Jackson EMC Foundation 2010 Annual Report

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2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

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A Message from Randall Pugh and Sherry Rogers

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ince Jackson EMC started offering Operation Round Up in 2005, the

Jackson EMC Foundation has awarded

588 grants to charitable organizations and indi-

viduals, including 119 grants to charitable organizations and 29 grants to individuals for the year ending May 31, 2010. Each and every penny of members’ donations was put to work in local

communities. Operation Round Up grants funded programs that benefited and enhanced the lives

of both groups and individuals within the community, lifting the community as a whole.

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Whether grants supported some large purpose,

such as providing mobile mammography to women in rural areas, or something as personal as a set of dentures for a senior citizen trying to get by on a

monthly Social Security check, the change donated

by Jackson EMC members has changed the lives of

those around us for the better. This positive impact serves as a reminder of the power people have when they work together. That’s the real spirit behind a cooperative.

None of these grants would have been possible

without our members’ extraordinary support of

“None of these grants would have been possible without our members’ extraordinary support of Operation Round Up.”

Operation Round Up. Since the beginning of the

A small sampling of the many grants funded by

program in 2005, Jackson EMC members have

our members’ donations of “spare change”—the

percent participation. Although the Jackson EMC

and the next whole dollar—are featured on the

embraced Operation Round Up with over 90

Foundation board were concerned that donations to Operation Round Up could drop off during this recession, support continued at a very high level,

difference between their total monthly electric bill following pages. Together, Jackson EMC members

are working to build a brighter future for everyone.

even as our members and others endured financial pressures, job losses and home foreclosures. It is a testament to Jackson EMC members’ generosity that more than eighty-nine percent of those

participating in the Round Up have sustained their commitment to helping others, even in these challenging times.

Randall Pugh, President & CEO

Sherry Rogers, Jackson EMC Foundation Board Chairman

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Helping Former Inmates Succeed Through Stability athens justice project

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anding a job is tough these days. It’s even tougher if you have to check “Yes” to that job application question about ever being convicted of a crime.

“A criminal record is a barrier every time you try to step up, whether you’re looking for a job, seeking a promotion or trying to get a degree,” said Lance Day, a licensed master social worker with Athens Justice Project.

Yet, having a steady job is critical to breaking the poverty/crime cycle that contributes to Athens-Clarke County’s high rate of recidivism.

“There are more people in the system who can be rehabilitated than who can’t,” said Jenni Austin, Executive Director of AJP. “There are a lot of people with a history who can still be productive workers.”

But a criminal record throws up barriers to employment. The inability to secure a job spurs a return to criminal behavior. Recognizing this, AJP designed the Athens Workforce Enhancement Reentry Curriculum, a program that provides determined, non-violent exoffenders with training in interview skills and job-site behavior, legal assistance, and long-term support as they strive to reintegrate into society. AtWERC has a 90-percent success rate in restoring former inmates to selfsupporting, law-abiding citizens.

Greg Morton is proof the program works. Following 31 months of incarceration, he enrolled in AtWERC, graduated in December 2008, and quickly found a steady job. He’s now a productive member of the community.

Athens Justice Project ATWERC - l to r: Licensed Master Social Worker Lance Day, client Greg Morton, and mentor Eric Keese.

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“AtWERC has a 90-percent success rate in restoring former inmates to selfsupporting, law-abiding citizens. Greg Morton is proof the program works.”

After graduation, AtWERC clients are paired with a mentor. Greg’s mentor is Eric Keese, Director of Safety, Risk Management, Recruitment and Retention for Clarke County Schools.

“I’m the bridge between what Greg learned in the AtWERC program and what he needs to know to reenter the community,” Eric said. “It’s a valuable network connection, but it’s a brother-like relationship. He can ask me any question.”

“The relationship that we build is one of accountability,” Jenni said, “but it’s also one of support where clients can call us any time. How many programs are there where you can call an attorney with a question or issue, and they’ll stop and help you?”

Because their clients face on-going issues­— parole restrictions, drug addiction, cultural change and routine disappointments—there’s no preset limit on the support AJP provides.

“With all the little fires they have to navigate, we really need to circle the wagons around them," Jenni said. “We want to make sure our clients don’t continue to feel disenfranchised. We’re the warm, welcoming side of the community.”

