March 2016
NEWS & NOTES
A monthly newsletter to keep you informed.
        
         Calling all RHSC Alumni - Share Your Story
We are looking for alumni stories and yours could be one of them! Fill us in about your post-AmeriCorps experiences, whether they involve a graduate program, employment, or continuing to make a huge impact on your community in some other way. 

Your submission could be featured in future newsletters or even RHSC promotional materials! To participate, respond here or contact Haley Desilet at RHSC-staff@rhnscny.org.  
Mobility Management of SCNY 
Welcomes New Director

On February 8th, Bill Wagner began as the first full-time Director of Mobility Management of South Central New York. Mr. Wagner returns to central New York after serving as Executive Director of the Santa Fe and Albuquerque offices of national non-profit Community Options, Inc. In this capacity Bill oversaw all operations of the two offices that included residential, employment, and day programming.

Mr. Wagner began his human services career in rural Chenango County providing employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged youth, growing a program that would eventually serve multiple counties.  His 18 years of experience in job training and workforce development has included implementation of programming in both upstate and downstate New York before going to New Mexico.

"Having spent most of my life in upstate NY, I am excited to return to NY and join RHNSCNY. Throughout my professional career, transportation has often been one of the first or biggest barriers that an individual and their families struggle with. From health, employment, or simply socialization, mobility is necessary for the well-being of all. I look forward to helping individuals overcome these challenges as we find efficient and effective ways to utilize the area's transportation resources and build a stronger community."
Annual Hobart Farmers' Lunch Highlights

The Food & Health Network co-hosted the annual Hobart Farmers' Lunch and Conference on Saturday, March 5 in partnership with the Hobart Rotary. This is the fourth year that FaHN has helped plan this free event, which brings farmers together to network, share ideas, and learn about agricultural innovation in the region. About 30 people attended to listen to Brian Obach, sociology professor at SUNY New Paltz, discuss his research on how local agriculture makes communities stronger. Brian published Organic Struggle: The Movement for Sustainable Agriculture in the United States last year.The conference also included a panel on grains, which featured Elizabeth Dyck, founder of the  Organic Growers' Research and Information-Sharing Network, and Walter Riesen, farmer at Star Route Farm, a diversified vegetable farm that is experimenting with growing grains. Attendees enjoyed a local lunch catered by Buck Hill Farm and waffles made from a local pancake mix, created as a fundraiser for the Jefferson Historical Society.
Population Health Update
The Southern Tier Population Health Improvement Program/Health Action Priorities Network (PHIP/HAPN) would like to thank Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Tioga, and Tompkins counties for their continued support of our efforts. Between June 2015 and January 2016, Population Health Coordinators in these five counties were able to conduct 238 stakeholder interviews and 16 consumer focus groups to better understand health disparities in our region. 

Next steps: Upon completion of the data analysis, stakeholders and steering committee members will come together to prioritize top concerns and to develop a regional strategic plan for addressing them. 

If you are a health and human services leader, administrator, or service provider, and you would be interested in joining us at our Plenary Event on April 5th, please contact Mary Maruscak mmaruscak@rhnscny.org or Emily Hotchkiss ehotchkiss@rhnscny.org for a formal invitation and RSVP link.

Stay tuned for more information coming in the next Rural Health Network newsletter!  To learn more about HAPN and community health indicators in our region, visit their website.  
Leslie's Story and AmeriCorps Openings
Rural Health Service Corps, with the help of United Way of Broome County, has produced a series of videos in which AmeriCorps and VISTA members share their experiences. We invite you to view Leslie's story below. We are currently recruiting for a variety of part-time AmeriCorps positions to start in the spring or summer. See our complete list of current openings for more information.
MMSCNY Awards $12,500 for 
Transportation Mini-Grants
Rural Health Network of South Central New York and its Mobility Management of South Central New York program recently awarded five mini grants to organizations in Tioga County. The $2,500 mini grant awards will assist these organizations in their respective efforts to expand transportation services or access to transportation services to individuals in need. 

Awards were granted to Catholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga, C-TRAN, Community Care Network of Nichols, Northern Tioga Neighbors Network, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga County.  Awards were made based on numerous criteria including the number of Tioga County residents that will be impacted, the project's potential sustainability, and the project's ability to improve existing transportation options.   

View the full press release including project descriptions here. 
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