STEP News Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action (STEP), Inc.

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1 Volume 5 Issue 2 March 2015 STEP News Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action (STEP), Inc. STEP Provides Child Care Transportation for YMCA The partnership between STEP, Inc. and River Valley Regional YMCA continues to grow and benefit children and their families. On the heels of establishing two new STEP Head Start classrooms in Lycoming County at the new Williamsport YMCA, STEP Transportation is now busing children in the Y s School-Aged Child Care program to and from school. The YMCA felt our Transportation program could help them out greatly by managing the transportation for their child care services, says STEP Transportation Manager Dan Merk. STEP coordinates the scheduling and supplies the drivers. During the school year, children in the program are bused to and from four local elementary schools. STEP will also provide transportation services for the Y s Williamsport and East Lycoming branch summer camp activities. Your Pathway to Success I n s i d e T h i s I s s u e : Pages 2 & 3 Healthy Aging Pilot Engages Seniors Page 4 AARP Tax-Aide Volunteers Make a Difference Page 5 AmeriCorps Members Serve Crystal Lake Ski Center Page 6 STEP Transportation Implements Ecolane Page 7 QCI Enhances STEP Weatherization Program Page 8 STEP Head Start Celebrates Dr. Seuss, Dental Health Month Any time the Y can partner with another community entity with a strong reputation of helping people like STEP it s a win-win for everybody, especially the kids who we can continue to provide with good service. Dave Fagerstrom CEO, River Valley YMCA STEP s mission is to engage diverse individuals, families, and communities in the pursuit of social and economic success.

2 Independent Living Pathway to Success The STEP Office of Engagement: Aging, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and Mindful Harvest, is piloting a unique, hands-on program designed to promote healthier lifestyles for senior citizens through healthier eating. Healthy Aging through Local Harvest is a weekly workshop series that features fun, interactive learning about growing, purchasing, preparing, and enjoying healthier foods. The program, held at the STEP Clinton County Community Center in Lock Haven, recently wrapped up its first four-week session entitled Back to Basics. More than 50 participants prepared and tasted healthy food options, including homemade sauces, pasta salad, chicken noodle soup, sweet potato hashbrowns, omelets, and a breakfast salad. Success: I starting reading labels, looking at the ingredients. What participants I couldn t believe the difference in items. are saying... I bought a healthier pasta according to what I learned. I couldn t believe the difference in the taste of the soup just because of the broth. I learned all broths are not the same. I actually made a large batch of soup and froze it. I would have never done that before. I used the tips they gave us on how to freeze and I am looking forward to using the individual servings. To register for the next Healthy Aging through Local Harvest workshop call Page 2

3 A generous donation from community partner Lock Haven Moose Family Center Lodge #100 helped make the Healthy Aging program kickoff a huge success. The gift will support the PA Department of Aging grant to purchase program materials such as portable burners, cutting boards, pots, pans and utensils. For more information about the STEP Healthy Aging through Local Harvest program please visit Page 3

4 Independent Living Pathway to Success A small but mighty group of volunteers is making a big difference during Engagement: tax season. The STEP Office of Aging annually sponsors the AARP Tax-Aide program in conjunction with the IRS. The volunteer-driven program offers free tax help for taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to people aged 60 and older. Retired college accounting professor Phil Landers, pictured below left, volunteers as the Tax-Aide site coordinator in Lycoming County. His team of six volunteers dedicated more than 1,200 hours last tax season and is on track for a similar number of hours this year. The group uses space at the Office of Aging Lincoln Senior Center at the STEP office building in Williamsport. Working out of STEP s Clinton County Community Center in Lock Haven, Clinton County Tax-Aide Site Coordinator Alice Bryerton enlists about 16 community volunteers, including students in the accounting program at Lock Haven University, to help with tax returns. The volunteers complete federal, state, and local tax returns, and applications for Pennsylvania s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. This year they are expected to assist more than 1,300 people. Success: Instead of using their skills to earn money for themselves, the volunteers for the AARP Tax-Aide program have chosen to provide tax assistance to low- and moderate-income seniors at no charge. Their service to seniors is priceless. Fred Shrimp, Program Director STEP Office of Aging For more information about STEP Office of Aging services visit Page 4

