Celebrating Success: March 2017

Celebrating Success: March 2017

The last month of winter flew by here at OVO!  Mild weather and good news kept us moving forward through the month.  Our staff were able to attend some awesome national trainings to gain information on best practices for our programs, policy updates and prospects at the federal level, and the future of Community Action and our services.  During this month, we were awarded additional funding that helps our agency move in exciting new directions!  We look forward to offering new programing and serving new populations through the spring and summer months.  Here are some of the great successes we had during the month of March:

  • Thank you to the Women’s Giving Circle and the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County for funding two OVO projects!  We were awarded $2,000 for Memories with Mom and $6,000 for La Casa Amiga’s Bilingual Library.  The funding for the bilingual library will be used to purchase books and learning materials that will be available for families participating in La Casa Amiga to strengthen their skills in both English and Spanish literacy, spelling, grammar, and verbal communication.  Memories with Mom will be a totally new program offered through OVO.  Free events for mothers and their children will be held throughout the spring and summer to promote family bonding, provide recreational activities for families, teach valuable skills, and much more!  Events will include a canvas painting class, dance lesson, cupcake decorating, and family trail walk.  More details on the events, such as locations, dates, and times, will be made available in the weeks to come, so keep checking back!
  • We had 6 families attend the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) New Tenant Briefing in March!
  • Elaina Freeman, our Executive Director, attended the 2017 National Community Action Foundation (NCAF) Legislative Conference in Washington, DC!  Ms. Freeman braved the snow and wind to attend this awesome conference March 14-17th.  The theme for this year’s national event was “Thrive, Not Just Survive: How Community Action Will Succeed in the New Washington” and explored the upcoming legislative year.  Keynote speakers included leaders from NCAF and the National Community Action Partnership as well as distinguished Congress men and women, including Indiana’s own Representative Todd Rokita!
  • The Section 8 Program housed 8 new families!
  • Staff in our Weatherization Department attended the 2017 HPC Home Performance Conference and Trade Show in Nashville, TN!  The conference was held March 19-22nd and featured sessions ranging from weatherization policy updates to HVAC and shell procedures and best practices to marketing and outreach.  Staff development is one of the keys to success here at OVO, and conferences like this ensure our staff are confident in their field of expertise and are knowledgeable about emerging trends and technologies.

Don’t forget to keep checking back to our website, blog, and Facebook page to hear the latest updates and to get information on upcoming events here at OVO!