“When people accept you sort of like family, it brings you back to yourself,” Greg said of his experience with AtWERC. “You can’t change the past, but these people can look past your faults and give you a second chance.”

The Athens Justice Project received a $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation which allowed 55 individuals to be trained and re-enter the work force through their AtWERC program.

“Reentry was like starting from scratch,” Greg said. “You definitely need all the help you can get.”

The eight-week AtWERC curriculum prepares clients to succeed in entry-level positions. Rather than teaching a particular job skill, it emphasizes good work habits: arriving early and ready to work; dressing appropriately; doing the work requested; managing time; social skills; and cultivating a positive attitude. AJP applied for and received a $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation which was used for three cycles of the AtWERC program and helped 55 people successfully reenter the community.

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A New Measure of Independence christopher and rita stephens

With the support from an Operation Round-Up individual grant, Christopher and Rita Stephens can get back to their bustling lives. A wheelchair accessible van has helped Christopher, born with spina bifida, regain an ease of mobility.

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“A friend from church urged them to apply for an individual grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation.

Chris and Rita have been donating to Operation Round Up for years, but didn’t realize until then how contributions were returned to the community.

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etween their jobs, running a household, shopping for bargains and outings together around Athens, Chris and Rita Stephens lead active lives. Being out and about became much easier for Chris, who was born with spina bifida, when he upgraded to a motorized wheelchair.

“It’s improved his quality of life and given him far more independence and self-reliance,” remarked Rita.

But the blessing of the motorized wheelchair presented a challenge, too. It was too heavy for Rita to lift, and it didn’t fold to fit into the trunk of their car anyway. So the couple launched a search for a transportation solution that would keep Chris on the move.

“We looked at trucks with a lift,” Rita recalled, "but the chair would get wet, and Chris would still have to transfer into the truck.”

So, they started looking at wheelchair accessible vans.

“We had to have something that was in a reasonable price range,” Chris said. “Something used and already converted.”

After looking at a variety of used vans that were already adapted and equipped to accommodate a wheelchair, Chris and Rita fell in love with a minivan because it was something Rita could easily drive. But when they worked out the figures, the monthly payments were more than they could afford on their modest salaries.

A friend from church urged them to apply for an individual grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation. Chris and Rita have been donating to Operation Round Up for years, but didn’t realize until then how contributions were returned to the community. They took the advice and applied for $3,500 to use as a down payment on the minivan, an amount which would reduce the monthly payments to something manageable.

“The van has made life so much easier,” Rita said. “Now I just come home from work and say, ’Honey, I’m home,’ and he comes out and rolls into the van, and we go to his job. Sometimes, when we run errands, I don’t even have to get out of the car. I just tell Chris to go.”

“I’m a lot faster than she is,” Chris laughed.

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Paving Smooth Transitions from Bumpy Lives creative community services

Creative Community Services – l to r: Mary Charlotte Bruce, STEP program manager; Satie Bisessar (seated); Sally Buchanan (standing), founder and executive director of CCS; Peter Medina; Cornelius Hampton, CSS Life Coach; Josh Chunnulal (top right); and Don Bisessar (seated).

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oster child Peter Medina is, at 20, on the brink of adulthood and facing the loss of family support ­­—a loss that young adults with a family network don’t face. Like many older children in foster care, 16-year-old Josh Chunnulal had exhibited depression, anger and disruptive behaviors that make foster home placement difficult. He bounced through nine foster care placements in 10 years and built an epic disciplinary record at school.

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Both found help through Creative Community Services, where Peter received the support of transitional coaches and Josh was placed in a therapeutic foster home.

“We serve primarily youth with mental health diagnoses,” said Mary Charlotte Bruce, the program manager for CCS’s Successful Transitions through Empowerment and Planning (STEP) program. “This provides challenges for foster families.” Through

therapeutic foster homes, group outings and individual coaching in life skills, STEP prepares foster children who are “aging out” of the system for the transition to independence.

A $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation provides funding for STEP, a program that helps foster children throughout the 10 counties served

by Jackson EMC. “These kids see lots of other adults—their counselors and DFACS case workers,” said Cornelius Hampton, the CCS life coach who has worked with Peter and Josh for the past year. “I try to let Life Coaching visits be relaxed and fun so kids don’t feel stressed out whenever they see an adult come.”

