Tip of the CAP

Mad Cow Brings in the Bacon!!

2009-08-03T11:15:00.000-04:00

In Your Pace Running Club hosted the first annual Mad Cow Road Race fundraiser this weekend as a benefit for Community Action Partnership. 174 participants registered for the 3 mile run/walk in Nelson—a number far beyond anyone’s expectations for participation this first year.

Even though this was the club’s first road race, they pulled it off like it was their fiftieth. And although it’ll be a few days before the club can get an exact total on the funds raised, it’s safe to say that the event was a tremendous success!

Runners and walkers had such a good time, they were thanking the volunteers as they made their way through the course—and that was before the club passed out dozens of prizes to top finishers and raffle winners after the last participant crossed the finish line.

The first person to cross the finish line was Austin Hirsh, son of CAP’s very own Deb Hirsch, who finished the 3 mile course in 18 minutes! Afterwards, Austin jogged back along the route to accompany his sister, Mackenzie (the first female finisher in her age group), across the line.

Thank you to all of the CAP board and staff who came out in support of the event as participants and as volunteers. You truly went the extra mile (3 extra, actually!) for the agency.

Please join me as well in thanking In Your Pace Running Club for taking on this monumental project. You got people to give back, get outside, and have fun—no one could have done it better! Our CAP goes off to you.

Look for more details, photos and a list of the event’s generous local sponsors in the papers soon!

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative AssistantHave something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at www.capmadco.org.

$25,000 Milestone!!

2009-05-08T10:12:00.006-04:00

Three cheers to all the wonderful individuals and staff who have donated to CAP’s 2009 Mother’s and Father’s Day Appeal. We received over $5,000 in donations during the first two weeks alone—and we’re still going strong!

The fantastic response to Mother’s and Father’s Day 2009 has put the Be the Change campaign over the $25,000 mark! Be the Change is CAP’s two-year effort to raise $150,000 in support of our mission. We are now halfway to our goal of raising $50,000 by the end of December 2009!

The Mother’s and Father’s Day Appeal is truly CAP’s signature appeal. During this event, CAP will mail our unique Mother’s and Father’s Day cards to individuals of the donor’s choice, explaining that their loved one has donated in their honor to an agency that is committed to helping local moms and dads be the best parents they can be.

In the past, cards have been designed by consumers, staff, and local artists. This year, the Mother’s Day card was designed by Jenny Conroy (Sandy’s daughter!), and our first ever Father’s Day card (complete with poetry) was designed and written by CAP’s very own Fatherhood Advocate, Chris Shortell. Please join me in thanking them for sharing their time and creativity and for providing us with beautiful cards to share with our community!

And sharing is often the best part. There are great stories behind so many of the donations. Several individuals have donated every year since the appeal began. Some families have several generations who all donate in honor of each other. This year, one family contributed $102 in honor of a mom who is 102 years old!

So happy Mother’s and Father’s Day (really early!!), everyone!

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org/.

Working Together Works!

2009-05-01T12:57:00.002-04:00

Riddle me this:

What do Alliance Bank, Morrisville State College, Department of Social Services, Madison County Employment and Training, Department of Motor Vehicles, and Bridge College to Work have in common?

Give up?

They are all partners in Keys to Work, the CAP program that helps to provide working families with a reliable vehicle to maintain and improve employment and/or education!

These many and varied (and busy!) partners came together in the Charlton Hall Presidents Room at Morrisville State College on Wednesday, April 29th for the 2009 Keys to Work Appreciation Luncheon. Program Coordinator Nancy Verro hosted the luncheon and shared the goals, process and success of the program with those who make it all possible.

And the info was just too good not to be shared (so was the lunch, actually, but readers of this blog will have to be satisfied with the following food for thought):

CAP identified transportation as one of the top three county needs in 1996, and has offered a transportation program since 1997.

CAP has offered Keys to Work since 2003.

Keys to Work participants purchase a car with the help of a $4,500 grant and $500 loan, which allows families to buy a $5,000 car and build good credit.

Keys to Work recipients and their children are not the only ones to benefit: many pay it forward by providing transportation to work, the doctor, or even the grocery store to extended family and struggling neighbors.

63 families have received cars since 2003.

