Project Grant 19SFSMS001

THE OXFORD-LAFAYETTE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THEIR MISSION IS TO UNDERTAKE THOSE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS WHICH IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE OXFORD-LAFAYETTE COUNTY AREA. WE ARE REQUESTING FUNDING FROM CNCS IN THE AMOUT OF $403,402 WITH A TOTAL OF 82 VSY'S. NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $73,974 WILL BE USED TO MATCH THE GRANT. THIS GRANT WILL ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THE FOCUS AREA OF EDUCATION. THE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITY NEEDS: SERVE AS TUTORS AND MENTORS AT THE TEN (10) ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE THEY SERVE; IN EACH SCHOOL SYSTEM, MANY STUDENTS ARE READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL AND THE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS ARE HELPING TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE STUDENTS GAINING THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO READ AT APPROPRIATE LEVELS; ASSIST HEAD START (2 STATIONS) CHILDREN WITH PRE-READING SKILLS; HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE THEIR SKILL LEVEL. WE RELY ON THE SCHOOLS TESTING METHODS TO PROVIDE THE RESULTS TO THE PROGRAM OF IMPACTS THAT ARE MADE AS WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE VOLUNTEER STATIONS. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES ARE: THE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL HELP INDIVIDUALS MAINTAIN AND/OR IMPROVE THEIR SKILL LEVEL ON THEIR ISP/IEP ASSESSMENTS; STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE GAINS IN READING READINESS; HEAD START CHILDREN SERVED WILL OBTAIN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE APPROPRIATE PRE-LITERACY SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SCHOOL AND FEEL NURTURED AND COMFORTED BY THE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS.