Children in Crisis

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day & Support CCO!

15 Past 55 for RSVP

Intersecting GraceWhere lines of Compassion intersect with lines of need

c o u n c i l o f c h u r c h e s o f t h e o z a r k s

Winter 2012

life TOGETHER!

Mission StatementTo improve the quality of life in our region through collaborative

outreach in the name of Jesus Christ, by doing together what

can best be done together.

Council of Churches of the Ozarks

Board of DirectorsCindy Waites, Chair

Kevin Ausburn

Jan Baumgartner

Roseann Bentley

Kenneth Chumbley

Kim Erdel

Dan Friberg

Neil Guion

Gordon Kinne

Byron Klaus

Ken McClure

David Peck

Francine Pratt

Tom Reidy

Tim Rosenbury

Neil Stenger, Ex OfficioBill Foster

The CCO Foundation Chair

CCOzarks.org627 N. Glenstone

P.O. Box 3947 Springfield, MO 65808

Office: 417-862-3586 Fax: 417-862-2129

Dear Compassionate Partners in Faith,

Children in Crisis

Quite often in the context of faith, before there is “good news” there is some alarming state of “bad news.” Several Biblical images come to mind, especially of the Hebrews suffering in Egypt from the book of Exodus. Maybe you’ve experienced your own version of “bad news” in your life that makes the Good News of God’s saving presence in Jesus Christ all the more profound.

No matter how, where or when it occurs, child abuse and neglect belongs under the heading of “bad news”. Here in the Ozarks the increasing rate of child abuse and neglect, as reflected in the record number of children being placed in foster care in Greene County, compels me to say we, as a community, have reached a child abuse and neglect crisis. Such a crisis for our children is therefore a crisis of conscience for adults. Thanks to the Springfield News-Leader’s recent focus on this difficult subject, our community now knows too many secrets to remain silent or passive.

Service Agencies of the Council of Churches that are actively addressing this subject (Ambassadors for Children and Child Care Aware®) are making a difference daily by coming alongside foster children and foster families to provide support and resources that have the power to transform the “bad news” of domestic violence into hope, healing and blessing. In response to the increased demand for services to foster children in our community, we will soon be announcing more “good news” for these special kids. Please stay tuned!

For many of God’s people we serve in the Ozarks, the bad news comes in the form of a crisis of some kind. Loss of a job, death of a family member, a catastrophic medical emergency, or a vulnerability that has been exploited by others – all these are occasions for the Council of Churches to offer some assistance. Thank you for being a partner with us in serving God’s people in need of some Good News!

Intersecting Grace

Our guiding theme for 2012 is Intersecting Grace, and this theme helps to describe the daily and the occasional crossing of our paths, where lines of compassion intersect with lines of need. Intersecting Grace is also where we experience the uncommon grace that attends us when we reach out beyond our well-worn paths and connect with others outside our usual, comfortable routine. Our CCO Network Coordinators will be helping to lead our efforts toward intersecting in meaningful ways through social networking, and experiencing the grace that will result.

Looking back over the past year, many blessings were evident, especially in and through people who said yes to volunteering to serve, who gave special gifts of money, who worked together with others to accomplish a greater good, to “improve the quality of life” in our community. Thank you for sharing with us the blessing God has given you!

Mark Struckhoff Executive Director

From the Executive Director

From the Cover

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day — page 3

Intersecting Grace — page 4

Children in Crisis — pages 8

15 Past 55 — page 13

2 life TOGETHER!

Service Agencies

Ambassadors For ChildrenSondra Uzzell, msw, lcsw, Director

627 N. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65802

417-862-3586

Child Care Food Program Vicki McMillen, Director

1531 E. Sunshine E-1 Springfield, MO 65804

1-800-818-6812

Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri Nicole Piper, Director 1910 E. Meadowmere Springfield, MO 65804

417-887-3545

Connections Handyman Service Richard Virnig, Director

627 N. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65802

417-862-3586

Crosslines Tom Faulkner, Director

1710 E. Chestnut Expressway Springfield, MO 65802

417-869-0563

Daybreak Adult Day Care Rick Stephenson, Director

1461 E. Seminole Springfield, MO 65804

417-881-0133 / 417-882-4243

Long-Term Care Ombudsman ProgramConnie Payne, Director

627 N. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65802

417-862-3598

RSVPSharon Bradford, Director

627 N. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65802

417-862-3595

CCOzarks.org

Uniting Faith. Serving with Compassion.

