ACAP gives region a boost

By Lohr McKinstry

Jun. 11, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- ELIZABETHTOWN -- There are many people in Essex County whose lives would be much more difficult without Adirondack Community Action Programs.

With its $5 million annual budget, the Elizabethtown-based community-service agency provides preschool-education programs, senior meals, energy-conservation projects and help with many other needs.

ACAP Executive Director Alan Jones said his organization is proud of its accomplishments.

"We care about the entire community and are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. We take great pride in what we have accomplished, offering much-needed services to low-income families in Essex County."

The federally funded ACAP has been around in some form for 43 years.

"Poverty is, unfortunately, a very real part of life for some families," Jones said. "With programs such as ours, families can achieve financial stability."

ACAP has been praised for its Weatherization and Energy Services Program, directed by Moriah resident Barbara Allen.

"Every day, we assist low-income families in Essex County to conserve energy, save money and improve their living conditions, because they lack resources to invest in energy efficiency," Allen said.

The program offers a wide range of services, including home insulation and energy-saving heating systems.

"Low-income families in Essex County will save an average of $358 in reduced first-year energy costs," Allen said.

"ACAP completed 61 homes during our last program year, which means the folks we service will benefit from these savings."

Community Action Programs runs the OneStop Employment Center on Hand Avenue in Elizabethtown, which offers resume, Internet, fax and copy services to people seeking jobs.

ACAP Director of Employment and Training Ellen Gordon said 1,200 people made 2,700 visits to the OneStop Center last year.

"People are finding a lot of value. They can work on resumes; they can work on interview skills, do a job search."

She also runs the ACAP summer youth-employment program, which has 45 young people signed up to work in towns this summer.

Other worker programs are the Senior Community Service Employment Program and the Welfare To Work Program for the County Department of Social Services.

"If they (Social Services clients) are found employable, they are required to participate in a work activity," Gordon said. "That is really to get a chance for us to assess if they are really employable, and sometimes it is assigning them to showing up for work and seeing if they do that. Sometimes that in itself is huge."

The ultimate goal is unsubsidized employment for the person, she said.

Director of Aging Services Barbara Papineau operates ACAP's Nutrition Program for the Elderly in partnership with the County Office for the Aging.

"It's a large food-service operation serving seniors in Essex County. Every day, more than 700 meals are delivered out of our central kitchen in Elizabethtown.

"These meals are delivered to the 14 nutrition sites and to our homebound and frail elderly in all 18 townships. At the sites, the seniors can enjoy breakfast; they can enjoy lunch at noontime or dinner at 5 p.m."

They will also do the shopping for seniors or provide a dinner box with enough raw ingredients to make seven meals.

"The home-delivered meals are part of an array of in-home services, contributing to the ability of these elderly to live in their own homes and remain independent."

ACAP runs Head Start in Essex County, which serves about 125 children at seven sites.

"Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood (development) program," Head Start Director Micky Hopper said.

"By comprehensive, I mean that with the children we address health, dental and mental health, nutrition and education, including social and emotional development."

Jones said ACAP has an excellent staff of 150 people county-wide.

"We have the ability as an agency, with services ranging from early childhood to senior citizens, to really effect change and help people."

ACAP is made up of a very professional group of people, Supervisor Randy Douglas (D-Jay) said.

"In these trying times, people are struggling to keep their homes, and I appreciate everything they do to make people's lives a little bit easier."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0401-25924239