Cornelius stresses the importance of skills to the 25 foster children, ages 14-21, participating in STEP. While education is a primary focus, because of their chaotic life history, the children also need help developing social skills, managing anger, expressing themselves appropriately, and learning to trust and forge bonds with others. “It takes time to try to build trust with them,” she commented. “Once you get that, they’re a whole new person.”

“Our kids have incredible survival skills and defense mechanisms because of the way they were treated,” explained Sally Buchanan, the founder and executive director of CCS. “They need to learn the right way to treat people.”

The entire CCS team extends the time and stability necessary to build lasting relationships with the children in their care. “We’re not just an agency, we’re friends,” said Buchanan. “We’re about life-long relationships.”

The team includes specially trained therapeutic foster parents. Don and Satie Bisessar have provided a home and loving care to Peter and Josh for several years.

“You have to picture, ’I’m that kid’,” said Satie.

“How would I feel coming into this home?” The Bisessars offer respect to the children they foster and encourage involvement from the birth family when it’s appropriate.

Peter was 14 when he came to them, suffering from depression and severe social anxiety.

When he started STEP three years ago, he was so shy he wouldn’t speak. “I took him on a college visit,” Cornelius laughed. “It was a two hour drive with no conversation.”

A $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation provides funding for STEP, a program that helps foster children throughout the 10 counties served

by Jackson EMC.

“I’ve made some progress in opening up and reaching out,” Peter responded. He’s working toward a computer science degree now. “It’s my dream to start my own company.”

Don and Satie first met Josh when he came to visit his brother, who was their first foster child.

Josh moved into Don and Satie’s home when he was nine. Don said he and Satie fought hard to get Josh placed in their home, but were unable to keep his brother.

“When my brother and I first entered the system, we went to one house for two weeks,” Josh recalled.

“We were separated at times. That was hard. Once you’re in the foster care system and your family gives up on you,” he shrugged, “the only thing I had left was my brother. When that was taken away, I became depressed and had troubles. With the support of everyone at this table, I’ve been able to work through that.”

Don and Satie adopted Josh in July. “I’m really glad to have someone to call my family,” Josh said, “but they’ve always treated me like I was their child.”

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Solving Homelessness Through Inspiration nspire outreach

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lin McGhie worked for temporary agencies during the day and stayed in homeless shelters at night. The money he earned paid for food and his phone bill. “No one wants to hire you when you aren’t clean and dressed right,” he declared. “I needed a place to start.”

“I’ve always been motivated, but didn’t have many opportunities,” Jamaal Brooks added. I’m improving, I got a job, I’m more confident.”

The difference in both men’s lives was NSPIRE Outreach in Lawrenceville, a unique ministry to the homeless that addresses every aspect of life skills during a 12-month residential program.

“On any given night, there are between 500 and 3,000 homeless people in Gwinnett County,” said NSPIRE Outreach executive director Gregg Kennard. Clients are admitted to NSPIRE through a referral and interview process, and must commit to the program. They start working immediately in NSPIRE’s clothing drive call center, earning money to help pay for their housing and

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education expenses. During non-working hours, clients receive counseling and learn skills such as money management, sound health and nutrition choices, goal setting, hygiene, and interview and workplace etiquette.

Education is a primary component of NSPIRE’s program. Every client must enroll in some type of educational program within 90 days of acceptance. Many pursue a GED, but the program also helps clients with certification programs and 2-year or 4-year college degrees. For Olin and Jamaal, their inspiration was music and NSPIRE’s Soundz Academy, a new education-track program that trains interested NSPIRE clients in audiovisual system design, construction and installation for commercial applications.

Jamaal heard about NSPIRE while staying at a homeless shelter in Atlanta. “He was on the waiting list for two weeks, but he kept persisting,” laughed Kennard.

“I was always interested in sound recording,” Olin explained. “I’m self-taught. I built a recording studio in my grandmother’s basement when I lived with her.”

Jamaal (l) and Olin (r) got off the streets and back on their feet with NSPIRE Outreach. Says NSPIRE executive director Gregg Kennard, “The investment of Operation Round-up grant money is building jobs and integrating into the community to solve the homeless problem, not just deal with it.”

