Investing in Change 2015-16

Community Impact Program Initiatives
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
 
Education: Parent/Caregiver Support
Goal: Empower parents and caregivers with the knowledge and tools to be their child’s first teacher.

 
 
Astor Services for Children and Families
Development Check-Up Program
 offers free developmental screenings to any child living in Dutchess County who is aged 2 months to 5.5 years is offered to parents, grandparents and care providers. Immediate information and results are shared, fostering an understanding of developmental stages and individual planning for each child.
 
Catharine Street Community Center
Parents Learning to Educate our Children
encourages parents become partners in the education of their children and share equally in their success.  Faculty and staff will provide skills building and supportive services to the family as a unit.  
 
Grace Smith House
Parents As Caregivers
 uses the Shelter from the Storm program model to empower parents to support the healing process for their children following an incident of abuse in the following areas: education, emotional and social development.
 
Inspire
Theraplay: Parent/Child Based Intervention
empowers parents of children who are non-verbal or have developmental delays use the Theraplay model to strengthen a secure attachment between a parent and a child. 
 
Safe Homes Orange County
Nurturing Families Program (NFP)
 supports families in shelter in coping with the impact of the abuse they have experienced while encouraging the positive development of family relationships and functioning through nurturing interactions and education.

Education: A Community Effort to Learning
Goal: Empower students with the appropriate skills for successful grade-level advancement by providing opportunities for structured learning outside of the classroom.

 
Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh
The Afterschool Project's Early Elementary Education Program
 is designed to provide students in grades K-3 with the academic and social skills they need to successfully enter college and the workforce. The program offers a safe, positive learning environment for K-3 youth in an afterschool program that focuses on the three A’s of success: academics, art and athletics.
 
Literacy Connections of the Hudson Valley
Book Buddies
 and Classroom Book Buddies bring volunteers into schools each week to help children improve their reading skills and confidence which helps them succeed academically.  Book Buddies volunteers read one-on-one with a child in 1st-4th grade who reads below grade level.  Classroom Book Buddies volunteers read aloud with K and pre-K children to provide a positive experience with books.
 
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum
Connect, Engage, Prepare
 advances school readiness and skill development of at-risk children in local early learning and Pre-K centers in the City of Poughkeepsie by connecting educators, parents and children with museum resources.
 
Newburgh Armory Unity Center
Comprehensive Education Programs 
provide students the opportunity to engage in enriching educational experiences to improve academic performance and learning outcomes.
 
Vassar College Urban Education Initiative
Early Literacy for English Language Learners
pairs Vassar College tutors Vassar students with low-income English Language Learners (ELLs) in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade to improve academic performance.  Additionally, extracurricular activities for ELL parents will be implemented to promote early literacy and school awareness.
 
https://www.uwdor.org/sites/uwdor/files/small_Income.gifIncome: Building Capacity
Goal: Support individuals and families with the education and tools to attain self-sufficiency.
 
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County
Financial Literacy for Youth
 provides youth with financial literacy education through school and community based workshops and lesson series. This program prepares youth for financial stability during their transition into adult roles and allows them to actively participate in family financial management.
 
Dutchess County Community Action Agency
Family Development 
is a strength-based Case Management Program, to effect lasting change for the families served.  The Family Development model supports the philosophy that all families have strengths and by building on their strengths families can and will achieve lasting growth in all areas of self-sufficiency.
 
Dutchess County Community Action Agency
Dress for Success
 provides disadvantaged women professional attire for interview/employment, plus job coaching, search assistance, interview practice and resume/cover letter preparation. 
 
Hudson River Housing, Inc.
Follow Through Program
 aims to increase long-term stability and self-sufficiency of formerly homeless individuals and families by providing services/support during and after their transition from temporary shelter to permanent housing in the community. 

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Income:  Increasing Assets
Goal: Increasing annual earnings and workplace advancement of individuals and families in our region.
 
Hudson Valley CA$H Coalition
Tax Preparation Program provides free tax preparation service for low and moderate income residents helping them to claim all available refunds applicable to their personal situation and boost their chances of obtaining a job.
 
Health: Building Resiliencyhttps://www.uwdor.org/sites/uwdor/files/small_Health.gif 
Goal: Increasing resiliency of young adults to help them to maintain healthier relationships with themselves, their peers, and their families.
 
