Project Grant 19SRSMS002

COAHOMA OPPORTUNITIES, INCORPORATED IS A COMMUNITY-ACTION AGENCY THAT AIMS TO ASSIST LOW-INCOME CITIZENS IN BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE. COAHOMA OPPORTUNITIES, INC. HAS BEEN SERVING COAHOMA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI OVER 53 YEARS AND HAS DEVELOPED A STRONG VALUABLE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH PROGRAMS AND BUSINESSES IN COAHOMA COUNTY, SERVING 78% (AFRICAN AMERICANS), 19% (CAUCASIANS), BELOW 1% HISPANIC/LATINO AND BELOW 1% ASIANS. SERVING THE RURAL MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGION FOR DECADES, THE AGENCY IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHOSE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS PLANNING THE DIRECTION AND DEFINING THE FUTURE OF THE AGENCY. THE BOARD DELEGATES TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY AND THE AUTHORITY, DERIVED FROM THE BOARD, OF SELECTING THE SPECIFIC MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN DETERMINED FOR PROMOTING THE GROWTH, SUSTAINABILITY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE COMMUNITY. NONETHELESS, THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGION IS HOME TO THE BLUES, AND ARTS CULTURE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, POVERTY. WITH 48% OF COAHOMA COUNTY LIVING IN POVERTY, COAHOMA OPPORTUNITIES, INCORPORATED HAS, FOR MANY DECADES, PROVIDED RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ITS CITIZENS. AS THE NATION EXPERIENCED A DOWN-TURN IN THE ECONOMY, THE IMPACT FELT BY THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA WAS ENORMOUS. MANY OF OUR CITIZENS, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, HAVE FELT THE STAGNATION AND EXPERIENCED THE LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH WERE ONCE AVAILABLE TO OUR CITIZENS. INASMUCH AS THIS HAS CAUSED UNDUE STRESS TO MANY HARDSHIPS TO MANY, INCLUDING SENIOR CITIZENS, IT IS EVEN MORE UNFORTUNATE THAT A LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES SERVE AS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ESCALATION IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND THE UNWANTED EPIDEMIC BEING EXPERIENCED VERY VASTLY ALL ACROSS AMERICA, OPIOID OVERDOSES. OUR SENIORS AND ELDERS ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN A CRIME-INFESTED COMMUNITY, WHERE THIS EPIDEMIC, TOO, IS WIDE-SPREADING AND OUR EFFORTS ARE TO KEEP THE SENIORS SAFE AND WITH A SENSE OF SECURITY. IN SPITE OF THESE OBSTACLES AND ON-GOING BARRIERS, OUR AGENCY HAS ESTABLISHED SUCCESSFUL AND MEANINGFUL COLLABORATION WORKING AFFILIATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES, CHILDCARE FACILITIES, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, MAJOR INDUSTRIES, CHURCHES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, TREATMENT CENTERS, THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE AN ENGAGING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR SENIORS AND VOLUNTEERS, AS WE SEEK TO ADDRESS SOCIETAL ILLS AND THIS WIDELY KNOWN EPIDEMIC. FURTHER, COAHOMA OPPORTUNITIES, INCORPORATED RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP) IS CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO FULFILL THE MISSION OF THIS AGENCY AND THE PROGRAM, BY PROVIDING QUALITY AND TIMELY SERVICES TO THE SENIOR, YOUTH AND ADULT RESIDENTS OF COAHOMA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS PROVIDING EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO THE YOUTH THROUGH TUTORING AND MENTORING PROGRAMS AND SCHOOL READINESS FOR HEAD START EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. THE THERE ARE TEN VOLUNTEER STATIONS THAT THE RSVP PROGRAM USES TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE, SCHOOL READINESS AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AWARENESS FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. THESE VOLUNTEER STATIONS CONSIST OF FOUR (4) HEAD START CENTERS, ONE (1) POLICE DEPARTMENT, ONE (1) SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, TWO (2) ADULT SENIOR RESPICE CENTERS, ONE (1) CHURCH, AND ONE (1) CARE STATION. THESE VOLUNTEER STATIONS ARE SET UP THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY OF COAHOMA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.. THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 112 RSVP VOLUNTEERS SERVING WITH THE COAHOMA COUNTY RSVP. OF THIS NUMBER, 40 UNDUPLICATED RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME EDUCATION ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ASSIGNMENTS WILL INCLUDE: TUTORING AND MENTORING YOUTH AND ADULTS, SCHOOL READINESS FOR HEAD START EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR SENIORS WHO ARE WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION, OFFERING SENIOR COMPANIONSHIP FOR SENIORS WHO ARE HOME-BOUND, PARTICIPATING IN NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, AND FEEDING AND PREPARING FOOD THE LESS