Let’s take our fantastic bus dispatch workers Bridget and Vicki.  They may wonder how their job contributes to the strategic plan.  EASY! I say.  Every single day, they are fulfilling our mission by making it possible for our passengers to get to their destinations.  Now, let’s take it a step further.  They are also working on fund development strategies whenever they enter any data about our bus services.  This provides us with information we can use when other entities in the community knock on our door asking whether we could add them to our routes. This has the potential of adding services, which equates to generating revenue. 

So, now, let’s get to the heavy lifting of the strategic plan. Bridget and Vicki are also key people in the maximizing technology goal.  Their use of technology has always been exemplary but NOW – they are implementing the mobile data terminals.  WOW! This is cutting edge stuff.  And it’s not only them, but every one of our bus drivers, and all of the transportation staff, plus Gary Sauer have been focused on making this leap. We can even draw a line to our volunteer Garry Elfstrand who helped with the installation of the devices. 

This is super fun stuff for me.  Throw me a curveball!  Give me an example of any role within our organization and I will sit down with you and show you how they will positively impact our strategic plan.  Come on… make my day…

Tri-CAP is working to address these gaps in services through the creation of the Transportation Resource Center.  Whether we are collaborating with other volunteer driver programs, providing rural public transit bus service, or gathering the local transportation resources into one site for easier access, Tri-CAP and the TRC is there to help anyone with a transportation need.  This is becoming increasingly more difficult each year as transit funding for Greater Minnesota is more and more difficult to secure and even harder to expand.  The main goal of this program is to gather the existing resources and attempt to use them more efficiently, if possible, and help to ensure Greater Minnesota transportation efforts continue to move in the right direction.  If you have any resources to offer or suggestions on better efficiency, please feel free to contact the TRC at 320-257-4456.

It may not be just the lack of a high school diploma, GED or post-secondary degree that keeps people from getting a job that pays enough to meet their basic needs. Perhaps the education they received is inadequate for the current work environment. Maybe getting the necessary education or training is too expensive or takes too long.

Even a highly educated person can lack the skills necessary to compete in today’s job market. Skills may be rusty or outdated, especially if the person has been out of the workforce for a while. And technological advances have made some skills obsolete – does anyone even use stenography nowadays?

Clients may lack access to a car, or if they do have cars, the vehicles may be unreliable or need repairs. Money for gas or car insurance may be hard to come by. (Driving without insurance can cost the customer more in fines and sanctions than the cost of the insurance itself.) In rural areas, lack of a reliable vehicle can be even more of a problem if there is no accessible public transportation.

Disabilities keep people out of the workplace. When people have mobility, sight, or other physical difficulties, it’s easier to see the barriers to working. However, not all disabilities are physical in nature nor are they apparent: learning disabilities, developmental delays or mental illness can also impact an individual’s ability to keep or retain employment.

Child care – is it available, affordable, or accessible?  People who work split or rotating shifts, overtime, or unusual work schedules may find it difficult to find suitable child care.

Not all Tri-CAP customers are unemployed: some may be working but not make enough money to meet their basic needs. Available work may only be part-time, sporadic or seasonal. Maybe the employer doesn’t offer healthcare or other benefits which are needed to be self-sufficient.

While there may not be quick fixes to some of the challenges facing our customers, Tri-CAP and its community partners work with customers to identify and resolve the barriers that hold them back. Check out our many programs and services to see how we can help you.

****************************************************************

Bath and Hygienic Items

Feminine Hygiene Products

Blankets

New Clothing

Gift Certificates to the Goodwill or Savers

New Socks

Monetary Donations to aid with the event costs

****************************************************************

For further information or to donate items contact Cheri K at 320.251.1612

The ROFW program is a community based emergency fuel fund established to assist households with an Emergency situation when the Energy Assistance program is unable to help. This program is funded by donations from businesses, churches, civic groups, individuals, energy vendors, corporations and fundraisers. All money raised in Stearns, Morrison, Benton and Sherburne counties stays in the community and is matched 1:1 by the State of Minnesota. Donations are tax deductible and the contributions will help members of the community tremendously, who struggle to keep their heat and lights on.

