Kootasca Community Action Inc.

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011

Signed

Aug 8, 2012

Return Version

2011v1.2

Gross Receipts

$6,222,036

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Education:kootasca head start serves 217 pre-school and 36 infants and toddlers in itasca and koochiching counties. Children and families in the head start program are provided with comprehensive services that include: education, health, nutrition, social services/family support and parent involvement. Head start ensures that the basic health needs of all children are met. The program encourages healthy behaviors that prevent future illness and promotes positive health and life long well being. During the 2010-11 program year 99% of all children enrolled had some type of health insurance, 98% of all children received dental exams, 100% received medical exams and 99% were up to date on all immunizations by the end of the program year. In addition 84 families received emergency/crisis intervention, 103 families received housing assistance and 63 families were connected to mental health services for either the parent or the child. Kootasca head start has also been a sponsor site for the minnesota reading corps since 2006. Within that time we have had 37 community members and 27 professional members donate more than 68,000 hours of volunteer time to the program.

Activity 3

Community engagement:kootasca community action inc. Engages community partners to collaborate on community strategies to fulfill our mission to end poverty. The agency's community engagement strategy includes the following programs: circles of support provides weekly meetings with a dinner and child care for families and individuals experiencing poverty. This circles of support program includes community members from the middle class that want to form meaningful relationships with families experiencing poverty. In 2011 circles volunteers contributed 2,768 hours assisting local families in their journey out of poverty. Circles participants earned 116 higher education credits in 2011. Circles of support hosted six big view community meetings with topics ranging from bridging the class divide to school bullying. Kootasca's homeless prevention staff provided 155 households with rental assistance to avoid eviction or homelessness, 23 homeless households received transitional or emergency housing and supportive services and 68 families and 145 children received crisis nursery services for those families that need a safe place for children to stay while the parents get the help they need. Personal empowerment trainers teach the start program at itasca community college to help prepare nontraditional students for college. Personal empowerment training is also used in the circles of support program. Personal empowerment training uses cognitive restructuring techniques to give participants the tools they need to have the internal power and personal resiliency to better deal with life issues. Community action funding from the community service block grant supports the development of collaborative programming in the community like the start program.

Filer

EIN

41-0904805