“There’s a big demand for AV installers who know what they’re doing,” said Soundz Academy instructor Daniel Poole. A sales and integration manager with Jireh Supplies, Daniel designed the curriculum, which includes three 16-week modules. The final module is an apprenticeship with Jireh Supplies. “Soundz Academy provides an affordable means to learn about sound systems, design and installation.”

Through Soundz Academy, Olin said he is learning all the little things and technical terms that will help him find and keep employment. He also plans to pursue a degree in early childhood education through Gwinnett Tech. “I want to teach literature. I want to incorporate arts into English education.”

“We’re building habits of stability and success,” Kennard said. “The goal is to end homelessness in Atlanta.

I don’t know of any stone we haven’t overturned. It’s a very comprehensive program. If I knew of something we aren’t doing, tomorrow we’d be doing it.”

The $14,000 grant NSPIRE received from the Jackson EMC Foundation funds a portion of tuition at Gwinnett Technical College and other educational programs for several of its 30 clients. Kennard says that NSPIRE will make a commitment to Olin and all other clients for as long as they are in school and need assistance.

“The investment of Operation Round-up grant money is building jobs and integrating into the community to solve the homeless problem, not just deal with it,” he said.

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One Less Obstacle in Life pamela jenkins

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on’t sweat the small stuff” is popular advice for simplifying your life. But when you’re in a wheelchair, sometimes the small stuff becomes a big obstacle to independent living. Pamela Jenkins, who has Multiple Sclerosis, faced just such an obstacle when it came to doing a routine chore most of us take for granted—the laundry.

The first obstacle was getting there. Pamela’s Buford apartment complex laundry facility is located a long distance from her apartment. Negotiating the complex’s streets and sidewalks in her wheelchair with a basket of laundry was extremely difficult. Once she got there, Pamela needed assistance to get her laundry out of the top-loading washers. Then there was the challenge of renegotiating the streets and sidewalks to get back to her apartment with her clean laundry. And on top of these difficulties, Pamela’s Multiple Sclerosis has left her unable to tolerate heat, making the long treks to and from the laundry facility in the summer a serious health risk.

So she wound up paying for a private laundry service, a compromise that strained the limits of her fixed income.

Even though Pamela’s accessible apartment has washer/dryer hook-ups, she needed a certain type of front-loading machines to enable her to load and unload the laundry by herself. But front loading models are more expensive than top loading, and were out of her reach financially.

Pamela’s nursing assistant had learned about the Operation Round Up program while browsing the Internet, and encouraged her to apply for a Jackson EMC Foundation grant. Pamela applied for and received an individual grant for $1,626 that purchased and installed a washer and dryer she can use.

“I’m so happy with my new washer and dryer,” Pamela said. “It’s been such a help. Now I can do laundry for myself, and my clothes are available when I need them.”

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Pamela’s nursing assistant learned about the Operation Round Up program while browsing the Internet, and encouraged her to apply for a Jackson EMC Foundation grant.

Pamela Jenkins no longer sweats the small stuff with her new front-loading washer and dryer provided through an ORU individual grant. Afflicted with multiple sclerosis, Jenkins now manages her laundry without struggle, thus regaining her sense of independence.

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First Stop on the Road to Healing piedmont rape crisis center

The Piedmont Rape Crisis Hotline is an important first call for the support, resources and counseling that help victims begin putting their lives back together.

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he crime of sexual violence doesn’t keep business hours, so Susan Cash, director and program coordinator of Piedmont Rape Crisis Center, is never without her phone.

“The best way to respond to people is to be there when they need us,” she explained. “Sometimes we’re the first call that a client makes after a rape.”

Piedmont Rape Crisis Center serves clients in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties; even someone as dedicated as Susan needs help covering that much territory.

A $13,050 Jackson EMC Foundation grant provided funding for a dedicated, 24-hour Rape Crisis Hotline and

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training for 15 reliable volunteer advocates, expanding the availability of information and assistance to sexual assault victims and their families.

Extremely committed, hotline volunteers have the compassion and guts it takes to drop what they are doing and help a client in crisis. Answering a call may mean spending hours at the hospital, supporting and advocating for the victim in very tense, emotional circumstances.

