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		Carley and David accepting the Gerald Williams Cooperative Gardening Program check presentation.
4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.
4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	Jackie and Ashley working Pancake day for Florence Kiwanis!!	Community Action of NW-AL FORWARD Workforce Development program funded by Alabama Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention and Alabama Department of Human Resources is so excited we were able to assist Lorenda with her parenting and educational goals through our partnership with Adult Education - Northwest Shoals Community College. She completed the Forward Workforce Development program successfully and has a bright future ahead of her!!
Jacki Baker for visiting the ladies today at A New Beginning to share insights about the Forward Program.	What a great event UNA put on for their UNA Internship and Career Fair! We had a great turn out and got to meet and speak with a lot of great upcoming Social Workers in our area! The UNA BSW & MSW is a great program with many great professors that a guiding these young minds for great futures in the Social Work field! We are so honored to be a part of this event!	What a privilege it was to sit down with Bethany Green and Jessica Davenport at their Social Media + Storytelling workshop! We all gained so many helpful tips on how to share our organization’s stories using social media! Thank you ladies for taking the time to share your helpful knowledge and training!! You were wonderful!
We had such an amazing turn out at our monthly Shoals Community Services Council meeting! It is such a privilege to be apart of a community where we all come together to share our love and compassion on what we can do to improve and help our community! Thank you to Helen Keller Library for hosting this months meeting!!	Community Action was honored to be apart of the United Way's 2022-2023 Annual Meeting and Kick-Off Campaign. Congratulations to all the award winners and appreciation to all of those who contribute to United Way every year!	We were so honored to be a part of Northwest Shoals Community College’s graduation lastnight! Jackie gave her testimony and gave encouraging words to the graduates. Congratulations grads!
We would like to thank NWSCC for all their hard work and dedication to our community and partnership with Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama! Our Forward program is proudly funded by the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect and the Alabama Department of Human Resources.	We are extremally blessed and overjoyed by the love and support from all our community organizations, churches, individuals and every single one of you involved that helped make our 3rd Annual Community Easter Basket Giveaway exceed all expectations! We were able to provide Easter baskets to 452 children in the Shoals area. We had such an amazing turn-out and to all of you that came to help, thank you!! We look forward to next year!!	ACCS Military & Veterans College & Career Workshop at Northwest Shoals Community College! We were able to share about programs available in our community for our military, active duty, guardsmen, reservists, and their dependents.
Operation Save Teens. Wow! What a wonderful event we were able to be apart of. Lieutenant Mike Reese gave an incredibly informative presentation on the dangers our youth are facing today! Julie Letsinger shared her family’s story and the passing of the bill called Landon’s law that was passed in remembrance of her son. Huge shout out to Project FREEDOM for providing us with the resource for Naloxone and demonstrating the proper way to administer. If you ever see Operation Save Teens in our area	Last week we were honored to show appreciation to our local Publix stores in the Shoals area! Thank you to Publix and their employees for their contributions and support to United Way that helps to fund all the wonderful programs in our community like Meals on Wheels! We appreciate you!	Our staff at the Lauderdale office is wearing blue for Child Abuse and Awareness Prevention Month.
Thank you to the Central Elementary teachers and students for making Valentines Day cards for our Meals on Wheels!!	We are so proud of Cory Morgan and his achievements through the NARP/FORWARD Program in collaboration with NWSCC Adult Education Dept. His hard work and determination are helping him create a better life for his family! NARP and FORWARD Program funding are provided by AL Dept. of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention, AL Dept of Human Resources and the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation.	We were happy to collaborate with Leighton Elementary to upgrade their cafeteria area to better accommodate students after the COVID 19 pandemic.
The new FORWARD program and it's first graduates. This program helps clients with workforce development skills, education and parenting, providing financial incentives as milestones are reached during the program. Reach out today to find out if you qualify to enroll!	This spring, over 675 Shoals' households received FREE plants, seed and fertilizer in April through the annual Gerald Williams Garden program. This program is in cooperation with the Muscle Shoals TVA Retirees Association and gives Shoals area families an alternative source of food to help cut down on monthly expenses. We appreciate the area Co-Ops helping us in this endeavor each year.	At this year's second annual Easter Basket Give Away, we were able to serve over 150 children at the event. The event was a collaboration through our NARP/FORWARD and MOTHERS programs with the other community service providers in our area.
April is Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month. As funding recipients from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, we support putting children first and teaching parenting skills through the 5 protective factors.	Our staff participated in the Florence Police Department "Walk to End Violence" recently.	Susan Cole is one of our HUD Certified Housing Counselors. She works with the Chance Homeless Project as the Outreach Counselor for Franklin, Marion, Lawrence and Winston Counties. The Chance Homeless Project is designed to help those who find themselves living in a temporary public shelter or living in a hotel paid for by a charity program. Certain guidelines determine program help.
