Chariton, IA

Community Clean-Up expands through partnerships

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:40:14 +0000

Chariton’s annual Community Clean-Up effort expanded in 2008 to help deal with the aftermath of the devastating ice storm of 2007. The City of Chariton, working with the Chariton Community Schools, the Chariton Chamber and Development Corporation, the Chariton Rotary Club, the Boy Scouts and other community groups, organized additonal clean up days at city parks, the city cemetery and Red Haw State Park. Students provided the volunteer labor to help clear these areas of limbs, branches and other debris left by the storm, and also helped clear the yards of residents who were physically unable to move their limbs and branches to the curb. This activity culminated with the city-wide Clean Up Day on May 7, when students and Rotary Club volunteers picked up trash throughout the city and provided a dump site where residents could bring household waste, old appliances, electronics and tires for disposal.

Resource Fair brings together community organizations

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:31:38 +0000

Chariton’s first Community Resource Fair, sponsored by the Horizons program, brought together more than 20 organizations, agencies and offices that provide services to low- and moderate-income residents. These organizations set up booths to explain their services to residents and to network with other agencies to find ways to better serve their audiences. Among those organizations exhibiting at the Resource Fair were the City of Chariton, SHIIP, SHARE, USDA Rural Development, Lucas County Public Health, Parents As Teachers, Parents and Children First, Lucas County Health Center Counseling Services, Circle of Friends, ISU Extension, hawk-i and I-Smile programs, and several others.

Thrivent Financial For Lutherans aids local Habitat project

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:26:01 +0000

Thanks to the leadership of local Horizons participants Harlan and Delores Ranshaw, Thrivent Financial For Lutherans is providing 65 percent of the funding necessary for the Marion County chapter of Habitat For Humanity to build a new Habitat home in Knoxville. Delores made the successful grant application to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Harlan and Delores are coordinating the required volunteer effort by Thrivent members and members of five local Lutheran congregations. Chariton churches and the Horizons housing committee are participating in this project as a first step toward a possible future affiliation with the Marion County chapter of Habitat.

New Leadership Class planned for fall

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:21:12 +0000

Building on the success of 2007’s Leadership Plenty training class, the Chariton Chamber and Development Corporation is sponsoring a 2008 Leadership Plenty training class. The class will be open to anyone in the community, with special emphasis on recruiting leaders who work with low- and moderate-income clients or residents in the community. The Chamber will donate staff, meeting space and financial resources to sponsor the class.

City of Chariton works to clean up nuisance properties

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:16:30 +0000

The Chariton City Council has approved the Chariton City Manager’s list of nine local properties identified as being in violation of the city’snuisance laws. The property owners must take steps to abate the nuisance, or the city will clean up the properties and bill the cost to the property owners. Increasing the number of quality, affordable houses for rent or purchase in Chariton and improving the appearance of the community were two of the goals identified by participants in the Horizons visioning sessions.

Habitat For Humanity Work Day

rcomer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:59:53 +0000

On July 12, the Lucas County Development Corporation will sponsor a work day at the Habitat For Humanity house site under construction in Knoxville. This Habitat project is being funded in part through Thrivent Financial For Lutherans and its members in Lucas County. This work day will enable members of the joint LCDC/Horizons Housing Committee to learn more about the Habitat construction process. The goal is to align with the Marion County Habitat chapter to build a Habitat house or houses in Lucas County.

Local School Personal Assist with Financial Literacy

Joyce Lash — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:31:00 +0000

Sue Rae, an instructor for the Chariton School District was instrumental in gathering information for the Financial Literacy Committee. Sue contacted staff members in grades K-12 and asked them to complete a survey to determine how and where financial literacy was being covered in the curriculum. As a result of the responses that were received the committee was able to determine where they could have impact to improve what was currently being taught.

ESP Support

Joyce Lash — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:25:50 +0000

During a March meeting with the Steering Committee Linda Baynes the Volunteer Coordinator for the Lucas County Hospital raised concerns that there were individuals in the community that needed assistance completing their applications for the Economic Stimulus Payment. To answer this need a work day was set for March 25th. The Volunteer Program at the Hospital provided advance notification to the community, a location for working with clients, and volunteers lent a hand. Joyce Lash, a VITA site organizer provided supervision and 37 returns were completed. One individual who qualified for Earned Income Credit was provided assistance from a local VITA site.

A local retirement community also requested assistance with review of 16 applications to ensure they had been completed correctly. Conversations are being held to determine if a VITA program could be established in Lucas County.

Financial Literacy Group Moves Forward

Joyce Lash — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:45:04 +0000

After much investigation and exploration of how to organize additional financial literacy for the Chariton Community the group has determined that they will begin with a middle school program. Sue Rae is the instructor who will develop the initial project. All students in the 8th grade will participate in an entrepreneur enterprise by setting up and operating a business. The group is asking Horizons for funds to purchase curriculum and equipment for the project. Profits from the student run business will be divided equally among the students and set up as individual accounts. Parent participation is being incorporated in the activites. Funds from the account can be used for education related expenses and the group is working to provide a small match to encourage the practice of savings.

During the winter the group will co-ordinate the youth entrepreneurship program with a savings campaign centered around the America Saves national program. The project will target parents of young children to encourage the development of savings habits.

Youth Group Uses Study Circle Content

Joyce Lash — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:35:25 +0000

Dekko Foundation supports youth organizations in their communities. Each year the members must plan for ways to assist their community with funds made available form the Dekko Foundation. Jennifer Snook-Hall is the sponsor of “Splash”, Chariton’s group. She has introduced them to the Study Circle materials used by the Horizons project to help them understand poverty in their community and find other ways to use their funds. Jennifer reports that she will continue to use the curriculum and has recommended to the Dekko Foundation that it be used by youth groups in other counties.