If you are interested in joinging us for the chili feed, contact our main office at 320.251.1612.

Mailing Address – P.O. Box 683, Waite Park, MN 56387

OR donate online: Click Here

Check out all the action at http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Tri-County-Action-Programs

The Financial Coaches program is a collaboration between Tri-CAP, Catholic Charities, United Way and Job Services.  The program trains community volunteers to become financial coaches.  These coaches offer classes and work individually with community member to enhance their financial knowledge.  This program has trained over 60 community volunteers whose goal is to reach 20 community members each.

Written By: Sherri A, Tri-CAP Executive Assistant

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:13 AM PDT

by Jorge Madrid and Adam James

With all the focus on Solyndra and the attacks on green jobs from the Right-wing noise machine, the mainstream media have completely overlooked the explosive success of the weatherization assistance program (WAP) funded almost exclusively by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

With a serious investment under the Recovery Act, WAP increased the numbers of homes weatherized by 1000 percent over any previous year since 1976. This means we are close to weatherizing as many homes in one month (25,000) as we previously did in one year. By the end of ARRA’s three-year lifespan next March, the WAP will almost double the number of homes upgraded in the first year of the program — bringing the total number of energy efficiency projects to 720,000.

The press has focused on negative, headline-grabbing stories about green jobs in recent weeks. But we should not lose sight of the fact that DOE programs like WAP are making a major impact. We already know energy efficiency retrofits create three times the jobs compared with oil and gas, and that WAP has boasted over 14,800 jobs in just the three-month ramp-up period from April to June 2011.  Furthermore, an earlier CAP analysis shows if we retrofitted just 40% of our nation’s building stock, we could create 650,000 permanent jobs over a sustained ten year period. The remarkable success of the WAP proves that weatherization can be a source of sustained job creation, and further solidifies the argument for why investments in clean energy are the right kinds of expenditures for these tough economic times.

Not only has the WAP created jobs desperately needed in the construction industry, it also provides a boost for American manufacturing and small businesses. Over 89% of the materials used in home retrofits are made right here in America. And 91% of the firms engaged in retrofit activities are small businesses employing less than 20 people.

Jobs are not the only payout from investments in retrofits. According to a recent study by a DOE national laboratory, these weatherization services have saved families an average of more than $400 in energy costs during the first year. This is especially crucial for low income families, who spend a greater portion of their monthly income (15 to 20 percent) on energy costs. Freeing up income in a family’s budget will mean more spending on other goods and services — such as groceries, school tuition, and rent — further stimulating the overall economy.

Fixing our leaky buildings is also good for the health of the planet. Weatherization decreases national energy consumption by the equivalent of 24.1 million barrels of oil annually. And over the life of WAP, upgrades save 53 metric tons of CO2 emissions per house. Residential and power plant emissions are also greatly reduced on a project by project basis — cutting 2.65 metric tons for every house, every year, after the weatherization upgrade.

This is a sound investment with a phenomenal rate of return: for every $1 invested in the WAP program there are $2.51 returned to the household and broader economy. The $5 billion invested under ARRA, as well as the $180 million invested by 2010 appropriations, shows that the government has put dollars where they are needed the most — when it matters the most. By targeting programs that emphasize job creation, savings for low-income families, energy conservation, and emissions reductions, the Weatherization Assistance Program demonstrates the importance of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

With 38.6 million households eligible under the current program (34% of all U.S. households), the capacity for growth is enormous. With a minimal down payment representing only a fraction of total ARRA funds, the Weatherization Assistance Program is well on track to becoming a national energy efficiency institution. The remarkable gains that hve already been made demonstrate the necessity of increasing support for such programs well into the future.

Adam James is a Special Assistant for Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress; Jorge Madrid is a Research Associate on the Energy Team at the Center for American Progress.