The Spirit of Giving is Alive in Our Community

What is it about giving that makes us feel so good?

Rowena Smith and her family recently moved to Fort Wayne from Florida and needed a little extra support. Through the CANI Family Development program, Family Support Services Worker Andrea Young has been helping her get settled in to her new home and city.

Andrea learned Rowena had been on medical leave at work for a few months, so money was tight. Andrea told her supervisor John Robb about her situation, and with Rowena’s permission, John shared her story with his daughter Triston, a manager at Flat Top Grille. Tristann and the employees at the restaurant have helped CANI families in the past and wanted to help again. She rallied support at her work place and the servers donated a portion of their tips to buy clothing and other needed items for the Smiths. (Thank you Flat Top Grille employees!)

Recently, Andrea, John and Triston delivered the items to Rowena’s home. (See photos)






She was thrilled by the donation and expressed her gratitude.

This might not seem like a big deal to some people, but it made a world of difference to the Smith family. You never know what effect a small gift will have on someone in need. And the added bonus is that it makes you feel good too!

"The Blind Side": One Man's Fight Against Poverty

If you’re looking for a feel-good movie about overcoming poverty, look no further than “The Blind Side.”

The movie chronicles the real-life story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless and traumatized African-American boy from the “projects” who finds hope in an unexpected place.

The Tuohy family takes the youngster into their posh home, under the impression it will be temporary. At first Michael is treated more or less like a temporary guest, sleeping on a couch.

Although cautious at first, the Tuohys become fond of Michael, and before long consider him an inseparable part of their family. Mrs. Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) takes him under her wing and proves to be a force to be reckoned with.

A few weeks go by and its clear Michael does not have a home to return to. Michael came to the family with literally one outfit, so Mrs. Tuohy takes him shopping for some nice clothes. Later he receives a generous gift from the family in the form a brand new truck.

As the movie progresses, a bit of a conundrum unfolds. The more Mrs. Tuohy does for Michael, the more she realizes that his success does not hinge on material goods, but rather teaching him life skills. Michael struggled in school and needed an extra push to succeed. Mrs. Tuohy hires a tutor and Michael applies himself.

The point is that it’s not enough to give someone a fish; you must teach them how to fish. I have seen how CANI gives hope by being a support system for individuals and families who may not have their own. Through case management in Family Development and Head Start and other programs in the agency – we provide on-going encouragement. We give people the tools and the resources to succeed, as opposed to simply doing things for them.

In “The Blindside,” Mrs. Tuohy could pay for a tutor, but Michael still had to apply himself to pass his classes. It hinged on a conscious effort on his part, but it was helped by the loving support of a family who gave Michael hope.

I will tell you this story has a happy ending, but I won’t spoil it for you with any more details. Michael Oher’s life is a great example of overcoming poverty through strong support systems and a drive to succeed.

While we may not all have the means to adopt a young man like the Tuohys did, there are many ways to help. One way is to mentor a child. There are plenty of agencies who have children waiting to be “adopted” by a positive role model - in fact CANI is one of them! We are expanding our youth program. and looking for more professionals who can donate their time to mentor a child who has interest in their respective fields. For more information, contact Megan Kinney, megankinney@canihelp.org.

CANI Introduces Homelessness Prevention Program

CANI Introduces Homelessness Prevention Program

It is easy to see why some people think we don’t have a homelessness problem in Northeast Indiana. You generally don’t see people sleeping on park benches or begging for money on the streets in our community. Although these things do happen, they are not as prevalent as in other larger cities.

But that doesn’t mean it is not an issue.

Homelessness is not just about people living in streets, but also about people who don’t have a home who are living in a shelter, or with family members or friends.

CANI has recently begun providing services through the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP). It is fitting for us to highlight this program during Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 15-21. There are more than 6.2 million homeless people in Indiana, so the need for awareness is great.

HPRP is a new way to get homeless people off the streets and out of shelters into permanent housing. HPRP involves case management and housing assistance to help people learn how to break the cycle of homelessness. If they have the tools to succeed, they are less likely to end up on the streets again.

