Group to award grants for child care providers
INDIANAPOLIS — Early Learning Indiana has announced a competition designed to address the fact that more than four of every 10 children in Indiana live in a child care desert.
Local groups, from school systems to community coalitions, have the opportunity to apply for grants through Friday, Sept. 13. Early Learning Indiana will award up to 10 grants in December 2019. Winning proposals will focus on expanding access to quality early learning opportunities for children from infants to age 5.
This work is made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.
Additional information can be found at solutions.earlylearningin.org/deserts.
A child care desert is a neighborhood, town or part of a city where there is no more than one child care seat for every three children. In Indiana, 45.2 percent of children live in a child care desert.
Child care deserts can be found in each of Indiana’s 92 counties, according to a 2018 study conducted by the Indiana Business Research Center and Early Learning Indiana.
“For too many Hoosier children and families, high-quality early learning opportunities are out of reach, not just figuratively, but geographically,” Early Learning Indiana President and CEO Maureen Weber said. “We invite both early childhood veterans and newcomers to help us build a stronger network of opportunity to support both working parents and the next generation of the workforce.”
Weekend backpack program prepares for year
While many families in Brown County are doing well, many are working hard and still struggling to meet basic needs, report organizers of the Brown County Weekend Backpacks program.
One out of every five children in Brown County lives in poverty. One of every three households struggles to afford basic necessities including food.
For many of these children, a school breakfast or lunch may be the only meals they can count on eating during the week. The Brown County Weekend Backpacks program helps children get through the weekends by providing a backpack containing six nutritious, easy-to-prepare meals — plus snacks — to students struggling with hunger so they can return to school ready to learn.
In its 2019 annual report, Brown County Weekend Backpacks reviewed its numbers for the previous year:
- A total of $20,167 was brought in for the program: $750 in grants; $9,855 in donations; $9,562 in fundraising.
- The program’s expenses totaled to $18,855: $503 in administration; $17,035 in food; $566 in facilities (shelving, storage, etc.); $751 in fundraising efforts.
- The net income for the 2018-19 school year was $1,312.
- It costs $150 per child to provide weekend meals through the BCWB for 33 weeks. BCWB distributes about $420 worth of food to children each week during the school year.
- The major fundraising event, Touch A Truck, took place June 29 and raised $8,500.
- During last school year, 4,342 bags were packed. An additional 16 bags per week were packed through July to serve children in Head Start.
- Fifteen tons of food was distributed to hungry children.
Various organizations and clubs were responsible for food donations, including Brown County Rotary Club, Church of the Lakes, Faith Lutheran Church (Columbus), Heart of Christ Fellowship, Mt. Nebo Methodist Church, Nashville United Methodist Church, New Life Community Church, The Pentecostals church, Presbyterian Fellowship, Rising Hope Baptist Church, St. Agnes Catholic Church, St. David’s Episcopal Church and three anonymous individual donors.
Other food donations and commitments are always welcome.
The Nashville United Methodist Church donates space and support for the program at no charge.
The program will begin packing for the 2019-20 school year on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
TRIAD reports volunteer work so far this year
TRIAD — The Right Information and Direction — is a group of sheriff senior volunteers. In April, May and June of this year, 487 volunteer hours were completed and 2,866 volunteer personal miles were driven, including 355 miles driven in the county.
Volunteers visited 172 residences and did 41 visits to residents of Brown County Health and Living.
Food was picked up from Midwest Food bank in Indianapolis, packaged and delivered to approximately 30 Brown County families in each of the months. Easter gift bags were prepared and delivered to clients’ homes. A decision was made to investigate the acquisition of a small cargo trailer to assist in monthly food pickup from the food bank.
August picnic planning began in May. The picnic was to take place at Parkview church on Aug. 17.
Five new 911 signs were installed at TRIAD clients’ homes.