Ambassadors for Children

2%

*Child Care Food Program 52%

*Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri 7% Connections 2%

Crosslines 8%

*Daybreak 11%

*Ombudsman 2% *RSVP 2%

Therapeutic Riding 2%

Management/Personnel Fundraising

12%

2011 Total Expenditures by Agency & Category

The agencies with an asterisk (*) are primarily funded by sources other than private donations.

2011 INCOME AND EXPENSE SUMMARYTotal Dollars Received from Donations . . . . . . . . . . . $994,036Total Dollars Received from Other Sources . . . . . $4,785,975

(i.e. program service revenue including all fees and contracts)

Total Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,036,510(for all program services, management and fundraising)

2011 Financial Summary

life TOGETHER! 3

It is common to pass through intersections every day without much notice. But some of life’s intersections invite a closer look. Intersections are where we are often faced with decisions.

From its beginning, the work of Crosslines was described as a place where “lines of need cross with the lines of compassion.” Back in 1969, Crosslines was the very first service program of the then Springfield Area Council of Churches. In many ways this description of Crosslines fits as a description of ALL the service agencies of the Council of Churches. Every day, dedicated volunteers and staff at the Council of Churches decide to work together at this intersection, where human need meets compassion in the name of Jesus Christ, in each of our service agencies. Such an intersection is the occasion for an encounter with God’s grace, and we grow a bit more compassionate with each encounter. This intersection is best described

by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46, where the hungry are fed, the stranger is welcomed, and the sick receive care.

Zooming in further at this intersection where need meets compassion, we find another intersection that is somewhat unique to the work of the Council of Churches. This second intersection is one where our various member churches (represented by pastors, leaders, volunteers, etc.) intersect with one another out of a shared desire to serve. At this intersection, our doctrinal differences don’t disappear; rather, out of our faith we make the decision to choose the common ground of service. Here at this intersection you can begin to see signs of unity or “one-ness”: the kind of unity that Jesus prays for his followers to come to “so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21).

(Continued)

INtERSECtING GRACE By Rev. Mark Struckhoff

Reaching out beyond our existing

relationships

Where human need meets compassion

Toystore Volunteers

Thanksgiving Food Baskets to 1029 Families

4 life TOGETHER!

Intersecting Grace is also where we have the opportunity to experience the uncommon grace that attends us when we reach out beyond our existing relationships and well-worn pathways in order to connect with others outside our usual, familiar social network. Social scientists tell us that faith communities (i.e. churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) are known for their high levels of “bonding capital” – a group quality where there is a deep sense of belonging and shared values that enable people of faith to effectively reach goals that advance their cause and promote their purpose. These same studies tell us that faith communities are not as strong, and are often quite deficient, in “bridging capital” – a quality within a community, group or social network that actively fosters connections with groups of people that are dissimilar or different in order to effectively reach shared goals. Communities that possess and demonstrate high levels of “bridging capital” have proven to be communities that can withstand, survive and even thrive in times of crisis.

Here in the Ozarks the increasing rate of child abuse and neglect (reflected in the record number of children being placed in foster care in Greene County – approximately 1,000) points to a child abuse and neglect crisis. Such a crisis for our children is therefore a crisis of conscience for adults.

The Council of Churches is approaching this crisis in the following ways. First, we are committing more resources to the expansion of our Ambassadors for Children program so that we can serve more foster children and foster families, offering programs that are designed to bless, encourage and empower these children to reach their full potential. More details about expanding Ambassadors for Children will be forthcoming soon.

Second, the Council of Churches, through the CCO Network, is promoting greater opportunities for “intersecting” between churches, faith groups, non-profits, schools, city government, and a variety of other organizations in our community. While we expect to see improvement in the quality and quantity of communication flowing among groups that might not

otherwise intersect, this improvement isn’t the end game. The purpose of this type of intersecting is to move toward the shared goal of blessing our children, and doing all we can to heal any harm done to them.

There are many factors contributing to the child abuse and neglect crisis in our community: poverty and drug abuse place high among them. These are extremely complex issues that will require our best efforts as a community, and something more. The ‘something more’ is found at the intersection where need meets compassion, where hands and hearts find shared purpose, and where new relationships connect to build up one another for the common good.