Read more about HPRP in the December issue of CANI Chronicles.

Poverty...in Your Backyard?

The faces of the poor aren’t as hidden as they used to be, especially during a time of recession.

A recent article from the Associated Press reports that nearly half of all U.S. children and 90 percent of black youngsters will be on food stamps at some point during childhood, according to researchers.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

The estimate comes from an analysis of 30 years of national data, and it bolsters other recent evidence on the pervasiveness of youngsters at economic risk. It suggests that almost everyone knows a family who has received food stamps, or will in the future, said lead author Mark Rank, a sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Your neighbor may be using some of these programs but it's not the kind of thing people want to talk about,” Rank said.

The analysis is in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The authors say it's a medical issue pediatricians need to be aware of because children on food stamps are at risk for malnutrition and other ills linked with poverty.

“This is a real danger sign that we as a society need to do a lot more to protect children,” Rank said.

Recession Woes

And the recession is only making it harder for low-income families with children to make ends meet:

According to a USDA report released last month, 28.4 million Americans received food stamps in an average month in 2008, and about half were younger than age 18. The average monthly benefit per household totaled $222.

Children: The Faces of Poverty

Dependence on food stamps is not a new phenomenon. The study also illustrates the dependence on government programs over the years:

Rank and Cornell University sociologist Thomas Hirschl studied data from a nationally representative survey of 4,800 American households interviewed annually from 1968 through 1997 by the University of Michigan. About 18,000 adults and children were involved.

Overall, about 49 percent of all children were on food stamps at some point by the age of 20, the analysis found. That includes 90 percent of black children and 37 percent of whites. The analysis didn't include other ethnic groups.

Other analysis suggests that more than 40 percent of U.S. children will live in poverty or near-poverty by age 17; and that half will live at some point in a single-parent family. Other researchers have estimated that more than half of adults will use food stamps at some point by age 65.

How You Can Help

In this case, simply being aware about the presence of poverty in your own neighborhood is a way to affect change. Some people are too shy or proud to ask for help, so you might need to step up and offer.

The single mom next door might need help with child care, or the teenager across the street might need a good mentor. If you’re not sure what you can do, simply ask.

Too Many Children Die in Indiana as a Result of Abuse and Neglect. We Can Do Better.

Some disturbing news about an increase in the rate of child abuse and neglect in Indiana underlines the need for action on a local level.

The Sobering Facts

In 2007, in Indiana alone, 53 children died as a result of child abuse and neglect, according to a report from the non-profit group Every Child Matters. Another 18,380 Indiana children were confirmed abused and/or neglected. The number of children abused and neglected in Indiana would fill over 34 elementary, middle, and high schools.

This is an increase from the 42 deaths reported in 2006. That’s more than a 20-percent increase. Startling, isn’t it?

Healthy Families

Community Alliance for Healthy Families is a local collaboration of organizations who have a common interest in ending child abuse and neglect. Services in Allen County are provided through a collaboration of four agencies: CANI (Community Action of Northeast Indiana), Lutheran Social Services, SCAN and Easter Seals ARC.

The program is designed to strengthen families by reducing child abuse, neglect and childhood health problems. The state of Indiana’s Department of Child Services cites research that consistently confirms that providing education and support services to parents around the time of a baby's birth, and continuing for months or years afterwards, significantly reduces the risk of child maltreatment and contributes to positive, healthy child rearing practices.

How You Can Help

Your support of such programs as Healthy Families can help put an end to child abuse and neglect.

Since the introduction of the program to Allen County in 1994, the number of cases of abuse and neglect has stabilized. And more than 99 percent of families in the program or shortly after are abuse-free.

Moreover, those concerned can write letters to your local representatives, urging their support of laws that protect children from abuse and neglect. Congress is going to reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) in the next year or so, and is going to debate many items in the federal budget that deal with this issue. Federal funding for child welfare has decreased 8.9 percent since 2005 according to First Focus, a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

A Tribute to William G. Williams

A dear member of the CANI family has passed away.

