Opportunities for Chenango

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by: Jill Kraft

Opportunities for Chenango Director Craig Cashman said the past year was a time for his organization to re-organize, strengthen its programs and work toward new initiatives for the future. The non-profit organization, which provides essential services to more than 4,000 Chenango residents each year, is placing big focus on affordable housing and early childhood education in the coming year.

“Housing is a regional issue,” said Cashman. “As a main economic development issue, offering affordable housing in the community is a big concern,” he said. “Unless you have affordable housing, you do not have a community.”

Cashman said as the economy changes it seems as though the lower to mid-level wage earners can not seem to make enough to meet their families’ basic needs. A new strategic plan was put into place in the beginning of this year that is designed to re-focus strategic goals for OFC administrators, staff and the community.

Cashman says OFC has been successful partnering with other programs in Chenango County. He says working with residents to complete their taxes and teaching them about the earned income tax credit has been beneficial. “We try to introduce them to the fact they can have their taxes done, but also that they should open a bank account and start saving for the future.” As an organization that strives on helping people by giving them a hand up and not a hand out, Cashman says OFC really tries to educate people about how to gain financially, personally and professionally by teaching them the skills they need the rest of their lives, and not just today. OFC offers programs such as early childhood and school-aged head-start, a used car program known as “Keys to Success,” employment services, the WIC program, housing programs and others.

Nearby counties like Broome, Cortland, and Delaware reflect many of the same problems that Chenango faces, Cashman said.

“We reach out and try to assist where we can, we recently joined forces in Broome county to aid in continuous flood recovery which for some is still is a concern,” he said.

Strengthening its mission, Cashman says a priority of the company’s efforts will be placed within the housing programs which – besides childhood education – are a huge concern for Chenango County. “Emphasis will be placed on the first time home buyers program, the foreclosure program and home rehabilitation programming,” he said.

With the 2008 budget around the $7 million mark, Cashman says programming – through grants and other sources of funding – is put into place and assessed regularly to maintain programs that have had a positive impact.

“We are trying to fulfill the need in the community,” said Cashman. For six years the “Keys to Success” program, which aids families in getting reliable vehicles to travel to and from work, has helped 90 families reach their goal. In 2007 alone, 19 families were helped. As for early childhood education, Cashman says nothing is more important to a child’s future than gaining an education to learn how to develop socialization and fine motor skills. “We try to have them build confidence in themselves so they will succeed academically down the road,” said Cashman. He also says by teaching structure to young children they in turn will adapt to the school environment as they age.

In 2007, according to Head Start Director Karen Randall, 438 children up to age 5, as well as 22 pregnant women, accessed comprehensive services in health, nutrition and child and family development throughout seven site locations in the county. In addition she said “preschool children’s math skills rose by 47 percent, social emotional competency rose 55 percent and letter recognition rose 37 percent as measured by the national reporting system testing process.” She also states within the June 2007 federal review process the program was measured 100 percent as for meeting over 200 federal regulations designating it a gold star program – “an accomplishment achieved by few programs,” she said.

Looking ahead, Cashman says the push to find ways to address the health care system is another goal of OFC. “This is a major barrier in the region,” he said. “In years to come this will be a huge focal area for everyone.”

In a changing economy, Cashman says he sees the costs of living rising whereas the average wages in the area are staying the same.

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