Client Newsletter ~ September 2020
Si necesita leer este boletín en español, haga clic aquí.
Happy September! We are starting a unique school year this year. Some students will be doing virtual learning and some doing hybrid learning (both in person and virtual). We want you to know that if you find that you are struggling, please reach out to Stacey. We are here to provide you with tools and resources so that you all can have a successful school year.

We know this has been a challenging year for everyone. We continue to provide support through our Neighbor to Neighbor Fund for those experiencing a one-time crisis. We are here to provide case management and refer you to resources that can best support your family, so call or email Stacey with any questions or concerns: (608) 849-5740 or sdudley@waunakeenc.com. Remember, we are in this together. 
Client Advisory Team-We Still Have Openings! 

We know that everyone has a lot on their plates, however your input and presence on our Client Advisory Team is so important to helping us best serve our community. Understanding the situations, challenges, successes, and needs of our clients is essential as we plan for our services and programs. To achieve this, we are forming two client advisory teams that will meet 2-3 times a year with Stacey and Lisa to give us input, feedback, and ideas. We are extending the deadline to be considered for the team. If you would like to be considered for participation in one of these teams, please contact Stacey via email or at (608)849-5740 by Wednesday, September 30th. There will be a Spanish interpreter. 
September Brings a Holiday Extravaganza in our Corner Store!

If you are looking for holiday décor for any season to create some holiday spirit in your home, you will want to visit Neighborhood Connection’s Holiday Extravaganza! Our retail partner, Bed, Bath and Beyond, has generously donated holiday décor for all seasons/holidays for you to enjoy. Come on in during our September shopping dates for new items to make your home look festive this year. 
Holiday Programs Update
 
Unfortunately, we will not be having Kids’ Christmas Shopping this year due to the pandemic and our efforts to keep all children and families safe. If this creates a hardship for your family, please contact us and let us know. We anticipate that we will still offer Adopt-a-Family and the Christmas meal, though the format may be slightly different.
Reminder: Important News for Spanish-speaking Households

If you and/or members of your household speak Spanish primarily or are bilingual in English and Spanish, please click over to the Spanish version of the newsletter for some important information about a new Facebook group, Waunakee en Español, and a survey from the Village that is available in Spanish.  
COVID-19 Guidelines and Procedures

We’ll be following the phased re-opening schedule as recommended by Dane County’s plan. We’ll notify clients and the community of our movement into each phase via our Facebook page, website, and/or email and text messages. If you need additional information on this, please review it here.
Shopping Dates and Times for September
  • Friday, September 4 (Senior Shopping) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Tuesday, September 8 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM
  • Wednesday, September 16 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Thursday, September 24 | 4:00 - 7:00 PM
 
For shopping, please adhere to the following guidelines:
  • Anyone coming into the building must wear a mask.
  • Please only send one person from your household for shopping, if possible.
  • We will only allow five clients in the building at one time. Please wait in your car or outside on the sidewalk until you are asked to enter.
  • NOTE that we have changed the order of shopping in September to allow different families to have earlier access to the store. To facilitate social distancing, please come to shopping based on the first letter of your last name: WXYZ 10:00 AM/4:00 PM; STUV 10:30 AM/4:30 PM; OPQR 11:00 AM/5:00 PM; KLMN 11:30 AM/5:30 PM; FGHIJ 12:00 PM/6:00 PM; ABCDE 12:30 PM/6:30 PM. If these times don’t work for you, please request a different time from Stacey.
Neighbor to Neighbor Family Crisis Program

If your family is experiencing a short-term, unexpected crisis, the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program can provide extra support and resources as you adjust to new circumstances. Through the Neighbor-to-Neighbor fund, we may be able to help cover some of the immediate expenses you may have.

We realize that during this time many of you may be out of work and this could create a short-term financial crisis for you. Perhaps you need help to buy groceries, pay utilities, pay rent or other necessary bills; this fund is designed to assist with those needs in this difficult financial climate. Please do not hesitate to ask or feel badly about having financial difficulties during this pandemic. We are here to help and happy to do so! If you are interested in applying for this program, click on the link to fill out an application. If you have questions about this program, please contact Stacey or Lisa.
Don’t Forget to Complete the Waunakee Community Survey!