William G. Williams, the founder of the Economic Opportunity Council, the organization that would become CANI, died Sept. 17 at age 80. He was born Aug. 30, 1929 to William G. and Sally Williams.

Mr. Williams was a true Renaissance man, serving various roles in the public sector. Williams served on the Fort Wayne Board of Public Works in the administration of Mayors Harold Zeis and Ivan Lebamoff. He originally came from Michigan to Fort Wayne to be allocation and timing director for the United Way. During the Zeis administration, he organized the Manpower Program, which later became the City's Department of Human Resources. He subsequently helped start the Allen County Economic Opportunity Council, the predecessor of CANI.

During his administration, the EOC operated 11 varied programs, including Head Start, Legal Services, Neighborhood Youth Corps, Economic Development, Emergency Food and Medical Services, Youth Development, Neighborhood Services System, Foster Grandparents, and Planning and Research. Several of these programs are still in existence in some form.

Perhaps most remarkable, during his tenure the EOC program was cited congressionally as one of the Top 10 agencies in the nation. He was honored in 2005 with an award in his name, the William G. Williams Award, given to persons who demonstrate outstanding contributions in the fight against poverty.

CANI would not be the agency it is today if it weren’t for Mr. Williams’ legacy. CANI Executive Director Joe Conrad noted this, saying:

“One tiny acorn he called the Allen County Economic Opportunity Council grew up to be this mighty oak we call CANI. These days it drops acorns of its own all over the community. Bill understood how little acts can have major impact in other peoples’ lives. Consequently he never failed to act.”

Source: The Herald Bulletin (Anderson)

State Data: Times Tough for Hoosier Families

The 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) data released on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Indiana families are fairing far worse than they did during the 2001 national recession.

Perhaps most disconcerting is that Hoosiers median household income has drastically decreased. In 2008, the median household income in Indiana was $47,966, below the national average of $52,029. This is a decrease from $49,271 (in 2008 dollars) in 2007. However, what is more concerning, the 2007 and 2008 median household incomes were lower than the Indiana median household income of $51,005 (in 2008 dollars) in 2000.

According to the ACS data, 807,506 Hoosiers were living at or below poverty in 2008 ($21,200 for a family of four). Although Indiana's poverty rate of 13.1% was slightly below the national average of 13.2% in 2008, it is a significant increase from 12.3% in 2007. The number of Hoosiers in poverty has increased significantly in Indiana since 2000, when Indiana's poverty rate was 10.1%. This is reflective of the decrease seen in Hoosiers median household income, as well as, the impact of the recession, as reflected in the increased number of job losses and growing unemployment rate in Indiana.

Sadly, our children are suffering the most. The childhood poverty rate in Indiana is 17.9% in 2008 (276,430 children). That’s a 1.2% increase from 2007. Childhood poverty has also steadily increased in Indiana since 2000, when the child poverty rate was 14.3%.

The newly released Census data displays a rise in total poverty since 2007, but doesn’t reflect the most current economic struggles because the data was collected in August 2008. We can predict with near certainty that there are even more persons living in poverty in Indiana today than there were in 2008 as the current unemployment rate is much higher now.

We must not let this situation get still worse. This data should be a warning sign to state officials and community organizations that more needs to be done to help working Hoosier families through these difficult economic times as the number of Hoosiers living below the poverty guidelines continues to grow.

For more information visit the Indiana Community Action Association’s Web site, www.incap.org.

Source: Indiana Community Action Association (INCAA)

Welcome to Inside CANI

Hello!

Welcome to CANI’s blog. I hope you will find this information timely and interesting. This blog will detail the efforts of our various programs and services, peppered with some pertinent information in the news. I welcome feedback and interaction. My objective is to keep you informed about CANI’s success in fighting poverty and building hope. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our Web site, www.canihelp.org.

Thank you.

Lauren Caggiano, CANI Development Coordinator