Spring 2010 - Kitsap Community Resources

Helping People.....Changing Lives…..Helping People…..Changing Lives....Helping People….
INSIDE KCR Newsletter Spring 2010 Issue 3
EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE
Larry Eyer, Executive Director
The articles in this edition of
Inside KCR reflect two core
elements of our mission: hope
and opportunity.
The AmeriCorps, “Dare To Transform”
Project at Illahee State Park was inspiring.
The park had been at risk of being closed
for the year due to budget cuts and lack of
manpower. After a project day staffed by
40 adult AmeriCorps volunteers, 30 Navy
volunteers, and 10 kids from
Kitsap Youth in Action, the Park will be able
to open again to the community this spring.
The energy and commitment from these
dedicated people did make a difference and
do give us hope.
The Recovery Act funding has presented
us with unique opportunities this year—to
double the number of homes of low-income
residents that we can weatherize, to prevent
homelessness for over 50 families
each year for the next three years, to provide
training and job placement for 25
people, and to create and preserve jobs for
at least 25 more. We have appreciated the
opportunity to put these resources to work
in our county.
DON’T MISS EVENTS
At KCR, 1201 Park Ave.
Financial Education Classes
5:30-7:00 p.m., please contact
Kristi Basse 360-473-2126
April 14, Introduction to Borrowing
May 12, Financial Awareness
June 9,
Setting Financial Goals/Creating a
Spending Plan
The Parenting Place
Offers many classes aimed at improving parenting
skills. For class information and registration,
please contact Jackie Siler at 360-473-2082.
April 14, 21, May 5 & 19:
Conscious Fathering
April 28, & May 26:
Circle of Parents
GIVE YOUR MOTHER A SPECIAL
GIFT THIS MOTHER’S DAY . . .
Many of the more than 16,000 clients
that we serve each year at KCR are mothers
with children. Possessing very limited
resources, these mothers turn to KCR in
need of housing, employment assistance,
and other critical needs.
Without employment and with the lost of
their home, Lisa and her two daughters were
a family with no place to turn. The Family
Place, a KCR emergency shelter for mothers
and small children, opened its doors and
provided a safe home and counseling to address
the family’s needs; including job training,
housing, and referral to medical services.
This Mother’s Day, please consider
partnering with KCR to meet the needs of
such mothers. You can make an immediate
difference by giving a tax-deductible
donation to the 2010 Mother’s Day
Campaign.
You may make an anonymous donation,
make a donation in your name, or you may
select to make a donation in honor of your
mother. When you do so, your
mother will be listed as an honoree
in our next KCR Newsletter
and receive a KCR Mother’s Day
card acknowledging your gift.
Visit our website for
details (www.kcr.org)
or contact Community
Relations and
Development Mgr.,
Eugenie Jones
at 360/473-2003.
InsideThis Issue
Tracking Stimulus Dollars p.2
AmeriCorps “Dare” p.2
Building Self-Sufficiency p.3
Heart-Felt Meals p.3
“ Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible.”

STIMULUS DOLLARS . . .
Tracking The Money
Personal Impact
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(AARA) of 2009, or Stimulus Act, is providing much
needed funding and economic bounce-back across the
US, in Washington State and right here in our own
backyard.
KCR is a local stimulus recipient, making possible
several projects that service low-income community
members.
Dollars In Action
The largest KCR stimulus-funded project is the
Weatherization program. In just six months, stimulus
funds applied to this program enabled KCR to double
the number of homes receiving weatherization upgrades.
By March-end . . .
175 homes will be weatherized
KCR will put 14 contractors to work
Funding will create/retain 39 jobs
$1.2 mil. will be pumped into local economy
Community energy demands will be reduced
Heating cost for low-income homeowners
will drop by ≈25%
Stimulus Reducing Homelessness
The Homelessness Prevention
and Rapid Re-housing Program
(HPRP) is another stimulus-funded
project.
It is allowing KCR to help
individuals who have lost their
homes find safe, affordable housing
quickly; rather than endure
substantial wait lists for emergency
housing.
To date, KCR has spent $133,459 assisting nearly
80 households. 500 households are projected to be
assisted over the program’s duration.
Stimulus-funds helps KCR to . . . .
access 50 homeless clients to health care; 60 to dental care
recruit/retain 40 Literacy Council volunteers,
provide critically needed refrigeration to local food banks,
provide Parenting Place training classes to 100 families,
augment job development services,
provide Workforce Investment Act
training and job placement for 50
low-income Kitsap residents,
avoid pre-school class size reductions,
and continue to be a safety net to the
more than 16,000 residents who turn to
KCR for assistance each year.
Visit
www.recovery.gov
Way cool
website with
national,
regional and
local data
AMERICORPS
Making A Community Difference . . .
AmeriCorps, along with members of the U.S.
Navy and community residents, work hard to
renovate trails and camping areas during the KCR
“DARE TO TRANSFORM” Illahee State Park
Community Project. Wow! What a difference!
Would you like to
volunteer for the
next AmeriCorps
project? Contact
Bev Keogh at
360-473-2016
Helping People....Changing Lives….Helping People....Changing Lives...Helping People….Changing Lives