100% of this year’s car recipients are still employed or are pursuing a degree—even in these troubled economic times.

CAP would like to once again thank all of the community partners who work with us to make this wonderful program possible. Working together works!

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative AssistantHave something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at www.capmadco.org.

Unexpected Generosity

2009-04-15T11:44:00.003-04:00

The Board and Staff of Community Action Partnership (CAP) would like to express heartfelt appreciation for the unexpected but much appreciated generosity of the Morrisville State College Caribbean American Student Union (CASU). The group toured our East Main Street office on April 2nd and surprised us with a $1,000 donation!

With the guidance of their advisor, John Schuster, the group selected our organization to receive a $500 donation gathered through their own fundraising efforts as well as a $500 match from the Sheila Johnson Institute.

CASU’s gift will support our Be the Change campaign, our two-year effort to raise $150,000 to preserve and protect our services during difficult economic times. CAP rarely receives donations of this size—the students’ hard work and generosity will make a real difference in our community!

We were delighted by the students’ interest and thoughtful questions during their time in our office. They are wonderful representatives of their group and their college—we know the entire Morrisville community is as proud of them as we are.

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at www.capmadco.org.

Academy Awards: Night of the Stars

2009-02-26T10:02:00.004-05:00

And the winner is...you!!

Community Action Partnership brought the glitz and glam of the Academy Awards to Madison County with the agency’s premier Academy Awards: Night of the Stars event on February 22nd at the Hamilton Palace Theater.

Glamorous guests braved the paparazzi of CAP’s red carpet, posed for CAP’s society pages (pictures available at http://www.capmadco.org/ under "Latest News"), tested their celebrity knowledge with trivia, entered raffle and 50/50 contests, and viewed the Academy Awards in style on the big screen while enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres, and live music from local musicians.

The event benefited CAP’s Be the Change campaign, a two-year effort to raise $150,000 in support of the agency’s mission. The funds raised will help CAP preserve its diverse array of programs and services during times of economic turmoil.

Even though this is only the second month of fundraising, the proceeds from this event have put the agency over the $18,000 mark, putting CAP one step closer toward its goal of ensuring that a loss of state or federal funding will never mean a loss of important services for Madison County residents.

Many thanks to the sponsors who made the event possible: The Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (The COVE) at Colgate University, The Colgate Inn, and Joseph’s at the Carriage House. Thank you as well to the local businesses who helped make the event a success: P&C, Kirby’s, Walmart, Grand Union, Titletown Liquors, Lil’ Jak’s Pizza Shak, and especially the Hamilton Palace Theater.

Heartfelt thanks to our “paparazzo” David Hollis for capturing the event on film, to local artists Bernie Gleason and Jeff and Cheryl D’Aprix for sharing their musical talents, to the wonderful Colgate students who volunteered as servers, and to everyone who attended the event in support of CAP’s mission.

Who said that being the change couldn’t be fun?

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org/.

The Story You've Got to Read...

2009-02-09T14:35:00.000-05:00

CAP is full of amazing stories about incredibly strong, generous families who just need a hand up during a tough situation. Often, these families are the first to lend a hand to others in need, even though they themselves are facing hardship.

When I heard the story written below, I knew it was one that would stay with me forever.

It's a story best told by the family’s home visitor. So, for this week’s blog, please welcome our first guest blogger—Deanna Jenkins!

I began home visiting a single mom with 3 children in October 2008. She has accomplished a lot during these past months. She cleaned out her trailer and made it into a very nice home. The family got a kitchen table and chairs so they can eat dinner together each evening. They got health insurance. The children and their mother have a family night each week when they play board games and watch a movie together. The oldest daughter now has a desk where she does her homework.

The mother works at a video rental store and milks cows at night in order to make ends meet. Her car is 12 years old and is literally falling apart. She has to unhook the battery when the car is not in use and then re-hook the battery every time she needs to go somewhere. She contacted CAP’s Keys to Work Program and did the necessary budgeting with a caseworker. She wrote a wonderful essay expressing why she and her children needed a reliable automobile.

Last week after my visit with the family, I went out to my car and discovered that one of my tires was "flat as a pancake". I went inside and called AAA and was transferred from office to office. I was finally told that someone would be out to change my tire in an hour and a half. The mom said, “I can change your tire in 10 minutes!”

