BGCAP - Press Releases
September 7, 2011
NPD D.A.R.E. Program Donates Food from Pageant to Community Action
Officer Kevin Grimes of the Nicholasville Police Department unloaded donations to Blue Grass Community Action Partnership last week. The food was collected from contestants in the Miss Heart of America Pageant. (Photo by Jonathan Kleppinger)
Hundreds of food items were donated to Blue Grass Community Action Partnership last week by the Nicholasville police's D.A.R.E. program after the food was collected during a pageant.
The bluegrass region's Miss Heart of America pageant was Saturday, Aug. 28, at West Jessamine High School. Contestants were asked to bring nonperishable food items for donation to a community food bank. Donations from 21 contestants were given to the D.A.R.E. program, which in turn took the food, which filled the bed of a pickup truck, to the community-action office in Nicholasville.
"We try to help low-income families - food, utility assistance - we offer a lot, but food is very important," said Tracy Fain, a community developer for BGCAP. "A lot of times we have people come in here for food, and we have small amounts, so this will really help."
The pageant began as a food drive for a local rescue mission and blossomed into a national pageant program that has distributed nearly 150,000 nonperishable food items to nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.missheartofamerica.com.
June 17, 2011
When one career closes, it's hard labor to find another. Click to read full story.
Dennis Eads, 60, had no idea what he'd do for a living when Frankfort's Bendix plant closed its doors a few years ago. He'd worked there for 33 years and assumed it's where he'd retire. But Bendix decided it'd be cheaper...
June 2011
CAK Annual Conference Spotlight - Steve Stivers, former Director at BGCAP memorialized.
Richard Brown grants awarded by Wilderness Trace Community Foundation
March 30, 2011
HALF-PINT HELPER - 5-year-old has worked for more causes than most adults.
(Click here for full story)
January 29, 2011
AREA AGENCIES STRUGGLE WITH HOMELESS COUNT
(Click to read full story)
December 8, 2010
BUS service is great community perk.
November 15, 2010
"Community Action does more than pay electric bills"
By Shannon Brock, News Editor
The Anderson News
November 15, 2010
Over the past two years when Troy Roberts has introduced himself as executive director of Blue Grass Community Action Partnership, people have responded in one of two ways. "They either say, 'who?' because they aren't familiar with us, or they say, 'Oh, you all pay electric bills," Roberts said.
While the partnership does have programs to help those in need pay their electric bills, Roberts hopes to spread the word about its other programs, too.
The partnership has a coverage area of nine counties, including Anderson.
The local office is located at 117 1/2 Hilltop Drive, and community developer Becky Stratton and program assistant Wilanna Dixon help hundreds of Anderson Countians each year.
Blue Grass Community Action is the umbrella under which many well-known community programs fall, sometimes people just don't make that connection, Roberts said.
The partnership operates several programs to assist low-income families as well as the Anderson County Senior Citizens Center, and Anderson County Adult Day Program, the Senior Companion Program, Anderson County Head Start and Day Care, a weatherization program and the Bluegrass Ultra-Transit Service (BUS).
More than just electric bills
The partnership is known as "the place that pays electric bills" for a reason. That reason is its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, administered by the local community developer's office.
Last year, between November and December, the Anderson County office helped 224 people through its subsidy program, which covers a part of the electric bill, according to Stratton.
Between January and March of this year, the local office helped 553 people through its crisis program, which covers electric bills during the coldest winter months, Stratton said.
Between Nov. 1, when the program started back, and Wednesday afternoon, the local office had already helped 88 households with $12,244 in heating assistance.
So the partnership comes by its reputation for a good reason.
"But we do more than pay electric bills," Roberts, the executive director, said.
Anderson County has a "self sufficiency program" that "focuses on families or individuals who show a sincere desire to become self-sufficient, but lack the financial and emotional support to do so," according to information Roberts provided.
Stratton shared a story of a man who lost his job one day, and came to her office the next.
"He didn't want unemployment," she said. "He wanted another job."
As it happened, Dixon, the program assistant, had just spoken with a company looking for an employee.
Stratton said she talked to the man a month later and he'd been working for that company ever since her office had got them in touch.
"Not only did he still have a job, but he'd gotten his brother one, too," she said.
"Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way, but we want to help people become self-sufficient."
With the downturn in the economy, the local office has seen a differnt demographic that needs help, Dixon said.
Citizens in their 50's through 80's are asking for assistance thay they haven't needed before, she said.
In a typical week, around 150 people will request assistance through the LIHEAP program, and on average 25 others will request food vouchers for Open Hands Food Pantry, Stratton said.
The Senior Citizens Center serves about 320 individuals each month and the Adult Day Program has 15 clients. There are 37 children enrolled in Head Start and 54 children that attend day care.
In the past year, 27 homes in Anderson County have been weatherized with $77,000 of repairs to low-income clients' homes. Crews will return to Anderson County to weatherize homes after the first of the year, Roberts said.
Also in the last year, the BUS has performed 11,999 one-way trips for Anderson Countians, he said.
Get help or give it
The best way to request assistance or see if you qualify is to contact the local office, Stratton said. She or Dixon can be reached by calling 502-839-7102. The community developer and program assistant aim to be the point of contact for the community, Stratton said. "Sometimes, we might not be able to help, but we can put you in touch with someone who can," she said.
The local partnership office works with churches and other community organizations to alleviate crisis wherever and whenever possible, Roberts said.
Roberts said the partnership is "not a bottomless pit of money," and a lot of credit goes to local organizations who donate their time, money and services to help those who need it.
Donations are appreciated and funds can be earmarked for specific counties or specific programs within those counties, Roberts said. It's as simple as specifying where the funds should go on the memo line of a check, he said.
For more information on any of these programs or others offered by the Blue Grass Community Action Partnership, call 502-839-7102 or visit www.bluegrasscommunityaction.org.
January 2010
"Crane to retire from Senior Center"
After 22 years of driving the bus and being a virtual jack-of-all-trades for the Anderson County Senior Citizens Center, Phyllis Crane is set to retire at the end of the month. Read more . . .
September 2009
"Senior Center to host Caregiver Conference"The Anderson County Senior Center will host a Caregiver Conference on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 am to 2 pm. Read more . . .
"Volunteer Awards at Anderson Senior Center"
Meiers honored for volunteering at the Anderson Senior Center. Read more . . .
August 2009
"Anderson Senior Center to celebrate Senior Center Month"Ask anyone who frequents the Anderson Senior Center and they'll quickly say it's definitely more than just a place to play bingo. Read more . . .