LIFT Community Action Agency

EARLY CHILDHOOD - Pre-school and daycare programs for low-income and handicapped children, funded by federal/state grants and parent fees. Early Childhood expenses are approximately 55% of program service expenses.Early Head Start 137 infants & toddlers received services through 3 centers. Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership/Early Learning Centers. A total of 297 infants & toddlers received childcare services through 7 partnership locations. Head Start 590 children were provided Head Start services in 28 classrooms.Broken Bow Early Learning Center - Two facilities providing one-stop child care servcies for up to 81 children from birth through 12 year of age. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) - Provided training and monitoring to 114 daycare homes in 38 counties. CACFP providers receive reimbursements for serving nutritious meals.

COMMUNITY SERVICES Provide necessary community services to reduce poverty and empower low-income families and individuals to become self-sufficient. Community Services expenses are approximately 15% of program service expenses.Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) 69 youth were served by 20 volunteers who contributed 1,310 volunteer hours in service to youth in the court system. 16 children had their cases resolved. Healthy Start 875 total participants, 310 pregnant women, 151 inter-conception participants, 171 children, 193 new babies, and 51 fathers were served within the tri-county area. Rx for Oklahoma 8 individuals were assisted in getting their prescriptions for free or a reduced cost.Victims Advocacy Services Provides support services for victims of crime. 103 victims were served in 2022. 1,038 victims received services since inception in July 2015.Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) - 264 volunteers (ages 55 and over) provided 33,966 hours of service to their communities at 47 volunteer stations, which equated to a dollar value of $753,366. Emergency Assistance - Through funding received from the Emergency Food & Shelter Program, CSBG-CARES, and local donations to the LIFT Emergency fund and through Salvation Army bell ringing, a total of 113 individuals/families received much needed emergency assistance. Mentoring - Provided supportive services and one on one community-based mentoring relationships with 109 rural youth and their families, as a means to encourage positive behaviors and reduce the incidence of delinquency in the youth served.Safe Place Healing Hearts - Served 258 victims in areas of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking victims. Since inception in 2017 a total of 1,054 victims have been served.Youth Build - Provided pathways to education and employment through provision of high school education, construction apprenticeship training and life skills activities. Served 13 individuals in 2022.Tri-County Opiod - Educated 21 volunteer fire departments on how to administer Narcan/Naloxone, opiod misuse, and stigma surrounding opiod use disorder. Conducted 4 Medication Take Back events and received 59 lbs of prescription medicine for proper disposal. Partnered with Parents Helping Parents to start a parent support group for parents with children dealing with addiction issues or who are in recovery.

HOUSING Rehab and weatherization of homes for low income and section 8 housing for low-income, funded by federal/state grants and tenant rental payments. Housing expenses are approximately 17% of program service expenses.Homebuyer Education/Financial Counseling Provided housing counseling, financial fitness, budgeting and/or credit counseling services to 10 individuals/families in 2022. Multi-Family Housing LIFT has 60 unit complex and triplexes in Valliant, Garvin, Fort Towson, Antlers, Soper and Boswell. Self Help Housing 19 families became homeowners in the eight Southeast Oklahoma counties serviced.Weatherization 30 homes were weatherized within the newly expanded territories of Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Coal, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, Murray, Pontotoc and Pushmataha in 2022 to reduce energy consumption making their homes more energy efficient and affordable.