5 Community Collaboration Pathway to Success Engagement: This winter was a pivotal season for perpetuating an important local recreational resource, and STEP AmeriCorps played a key role. Two AmeriCorps members were placed in service at Crystal Lake Ski Center, part of Crystal Lake Camps in Hughesville. Sue Stackhouse, below right, and Suzy Thompson, at left, helped recruit volunteers, coordinate outreach, and establish operational structure for the nonprofit. Sue coordinated important outreach programs Skis to Schools and Skis to Scouts to help introduce cross country skiing to area youth and their families, said Camp Director BJ Thompson. Suzy really helped us with much-needed infrastructure. A Lycoming County Visitors Bureau tourism promotion grant, and a great snow base, also contributed to the busiest ski season yet at Crystal Lake! Success: My service at Crystal Lake Ski Center has been a lot of fun, very eye-opening, and relaxing all at the same time. I like that I get to help people learn new things. Suzy Thompson STEP AmeriCorps Member For more information on STEP AmeriCorps visit Page 5

6 Independent Living Pathway to Success Billtown Cab Co. Lock Haven Taxi Engagement: In advance of a new state requirement impacting Shared-Ride transportation providers, STEP Transportation is rolling out a new, software-based transportation management system. Working with PennDOT, STEP is poised to begin using the new system, Ecolane, on April 28, Ecolane is a real advancement in how we manage our services, says STEP Transportation Manager Dan Merk. We are moving from manual scheduling to a software-driven system. Our drivers will be equipped with mobile data terminals, giving us the ability to adjust their routes in real time, as needs change. STEP is also equipping vehicles from Billtown Cab Company in Williamsport and Lock Haven Taxi with the mobile data tablets. Both companies support STEP in providing transportation services. At left, STEP Transportation Program Manager Dan Merk demonstrates the use of a mobile data terminal to STEP Transportation driver Donna Hartman. Success: We see Ecolane as a tool that will give us more effective scheduling, improved customer service, and greater efficiency and planning capabilities. Dan Merk, Program Manager STEP Transportation STEP Transportation coordinates door-to-door, Shared-Ride services in Lycoming and Clinton counties, providing more than 101,000 one-way rides last year. Page 6

7 Housing Options Pathway to Success Engagement: New, tougher national standards will soon be in place for cost-effective, energy-saving measures made under the Weatherization Assistance Program, and the STEP Housing and Building Initiatives team stands ready to meet those new requirements. Set to take effect in July, the new standards require a certified Quality Control Inspector (QCI) to inspect all weatherization jobs. Providers have the option of having an in-house QCI or contracting an independent third party. STEP already has a certified QCI, and two more team members are in the process of becoming certified. Being able to do the inspections in-house gives us the ability to communicate through the entire project to assure the guidelines are being met as the work is done, rather than having a third party find a problem after the fact, says STEP Housing and Building Initiatives Senior Project Manager Jeff Dawson. Becoming a Quality Control Inspector is an extensive process. Applicants must be preapproved through the national Building Performance Institute. After intense training, they must pass written and field exams. STEP team member Brian Wilson (pictured) is a certified QCI. Success: Weatherization is a building science. The bar is being raised in this field, like it has been in other fields. STEP has steadily been increasing its knowledge and skill set over the years. We ll be ready to implement the new requirements. Fred Englert, Operations Manager STEP Housing and Building Initiatives STEP expects to complete more than 30 home weatherization projects this year. Page 7

8 STEP Head Start = Engaged Learning Jim Plankenhorn, President & CEO designate Traci Lowe, CFO STEP, Inc. Board of Directors Leonora Hannagan - Vice Chairperson Randall J. Allison - Treasurer Susie Bigger Aron Carter Joseph Cato Above left, STEP Head Start classrooms throughout Lycoming and Clinton counties celebrated Dr. Seuss Week with activities such as reading the famed author s books, dressing in silly clothes, making Cat in the Hat hats, and preparing and eating green eggs and ham. Head Start teacher Amanda Weaver says, Dr. Seuss Week is a great time for focusing on the children s emerging literacy skills, as his stories are full of rhyming. Dino the dinosaur, accompanied by students in the dental hygiene program at Pennsylvania College of Technology (above right), recently visited Head Start classrooms to show children proper brushing skills. The children also learned about going to the dentist and what types of foods to eat to help keep teeth healthy. STEP Head Start is now on Facebook! Like us at Robert Cross Carolyn Hawk Justin Houser John Kiernan Joel Long Jackie Oliva Jeff Rauff Debbie Reese Lindsay Stamm 2138 Lincoln Street Williamsport, PA Phone: Fax: step@stepcorp.org Website: Visit STEP on Facebook at This publication is available electronically or via US Mail. To change the status of your delivery, including unsubscribing, please call or STEP. Contact STEP, Inc. at or for information on how you can make an investment in your community.