The Mid-Kansas Community Action Program outreach center at 124 W. Sixth St. in Newton is back to regular hours after a period of only being open one day a week.
The center is open Mondays through Fridays, said Marion Nichols, community services and housing director. While the office usually will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days, Nichols said people should be aware the office may be closed if the coordinator is out in the community at a meeting.
Mid-Cap works with those who are at 200 percent of the poverty level or less, which for a family of four means a gross income of $44,100 or less. Nichols said staff are seeing a lot of people who recently have been laid off.
The center provides emergency services, such as help with rent or utilities. Nichols said the requirements for such assistance vary from grant to grant. Services also are available for the unemployed or severely underemployed.
Case management also is offered. Nichols said case management is “strength based and solution focused” and said it is individualized.
Case management can include such things as resume writing, practicing interview skills, helping provide work clothes or interview clothes, helping provide work tools (any tools needed for work, such as stethoscopes), help with transportation issues and financial literacy training.
Nichols said case management is for a 12-month period, and there is a maximum dollar amount of $2,500 per client, but many of the services are unpaid. She said those who finish 12 months can do another 12 months — but for unpaid services only.
Mid-Cap also is gearing up for the Head Start program, Nichols said. Head Start is for children ages 3 to 5, but Nichols said the program also works with families. It is a partnership between Mid-Cap and Cooper Early Education Center. Forms are available at Mid-Cap, which need to be taken to Cooper. Nichols said Cooper workers will be available there beginning next week.
Mid-Cap is gearing up for another partnership, this one with the Harvey County Homeless Shelter. Nichols said they are advertising for a coordinator to provide case management and emergency services at the shelter. The position is funded through a grant, and at this point is designated for 12 months. Nichols said if more funding becomes available, the position may be continued.
Nichols said the center closed for a while while restructuring services and budgets. She said staff took a look at what services had been offered and made determinations as to what services should be offered.
“We are now able to continue on in the direction we wish to go,” she said.