She went out, laid down in the snow, and changed my tire—in 10 minutes!! The very next day she was notified that she was getting a 2002 Ford from the CAP Keys to Work Program.

She called me to say I was the first person she called. She was thrilled and cried when she got the good news from the caseworker. I am sure this car will make a huge difference in their lives.

—Deanna Jenkins

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org.

—Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Be the Change

2009-01-30T09:48:00.000-05:00

You may have seen the butterfly. You've probaby heard the words. But it's time to shed a little light on what "be the change" really means for Community Action.

Human rights leader Mahatma Gandhi once charged his followers to, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Here at CAP, we take that message to heart. We work hard to provide programs and services that promote positive change in the lives of individuals and families right here in our community.

But sometimes factors beyond our control, like changes in the economy, make us wonder if we will be able to continue providing these important programs and services to our community.

It's time to take "be the change" to the next level. It's time we worked toward change not only in Madison County, but also in our own work as stewards of that change. It's time to be more creative and flexible in our funding.

Enter Be the Change: CAP's two-year effort to raise $150,000 in support of our agency's mission.

What does that mean? It means that CAP is taking control of its financial future. We are raising enduring, flexible funds to ensure that state and federal cuts to any program won't mean a loss of services for our families.

$150,000 is no pocket "change" (I know, I know--easy on the puns!), but since the launch of the campaign in January, we've already raised over $10,000 of our goal. Thanks to the generosity of the community members who have contributed so far, we have confidence that we'll be able tor reach our goal.

So now you know!

Be the change.

—Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org/.

A Story to Warm Your Heart...

2009-01-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

Here at CAP, we are committed to “helping people help themselves.” And it’s a comfort to know that we don’t stand alone in this effort.

In addition to partnering with the families served, we collaborate with local individuals, businesses, churches, and service organizations, making the pursuit of our mission a community effort.

Here’s a story that shows the true heart of our community:

December 2008—

For a local family of eight, 2008 was truly the best and worst of times.

The family’s 9-year-old son became a local hero when his quick run for help saved the life of a choking teacher. But the family suffered a house fire later that year, forcing the large household to stay with family and friends for an extended period of time.

The family’s troubles painted a grim picture for the holiday season. But the community rallied in support of the deserving household.

The American Legion of Oneida partnered with CAP to adopt the family of 8 and another deserving family of 6 (both had children in the CAP Mentoring Program) for the holidays.

The Legion provided Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, and made sure Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and their helpful elf delivered Christmas gifts to everyone in each of the families. One of the gifts was a pack of movie passes for the family of 8 to see a holiday movie together—no small expense for any family that size. The families were extremely grateful!

This is a story that can only be told when the community comes together to take care of it’s members. It’ll warm your heart—even in this cold!

—Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org/.

Welcome to Tip of the CAP

2009-01-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Tip of the CAP, the brand new blog for Community Action Partnership!

It's a new year. New Executive Director. New layout at the Cambridge Office. New CAP blog. Everything's coming up NEW!

But some things, like our committment to helping each and every Madison County household achieve self-sufficiency, never change.

Each year, we renew our committment to making our community a better place to live. The goal stays the same, but we start new projects. We face new challenges. We find new partners in our effort.

Sometimes, it's a little hard to keep it all straight.

But that's okay--we have blogs for that!

I'll start with some fundraising news. Fueling Up Madision County, CAP's campaign to raise $10,000 to help Madison County families with fuel and food costs this winter, reached its goal on January 6th!

But we aren't resting on past successes (we're in the mood for NEW--right?). That's why we have already begun work on our next project, Be the Change, a two-year initiative to raise $150,000 in support of our mission.

I hope that all members of the CAP family (Staff, Board members, community partners, donors, funders, and families served) can use this blog as a resource to stay up-to-date on CAP happenings and to share ideas and success stories.

This is your community. This is your work. This is your blog.

Welcome.

--Kim Krula, Executive Administrative Assistant

Have something you want to share? Comment on this post or send me an e-mail at kkrula@capmadco.org. Remember, all comments are visible to everyone, so keep them squeaky clean and observe consumer confidentiality.

Need more CAP? Visit our website at http://www.capmadco.org/.