A NEW ADVENtURE IN GRACE

Over 1,000

Children Now in Foster Care – A Record for Greene

County

Over 50% of

Springfield Public School Children Qualify for Free

or Reduced Lunches

Half of the Clients Served at Crosslines

are Children

life TOGETHER! 5

Crosslines Mission Statement:

‘Serving God’s People In Need”

Record-Breaking Need in 2011n Crosslines Served 31,100 People

n 2,138 New Families (who have never visited a food panty) – a 7% increase

n 2,000 Families Received Holiday Assistance

n Over 3,500 Children Received Gifts & Toys

Increased Freezer Capacity to Meet Increased NeedCrosslines Food Pantry has continued to see an increase for families seeking assistance with food in Greene County. After a record-breaking year of serving families in 2011, Crosslines has increased the freezer capacity at the food pantry by 500%. This increased space will allow for additional bulk purchases resulting in stretching the donation dollars even further during this time of increased need. A new refrigeration unit is currently underway. Overall, there was an increase of 14% in 2011 versus 2010 and the upward trend continues. In January, a daily average of 77 families requested emergency food assistance – an 11% increase over 2011.

A grant from Ozarks Food Harvest along with a collaboration of area businesses have helped to install the new freezer. Area businesses include Heritage Construction Inc, Aris Engineering, Fraley Masonry, Specialty Air, Springfield Ready Mix, City Wide Construction, Trinity Electrical, Midwest Block and Quickrete. “We are very grateful for the assistance to bring the new freezer to reality” stated Tom Faulkner, Director of Crosslines.

Prior to the installation of the new freezer, Crosslines had three chest freezers with approximately 68 cubic feet of space. The new freezer which is 8’x16’ has created an additional 1,024 cubic feet of usable freezer space. In the near future, there are plans to increase the refrigeration capacity from the current 120 cubic feet to 1,024 cubic feet.

Help Fill the Freezer!the 15th Annual Feinstein $1 Million Giveaway to Fight HungerYour food or financial donation will help Crosslines receive additional financial support to feed hungry families in Greene County! Only donations received March 1st through April 3oth will be eligible – so act now! The more we receive from you – the more we will receive with the challenge! Thank you for your support of Crosslines and our mission to help local families in need!

6 life TOGETHER!

We are so thankful to all our partners throughout the 2011 Holiday Season!

Thanks to our many donors and volunteers, Crosslines had another wonderful and successful holiday season. At first it looked as though it was going to be a bumpy ride. Two days before we were scheduled to move into the temporary holiday center offices at the Southern Hills Shopping Center, the leasing company advised us that the space we were planning to move into had been leased. Suddenly, we found ourselves wondering where we would set up shop. Three weeks past our scheduled move in date, it finally all got worked out, actually for the better. When all was said and done, the Holiday Center was split into two spaces in the Southern Hills Shop-ping Center. One space gave our volunteer office staff some much needed, quiet office space for the entire behind the scenes planning. We also had a second larger space dedicated to taking applications. Our first day, we had a record response of 199 families showing up to apply for food baskets and toys. With a cup of coffee in one hand and a pencil in the other, our volunteers took on the task to help local families. Through everyone’s combined effort, Crosslines 2011 holiday season summed up with food basket applications for 8,500 people and we distributed over 10,000 toys to 3,400 smiling children in Greene County. Again, we salute all of our gener-ous donors and volunteers for giving and taking the time to bless so many families in our community. We just could not do this without our volunteers! A very special thank you to Kerry Bodenhausen, the Holiday Center and Adopt-A-Family Coordinator, Sheryl and Ron Wachter, Share your Christmas Program, Marcia Downs, Toystore Coordinator, Shirley Scott, Volunteer Coordina-tor, Deanna Armstrong and Merica Clinkenbeard, Applications, Mona Frome, and my very special wife, Brenda Faulkner for the countless hours of data entry. Tom Faulkner

Hammons Employee Campaign Raised

$20,000 For Holiday Food Baskets!

Pictured is Jacque Dowdy’s team that raised the most for

Crosslines.

Empire Bank donated $5000 to

help the Crosslines Toystore!