Each volunteer must complete 37 hours of rigorous training over an eight-week period. “Susan made the training real, so we knew how to handle the real call,”

One of 15 committed volunteers at the Piedmont Rape Crisis Center, advocate Trudy Bramer (l) works with Director and Trainer Susan Cash (r) to offer support through the center’s hotline. “Our role is to advocate, serve, support, be there for the family, and make calls for the victims,” say Bramer. “We want to give them their power back.”

recalled Trudy Bramer, one of the first eight Piedmont Rape Crisis Hotline advocates to accept active duty. In her first week on call after completing the training, Trudy responded to numerous crisis calls, including two forensic calls to the hospital to assist rape victims.

“Our role is to advocate, serve, support, be there for the family, and make calls for the victims,” Trudy said.

“Susan gave us good training on professionalism. We’re caring, but we don’t overstep our boundaries. We try to problem-solve with clients, tell them their options, guide them through the process and provide them with resources. We want to give them their power back.”

“The nightmare doesn’t end when the assault itself ends,” Susan added. “For the victim, it is really just beginning. One of the most important things we tell a client is, ’We believe you. This is not your fault.’”

Rape crisis hotline advocates answer calls from

anyone affected by sexual assault—victims, family members, sexual assault nurse examiners at the hospital and investigating law enforcement officers.

They may also receive calls from women and men days or even years after the crime.

Sexual assault pervades every aspect of a victim’s life: relationships, sense of security, ability to concentrate and work, decisions about child-rearing, even posture and clothing choices.

“Healing is a long process, and it takes hard work to go from victim to survivor,” Susan said. “The sooner someone who’s been victimized gets into counseling, the sooner they start to heal.”

The Piedmont Rape Crisis Hotline is an important first call for the support, resources and counseling that help victims begin putting their lives back together.

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Safeguarding Our Smallest Residents pilot club of madison county

Randall Townley (r), an instructor with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety shows Gene Shelton (l) how to install a car sear for his grandson Levi.

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he worst thing in the world is to see a child injured or killed in a wreck, especially when it’s preventable,” said Barrow County Sheriff’s Deputy Ed Weaver. “Ninety-nine percent of the child safety seats we inspect are improperly installed.”

Vehicular crashes are the number one cause of death and injury to children, a statistic that alarmed and galvanized the Pilot Club of Madison County, an organization dedicated to preventing brain injuries. The group organized its first community Child Safety Seat Check in 2009.

The Pilot Club’s child safety seat project revealed two major problems. First, Madison County did not have anyone trained or certified to inspect car seats for safety

2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

and proper use. Second, of 28 child safety seats inspected, only one was both safe and properly installed, and 21 were simply not safe for use.

With goals of securing training and certification in child car seat safety for Madison County emergency responders, and providing safe, new car safety seats for Madison County’s youngest citizens, the Pilot Club applied for and received a $2,899 Jackson EMC Foundation grant. With that funding, club members went into action to address these problems.

Five volunteer trainers—Deputy Weaver; Zetta Jones of the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Injury Prevention Program; Pioneer RESA’s Randall

All smiles here as the Pilot Club’s safety seat project keeps the families of Madison County in the know about child seat safety.

Sponsoring a 4-day certification program, The Pilot Club instructed parents the correct way to secure a car seat properly and safely.

Townley, an instructor with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety; Cobb County EMS Instructor Mark Thurmond; and Kevin Marsteller of the Cornelia Police Department—came to Madison County to teach the four-day National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician Certification course. Fourteen first responders, law enforcement, and EMS personnel from Madison as well as Lumpkin counties participated. A Child Safety Seat Check event held in May 2010 completed their certification requirements.

The safety seat check event was promoted through Madison County Head Start classes, preschools, churches, the health department and emergency medical services. About 40 Pilot Club members helped ensure that all Jackson EMC Foundation grant funds were used to reduce children’s risk of injury and death while riding in cars. Several members offered to lodge out-of-town trainers in their homes to reduce expenses. Many more cooked and delivered breakfast, lunch and snacks to class participants throughout the training. And while parents received one-on-one installation and use instruction from the newly certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, Pilot Club members entertained their children with activity stations set up around the park.