The Village of Waunakee is asking all residents to participate in a Community Survey. The Village strongly encourages all households to respond to the survey so that the responses can accurately reflect the views of all those in the Village. The Village has contracted with Polco/National Research Center, Inc., an impartial third-party firm that provides municipal governments with a low-cost, high-quality method to conduct community research.

In mid-July, a random and scientific sample of 1,700 households received invitations to participate in a community survey via mail, and their confidential responses are currently being weighted and analyzed. If your household received this survey in the mail last month, we ask that you please make sure your paper copy is returned.

For those households that did not receive the survey in the mail, you can access the survey here.

The Community Survey link will remain active until August 25th. If you have any questions regarding the survey or process, please contact Kylie West, Executive Assistant at (608) 850-2182.

About Polco/National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) - Polco/NRC is the leader in the field of public sector research and evaluation, with clients from across the country and around the globe. The firm is comprised of a skilled team of social scientists who supports cities, counties, foundations and nonprofit organizations in using research to help communities thrive. Polco/NRC pioneered the development of The National Community Survey (The NCS™), and continues to offer a suite of products designed to enhance the public voice and aid local decision-making.
Community Resources

Rental Assistance

Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program (WRAP) 
  • This program assists eligible renters who have had a significant loss of income due to COVID-19 and need help with their rent. This program is administered locally by the Community Action Coalition. To learn more about WRAP call the W.R.A.P. hotline at (608) 237-1255.

  • You may qualify for rent assistance through the Dane County CARES Eviction Prevention Program, which is available to all, regardless of immigration status. (608) 257-0006 ext. 7. Some additional tenant protections might also protect you under the CARES act. For advice on how to negotiate with your landlord and rental resources, contact a housing counselor from the Tenant Resource Center: Phone: (608) 257-0006.

Joining Forces for Families
  • Joining Forces for Families is an organization that works to address the needs of families and children. They respond to basic needs (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, housing, transportation) as well as personal and family needs (e.g., child and family matters, mental health and AODA issues). The new community social worker is Kristel Tatus and her contact information is: Phone: (608) 846-9603, Cell: (608) 512-9210 and email: Tatus@countyofdane.com
Community Events in Waunakee
Waunakee Is Home
Join LIVE on the Create Waunakee Facebook page on Saturday, September 5th at 10:00 AM. We will travel together “From Latvia to Waunakee” with Nadia Durovich-Meyer and Margaret Meyer, and hear the heartfelt stories of the one who came from afar and the one who welcomed her with open arms. Follow this event link to receive updates on the event!
Building Connections Program
Join the online discussion of the documentary “13thon September 17th at 6:30 PM. As part of the Building Connections program series, this work will be used to discuss systemic racism and white privilege. This documentary is available to watch free of charge on both Netflix and YouTube. Please plan to watch the documentary prior to the discussion. Click here for more information and to register for the program.
Waunakee Farmers Market

Every Wednesday, ​June 3 - October 28 | 3pm-6pm
Waun-A-Bowl/Rocky Rococo Parking Lot, 301 S. Century Ave. 

The Waunakee Area Farmers' Market makes it easy to enjoy farm fresh, locally produced, delicious goodness throughout the growing season. With a goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle for our community, we bring vendors together who provide a wide variety of fresh, quality produce, homemade goods and handmade products. New seasonal selections available every week. The Market is an outlet for local growers to sell their goods, connect with the community and preserve Wisconsin's unique agricultural heritage. 
Storytime LIVE

The Waunakee Public Library has Storytime LIVE Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:45am! Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, and more!
There will be streaming of the live videos straight from the library's Facebook page. To get notified when we start streaming, make sure you Like or Follow our Facebook page!
 
Some story time videos will also be uploaded to the library YouTube page to be watched at your convenience.
New Client Registration

Anyone interested in registering to receive Waunakee Neighborhood Connection's services can contact Stacey Dudley, client and volunteeer services manager, at sdudley@waunakeenc.com or (608) 849-5740 to set up an appointment.