Holiday Toy Store

Special Thanks to Bill Petersen (pictured at right) & Joe Jackson for

coordinating the effort to provide the bikes & more for the children!

life TOGETHER! 7

Serving Abused & Neglected Children From The Ozarks

It has been another exciting year! Ambassadors for Children continues to grow and serve more children each year. We saw increases once again with all our programs and look toward 2012 with an enthusiastic vision of our future—A future where we can provide new clothing items, winter coats, hygiene items, tutoring and more for every abused & neglected child in Greene County and beyond.

We have also begun working with a team to address special hair care issues for foster children who are African American, Hispanic or have special hair care needs. Many of these children are placed with Caucasian foster parents who lack resources and skill to ensure their hair is appropriately cared for and styled in a way that preserves the child’s self-esteem.

Christmas Program for Abused & Neglected Children—December 2011

Our 2nd Annual Christmas Program provided 3,198 wrapped Christmas gifts for 533 local abused and neglected children from our community, including foster children and those at immediate risk of foster care placement. We were pleased to partner with Greene

County Children’s Division, Murney Associates Realtors, KTTS Christmas Crusade, the Crosslines Toystore, and many other local donors and volunteers!

Ambassadors for Children Appreciation Dinner—April 2012

We would like to thank Wesley United Methodist Church for hosting our 3rd Annual Appreciation Dinner in April 2012 to honor and celebrate the service of our donors, volunteers, and our local child protective services Caseworkers!

Summary for 2011

4 New clothing items, winter coats & shoes provided to 567 Greene County foster children (18% increase)

4 171 Free Individualized Tutoring sessions provided for 21 Greene County foster children (6% increase)

4 109 Self-Esteem enhancing items & activities provided for Greene County foster children

4 188 emergency overnight & hygiene bags distributed for Greene County foster children

4 3,293 beds, dressers, cleaning supplies, baby items, car seats & much more donated for 457 abused & neglected children in our community through the Adopt-a-Caseworker Program

4 A total of 1,183 children served through Adopt-a-Caseworker since March 2009

We would like to sincerely thank the following organizations for their financial support!

P Gannett Foundation Springfield News Leader: $3,650 Grant Award for Kid’s Clothes Closet

P Musgrave Foundation: $2,000 Grant Award for Kid’s Clothes Closet

P Christine & Katharina Pauly Charitable Trust: $6,500 Grant Award for Kid’s Clothes Closet

P Tal & Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten Family Foundation Fund: $500 Grant Award

P Asbury United Methodist Church Women: Monthly Donations for our Programs

P Darr Family Foundation: $10,000 Grant Award—end of the year undesignated gift

P Martin Family Foundation: $10,000 Grant Award—gift for our Expansion

Story of HopeOne of our Volunteer Tutors had been working with an 11 year old girl in foster care with incredibly curly and unruly hair. One day the Tutor said the girl arrived at tutoring and looked “absolutely beautiful!” Apparently the girl had received some special relaxing hair mousse, which had made a tremendous difference in her appearance. The Tutor said the little girl couldn’t stop smiling and was noticeably more confident. It turns out the hair mousse was donated by the Community Partner that had “adopted” the little girl’s foster care Caseworker through our Adopt-a-Caseworker program!

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tO GEt tO SEE It HAPPEN…… to see a homeless woman at Safe to Sleep call a volunteer over to share a devotional that has inspired her day.

… to see a young mother with a baby starting off on her second semester in nurses training with the help of her Church Mentor’s plan to stretch income over the cost of an apartment and childcare.

… to watch the faces of the men in the Cold Weather Shelter drop their bags and imagine you can see them shed their worries for the night.

… to see a woman who has been sleeping on the street in all the clothes she can put on to stay warm, overjoyed by a cot and a pair of pink, polka-dot, flannel pajamas.

Safe to Sleep Petra and Pam try to stow bedding in a black bag after a night at Safe to Sleep – Women’s Overnight Shelter at Pathways United Methodist Church. They will spend the rest of the day carrying their belongings to do their wash at Bill’s Place, going to the Vets Coming Home Center to stay warm and use the computers, then attending the church service and free supper at Cook’s Kettle before returning by shuttle to Safe to Sleep.

Over 50 volunteers take turns staying pairs with about a dozen homeless women each night. Over 100 women have been guests of Safe to Sleep. For thirteen hours they are safe and warm.

