CAPS - CALENDAR

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

MAY 2008

May 6, 2008 DT Mtg. 1:30p

May 7, 2008 Mgmt. Mtg. 9a

Review Tm 1:30

May 8, 2008 Policy Council 9:30a

Family Svcs. Mtg. 2p

May 13, 2008 DT Mtg. 1:30p

Favorite Father's 6-8p

Recog. Spencer Bibbs

May 14, 2008 Children's Last Day

Review Team 1:30p

John Drews-Retirement

May 15, 2008 Family Svcs. Mtg. 2p

John Drews-Retirement

May 16, 2008 Last Day 4 Staff

Faith Hayes 11:30a

Retirement @ Hurst

John Drews-Retirement

May 20, 2008 DT Mtg. 1:30p

May 21, 2008 Board Mtg. 10:30a

Review Team 1:30p

May 22, 2008 Family Svcs. Mtg.

May 26, 2008 HOLIDAY

May 27, 2008 DT Mtg. 1:30p

May 28, 2008 Review Team 1:30p

May 29, 2008 Family Svcs. Mtg.

"HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY"

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"Assisting Individuals With Criminal Records Or Charges"

A felony on your criminal record, even if it's only a charge and not a conviction, can affect your ability to get a job for the rest of your life.

Now, work is being done to help people who are struggling to find employment because of their past.

The goal is to help them become self sufficient.

Zella Richmond had a run in with her family when she was just 18.

She was charged with domestic violence aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon...A felony.

She wasn't convicted, adjudication was withheld...But few employers will hire her because it's on her record.

Zella Richmond/CAP Client: "It's haunted me. I can't get nowhere. They feel like you'll harm somebody in the world, but I would never do that. That's something I did when I was young. I'm 33 now. I wouldn't do that ."

Now a single mother of three, Richmond wants to be able to support her family, but the only job she can find is in fast food.

Richmond: " I tried to go to school for some things and they're like, well you can go to school for it, but you're not going to be able to go into your field, so you're not going to get anywhere."

Cases like Zella's are all too common.

That's why the Community Action Program held a seminar to let people know their rights.

Attorney Mark Whittaker volunteered his time to do it.

He says in some cases, charges can be expunged or sealed from their criminal records.

Mark Whittaker/Attorney: "They can get their records sealed and this is going to help them for the purposes of applying for work because they can truly say they have not been convicted and the records sealed and it's not going to show up."

The goal is to help these people support them selves.

Renae Cotton/Community Action Program: "They'll continue to be going through Community Action, Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army. Until they can do that, we're just putting a band aid on the problem."

A problem Zella Richmond regrets.

Richmond: "I just tell anybody, think about it before you do anything stupid because it's going to follow you the rest of the days of your life."

If you'd like more information about this issue, you can call the Community Action Program at 438-4021, extension 20.

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"ATTENTION"

Head Start will be participation again next year in the state funded VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) program. This program is available to children who are four years old on or before September 1, 2008. At Head Start, the VPK program is offered as an afternoon program. Children arrive at the regular time of 7:45 in the morning. Parents pick their children up at 4:30 in the afternoon. This program is ideal for working parents who need afternoon childcare and for parents who are in school. It is also an excellent program to ensure that children have an opportunity to spend extra time on pre-reading and pre-math skills in preparation for kindergarten. If you are interested in an afternoon program being offered at your child's school next year, please contact Gibson Head Start Center.

Head Start must have at least 13 parents who are interested in order to offer the afternoon program.