Families- in whatever form they take- are the fundamental building blocks of any community. The Community Place helps all families, including those that lack the material or educational resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty, crime, and social injustice. Programs and services include:
Family Services, located at the Parsells Avenue and the Central Park sites, assists individuals and families to meet their basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and health. A variety of services are provided including advocacy, case management, counseling and referrals, home management skill-building, financial workshops and training. Specific assistance includes: food, rent/ mortgage assistance, day bus pass, personal items, and prescription fulfillment.
During the holiday season families in need are provided food baskets and toys. Additionally, Family Services Unit receives donations from corporations, individuals, and organizations on behalf of low-income and underserviced families, and redistributes the goods as need is established.
Among eligibility requirements are: residents living in the following zip codes- 14605 (partial), 14607, 14609, 14610 (partial), and 14621; household income of 185% of poverty or less; and established need and evidence that resources will address the immediate need. Persons in need who do not live within the aforementioned service areas, are referred within the Emergency Services Provider Collaborative Network. Member agencies include Baden Street Settlement House, Catholic Family Center, Charles Street Settlement House, The Salvation Army, South West Area Network, and Monroe County Legal Assistance Corporation (MCLAC).
Other community-wide services include: income tax preparation assistance for low-income families; community health fairs; and annual opportunities for meeting local political candidates. For additional information contact CPGR’s Family Service Unit at 585-288-0021.
The HOST program focuses on providing low-income families affordable, safe, and suitable housing which reduces incidences of relocation that negatively impacts school performance and neighborhood stability. Housing units are purchased near program facilities allowing families to access comprehensive support services that aid in financial and familial stability.
The secondary goal is to maintain stability within local neighborhoods and reinforce the “Community Value.” Venues for drug sales and unsightly eyesores are minimized by eliminating vacant housing and commercial units. A goal of the program is to create safe pathways from home to schools and neighborhood centers without fear and exposure to social ills that are closely associated with poverty. For additional information contact Community and Neighborhood Initiatives at 585-327-7200.
The Community Wellness Program was developed with the help of a state grant but has evolved to become run solely by volunteers from the community. Trained instructors lead aerobic exercise sessions three days a week at our Parsells Avenue site. Hours are: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
The program is free and only requires participants be physically able to participate in exercise. For additional information contact Patricia Taylor at 585-327-7200 or ptaylor@communityplace.org.
The Community Place of Greater Rochester is launching a new program starting in November of 2009. The pilot program will consist of a 12-week culturally sensitive program designed to strengthen the individual, youth and family unit, combined with workshops and case management. The proposed program will be based on an awarding winning program in Henry County Georgia, Life Management Solutions. This program won the 2009 National Association of Counties Achievement Award, which recognizes effective and creative programming.
The outcomes of this program speak for themselves: 99% of participants successfully completed the program, 95% of juvenile offenders completing the program have not re-offended, 95% of adults/parents/grandparents who participated recognize and take ownership of poor decision making and emotional contamination, 80% of youth with truancy issues showed improvement in school attendance, and 70% of youth who participated through gang related activities and /or referrals removed themselves from gangs. Components include: Individual Life Management Strategies, Family Management, Time Management Techniques, Conflict Resolution, Identifying symptoms that cause negative behaviors, Abstinence Education for Parents and Youth, Gang awareness, intervention, and prevention, The 8 Qualities of Wealth and Finance 101, Back on track (training to get off of DHS), Dangers of My Space for Parents and Youth, One on One Family Management Plans, Building healthy lifestyles, Family Athletics for Youth, In-Her Beauty health and body awareness and etiquette, Effects of out of wedlock pregnancy , Building healthy marriages , Healthy relationships, Kinship training to help grandparents and/or anyone who has guardianship of children or youth who are facing the challenges to raise grandchildren and/or children.
The programming is a holistic approach to families in crisis. The Rochester pilot would include all segments of Life Management solutions. Monroe County could benefit greatly from this unique programming. This program targets everyone in the families. Life Management Solutions helps parents/grandparents and/or anyone who has guardianship of children or youth build a strong family unit, helps youth deal with issues they are struggling with and provides younger children with tools to make good decisions for years to come.
For additional information please either download our brochure (PDF 412kb) or contact: Ruth Nieboer of the Family Service Unit @ (585)288-0021 or rnieboer@communityplace.org. |
