Project Grant 21SCCKY002

BLUE GRASS COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP (BGCAP) IS THE LEGAL APPLICANT. BGCAP HAS DEDICATED RESOURCES TO ENABLE LOW-INCOME, DISADVANTAGED AND DISABLED FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS TO ATTAIN SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND MOTIVATION TO BECOME FULLY SELF-SUFFICIENT. ON MARCH 13, 2020, KENTUCKY GOVERNOR, ANDY BESHEAR, SUSPENDED ALL SENIOR SERVICES DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC. BECAUSE OF THESE SUSPENSIONS, VOLUNTEER AND CLIENT NUMBERS HAVE DECREASED. MANY VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS ALIKE ARE CONCERNED WITH RETURNING TO ASSIGNMENTS WITH THE EFFECTS THE VIRUS HAS ON THE AGING POPULATION. AN ESTIMATED 56 SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. OF THIS NUMBER 54 SENIOR COMPANIONS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: SOCIAL INTERACTION, RESPITE, MEAL PREPARATION, MEDICATION REMINDER, PERSONAL CARE, AND LIGHT HOUSEKEEPING. CONSIDERING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC, VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS ALIKE ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS WHEN RETURNING TO ASSIGNMENTS. THESE PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE MASK WEARING, HAND WASHING AND SANITIZING, AND ASKING COVID-19 SCREENING QUESTIONS WHEN ENTERING THE HOME TO ENSURE ONE IS NOT EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS. ADDITIONALLY, VOLUNTEERS WERE PROVIDED A STOP SIGN TO PLACE ON THE DOOR OF THEIR CLIENT'S HOME TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ENTERING WHEN SITTING WITH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS HEALTHY FUTURES. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, 120 CLIENTS AND FAMILIES WILL BE PROVIDED COMPANIONSHIP AND/OR RESPITE SERVICES AND AN INCREASE IN SOCIAL SUPPORT. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $350,348.00 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A MANDATED 10% NON-FEDERAL MATCH IN THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF $35,034.80. FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UNITED WAYS, FUNDRAISING AND IN-KIND.