Here’s ways that CR has grown recently: 

• Since late 2021, 48 families have either been referred to CR using the Unite Nebraska platform and/or have been connected to other resources by CR Coaches. We encourage agencies to participate in the referral system of United Nebraska.  
• Mental Health Vouchers began as a pilot project at one school district several years ago. Today, 10 school sites or school districts utilize Mental Health Vouchers for students.  
• The number of contracted counseling agencies who provide services for youth mental health vouchers has grown from 9 in October 2021 to 12 in the first months of 2022.  

CR staff continues to strive to strengthen current partnerships and make new ones. If your organization would like additional information about Community Response services, contact Central Navigator, Tammy Bichlmeier, at centralnav@columbusunitedway.com.

Congratulations to Denise Kracl who has been appointed as a County Court Judge for the Fifth Judicial District. Understandably, she has resigned from the CFP Steering Committee and as the CFP Secretary. We thank Denise for her dedication, passion, energy and commitment to CFP and the Steering Committee. We wish you the best on this new chapter of your life.  

So much about our lives revolves around our relationships with others….family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, those we serve in our work, those who attend worship services with us and more. Chances are good there is someone you are connected to through your own relationships that could help us with our Thriving Families, Safer Children work.  

We’re looking for youth (ages 14 and up), young adults and adults who are willing to share their lived experience with us. We’ll learn from those who share with us to help others who may be going through similar situations.  

What kind of lived experiences are we looking for? A variety of experiences are needed! It might be a single parent with children trying to make ends meet, it might be the teenager of a single parent and their perspective of living in a one parent home, it might be a person who is willing to share what it is like to ask for help to pay their bills or to access the food pantry, a person who is in recovery, a family that adopted a foster child, a child in the foster care system, a person working toward their GED, a youth who was removed from the home for safety reasons, a parent whose child was removed from the home for safety reasons, the list goes on!  All of us have valuable lived experiences to learn from.  

“Lived Experience” meetings will be held beginning in the fall for one hour at the time in which works best for them to meet without jeopardizing their job. This may be in the evenings. Stipends of $25/hour will be provided. We’re hoping 5-7 people will work with us for six months (more if they’d like to) yet there is no commitment to continue meeting with us after the first time they attend a meeting.  

Relationships.  

Who in your life might be a person willing to share their lived experiences with us to help others who may be facing with similar situations?  

Contact Roberta at rmiksch@columbusunitedway.com for more information.  

Columbus Area United Way is hiring for a

Full-Service Community School Coordinator

The Community School Coordinator (CSC) is a full- time school-based position, intended to promote partnerships which support students and families in their school and life goals. The CSC acts as a strategic thought partner responsible to execute the coordination and alignment of resources within their assigned community school (Schuyler Elementary) to achieve desired educational and developmental outcomes. This position is expected to carry out all of the work in partnership with students, families and the community - under the vision and direction of the community collaborative leadership, school principal, and the site based FSCS team. Coordination is done under the core components of a community school and other relevant frameworks; it is also dependent on needs present in the school and addresses key priority areas, such as: academic, social-emotional, health, basic needs and others. All of this done in the context of community and school partnerships which support the whole child and their family. 

Interested applicants should submit their resume and cover letter to hfreshour@columbusunitedway.com.