We recently had the honor of participating in the UNA College of Nursing Community Baby Shower. We were able to support this event through diapers, wipes and supplies.	We were happy to re-certify with HUD as an Approved Housing Counselor Agency through 2025.	The ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta deliver meals throughout the year, showing support for our seniors through their service.
The Weatherization program helps clients to learn more about conserving energy. The goal is to help homeowners living on low income to receive one time home weatherization assessments to determine measures that can reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills. Above is Mr. Jay Hendricks, weatherization specialist, inspecting a local home recently.	Our staff recently spent time sharing best practices and learning more about the community resources for clients at our Spring Staff Retreat.	Our staff working to bring best practices and resources back to their respective programs. We are blessed with some of the best!
Governor Ivy spoke to the Shoals recently and we were glad to be represented at her event. Pictured above are Mandy Dowdy, Assistant Director, David Crosby, Executive Director and Jackie Baker, FORWARD Program Coordinator.	David Crosby, our new Executive Director, at the Staff Christmas Party. We are thankful for his leadership.	Are you HOMELESS or at risk of becoming homeless, Coordinated Entry can help. Call 256-577-0816 . The AL 502 has a "no wrong door" policy for help within our 6 county CoC. The flyer shows all the places you can get help if you are in need.
We recently participated in the Volunteer Fair at UNA. Non profits from around the Shoals area gathered to talk with UNA students about ways to engage within the community.	Every year March is the month that brings awareness to the importance of Meals on Wheels and the good it does for all seniors in need. This year, the ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta helped us kick off the month with a video bringing awareness to food insecurity in the Shoals.	We are pleased to be one of the recipients awarded grants from the TVA/Florence Electric Department Collaboration with Community Cares Money. We are thankful for their contribution to our ever-important work.
Community Action Northwest recently took on the responsibility of being the HMIS Lead Agency for the Homeless Care Council of NW Alabama Continuum of Care. Coordinated Entry is also managed out of CAANW with various office locations throughout the continuum providing a "no-wrong door" approach for anyone experiencing homelessness. The AL 502 Continuum of Care serves 6 counties in Northwest Alabama.	We were excited to receive the annual Christmas meal groceries for our seniors from our friends and community partners at the Salvation Army of The Shoals. Through the Angel Tree Program, our seniors receive a bag of Christmas groceries to have on hand through the holidays. We are grateful to the many volunteers with the Angel Tree program. Pictured above is Captain Ben with Eva Graham, Meals On Wheels Shoals Coordinator and Suzanne Moore, Community Development Officer.	One of our network partners, ENCAP Nebraska, made these wonderful Huggy Heart masks for Community Action Employees. We are happy to Mask Up to provide a safe environment for our staff and clients. Safe Safe and Healthy!
During Community Action Month, we took time out to recognize the hard work and dedication of our staff here at Community Action Northwest. Their commitment to helping those in need has never been more evident than during the recent pandemic crisis. They continued to work on the front lines helping those in need find food, shelter and other resources. We thank them for their dedication and love for our community.	MAY IS COMMUNITY ACTION MONTH! Our Agency has a long and storied history of serving our communities across Northwest Alabama in Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties. We currently provide 8 different programs ranging from senior nutrition, housing assistance and energy assistance to gardening and responsible parenting classes.	Recently, our Mothers Program participated in a drive-thru class where emphasis was placed on the 5 Protective Factors for Building Strong Families. Participants were given information and goodie bags. Sheila Weaver is the Mothers Program Coordinator.
We want to welcome the newest member of our staff, Shermen Jackson. He will be working in the Responsible Parenting/Fatherhood Program as Program Facilitator. We are glad to have him on our team.	The Gerald Williams Gardening Program is helping over 575 families grow their own food source this spring. Vouchers for seed, fertilizer and plants were mailed to qualifying households this month. We greatly appreciate the Lauderdale and Colbert County Co-Ops working with us to make this possible for our community. This program is made possible in part by the TVA Retiree Association.	We are pleased to help out our friends at The Salvation Army with meals to assist in feeding the homeless that were displaced in the COVID-19 early shut down of our area emergency shelters. Funding for this assistance is through the Alabama Business Charitable Trust.
