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Greetings! :
Happy New Year and welcome to 2012! Looking back, 2011 was quite the year, but we are looking forward to what 2012 holds for our community. Take a look back our year:
 | Click on the play button in above thumbnail for our
photos from 2011 & more! |
We hope you enjoy our news, and if you see something that might interest a friend, forward this email to them by clicking the button below!
As always, if you have anything you would like to share with us like news, a success story or your opinion, let us know by emailing communications@ccap-inc.org.
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Bonnie Doone Head Start receives 5 STAR rating
 Congratulations extended to Head Start management and the staff at Bonnie Doone Head Start Center on the recent announcement of receipt of a 5-STAR license rating.
Bonnie Doone Head Start Center has been awarded a 5 STAR quality rated license by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development.
A STAR rating of 5 indicates the center has achieved the highest possible quality. Bonnie Doone is the 15th of CCAP's 21 centers to receive a 5 STAR rating.
Currently, CCAP operates the largest majority of 4 and 5 STAR rated centers in Cumberland County. Some 256 centers are licensed in Cumberland County, only 28 have received a 5 STAR rating and 62 have received a 4 STAR rating.
"Head Start management and staff are not satisfied until we have reached the highest quality possible," remarks Donna Barnette, Head Start Director. " The bar is continually set higher to test the limits of our dedication and creativity while expanding our horizons."
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SHFB to serve more through state-funded program
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Employees from Second Harvest Food Bank meet to discuss the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progam (SNAP).
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Second Harvest engages in the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which has recently awarded additional funding through a decision handed down by the North Carolina legislature. The budget amendment provided for the additional funding to be divided among the seven NC food banks that are Feeding America affiliates. Through this federal program, SHFB is able to secure food and nutrition supplies that are distributed to residents in need throughout our seven-county service area.
The more than $500,000 increase in funding will help SHFB get more healthy food options into the hands of that need it most in our area. This is good news as the amount of individuals and families in our area continues to rise.
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The SNAP increase will help SHFB distribute more nutritious food options to those at highest risk of hunger.
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Recent reports have indicated that SNAP recipients are most often individuals and families that do have an income or are actively p
ursuing self-sufficiency-meaning that they are not dependent upon state or federal subsidies to meet
the basic standard of living above the poverty line. In a national economy still reeling from housing crisis and recession, meeting the basic standard of living can be difficult. Those most likely to suffer the most are children and seniors, these residents often fall through the meal gap.
The SNAP program in North Carolina has been instrumental in feeding the gap and fighting hunger in our state. Through SNAP, Second Harvest is able to acquire critical additional food for distribution to those most at risk of severe hunger. Second Harvest's SNAP funding also makes possible the wildly successful BackPack program, a system that ensures school-aged children most at risk of hunger in our area have enough food for the weekend.
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CCCS offers free tax prep as VITA site
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Want more information? Click on the image to visit the VITA pages on our web site.
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Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Fayetteville (CCCS) in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University and Methodist University will be providing free income tax preparation beginning January 23, 2012 at the CCCS main office, 316 Green Street.
It is a pleasure to be able to continue serving our community in this capacity this year," remarks Patricia Tyson, CCCS Director. "Last year, our expert staff and volunteers helped some 864 people receive more than $500,000 in refunds through credits and exemptions for which they qualified."
Appointments may be scheduled for Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm beginning Monday, January 23, 2012 through April 17, 2012 by appointment only. Starting February 4, on Saturday's only, walk-ins are welcome between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
CCCS is an IRS certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. Certified volunteers will be preparing and electronically filing both Federal and State Income Taxes for members of the community who meet the current income qualifications. Free tax preparation is available only to those who earned less than $50,000 during 2011.
Tyson adds, "Without the advice and assistance of our qualified tax-preparers, our clients could have very well ended up actually owing money. In our opinion, this is an invaluable service provided at no cost to qualifying residents of our community; and we hope to serve even more this year."
Interested in volunteering? CCCS is always on the lookout for new talent; a quick phone call can set you on the path to becoming a certified tax volunteer.
To make an appointment, find out if you qualify, or become a certified tax volunteer contact us at (910) 323-3192 or toll free 1-888-381-3720. Visit us at www.ccap-inc.org/cccs for more information.
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WAP and Kingdom CDC to host joint Energy Symposium February 25
Interested in learning more about how you can save money for your home or business with some simple energy conservation methods?
CCAP's Weatherization Assistance Program, in conjunction with Kingdom Community Development Corporation, will host a one-day energy symposium on February 25 at the Spring Lake Recreation Center. The symposium will last from 9 am until 2 pm and will cover topics that include: How to Reduce Your Utility Bill, What is Weatherization, The Importance of Evaluating, Cleaning and Tuning you Heating and Cooling Unit, How to Operate a Programmable Thermostat, Basic Air Sealing, How to Wrap a Hot Water Heater, The Importance of Insulating Your Home, and Easy-To-Install Energy Saving Items.