During the event, 31 child safety seats were inspect-

ed. As in the previous year, 21 were deemed unsafe, but for financially qualifying families the unsafe seats were replaced with new ones. The seat Gene Shelton used for his 11-month old grandson, Levi, was among those.

“The other seat was like new, but it was a puzzle,” Shelton said. “We got it from a yard sale. We didn’t really know how to set it up. Ninety percent of what we did was wrong. The safety check was a great thing, and this new seat is just like 1-2-3.”

“You can’t just give parents the seat and send them on their way,” said Marsteller. “You have to provide them with instruction. We won’t be there when they move the seat to another car.” Marsteller added that even with several children of his own, he hadn’t installed a car seat properly until he took the training course.

The trained law enforcement personnel now inspect child safety seats as part of routine traffic stops. The sheriff’s office, fire stations and EMS try to arrange schedules so that one certified Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician is available on each shift. Parents can drive in with questions and may also request a two-hour child safety seat education class.

“Madison County is on board with this program,” said Weaver. “It has a lifetime effect on the child, the family and this county.”

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Building a Generation of Smart Girls teen pregnancy prevention, inc.

Beth Everett (r) of the Smart Girls program offers counseling to young girls looking to gain inner strength and confidence.

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used to be one of those girls who thought I was the only one with problems,” 15-year old Jocelyn* admitted. “I didn’t feel good about myself.”

The girl Jocelyn was then had low self-esteem and relationship problems with her mom and with some girls at school, particularly with one who was bullying her.

Soft-spoken and shy, she has been a Smart Girl for two years.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc. launched Smart Girls to combat Hall County’s higher-than-national-average teen pregnancy rate. Smart Girls program counselors work with girls at all Hall County and Gainesville City middle and high schools weekly in a unique in-school, small group format. Smart Girls learn about abstinence,

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self-esteem and how the two go together; healthy decision making; relationship skills; personal responsibility; and planning for bright futures.

Girls are chosen for the program based on their leadership and communication abilities and their willingness to participate in the group. Gainesville High freshman counselor Thea Moore said she’s noticed improvement in the grades of girls involved in Smart Girls. “They begin to see themselves as leaders. They learn from the program, then take that knowledge to their groups of friends. At this age, peers are very, very important. Kids will listen to peers better than they’ll listen to adults or parents.”

“I never really liked school, and that was an issue

Gainesville High freshman counselor Thea Moore said she’s noticed improvement in the grades of girls involved in Smart Girls. “They begin to see themselves as leaders. They learn from the program, then take that knowledge to their groups of friends. At this age, peers are very, very important. Kids will listen to peers better than they’ll listen to adults or parents.”

between me and Mom,” Jocelyn explained. "I didn’t want to finish. I had friends, but you never really know if they’re your friends. I needed a shoulder to cry on.”

Beth Everett, one of two Licensed Clinical Social Workers who administer the Smart Girls program, provided Jocelyn with that shoulder. As a stable, caring presence in the girls’ lives, Beth builds a nurturing relationship with them over time.

“Jocelyn is a great girl and has grown so much during her time in Smart Girls,” said Everett. “All of our girls come to groups with various struggles, some of which have to do with families, some of which are related to poor choices or a myriad of other things.

Smart Girls aims to be a comprehensive program to help teen girls with multiple issues, and to give them tools to equip them to handle all of life in a healthy way.”

“I trust Miss Beth more than anybody,” Jocelyn said.

“She really understands me and gives me advice that helps me understand problems.”

A 2008 CDC study revealed that Hall teen girls experience a dramatically higher than average rate of infection with sexually transmitted diseases. A Jackson EMC Foundation grant of $15,000 funded training, materials and salaries to add comprehensive education about STD medical facts and infection prevention to Smart Girls curriculum, as well as increase the number of girls the program serves in an effort to end this crisis.

“In Smart Girls, we learn facts about sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and guys—the things they will tell you, like the first time won’t get you pregnant,” Jocelyn said. “After I learn the facts, I go tell my friends, because a lot of them believe the myths.

“To be honest, I didn’t feel that I had worth before I started Smart Girls. Now I know that the personality of a person is what makes people want to be with you. I think we really need Smart Girls, and I hope to stay in the program through high school. High school is really hard, but now, I want to graduate and maybe go to college.” *Not her real name.