During this unprecedented time in our country, we are relying on the kindness of our law enforcement to help deliver meals. This allows our regular volunteers, many of whom are in the high risk age group, to stay safe and healthy. We can't say Thank You enough for the help all 3 sheriff departments have provided us in their respective counties!	Recently, members of our staff participated in the Witches Ride 2019 supporting United Way programs and the good they do in our community. We are grateful for United Way and their support of our Meals on Wheels of The Shoals program.	Captain Scott Wallace, Sheffield Police Department, recently spoke at the Staff Annual Retreat about the importance of personal safety habits and being aware of your surroundings at all times. We are thankful for Captain Wallace and all he does to keep our communities safe.
We are excited to have the UNA chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta delivering meals this week on some of our routes. These ladies are smart, sweet and serving in our community!	We are happy to join the UNA Office of Alumni Relations in congratulating the 2019 UNA Community Service Award Winner, Patsy "Pat" Davis Burney '88. Burney has lived in #Florence since 1976 and considers it her home. She graduated from UNA with a Bachelor's of Science in Management. Pat has been a long time supporter and volunteer with us at Meals on Wheels and we are happy to celebrate her.	The MOTHERS Program had 2 very special guests in class recently -- Chelsea Puckett and her little boy, Sam. Chelsea was a participant in the MOTHERS Program from February until May and wanted to come back to tell her story to those in the class. She was so encouraging and inspiring to the ladies and gave them a message of hope. She spoke about how they can get through whatever they are going through and are stronger than what they think. And her little boy, Sam….well, he was just adorable!
Meet Lyndon, a Dad in our Responsible Fatherhood Program. Lyndon is now enrolled in the CDL Training class with Affordable Truck Driver Training in Moulton Alabama to obtain his Class A license and then be placed in employment. Lyndon said, “This is an opportunity for a new career made possible by Ms. Jackie and the Responsible Fatherhood Program that will help me with my family for years to come.” Pictured with Lyndon is Charlie Casewell, one of the instructors from Affordable Trucking.	Some of our HUD certified housing counselors recently spent time at a NCRC Financial Educational Workshop in Memphis Tennessee, learning more about financial training and gaining resources that will empower our clients for their future.	Jackie Baker recently met with Lauderdale County Child Support Court and DHR to give report on the outcomes of these program's partnership. In 2018, the Responsible Parenting/Fatherhood Program in collaboration with Lauderdale County Child Support and DHR collected over $128,000 in child support. Program participants were given opportunities for more education, training for increased skill certification and parenting counseling. This collaboration boasts some of the best outcomes in the state.
We were so excited to have Comfort Care Hospice sponsor our Spirit of Service Volunteer Appreciation Evening. Janey Rohling and Wendi Albritton attended the evening and were on hand to answer questions about their services for our volunteers. We are so thankful to Comfort Care Hospice for their support of our efforts in the Shoals area.	At our recent Spirit of Service Volunteer Appreciation Awards, our volunteers were entertained by the very funny and talented comedy trio, The XXXtremes. What a fun evening!	Our Meals on Wheels Chef, Nickie Campbell, was recently awarded the Presidential Service Award for her many years of service to the Meals on Wheels of The Shoals program. Her award came with a letter from President Donald Trump, a certificate and a commemorative gold coin. We are so proud to honor Nickie with this award and appreciate her many years of dedication and service in helping fight elder hunger here in the Shoals area.
Members of our staff recently attended the annual May meeting for Community Actions across the state. 20 agencies gathered to collaborate and learn best practices for better serving our clients.	CFT area grantees got together to promote Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Month recently. We visited area legislators, judges, advocates, and their staff to remind them that every child deserves a good childhood and we should all do what we can to prevent abuse.	To promote awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect, our Mother's Program has an exhibit at the Muscle Shoals Public Library. Stop by to learn more about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome and the symptoms of addiction in newborns.
The Gerald Williams cooperative gardening program has completed the application process and is now preparing for the distribution of FREE seed, plants and fertilizer to all those who qualified. The distribution day is early Spring. The Muscle Shoals TVA Retirees association coordinates over 150 community volunteers during the program and will distribute gardening supplies to over 1000 families in the Shoals area.	As part of Child Abuse & Neglect Awareness month, our Responsible Parenting program has been educating the community on the importance of strengthening the family bond. Let's all do our part to end child abuse and neglect. All children deserve a great childhood.	Community Action Northwest is set to be featured in an upcoming podcast series from Big River Broadcasting that focuses on area nonprofits and their contributions to the Shoals community. We are excited to be a part of the series.
The first general session of 2019 is now underway in Montgomery. Members of our staff spent the first 2 days meeting with the legislation from our area on concerns of the Shoals.