For more information on attending, please call CCAP's Weatherization Assistance Program at (910) 223-0116.
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New employee self-service making life easier
 | | Kathy Hall, Head Start Executive Assistant |
Continuing CCAP Corporate's commitment to process and quality improvement, an HR self-service site was rolled out to employees. The new platform is designed to improve employee relations and interactions by speeding up processes that used to take days to complete. In addition, the new platform eliminates the need for paper forms used to accomplish simple tasks such as an address change, reducing our carbon footprint on our community.
The self-service site allows each employee to create a unique login that will give them access to their personnel and payroll information. Of the five functions employees can perform, a few will require HR approval to complete, thus maintaining quality control over records and personnel data.
One employee who has adopted this new technology comments on the process, "This new service speeds up the process of interacting with HR tremendously," remarks Kathy Hall, Head Start employee. "It is easy to use, and convenient for me to be able to access information from my office location whenever I need it."
The most important function of this site is the ability to access important tax documents and payroll notices. The ability to electronically receive payroll notices eliminates the use of the equivalent of a whole ream of paper and saves the postage associated with mailing these advices. In addition, this system provides real-time updates and instantaneous information for both HR and employee users.
Adds Hall, "this improvement will make my life and all of my colleagues' lives easier, especially accessing my tax documents this year!"
For more information on accessing or using the system, please contact HR at (910) 485-6131.
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Latest CCAP News...
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Check out the latest news about CCAP and our programs by visiting the pressroom page on the CCAP web site: CCAP PRESSROOM
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WANT MORE OF CCAP OR OUR PROGRAMS?
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| Verizon Employee Discount
You can save 8% off your Verizon Wireless bills as a CCAP employee! There is no need to start a new account, existing customers can take advantage of this discount too! Contact the local representative, Robert Bowden at or register your current account at
Verizon Discount. You will need to enter your CCAP email address to apply the discount to your plan.
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ASPIRE clients grateful for gift of hope
During December, 15 ASPIRE families received a little more than Christmas gifts. These families were gift the gift of hope and encouragement as they continue their journey toward self-sufficiency.
Some 20 community members donated money or items that were used to provide each family with beautifully wrapped gifts which they were given during a holiday luncheon on December 21. CCAP and ASPIRE would like to thank the individuals and organizations who made this event possible as well as our ASPIRE clients and families who remind us every day that we do have a significant impact on the lives of the people we serve.
 | | 2011 ASPIRE Christmas Party |
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Long time Head Start employee retires
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Annie Kirk
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The CCAP family would like to extend the warmest of well wishes and gratitude to Ms. Annie Kirk, who after some 37 years of employment with Head Start retired during January. Annie Kirk retired from Lake Rim Head Start Center, effective January 6.
Kirk will be honored during June at Head Start's annual All-Staff meeting marking the successful completion of the school year.
Please join us in wishing Annie Kirk a fulfilling and relaxing retirement!
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Lowe-Jacobs awarded graduate degree
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Kathleen Lowe-Jacobs
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Long held to be a mythical creature, the woman who can do it all, is proving to us that she does exist. All across our agency are exceptional employees who juggle work, family, community involvement, and a multitude of other responsibilities. And, as we are truly a family at CCAP, when one of our own accomplishes a significant goal, we couldn't be more proud.
During December, Kathleen Lowe-Jacobs, Case Manager with CCAP's ASPIRE Self-Sufficiency program, earned her Master of Arts in Leadership and Management from Webster University. If completing the graduate program wasn't accomplishment enough, Lowe-Jacobs did it while caring for her newborn baby, and continuing to meet and exceed the parameters of her role in ASPIRE.
"We push our clients daily to accomplish their personal and professional goals and Kathleen is truly an example to all of our program participants and colleagues," remarks Stephanie Ashley, ASPIRE Director and Lowe-Jacobs' supervisor. "I have watched her excel and am exceedingly proud of what she has managed to accomplish while juggling work, school, AND family with a positive attitude."
From your CCAP family, the sincerest of congratulations on your achievement and beautiful addition to your family!
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New hires
The greatest asset in the CCAP family is the staff and volunteers. Every employee comes to the table with the specific skills necessary to bring about the change in the lives of those we touch through the various programs and services. CCAP welcomes our most recent new employees:
- Kiaona Binion, Head Start
- Gekni Blue, Head Start
- Tina Cole, Head Start
- Robert Flowers, Head Start
- Jacqueline Moore, Consumer Credit Counseling Service
- Francisco Olivarez Jr, CCAP Corporate
- Monica Ortiz Gonzalez, Head Start
- Belinda Williams, Head Start
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This newsletter is a service of CCAP, for editorial comments or suggestions, retractions, permissions or reprints please contact CCAP Communication Department at communications@ccap-inc.org.
Editorial Staff:
Editor
Jodi Phelps
Design, Layout, Copyrighting, Photography, Graphics
Krista Guin
Jessica Evans
Miranda Teel
Cumberland Community Action Program Inc.
316 Green St.
Fayetteville, NC 28301
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