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On the Road to Their Potential jackson creative community resource center

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ne afternoon a week you’ll find George Bell greeting visitors at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia as a community volunteer. On another afternoon each week he volunteers at the East Athens Community Resource Center Library, helping children with their reading and aiding the librarians.

Sandwiched in between his community service is a part-time job as a Wal-Mart greeter. Somehow he also found time to serve as president of People First, an advocacy group for people with disabilities.

A very busy man, George, like 55 other developmentally disabled adults, relies on the Jackson Creative Community Resource Center’s “Connecting Everyone” transportation service to get to and from work and community outreach activities.

“Transportation is key to being a part of the community,” explained Mike Hammer, Development Officer for Advantage Behavioral Health Systems, the parent organization of Jackson Creative. "A lot of us tend to take that for granted. If you can't provide transportation for yourself or can't arrange it, you can't be the person you have the potential to be."

Jackson Creative helps people with developmental disabilities reach their full potential through employment and volunteer work that match their interests.

Transportation is one of the primary services provided to clients whose activities promote a sense of selfworth and help them achieve their life-long goals. Those activities also enrich the community with more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service each year. Without the transportation Jackson Creative provides, many of these valuable people would be home-bound or institutionalized.

In September 2009, the Jackson Creative wheelchair lift van George depended on deteriorated beyond repair, leaving George and several other wheelchairbound Connecting Everyone clients stuck at home.

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2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

Jackson Creative client George Bell (l) with program driver Sam Adams (r).

Without funds to purchase a new wheelchair lift van, Jackson Creative took a creative approach to replacing the broken-down vehicle. Athens’ St. Mary’s Hospital, which had a fleet of unused ambulances after outsourcing its ambulance service, announced they would donate their decommissioned vehicles to organizations which would use them for a similar purpose. Jackson Creative developed a plan to renovate one of the ambulances as a handicapped accessible vehicle, applying for and receiving one of the St. Mary’s fleet.

Jackson Creative, along with St. Mary’s Hospital of Athens, keep George Bell involved in the community. Unused ambulances converted into handicapped accessible vehicles have allowed Bell, and other volunteers like him, the mobility to clock more than 4,000 service hours a year.

Transportation is one of the primary services provided to clients whose activities promote a sense of self-worth and help them achieve their life-long goals.

Next, Jackson Creative applied for a Jackson EMC Foundation grant to cover the $11,090 it would take to equip the ambulance with a wheelchair lift, floor locks to secure two large, motorized wheelchairs during transport, seating for ambulatory passengers and other modifications necessary to ensure that Connecting Everyone clients could travel safely.

"Everything fell into place like dominoes," said Shirley Buice, Jackson Creative's Transportation Manager. "We had the converted ambulance on the road in May." "George couldn’t do what he does if we didn't have the lift van," said Sam Adams, a Connecting Everyone driver. The special vehicle is on the road at least 20 hours each week, making sure Jackson Creative clients in Athens and Jackson County have the opportunity to continue developing their potential and enriching their community.

2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

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Jackson EMC Foundation, Inc. Jefferson, Georgia FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF MAY 31, 2010 AND 2009 AND REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

Support

Contributions Interest Other

Program Service Expenses Community Assistance Family and Individual Assistance Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Unrestricted Net Assets, Beginning Unrestricted Net Assets, Ending

22

2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

2010 2009

$ 1,040,602 $ 1,027,405

3,883 6,030

3,150

1,047,635 1,033,435 1,003,889 80,350

943,568 84,089

1,084,239 1,027,657 (36,604) 291,999 $ 255,395

5,778

286,221

$ 291,999

Jackson EMC Foundation, Inc. SCHEDULE OF COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE FOR THE YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2010

Advantage Behavioral Health Systems

$

11,090

American Red Cross-Northeast Georgia Chapter

5,000

Aids Athens, Inc. American Legion Post 215 Ark of Jackson County, Inc. Athens Community Council on Aging

Athens Justice Project Athens Regional Foundation

Athens Urban Ministries Atlanta Union Mission

5,000

10,000 10,000 7,500

10,000 7,500 6,055 6,000

Banks County Literacy Council

15,000

Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County

12,000

Barnabas Ministries

Boy Scouts of Northeast Georgia Boys and Girls Club of Winder Camp Koinonia

Camp Kudzu, Inc. Campus Church of Christ CASA-Hall/Dawson Program

10,000 5,000

15,000 10,400 5,000 3,000 5,500

CASA-Piedmont, Inc.

