Community Engagement
Phelps County
Phelps County Community Partnership
Community Engagement Report
February 2002
THE PHELPS COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP COORDINATES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ST. JAMES CARING CENTER
The Phelps County Community Partnership has provided coordination and support for the development of the St. James Caring Center. The St. James Caring Center supplies numerous community services in one convenient location. The Center was established through the work of the St. James Ministerial Alliance and the St. James Caring Communities Coordinator.
A Board of Directors was established, non-profit status was granted, funds raised, a building secured and now the St. James Caring Center operates independently of the Partnership. The Phelps County Community Partnership supports the Center by employing a Community Coordinator who also serves as Director for the Caring Center.
The Phelps County Community Partnership received a grant from the Corporation for National Service that allowed two Americorps/VISTA members to be assigned to the St. James Caring Center. One VISTA serves as the coordinator of the Caring Center. This position works directly with families-in-need through client intake and volunteer coordination of the emergency food pantry. She also serves as the liaison between the community and the Caring Center Board of Directors.
The second member serves as Volunteer Recruiter and Development Coordinator of the thrift store and as Coordinator for a Reading Buddy Program conducted at the elementary school. Both members are under the direction of the Caring Center Director who is an employee of the Partnership.
SENATOR STEELMAN ANNOUNCES CARING CENTER TO RECEIVE $322,350 IN TAX CREDITS FOR IMPROVEMENTS
During the 2001 fiscal year, State Senator Sarah Steelman announced that $322,350 in state tax credits was granted through the state Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) to benefit the St James Caring Center. The tax credits were used as leverage to secure donations from outside sources.
The total benefit to the Caring Center through the NAP and additional private funds is over $460,000. These funds allowed the Caring Center to purchase and renovate an abandoned 11,000 square foot grocery store located in downtown St. James.
ST. JAMES CARING CENTER HOLDS GRAND OPENING
In September of 2001, the St. James Caring Center held the grand opening of their new facility. The 11,000 square foot building houses a thrift store, an emergency food pantry, a USDA Commodity Food Distribution Center, an alternative school, a computer lab, and office space for local social service agencies to assist area families.
The last of the tax credits were sold in January of 2002 and will allow the final stage of renovations to take place in the spring of 2002. Improvements will include expansion of the thrift store, additional classroom space to host GED courses, and additional office space for local social service agency partners.
THE PARTNERSHIP HAS LEVERAGED OVER $13.00 FOR EVERY CARING COMMUNITY DOLLAR INVESTED
The largest portion of funding for the St. James Caring Center came from the use of tax credits. For every dollar of Caring Community funds spent, the Phelps County Community Partnership has been able to leverage an additional $13.00 through in- kind and cash donations. This is a very conservative estimate and excludes the hundreds of hours of volunteer time and thousands of dollars in goods sold in the thrift store.
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED AND PARTNERSHIPS ESTABLISHED
The St. James Caring Center is able to provide some assistance for emergency utilities, lodging, medical, and transportation. As the USDA commodities distribution site the Caring Center serves more than 100 families per month. In December 2001, 195 families were assisted with commodities. During 2001 402 cash assistance services and 1740 food services were provided. Requests for assistance continue to rise in 2002.
Partnerships with the Caring Center include the St. James Ministerial Alliance, the City of St. James, St. James Public Schools, the Sheriff’s Department, the James Foundation, Prudential Insurance, the Health Department, Phelps County Regional Medical Center, the St. James Chamber of Commerce, the local Wal-Mart Distribution Center, and numerous community volunteers and donors.