KCR BUILDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY
ONE CAREER AT A TIME . . .
The WorkFirst Program is a perfect match to the
KCR mission of providing resources to our clients
that promote self-sufficiency.
It is through this program, after all, that KCR’s
Employment and Training (E&T) Division works
with clients who are dependent on state assistance
to build careers and create financial independence.
Partnered with the Department of Social and
Health Services (DSHS) and community businesses,
E&T provides clients with practical training classes
that make their transitions into viable employment
more probable and more sustainable.
Beyond The Classroom . . .
Volunteers in the WorkFirst
program can receive job training
in many different career fields
including auto mechanics.
KCR also recruits area
businesses that are willing
to place WorkFirst Program
clients within their
organizations where they
can receive the on-the-job
training and work references
needed to secure
permanent employment.
Seeking Good Business Partners. . .
Personal Impact
Nicole Cameron has first-hand
knowledge of the WorkFirst Program.
She was formerly enrolled
and through the program’s assistance,
the single mom was able
to get the training she needed to
pursue her desired career.
“KCR did an
awesome job. My
Nicole Cameron
counselor Jennifer
transformed her
Shelton and
life and started a
Lawrence Thornburg
worked with
new career
through the
me to get the
WorkFirst
Program
classes and
training that I
needed.
I now work with a great company and I love
what I do thanks to WorkFirst and KCR.”
MEALS THAT WARM HEARTS
AND BUILD FRIENDSHIPS . . .
From the KCR kitchen to a dining room near
you, Food Services warms the hearts and stomachs
of many—more than 165,000 per year to be exact.
That’s the number of
hot, nutritious meals that
are cooked . . .
3
Jennifer Bayne, KCR Job Developer, has the
responsibility of recruiting businesses to take part in
the WorkFirst Program.
“We look for companies that see the community
benefit to program participation, who are willing to
encourage and mentor clients, and organizations
that can be sensitive to
employment barriers, such
as minimal work history
and educational backgrounds,
that hinder many
of our candidate’s job
searches.”
Barriers aside, Bayne
has had tremendous
success in recruiting
businesses, including West
Sound Tech, The U.S. Naval
Commissary, Kitsap
Applied Tech, and many
Jennifer Bayne,
KCR Job Developer,
pictured with
Lawrence Thornburg,
EJST Coordinator
others. “We’re always canvassing the community to
find more partners. Without them this program
would never work.”
….delivered to homebound
seniors, senior
mealsites, and KCR Head
Start classes throughout
Kitsap County.
. . . picked up by
ChuckWagon Senior
Nutrition Program or by the
KCR kitchen staff, and…
YUM!
Helping People....Changing Lives….Helping People....Changing Lives...Helping People...Changing

TO KCR PARTNER:
HONOR YOUR MOTHER THIS MOTHER’S DAY
This Mother’s Day consider partnering with KCR to meet the needs of mothers in
crisis by making a tax-deductible contribution to the 2010 Mother’s Day Campaign.
(See cover story) You can make an immediate difference in the lives of our most
vulnerable just by completing this donation card and mailing your gift to: KCR/Donations,
845 8th St., Bremerton, WA 98337); or contribute online at www.kcr.org.
YES, I WANT TO HELP MOTHERS IN NEED
ENCLOSED IS MY GIFT OF:
□$1,000 □$500 □$250 □$100 □$50 □Other___
Name_____________________________________
Please print your name as you would like it to
appear in KCR publications or check here □
if you prefer to give anonymously
Address___________________________________
City __________________State______Zip________
Email______________________________________
METHOD OF PAYMENT:
□ Check □ VISA □ MasterCard
Card #___________________________Exp._____
Signature_________________________________
THIS GIFT IS MADE IN HONOR OF:
_________________________________________
Please print their name as it should appear.
If you would like KCR to send the honoree a
Mother’s Day card, please provide address
Address__________________________________
City___________________State_____Zip_______
THE KCR MISSION: We are committed to creating hope and opportunity for low-income Kitsap County
residents by providing resources that promote self-sufficiency.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STAFF
Richard MacLennan, Olympic College
Board President
Suzanne Plemmons, Kitsap Health District
Vice-President
Michelle Yeoman, Business
Treasurer
Kim Abel, City of Port Orchard
Denise Agee, Kitsap Co. Food Banks
Rep. Sherry Appleton, 23rd District
Denise Brewer, Bremerton Community
Dave Colombini, S. Kitsap School District
Lisa Foster, Naval Base Kitsap
Roger Fritz, Sound Works
Dian Poyssick, N. Kitsap Community
Leon Puzon, St. Vincent de Paul
Heidi Gunter, SK Community
Joan Hanten, CK Community
Connie Lord, City of Poulsbo
Wanda Moore, Kitsap Credit Union
Fran Moyer, CK Community
Patricia Murphy, Business
Brian Rose, Head Start/ECEAP Policy Council
Linda Sullivan-Dudzic, Bremerton Schools
Margaret Swigert, DSHS
Rudy Taylor, Bremerton Community
Sam Westra, PSNS & IMF
Kurt Wiest, Bremerton Housing Authority
Joan Ferebee, NAACP
Opal Robertson, Commissioners
Larry Eyer, Executive Director
Irmgard Davis, Fiscal and IT
Russ Donahue, AmeriCorps, CSW,
& Kitsap Youth in Action
Charmaine Scott, Employment & Training
Darlene Cook, Housing & Community Support
Services
Connie Mueller-Troka, Early Learning &
Family Services
Jim Pariseau, Administrative Services
Mike Botkin, Special Projects
Eugenie Jones, Community Relations and Dev.
INSIDE KCR is produced by Kitsap Community Resources, www.kcr.org, 845 8th Street, Bremerton, WA 360-473-2003
Except where indicated, articles are written by Eugenie Jones, Community Relations & Development Manager, 360-473-2003, ejones@kcr.org