10,022

Cobb Health Care Center

5,000

Children’s Center for Hope and Healing Christian Education Centers, Inc.

12,000 5,000

Computers for Youth-Atlanta

10,000

Cooperative Ministry-Norcross

10,000

Cooperative Ministry-Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry-Lilburn Creative Community Services

Diamond in the Rough Youth Development Program Dream House for Med Fragile Children

Duds and Spuds of Zion Baptist Church Eagle Ranch, Inc. Empowered Youth Programs, Inc.

Exodus Outreach, Inc. Extra Special People, Inc. Family Connection-Barrow County

15,000 5,000

10,000 4,000

15,000 1,000 7,500 5,000 5,000

10,000 12,000 2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

23

Family Connection-Jackson County

14,000

Four Corners Primary Care

15,000

Gainesville Care Center

10,435

Family Connection-Lumpkin County

5,000

For Her Glory Fund

Fragile Kids Foundation Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services Gainesville Jaycees Vocational Rehab Center Gainesville State College Foundation

Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy Gateway House Georgia Children’s Chorus

Georgia Community Support and Solutions

15,000 10,000 10,000 15,000 10,000 8,200 5,000 3,000

Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation

15,000

Guest House, Inc.

5,000

Good News Clinics Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett Gwinnett Community Clinic, Inc.

7,500

13,577 5,000

Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center

15,000

Hall County Foster Parent Association

2,500

Habitat for Humanity-Athens Area Habitat for Humanity of Hall County Harmony House Child Advocacy Center

5,000

15,000 3,000

Healing Place of Athens

10,000

Hi-Hope Service Center

15,000

Health Access Initiative Hebron Community Health Center

IDEALS Foundation, Inc. Interlocking Communities, Inc. Jefferson First Baptist Church Food Pantry

Junior Achievement of Georgia-Gainesville L.A.M.P. Ministries

15,000 10,000 3,000

10,000 2,500 7,500 7,500

Madison County Senior Center

15,000

Mended Hearts

13,550

MedLink Georgia, Inc. Meet the Need Ministry, Inc. Mentor Program-Clarke County Mentor Program-Madison County

Mercy Health Center Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living

Muscular Dystrophy Association Music Time Learning Center, Inc.

NE Georgia Medical Center NEGA Youth Science & Tech Center 24

7,500

2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

5,200

15,000 5,000 2,500 4,074 5,725 2,500 5,000

15,000 3,000

Newtown Florist Club

5,000

Northeast Georgia Ballet Ensemble

5,000

Next Stop Foundation NOA’s Ark, Inc.

8,100 5,000

NSPIRE Outreach, Inc.

14,000

Peace Place

8,910

Nuci’s Space Our Neighbor, Inc.

Piedmont Rape Crisis Center Piedmont Regional Library System Pilot International Foundation

Prevent Child Abuse Athens

4,800

10,000 13,050 10,000 2,899 3,000

Project ADAM Community Association

15,000

Recording For the Blind and Dyslexic

8,740

Rainbow Village, Inc.

Rape Response, Inc. Rotary Club of Madison County

10,000 8,000 5,000

Salvation Army of Athens

10,000

Samaritan Stand Corporation

7,000

Salvation Army of Gainesville Salvation Army of Lawrenceville

Sandy Creek Nature Center, Inc.

Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse South Hall Community Food Pantry Southern Ballet Theatre of Georgia

10,000 10,000 2,852 5,000 2,000 5,000

Special Olympics-Barrow County

11,000

Stable Foundation

3,000

Spectrum Autism Support Group, Inc.

Spirit of Joy Christian Church

10,000 1,500

Step by Step Recovery, Inc.

15,000

Tree House, Inc.

15,000

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc. The Ark: United Ministry Outreach Center

Veterans and Community Outreach Foundation Winder Barrow Coalition Word of Faith Church, Inc. YMCA-Winder Barrow YMCA of Athens

15,000 7,000 6,000

14,710 2,500

15,000 12,500

$ 1,003,889

2010 jackson emc foundation annual report

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2010 jackson emc foundation annual report