COVID-19 Community Needs

Cardinal Services:

Cardinal serves 200 people with disabilities with 24/7 care. Their immediate needs include:

• More personnel to provide care for their clients
• A (temporary) reduction on the required training hours (80) to get their labor force qualified to provide care.
• Ability to transition Head Start staff to child care staff for employees.

What the Community Can Do to Help:

• Encourage those who have been laid off of retail/service jobs to apply at www.cardinalservices.org/careers or call 574-267-3823.
• Ask Congress to address need for stable disability supports during the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn how at: http://www.votervoice.net/ANCOR/Campaigns/72533/Respond

Kosciusko Community Senior Services:

The Senior Activity Center has been closed, upon the recommendation of the K.C. Health Department. Mobile Meals and Essential Transportation (medical appointments, nutrition, grocery shopping) continue.

What the Community Can Do to Help:

• Coordination of volunteers who are willing to shop for seniors so that seniors do not have to leave their homes.
• Volunteers to deliver Mobile Meals. Visit: http://www.kosciuskoseniorservices.org/volunteer.html or call 574-267-2012.

Warsaw Community Schools:

Focused on e-learning and human services.

Has 7 food pick up sites for families in need, has 500 door-to-door food deliveries using their bus drivers as deliverers.

Providing Care Calls on Thursdays  – every house gets a staff call to check-in every week.

27 buses parked and providing wifi throughout district.

What the Community Can Do to Help:

• Make money donations (not food donations) to the Boomerang Backpack program designated for Warsaw Community Schools. Make check payable to:

Boomerang Backpacks, Inc.

4616 E Dupont Rd., Ste C

Write “Warsaw Schools” in memo line.

Boomerang backpacks currently cost about $3.50/pack for one child for one weekend. Warsaw will be delivering 500 meals = $1,750/week to support this program (according to Mark Cockrock with Boomerang Backpacks, Inc.).

Tippecanoe Valley Schools:

Support of their Food Backpack and Viking Vittles programs that provide meals to students from low-income families.

Direct donations to:

Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation

Designated for food programs

8343 S State Road 19

Akron, IN 46910

Wawasee Schools:

Tom Edington shared that one of his biggest concerns was child care and child well being if young children are being left at home while their parents work. He would love a county-wide initiative that helped use technology to connect parents who need child care with others willing to watch children in their home.

Wawasee Schools is also served by Boomerang Backpacks. Donations can be made to:

Boomerang Backpacks

Designated for Wawasee Schools

4616 E Dupont Rd, Ste C

Fort Wayne, IN 46825

Combined Community Services:

Staff is working but building is closed to visitors. Drive through food assistance open on M, T, Th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They currently serve 500 families/month.

What the Community Can Do to Help:

Make money donations to:

Combined Community Services

1195 Mariners Dr.

Warsaw, IN 46582

Need volunteers willing to deliver food items to families who do not have transportation. To volunteer, call 574-269-6019.

Salvation Army:

Currently serves 250 families/month with food assistance. Many of their families live near central Warsaw in and around the Salvation Army building and walk to receive services.

Ken anticipates needing an additional $3,500-$5,000/month (depending on family size) to serve families who have been laid off from food/service industry.

What the Community Can Do to Help:

Make money (not food) donations to:

Salvation Army

PO Box 1257

Warsaw, IN 46581-1257

VILLAGE AT WINONA:

100 people were layed off within the Village at Winona this week. Expects those folks to need employment opportunities and financial assistance.

TOWN OF MENTONE:

Local bakery and schools providing food for children.

Coordinated wifi access effort needed.

IVY TECH:

Serves 700 students locally. Classes have all gone to online, but campus is open for those students who need computer access. Not sure how long the campus will remain open. Students need access to wifi.