continues as a Client Choice Pantry. Due to increased donations to the pantry we have been able to offer more food choices.

The Center continues to run a Thrift Store which supplies low cost clothing and household items to families. Clients who cannot afford Thrift Store prices are given some items. It also gives the public a place to donate items. We continue to make improvements to the Thrift Store.

There have been many workshops in the last year which include: Budgeting, Childcare, and Nutrition.

The director continues to do mobile outreach in the Star Lake area on a monthly basis. The director is working on increasing the number of clients seen there by hanging posters and distributing fliers.

Social Services Employment Counselors use a room upstairs two days per week. Also, Massena Independent Living staff and Healthcare Facilitated Enrollers do outreach on occasion at our Center as well.

Dr. Saidel purchased windows for upstairs with his own and donated funds and installed them. He also did some repairs to the porch. Rich Wentzel also donated his time and materials to stabilize the front porch.

Massena Neighborhood Center - We are committed to treat each individual and family who needs our services with dignity and respect. We always strive to make them feel comfortable, important and very welcome.

We have had an amazing year here at the Massena Neighborhood Center; some of our highlights include the following:

We have written, requested and/or received many grants this year. Among them were: Food Bank of Central NY Grant for line of credit for food, Food Bank Operations Support Grant for rent, Food Bank Mini Produce Grant for fruits and vegetables, Northern NY Community Foundation for food, and Stewart’s Shoppes Holiday Match for children. Grants through our agency provided United Way Funds for utilities and shelter, FEMA for food, and a Legislative grant for food.

We provided families with assistance with fuel, utilities, shelter, disasters, college books, gas cards, clothing, etc. During our Christmas Program we assisted 1187 individuals for a total of 402 families. Of these families there were a total of 486 children and 138 seniors. We are able to fund these through the generosity of the community and agency programs. The majority of our community donations are received through the special efforts and dedication of a separate group of volunteers - the “Fundraising Committee to Benefit Massena Neighborhood Center Food Pantry, Emergency Assistance Program and Christmas Holiday Program.” Without their dedication and help we would not be able to assist families at our current level.

We offered a variety of workshops this year; a Budget Workshop through SeaComm Federal Credit Union, Child Care Workshop through St. Lawrence Child Care Council, Inc., a bundled Nutritional and Information Workshop with Cornell Cooperative Extensions Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables, and an Identity Theft workshop. There was also a local tree pruner from our community by the name of Charlie McGrath who came to the center to hold a mini workshop on how to prune fruit trees.

Last, but not least and the most important of all, are our volunteers who assisted us throughout the year. Some volunteer on a regular basis, while others work on special projects. Their generosity of time and dedication to the Center are what keep us going.

Ogdensburg Neighborhood Center – The Center was grateful again this year to have been the recipients of an abundance of fresh vegetables from the Ogdensburg and Riverview Correctional Facilities. The mass donations of fresh vegetables increase the Centers ability to distribute fresh and nutritional options to the families we serve. Along with increasing the nutritional choices available in the food pantry, the Center also offered an educational Grocery Store Tour in July.

For the summer months, the Center offered their Summer Food program to school aged children. Over 130 children received an extra 3 day food package during the months of July and August. This year the Center hosted its first ever Goal Support group focused around supporting one another in the process of setting and obtaining reachable goals. The group was small but beneficial to the participants. In the short 8 weeks, each participant was able to reach at least one of their short-term goals. The purpose of the group was to show participants that goals are necessary and support is essential to success.

The Center continues to receive gracious support from the community. Through local churches, businesses, events, and community members, the Center has received food and monetary donations all year. Other donations received include personal care items, clothing, and small household items.

The Center’s director attended and completed the Family Development Credential Course which involved 90 classroom hours with additional mentoring hours with a fellow graduate of the course. The director has utilized these credentials to assist multiple families in setting goals and offering encouragement and services throughout the year.

During the month of August, the Center partnered with Fidelis and Salvation Army to provide a Back to School program. This program allowed the Center to offer multiple school supplies to several low-income families. In September CSBG funding became available for the Center to offer a Back to School Initiative which offered another 72 families school supplies, laundry soap, and several personal care items.

Throughout the year, the Center has hosted a multitude of educational workshops that involve Budgeting, Just Say Yes to Fruits & Vegetables (JSY), Special Education, Nutrition, and Safety Awareness.

The Center appreciates the collaboration efforts with Salvation Army in serving our community throughout the holiday season. This partnership allowed for all eligible low-income families to receive a Christmas Food Basket.

The Director continues to look for ways to improve the resources available for community members in order to assist them as they aspire towards self-sufficiency.

Potsdam Neighborhood Center - has had another active year. We have a new Director as the former left in August leaving behind big shoes to fill. The transition has gone extremely well and the clients seem happy with the way things are going. The new Director was mentored by Daisy Cox which helped with the smooth transition.

Stepping into August meant the wrapping up of two of our programs and the beginning of another for the year. The summer food which is an extra package of food for low-income families with school aged children meant to supplement meals that would have been provided at school and the PB&J program provided lunches to the 50 children who attend the summer recreation program. They were both a huge success.

We had the VITA program again this year making it year number two. It seems to be growing a little more each year. This year we were fortunate enough to have two new volunteers with very flexible availability making daytime hours possible. It was a plus for the program with participants happy to have the choice of hours. This year we have doubled the number of returns filed as well as the amount of money claimed for refunds. All together the center was able to process returns totaling close to $48,000.

This past winter was not as severe as in the past so requests for heating and utility assistance were down at the beginning of the season. With the closing of the Care and Share going a little differently than other years, we did see a slight uptick in those seeking assistance very recently. Our food pantry numbers have stayed pretty much the same on a month to month basis. We believe this is because of the lack of higher paying jobs in the area that it is so hard to make it these days when the cost of everything is going up and the pay in entry level positions is not keeping up.

The Neighborhood Center’s staff and volunteers are looking forward to another eventful year. We are hoping to have a positive impact in the community and hopefully in the lives of those we serve. We will continue to do the best we can to make this a place everyone can turn to for assistance or a caring ear.

NSC/jms June 2017

Mission Statement of cdpSt. Lawrence County Community

Development Program is committed to encourage and assist individuals and

families to attain self-reliance, dignity, and self-sufficiency through education,

guidance, and services.

vision Statement of cdpSt. Lawrence County Community

Development Program is a community organization that envisions equal

opportunities and self-sufficiency for low-income individuals and families in

St. Lawrence County.