One-to-One Mentoring provides youth facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported 1-to-1 mentoring relationships to  assist each youth in achieving higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, avoidance of risky behaviors & educational success. 
Team Newburgh utilizes the Too Good for Drugs and Too Good for Violence Curriculums throughout Orange County to youth serving agencies for the purpose of increasing awareness of physical, mental health and the social consequences of drug use and violence.
Personal Safety Program empowers school age children with the knowledge and resources to identify and report instances of violence, abuse and bullying.  Provides teachers and parents with information to identify signs of abuse and the necessary tools to report or seek intervention should abuse occur.
Mentors in Violence Prevention utilizes theMentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) curriculum to empower college students with awareness and education about the impact of violent relationships and the bystander model of intervention with young adults across our region. 
Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based positive youth development program designed to develop and enhance girls' social, psychological, and physical competencies to successfully navigate life experiences. Girls in the 3rd through 8th grades combine training for a 5K (3.1 miles) running event with healthy living education.
Healthy Teen Relationships utilizes the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) curriculum to empower middle and high school students across Dutchess County with awareness and education about the impact of violent relationships and the bystander model of intervention.
River Haven addresses immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth ages 10 through 17.  Services include outreach; 24-hour hotline/crisis intervention services; emergency housing via a 12-bed shelter; individual/group/family counseling; case management; transportation; enrichment opportunities; and linkages to community services/resources to address client needs. 
Anti-Bullying Initiative utilizes the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and annual Youth Summit to educate students and raise awareness of bullying prevention and intervention.
Primary Prevention Program utilizes the Safe Dates curriculum, school age children are taught about resisting sexual violence through outreach and education in their school to prevent instances of sexual abuse from occurring.
Youth Education Program utilizes the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) curriculum to offer strategies for middle and high school aged youth in Orange County to identify signs of unhealthy relationships, negotiate healthy relationships and to become peer leaders to raise awareness of intimate partner violence.

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Health: Nutrition & Physical Activity
Goal: Provide individuals and families with information to understand the value of healthy eating habits and gain access to nutritious foods and physical activity.
 
Food Access Collaboration and Education (F.A.C.E.) provides nutrition education and systematic supports to empower the change necessary to ensure healthier eating behaviors, increase nutrient density diets, increase physical activity and improve access to healthier food options.
 
Hudson Valley Seed works with teachers to establish school gardens and offers weekly curriculum-integrated garden lessons to participating classes. In the Hudson Valley Seed program, students apply their math and science skills to garden lessons while learning about health and wellness.
 
City FRESH encourages healthy eating behaviors among youth and families by increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in school breakfasts, and by providing positive, engaging learning experiences facilitated by PFP and other educators in a variety of community settings.
 
Crisis Intervention
Goal: Address critical unmet needs of individuals and families in our region.
 
Astor Early Childhood Programs provides resources and support to address unmet needs for families facing crisis.
Crisis Intervention/Basic Needs Programassists clients facing crisis which prevents them from reaching long-term goals.
Crisis Intervention/Basic Needs Programprovides emergency services such as rental assistance and other emergency assistance to Orange County Residents.
The Child Advocacy Center provides a safe, child friendly place and multidisciplinary approach to support child victims and their families through the investigation of sexual or physical abuse report.
Relative Caregiver Support Program provides education and support to families in crisis due to the removal of children from their biological parents.
Crisis Intervention/Un-Met Needs Programprovides help to families to meet an immediate critical need to maintain self-reliance, remediate a financial burden which cannot be addressed through any other resource.
The Emergency Assistance Program works with families and individuals who are facing various emergencies in their lives and helps them to overcome a financial crisis.
Regional Food Program provides support to eighty-five food programs throughout Dutchess and Orange Counties including local soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters.
Basic Needs Program strives to meet each client's basic needs through case management services and direct financial assistance via an Unmet Needs Fund.
 
Eliminating Gaps in Care for the Homeless Program reduces transportation barriers and supplements pharmaceutical costs to patients who are homeless or at risk-of experiencing homelessness.
A Friend’s House shelters up to 13 co-ed youth under 18 years of age who have been displaced from their regular place of residence.
Domestic Violence Shelter Program provides 24 hour emergency shelter, crisis intervention and counseling services for victims of DV and their Children.
Housing Navigation Program provides assistance to homeless, at-risk and low-income households in securing appropriate housing.
The Diane Finkelstein Fund provides a helping hand to those in financial distress through an emergency fund.
Eviction/Homelessness Prevention and Foreclosure Counseling Services advocates for healthy and safe living conditions; prevents unwarranted evictions; helps families retain protected subsidized housing; works to prevent foreclosures.
Direct Assistance Program aids clients in an emergency (for food, shelter, transportation, etc.) to help them put them on the path to self-sufficiency.
The Transportation Programs serve the home bound elderly or under privileged in Pawling. Rides are provided by volunteers to medical appointments, to our food pantry or to local grocery stores.
The Financial Assistance Program supports access to emergency funds to assist with crisis intervention needs.  The program is intended to increase victims' access to safety and sustainability.
 

Annual Sponsors

Premier Annual Sponsors: Central Hudson Gas & Electric, M&T Bank, Orange & Rockland, Pratt & WhitneyAnnual Sponsors: IBM, Resorts World, RBT, TD Bank, Ulster Savings