Leap of Faith is a mentorship program that matches a church team of four people with a family that is finally turning their life around with a fresh start. Limited financial commitment is needed for the church to partner with an individual or family as a friend who will help them plan, stand beside them, offer encouragement and normalcy, build trust and friendship. Training will be held for churches ready to start a team. Two young single mothers have made major strides in changing their lives during the 2011 pilot program.

Hundreds of church members come to look at those in poverty differently when they provide them a bottle of water or a cup of coffee and receive in return a “God bless you for what you are doing.” The Homeless Count and Hope Connection events use volunteers to help provide services and goods that are needed by those who have no housing, got stuck while passing through Springfield, or have mental or physical disabilities or addictions that prevent them from finding jobs.

For youth who are suddenly on their own, veterans who don’t fit in any more, oldsters who had their savings melt when they thought they had it made, wives dropped off at a truck stop, patients released from the hospital with no place to go, families stranded in Springfield by a car that will go no further, and single mothers who have no money for rent and utilities… provide your time and bless your life in 2012. Volunteer with Homeless Services; contact Romona Baker at rbaker@ccozarks.org or 417 862-3586 ext 225.

…volunteer

Volunteers get to see one of the people we label “homeless” as a person, a helper, a Christian.

Volunteers see them grateful, cold, sleepy, laughing, frustrated.

Volunteers get to encourage them and be encouraged, share a movie, work together to subdue an unruly army cot, or wake together over a morning cup of coffee.

life TOGETHER! 9

Quality training for Early Childhood Professionals

Our response for Joplin’s Early Childhood Professionals Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri has been instrumental in assisting the early childhood community in a variety of ways since the May Joplin tornado.

Funding was received in collaboration with the Ozark Center through the Missouri Foundation for Health to implement a special Social Emotional Project. Child care programs receive a variety of services based on their needs such as: on-site technical assistance, group trainings, individual help with specific children, etc. Group trainings were also hosted once a month from October through December. Trainings were geared towards social-emotional strategies and information and resources to use in the classroom. Trainings averaged approximately 35-50 each month. The Social Emotional Project is a 6 month funding opportunity and we are hoping for an extension to expand the scope of the audience.

On, November 4th and 5th, Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri co-hosted the Connect 2 Protect event in Joplin. The event was designed to assist child care providers, FSD case managers, Ozark Center case managers, etc. with trauma

education and recovery training. Trainings focused on how to help families and children after a disaster and the importance of taking care of yourself as a caregiver. The event’s attendance was approximately 150. We co-hosted the event with Ozark Center, The Alliance of SW MO, United Way Success by 6, Economic Security Corporation and University of MO Extension.

As many will remember, Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri and Ambassadors for Children also teamed up to implement the Comfort Kits for Kids project in an effort to help after the May tornado in Joplin. Comfort Kits were delivered to child care programs, elementary schools and child serving organizations to distribute to children and families. Staff made deliveries of Comfort Kits in June and September. Final numbers show that over 10,500+ kits have been delivered to date! Thank you to all the volunteers and donors that made this project a reality! We could not have done it without you!

Child Care Aware® of Southern Missouri shares important safety informationSerious head injuries to infants continue due to falls from Bumbo Baby Seats used on elevated surfaces. Due to the serious risk of injury to babies, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to never place Bumbo Baby Seats on tables, counter tops, chairs or other raised surfaces. Infants 3-10 months old have fallen out of the Bumbo seat and suffered skull fractures and other injuries. An October 2007 voluntary recall required that new warnings be placed on the seat to deter elevated usage of the product. Even after the recall, the CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of at least 45 incidents in which infants fell out of a Bumbo seat while it was being used on an elevated surface. 17 of the 45 falls resulted in skull fractures. There are also additional reports involving falls from the seat used on the floor. All urged to use caution. For more information visit: www.cpsc.gov. Search for Bumbo seats. The CPSC website offers individuals the opportunity to sign up for email news alerts about any recalls issued. You can specify which type of recalls you would like to receive.

Same Agency – New Name!CCRR has a new name – Child Care Aware of Southern Missouri! This name change is a direct result to further

align them with their National and Missouri organization. In addition, with the new name, Child Care Aware of Southern

Missouri has expanded to 10 more counties in Southern Missouri. Get additional details at www.ccozarks.org!