We recently received a testimonial from one of our graduates in the Mother's Program. Amber credits Mrs. Sheila Weaver and her time in the Mother's Program with the growth in her relationship with her son, Tanner.	Del Green, Family Services Manager for Habitat for Humanity, recently spoke to the first time home buyer's class about the application process for HFH. Brenda Crittenden, Vice President/Residential Mortgage Manager also spoke to the class about the mortgage process. Jernessa Jones of Operation Hope with SunTrust Bank and Jay Hendricks, CAANW Weatherization Specialist also spoke. Certificates were awarded for completers of the class.	UNA Alpha Gams made and delivered special treats to our Meals on Wheels of The Shoals seniors on Valentine's Day. Our seniors love when the Alpha Gams visit. We are delighted to have them as partners helping us fight senior hunger in the Shoals.
We are please to announce that First Southern Bank has joined Meals on Wheels of The Shoals as a Sustaining Sponsor for 2019. We are excited to be joining forces to fight elder hunger in the Shoals area. Together, we are better.	Meals on Wheels of The Shoals was delighted to have Bank Independent team members join in to deliver meals to our area seniors recently. None of our work is possible without the continued support from our community.	Secret Santa deliveries were made during Christmas to our seniors on the Meals On Wheels program. Donations for their wish list were filled by churches, organizations and individuals. Thank you to all who made their holidays brighter.
We are thankful to all the area Kiwanis Clubs for their support of Meals On Wheels of The Shoals. Together, we are fighting to end senior hunger in the Shoals. Pictured is Bob Head, Kiwanis Club of Tuscumbia President and Ms. Eva Graham, MOWS Coordinator.	Pete Key, Life coach and motivational speaker, provided a motivational workshop for members of the Responsible Parenting Class on August 23. His workshops provide hope and ways for change to people in crisis situations. We are always glad to have him.	“I'm very grateful that the Chance program gave me and my new daughter a fresh start. My life has grown and prospered over the past year and that's all because of the this program. It gave me the opportunity to get off the streets, be a better parent and stay clean.”​ We are so proud of Casandra and wish her the very best in the future.
The Fatherhood/Responsible Parenting Class recently got to spend some quality family time with their children at Sky Zone in Florence. This class teaches parenting skills that help make the family, and extended family, a place where children can thrive.	We had a great time at the Chillin' with the Cramer Children's Center event during Handy week. There were fun, kid-friendly activities, great music by the Midnighters, and free hot dogs & snow cones. If you didn't make it down this year, be sure and make plans to attend next year!	We were delighted to have Rev. Danny Whitehead, Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Florence, and Cornelia McIntosh delivering meals on one of our Florence routes today! #doservelove #MOWS #volunteerism #seniornutrition #volunteertoday #mealsonwheelspeople
Recently, we held ROMA training for some of our board members and new staff. We are very fortunate to have Jackie Brewer Baker, Certified ROMA Trainer, in our office. ROMA is the results oriented and management accountability system that guides all Community Action Agency decisions. Pictured above are CAANW Board Members and staff.	We love seeing our volunteer's share their love of delivering a friendly meal with their grandchildren. Mrs. Ann Smith had her grandchildren, Aubrie and Braxton, with her recently to deliver meals.	Jay Hendricks, Weatherization Specialist, speaks to First Time Homebuyers Class about key structure elements to look for when buying a home.
Please meet Nicole. Nicole enrolled and completed the Mothers Program in late 2015. Since that time, she has been reunited with her children, gained employment and gotten engaged. We are so happy for Nicole and wish her the very best in the future. Nicole is pictured with Sheila Weaver, MOTHERS Program Coordinator.	Judy Guyton has been delivering meals to residents of Russellville for over 17 years as a volunteer for Meals On Wheels of The Shoals. "She's an awesome volunteer and very dedicated," Tammy McDaniel, Executive Director says. "Mrs. Guyton has helped make sure meal recipients got their basic needs met outside their regular deliveries." To learn more, please read the latest Courier Journal Unsung Heroes article.	The Beth Rutledge Baker Disc Golf Tournament benefiting Meals On Wheels of The Shoals took place at McFarland Park on Saturday, May 26th. Beth Rutledge Baker was a long time volunteer of MOWS and an avid disc golf player. We honor her memory and support on this day.
The President has declared May as Seniors Month. Meals on Wheels delivers over 60,000 meals to Shoals area seniors each year. We love our seniors.	On May 3, we celebrated our students who graduated with their high school credentials through our partnership with NW-SCC Adult Education & Ready To Work Program.	We are always appreciative of the time and commitment our board puts in to serving in the community.
We love our Volunteers and couldn't do it without them! We thank them for their continued support and involvement.	Operation Hope from SunTrust Bank provides routine budgeting and finance advice to our Fatherhood program participants.	CAANW recently met with other non profits of the Shoals area to discuss collaborative opportunities with area businesses to serve the needs of our area.