Volunteers for TRIAD are Andrea Baker, Roger Brewer, Karen Brock, Lois Followell, Margo Hash, Ken Keller, Priscilla Keller, Hank Marshall, Violet Miller, Barb Schade, Warren Schade, Jenny Sue Whetstine, Dick Young and Laura Young. In training: Nina Barrick (began in January), Dona Glentzer (began in June) Frances Dugan (began in June) and Marianne Metzelaar (began in June).
For more information about TRIAD, email [email protected] or call 812-988-5606.
Humane society capital campaign under way
The Brown County Humane Society is raising money for a new animal shelter, to be built next to the current shelter on State Road 135 North.
Learn more about the project and how to help at unleashbc.com.
Grant expands reach of Literacy Labs
Through a grant from the Boston Scientific Foundation, nearly 4,000 children in south-central Indiana gained access to learning applications related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), along with reading and vocabulary.
During the past year, WTIU Literacy Labs have visited public libraries in Bartholomew County, Bedford, Brown County, Jasonville, Mitchell, Monroe County, Orleans, and Paoli; the YMCAs in Bloomington and Spencer; the kidscommons in Columbus and the Terre Haute Children’s Museum.
Boston Scientific facilitated a $15,000 grant to fund Literacy Labs from February 2018 through February 2019. Compared to 2017, this grant resulted in a 121 percent increase in the number of children served.
WTIU Kids Literacy Labs are mobile technology kits that include iPads and other tablet devices loaded with learning applications developed by PBS Kids for children ages 2 to 4 years old and grades kindergarten through third. The mobile apps bring the educational mission of WTIU Public Television directly to children.
Organizations interested in hosting a WTIU Kids Literacy Lab may contact WTIU Children’s Outreach Coordinator Mary Ducette at [email protected] or 812-855-8531.
USO seeks volunteers for Camp Atterbury
EDINBURGH — Volunteers are needed at the Camp Atterbury USO center. Volunteers help welcome military service members and support the USO goal of being a “home away from home” for all those who will be training at Atterbury away from family and comforts of home.
Especially at this time of year, when Atterbury is active with military training, the USO center becomes the primary place for service members to socialize, decompress and grab a snack.
Help is needed to help keep the Atterbury USO open for 15 hours per day, seven days a week. The center serves more than 71,500 military service members per year.
For more information, contact Jaclyn at [email protected]; call her at 317-991-1073; or visit usoindiana.org to sign up as a volunteer with the Atterbury USO.
Health department has free overdose rescue kits
Brown County Health Department has received a supply of overdose rescue kits from the Indiana State Department of Health to distribute in an effort to help prevent fatal opioid overdoses.
Kits contain naloxone hydrochloride, a non-narcotic medication that reverses the life-threatening respiratory failure that is usually the cause of overdose deaths. The medication is also known by trade name Narcan.
Distribution locations in the county for naloxone can be found on optin.in.gov or by calling the health department. Anyone wanting to get kits must get training on how to administer naloxone.
The health department is a registered naloxone dispenser. People in need of naloxone can request it from a registered entity. A prescription is not needed so long as people are requesting the medication from a registered entity.
Naloxone is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and has been used for more than 40 years by emergency medical services to reverse opioid overdose and revive people who might have died without treatment. It is not addictive, and although it is only effective at reversing overdoses of opioid drugs like heroin or prescription painkillers, it is not harmful if administered to someone who has not taken opioids, the health department reports.
For information on treatment for substance use disorder, visit the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction website at in.gov/fssa/dmha.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings scheduled
Alcoholics Anonymous has meetings most weekdays at several Brown County locations:
6:30 p.m. Tuesdays — Closed men’s discussion meetings, Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship, 602 North State Road 135
8 p.m. Tuesdays — Closed literature study, The Fieldhouse, 98 W. Washington St.