October – December 2011 Statistics

1,000 early childhood professionals trained through group training.

281.75 hours provided through on-site technical assistance to early childhood programs.

10 life TOGETHER!

Making a Dent in the Problem… One House at a time!CHS worked on 110 households at a total cost of about $98K. A majority of these households had an income below the 50% median level of $18,800. About 30% of these households were owned by elderly females. In all, we did

44 major infrastructure ( which includes repairs that help keep a house together such as bathroom floors, or makes it livable, such as fixing the main water and sewer lines). These infrastructure jobs were about $78K (79%), followed by 36 major repairs (including water heaters and HVAC repairs) for about $16,600 (17%),

and about 30 minor repairs (including caulking and winterization) for about $3700 (4%). Approximately 12 households were prevented from having to find somewhere else to live – primarily in nursing home paid for through Medicaid ($33,600 in savings to taxpayers in one year). It is pretty easy to see that we get a pretty good social “ROI (return on investment)” when we keep even one person in the comfort and safety of their own home.

The reality of it is that according to the Springfield Consolidated Plan for 2010-2014, of the approximately 64,971 housing units in the Springfield area, about 16% (or 10,395 units) are in sub-standard condition. To sum it up the report notes:

“The need for emergency and minor housing repair has come to the forefront in the last few years. As the housing stock ages, it is necessary to provide repair to critical elements of the structure to halt the deterioration and preserve the housing stock. Often, the property owner is not able or willing to perform a complete rehabilitation, or a complete rehab is not necessary. In these cases, it is important to address such items as the roof, doors & windows, heating system, porches, sewer laterals, etc.”

CHS plays a major role in our community to continue to provide necessary home repairs for low-income seniors and folks with disabilities. Over the years we’ve helped keep at least 560 houses livable as homes. The need continues for the services of CHS services – to get more information or if you know of someone that needs an essential home repair visit CCOzarks.org or contact CHS.

Infrastructure Repairs 79%Major Repairs 17%Minor Repairs 4%

Essential Home Repairs for Low Income Seniors

Repair Breakdown

life TOGETHER! 11

Improving Lives in Our Community“In twelve years, we have never had a Christmas like this” stated Stacy Raper, the Activity Director at Life Enhancement Village. Her enthusiasm was hard to contain when talking with her about the Ombudsman program and the benefits for the residents. Stacy had provided a “wish list” from the residents of the home to the Ombudsman program for Christmas. Much to her delight and to the residents, everyone received exactly what was on their individual lists. This was so special to the residents as often times these gifts are the only things received for Christmas.

The Long-Term Ombudsman program provided 550 gifts to 17 area nursing homes to ensure a very Merry Christmas for residents. Throughout last year, Ombudsman staff and volunteers spent over 5,000 hour advocating for the rights of nursing home residents. Within 2011, there were nearly 30,000 contacts made with residents. The program serves 17 counties in the Ozarks including Greene County.

“I’m so glad to have Connie Payne and the Ombudsman program. She takes the time to ensure each resident is cared for. I just don’t know how she does it!”

Activity Director at Life Enhancement Village

Adult day service is a care option that often allows individuals who might otherwise require care in assisted living or

a nursing home to remain in their own homes, while receiving a variety of services to meet their care needs. It is often a cost-effective alternative to other types of care.

There are different types of centers. Some centers are focused primarily on providing care to specific populations, while others serve a population with more varied needs. The description below provides some examples of the differences:

You may see the term “social model” used to describe centers that focus on social activities, therapeutic recreation, meals, and some health-related services such as medication monitoring and blood pressure checks. Daybreak is referred to as an adult day health or a medical model, and provides more intensive health, therapeutic, and social services for those with more complex medical problems or those in need of rehabilitation following an accident or health-related event such as a stroke. These services can include comprehensive nursing services and physical, speech, and occupational therapy as well as behavioral health, counseling, and/or vocational rehabilitation services.

While many programs primarily serve older adults, Daybreak provides services for younger clients or clients 18 years of age and up. Daybreak has distinct areas to meet the needs of specific populations including programs designed for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Coping with a chronic illness or disability that impacts one’s independence, ability to manage daily activities, and opportunity to socialize with others can be overwhelming for an individual. Chronic illness and disability also significantly impact the family members that provide support and care to him or her. Family caregivers are often juggling caregiving with the many other demands in their lives, often both at home and at work.

