Ann Griffith's projects

Ann Griffith, who has been with us since January, is winding down the projects she has been working on for us. The research and community engagement work she has done on the "In Home Family Education" community planning grant has been very effective, and will bear fruit for us for a long while, in our developing community engagement for our early childhood component of our mission. She has also worked on the "InRoads"/ CHIP enrollment project with Healthy Kids and Families Coalition. Ann ends her "official" time with us June 30th, but I am sure she will stay involved in some of our projects in a community capacity.

Life Skills Group

Missy and Lisa held a life skills session the other night, teaching about food purchases, preparing a simple, economical meal. The youth who participated have created a lot of informal support and comraderie through these sessions.

We received a second 5 Promises grant

Yesterday we received word we received a second 5 Promises grant, this time for $2500 to support the after school (and summer) program of the Mid Town Family Resource Center. Earlier (their first round) we had received a grant of $1200 to support the WE CAN program here at the site.

Federal Monitoring Review of our Runaway and Homeless Youth program

We had a federal monitoring review the past two days for our Basic Center Program of our Runaway and Homeless Youth grant. The monitors were encouraging and supportive of our work, and complimented the staff on our record keeping/ organization, and interviewed a number of people connected to the program, all of whom helped them see the commitment we have to the program and the youth served.

Advisory Council

The CHS-Parkersburg Advisory Council met today to further the planning of our November Stocking Auction event. There was a good group of people to share good ideas about how to make the event work. We will be putting out a summary of the discussion and "next steps" very soon. We welcomed back a member who hadn't been able to attend the last few meetings, and introduced a new member. A good representation of the staff were present also.

Summer Routines

Things shift around the CHS-Parkersburg site during the summer; we miss Mr. Apgar coming around with the students; the bustle of the after school program; some staff taking slightly different schedules in the summer. 4-H camps have already begun, and foster families are shifting to summer routines, too. Stay tuned for updates about some of our summer activities!

Shelley's father

We are saddened by the death of Shelley's father recently. Mick Plauche was very proud of his daughter and her accomplishments with the agency over these past 10 years or so; the development of the new Gustke Shelter, and her leadership role at the site. Shelley has been taking care of details of his memorial service, since this was a sudden unexpected death.