8 p.m. Wednesdays — Open discussion meetings, Sycamore Valley Community Center at the fairgrounds
9:30 a.m. Fridays — Open literature discussions, lower-level meeting room, Brown County Public Library, 205 N. Locust Lane
8 p.m. Mondays — Open discussion meetings, Sycamore Valley Community Center, 746 Memorial Drive at the fairgrounds
Open meetings are available to anyone interested in this program of recovery from alcoholism. Non-alcoholics can attend open meetings as observers.
Closed meetings are for AA members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and want to stop.
Addiction recovery support offered at church
From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, New Life Community Church, 1450 State Road 135 North, hosts weekly recovery support meetings, known as Battlefield For Freedom, for people struggling with addiction. For more information, call Melissa Tatman at 812-320-9838.
Women’s support group meets Mondays.
A women’s recovery group meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays for about 90 minutes.
Child care is available. For more information, including the location, call Carrie at 812-320-1201.
Free vaccines given at health department
The Brown County Health Department, on the second floor of the County Office Building, 201 Locust Lane, is offering immunizations free of charge for uninsured adults. Adults and children who are insured also can be immunized at the health department without paying a doctor’s office visit fee; bring your insurance card with you.
Vaccines include tetanus, Hepatitis A and B, dTap, MMR, PVC13, PPSV23, varicella and others.
For more information or to make an appointment, call the health department at 812-988-2255 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Support for family, community meets Sundays
Parents of Addicted Loved ones (PAL), a support group for parents and the community, meets at 4 p.m. Sundays in the fellowship hall at Parkview Church of the Nazarene, 1750 State Road 46 East. Enter by the side door.
Family members 18 years or older are welcome. The group will discuss the needs of parents and family supporting addicts, how best to support loved ones, how to educate the community and break the stigma.
For more information, contact Pamela McCoy at 812-606-4176 or [email protected].
BETA program offering paid work for senior citizens
BETA (Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association) is now qualified to receive employment placements through the National Able Network, a service program for seniors age 55 and older.
The program is funded by the federal government. Seniors of low income can qualify to work with BETA from 18 to 40 hours per week for pay. For details, contact Jacque Denny at 812-657-2138 or [email protected].
To inquire about volunteering for BETA, contact Clara Stanley at 312-310-3617 or [email protected].
Foster homes for kittens, adult pets needed
The Brown County Humane Society is in need of foster homes for kittens.
Fostering does not take a lot of room or supplies. Humane society staff can teach whatever knowledge is needed. Regular support is provided. Foster homes for adult dogs and cats are also needed on occasion.
If interested, fill out an application at bchumane.org/volunteer/foster-application.
To learn more about fostering kittens, visit bchumane.org/kittens.
Health department providing free sharps containers
The Brown County Health Department is giving out sharps collection containers that residents can use to safely dispose of needles, syringes and lancets.
Containers may be picked up or dropped off at the Brown County Health Department, 201 Locust Lane, weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with the exception of holidays.
Once the container is full, it can be returned to the Brown County Health Department for free disposal. Anyone can get another free sharps container upon return of a sealed full one.
The health department will only collect and dispose of FDA-cleared sharps containers. Alternative sharps containers, such as laundry detergent bottles or coffee cans, will not be accepted. Sharps containers are for sharps only. No other waste is to be placed in the container.
This is not a syringe exchange program. It is “an effort to keep sharps out of our daily trash and helping to maintain Brown County as a beautiful place to work and live,” the health department reported in a press release.
For more information, call the Brown County Health Department at 812-988-2255 and ask for the nursing division.
Ministry provides cancer support program
GNAW BONE — Nondenominational group Heart of Christ Ministries, 5181 State Road 46 East, offers a program called Thriving Hope Cancer Care Ministry.
Sponsored by Our Journey of Hope from the cancer treatment centers of America, the ministry provides people touched by cancer with help and spiritual counsel specific to the needs of cancer patients, caregivers or loved ones. Leaders completed a Bible-based cancer care training program.
With questions, to get involved or to receive help, call 812-371-0247. For more information, visit Heart of Christ Ministries on Facebook.