Finding care resources to meet your needs or those of a loved one is not always easy and it can be very costly both at home, depending upon the level of care needed, or in a residential care setting such as an assisted living community or a nursing home. Most people want to remain at home if possible. Adult Day Services (ADS) provides the service of giving peace of mind to the care giver while enhancing the life of the cared for. Our center has two primary missions: 1) to provide individuals with needed care, socialization, and supervision in a community setting and 2) to provide caregivers respite from the demanding responsibilities of caregiving.

Providing Quality Care!

Long-Term Care ombudsman Program

Advocating for the rights of nursing home residents

12 life TOGETHER!

For thirty-eight years RSVP, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, has been a part of the Springfield community. Volunteers are in the Hospitals, Senior Centers, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Juanita K Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts - just to name a few. RSVP provides people power to multiply the impact of our 125 volunteer stations. The volunteers we recruit enable organizations to serve additional people, expand services offered, and build stronger programs. During November and December RSVP volunteers provided over 26,000 hours of service for 125 not-for-profit agencies in and around Springfield – at a value of $3.7 million to our community!

Keeping Seniors Involved – RSVP Programs

RSVP also has the Home Bound shoppers Program for seniors 60 and over unable to do their own shopping. RSVP has been able to fulfill five new requests for shoppers since November.

One of the needs in our community is that of senior transportation. RSVP provides transportation to Springfield volunteers who no longer drive. In November and December RSVP provided over 900 rides to these volunteers. RSVP has also provided over 200 rides for the Safe to Sleep program since November.

Honoring Volunteers

Know a special volunteer? Nominate them to be recognized for their dedication! There are two great opportunities to recognize volunteers!

Salute to Seniors in Service, presented by Home Instead, is accepting nominations through March 15, 2012 for outstanding volunteerism! There will be a local winner selected and celebrated at the 15 Past 55 event on March 29. The program will include a search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in each state and culminate with the selection of a national Salute to Senior Service winner during Older Americans Month in May.

Gift of Time celebrates 26 years of recognizing volunteers in the Ozarks. This year, nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2012. Nomination forms can be found at the City of Springfield website (www.springfieldmo.gov). The winners will be recognized at the Gift of Time Luncheon on June 21, 2012.

Helping Children

Since November, 170 RSVP Reading Buddies have been reading one on one with over 435 elementary age students in 44 elementary schools in 8 school districts. This January, RSVP Reading Buddies held training for new Buddies. This program also recognizes the efforts of volunteers and students alike! Plus each student will be able to select a book to keep and add to their home libraries.

15 Past 55 Kick to Benefit RSVP

Help us ensure funding for RSVP! Become a RSVP Champion! It’s easy – get pledges for you to “run”, collect the most pledges, become one of the 15 RSVP Champions! Then, there is no run, no walk, no bike ride……just a celebration with dinner, prizes and fun! Visit CCOzarks.org to become a RSVP Champion today! Thank You to our Sponsors - Seniors’ Scoop of the Ozarks, Pasta Express and dvLaRue

See Page 12 To Get involved!

life TOGETHER! 13

Doing Good — A Provider’s StoryOne of the most rewarding part of working with child care providers is when you know that the food program has done more than just provided good meals and snacks

to children but has also made a difference in that provider’s life. I introduce you to “Trina”. I went to Trina’s home to sign her on the food program in June of 2000. At that time Trina had one little girl of her own and wanted to be able to stay at home and bring in an income but also help other families with child care. I always enjoyed my home monitor visits with Trina as she always served great meals

and had such a loving sense of compassion for those children in her care. It wasn’t long until Trina and her husband welcomed another little girl into their lives and a few years later another little girl. During

this time Trina and family survived the Stockton tornado and other challenges in their lives but continued to offer child care and was so dedicated to the task of not only nurturing her own children but making a difference in the lives of those children that passed through her doors. Trina had a dream and a goal during those years and through sacrifice and dedication Trina began taking online classes and attending night classes to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. Trina has reached her goal! We will truly miss Trina as one of our child care providers as she closed her daycare at the end of December after 11 1/2 years. We applaud her for her dedication and know she will continue to touch children’s lives for many years. Thanks Trina for making a difference in each child’s life you touched and I’m thankful the food program helped you to be able to make your dream come true.

