Mid Central Community Action

TO EDUCATE, EQUIP & EMPOWER PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

ALL COUNTERING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES ARE FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL. OUR SERVICES CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH OUR 24/7/365 HOTLINE. IN FY 22, 4,794 CALLERS WERE ASSISTED THROUGH THE 24/7 HOTLINE AND 713 SURVIVORS (620 ADULTS 93 CHILDREN) WERE SERVED BY MCCA'S COUNTERING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, 317 CLIENTS WERE ASSISTED WITH FILING 351 ORDERS OF PROTECTION IN OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR COURT ADVOCATES. INCLUDING OUR HOTLINE AND ADVOCATES IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT, WE ALSO HAVE AN ARRAY OF COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS THAT INCLUDE A 24/7/365 SHELTER, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, MEDICAL ADVOCACY AND A YOUTH SERVICES ADVOCATE. MCCA IS AN ICDVP APPROVED 40 HOUR TRAINING SITE, 20 HOUR SUPERVISORY SITE AND CEU SITE. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE QUALITY TRAUMA INFORMED SERVICES WHILE PRIORITIZING SURVIVOR SAFETY.

MID CENTRAL COMMUNITY ACTION, INC. IS A HUD APPROVED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY WITH TWO HUD CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELORS (HC) AND THREE CERTIFIED FINANCIAL COACHES (FC) ON OUR STAFF. HC'S ASSISTED 115 CUSTOMERS IN BECOMING HOMEOWNERS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. DURING THEIR PATH TO HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND THROUGH OUR FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER (FOC), THE HC'S AND FC'S WORK WITH FAMILIES IN DECREASING DEBT, INCREASING CREDIT SCORES, GROWING SAVINGS, AND EDUCATING THEM ON THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING A HOME. THIS ALLOWS OUR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO OBTAIN DECENT, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES. WE DO DISCUSS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROPERTY AND OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT AND INFORMATION IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. IN FY22, WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 70 CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE FOC, AT AN 88% BUNDLED RATE. OF THESE, 35 OF OUR CUSTOMERS INCREASED THEIR INCOME, 24 INCREASED THEIR NET WORTH, 28 INCREASED THEIR CREDIT SCORES, AND 20 CUSTOMERS WERE PLACED IN JOBS.OUR HUD CERTIFIED HC'S COMPLETED 115 PRE-PURCHASE ONE-ON-ONES, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BUDGETING AND RATIOS, HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR THEIR FIRST PAYMENT, AND MAINTAINING THEIR HOMES. OUR COUNSELORS ALSO OFFER POST-PURCHASE COUNSELING SESSIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT ALL NEW HOMEOWNERS ACCEPT THIS SERVICE. MAYORS MANOR (MM) IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITH 26-EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. MM IS UNIQUE IN THE SERVICES THAT IT PROVIDES TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION OF MCLEAN COUNTY IN THAT IT LITERALLY ENDS HOMELESSNESS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE THERE. ONSITE STAFF PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT, HELP TENANTS THRIVE THROUGH TEACHING INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS AND BY OFFERING GROUP AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. THE FACILITY HAS PARTNERED WITH MIDWEST FOOD BANK AND A LOCAL COMMUNITY AGENCY TO PROVIDE GROCERIES TO THE ONSITE FOOD PANTRY. RESIDENTS PARTICIPATE IN A LOCAL FOOD BANK TO COLLECT THE TOILETRIES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THEIR BASIC NEEDS. THE TENANTS AT MM OFTEN DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS A FAMILY.

COMMUNITY ACTION SERVICES PROVIDED BY MCCA IN FY '22 INCLUDED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT (CSBG) AND THE CARES GRANT. MCCA PROVIDES INCOME SUPPORT COACHING AND ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGH CSBG TO GAIN OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE A GREATER SENSE OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. WE HELP PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE A PLAN OF CHANGE TOWARD INCREASING FINANCIAL STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES. COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TO US LOOKING FOR A BETTER WAY TO MEET THEIR FINANCIAL NEEDS AND TO INCREASE THEIR FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE (INCLUDING A BUDGET PLAN). STAFF HELPS CREATE A MAP OF A PERSON'S CURRENT SITUATION AND PROVIDES HELPFUL DIRECTIONS FOR SOMEONE TO CONTINUE ON THEIR JOURNEY TOWARD FINANCIAL STABILITY. IN FY22, 806 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED WITH HOUSING SERVICES. OF THESE, 654 INDIVIDUALS AVOIDED EVICTION, 233 MAINTAINED SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 43 INDIVIDUALS AVOIDED FORECLOSURE, 7 OBTAINED SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING,6 RECEIVED ASSISTANCE WITH TEMPORARY SHELTER DURING A CRISIS, 68 RECEIVED EMERGENCY UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AND 7 RECEIVED VITAL FOOD ASSISTANCE. FORTY-TWO UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED WITH CAREER SERVICES, WITH 30 GAINING EMPLOYMENT, 12 MAINTAINING STEADY EMPLOYMENT OVER 90 DAYS, 27 ADVANCING THEIR EDUCATION TOWARD A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE, 3 RECEIVING EMPLOYMENT SUPPLIES, AND 3 AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS. THERE WERE 10 INDIVIDUALS WHO IMPROVED THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND ADDITIONAL 86 INDIVIDUALS MET BASIC NEEDS AND IMPROVED THEIR FINANCIAL WELL BEING, WITH A TOTAL OF 673 INDIVIDUALS ENHANCING THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE. MCCA ALSO CONTRACTED WITH TOWN OF NORMAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT TO PROVIDE 330 FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AIDED CITY OF BLOOMINGTON IN PROCESSING OF FILES FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE, AND AIDED 6 FAMILIES WITH MORTGAGE AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORWORKS RURAL GRANT.