Child Care Food Program (CCFP) held its annual fall workshop on October 29th at Wesley United Methodist Church. This year’s theme was “From a Child’s View” with an emphasis on making nutritional meals and snacks more appealing to kids. Over 220 childcare providers attended the four hour workshop. Many attending came from as far away as Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Sikeston and many of the surrounding counties. CCFP currently has 340 providers from 53 counties participating on the food program.

CCFP staff presented training and discussed new USDA policy that went into affect on October 1. Child care providers must now serve only low fat milk to children age 2 and above, meaning that now only one percent or skim milk may be offered. Children between one and two years may have whole milk. USDA is also now recommending

providers offer more whole grains and more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Director, Vicki McMillen attended the National Food Program Conference in Memphis late this fall and learned that USDA will be presenting a new meal pattern for the food program coming later this year. It will bring about many changes for providers and CCFP staff will be busy giving technical support and training to providers on using varieties and complying with the meal pattern changes. Some changes will include 5 food groups instead of the current 4, restrictions to how many times certain foods may be offered in a week and the requirement of how many times a week different types of vegetables must be offered. CCFP staff will be busy helping providers with menu planning and training with the new regulations.

14 life TOGETHER!

picturesTOGETHER!

A Round of Applause for the

CCO 2012 Calendar

Winners!Entries were submitted as part of the 180 Film Festival & Art Celebration in November to benefit CCO. A special thank you to all that entered the contest!

Dakota Good Julie Good

Julie Good

Ellen BrantleyChristine Moses

Christine Moses

Dan Moses

Dan Moses

Dan MosesTravis Marler

Romona Baker

Rachel Thompson

life TOGETHER! 15

thank You

Corporate Giving Angel

life TOGETHER!

Council of Churches of the Ozarks PO Box 3947 Springfield, MO 65808-3947

NoN-Profit org. US PoStage

PaId SPriNgfield, Mo

PerMit #772

Life Together! is a quarterly publication of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks, designed to inform readers of current community needs and service agencies activities and recognize donors and volunteers. Life Together! is mailed without charge to anyone interested in the Council of Churches of the Ozarks.

Council of Churches of the Ozarks Dorsey E. Levell Ministry Center of the Ozarks 627 N. Glenstone, Springfield, MO 65802 MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 3947, Springfield, MO 65808-3947 Phone: 417.862.3586 Email: ccozarks@CCOzarks.org Fax: 417.862.2129 Website: www.CCOzarks.org

Central Office Staff Paula Austin • Advancement Assistant • ext. 233 Romona Baker • Resource Coordinator for Homeless Services • ext. 225Leslie Boughton • Grant Writer • ext. 235 Krista Crumpley • Receptionist Barbara Gardner • Executive Assistant/HR • ext. 224 Janet Garoutte • Receptionist Rick George • Director of Finance and Operations • ext. 232 Christine Moses • Director of Marketing & Development • ext. 238 Mark Struckhoff • Executive Director

The Council of Churches Foundation Phone: 417.839.7450

See Page 12 To Get involved!

Abilities First

Binnie Clements Guild

City of Springfield, Community Development Block Grant

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Corporation for National & Community Service

Cox Health Foundation

C.W. Titus Foundation

Darr Family Foundation

Emergency Food & Shelter Program – FEMA

ExxonMobil Foundation

Greater Springfield Board of Realtors

Greene County Senior Citizens Service Fund

John Q. Hammons Foundation

H.O.P.E. Sertoma

Junior League of Springfield

Elizabeth McCain Foundation

Martin Family Foundation

MFA Incorporated Charitable Foundation

Missouri Foundation for Health

Missouri Housing Trust Fund

Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign (MSECC)

The Jeanette Musgrave Foundation

Charlie & Mary Beth O’Reilly Foundation

Old Missouri Bank

Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation (OHAF)

Christine & Katharina Pauly Trust

Bee Payne-Stewart Foundation

Ronald McDonald Charities

Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast

Springfield Sports Hall of Fame

Turner Family Foundation

United Way of the Ozarks

Wal-Mart Foundation

Webster Electric Foundation

Tal & Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten Foundation

Thank You to our Generous Grant-Making Partners

See Page 13 To Get involved!

16 life TOGETHER!