Multiple Program Grant 2007 – LSS/New England
Lutheran Social Services of New England
Wellesley, MA
Jumpstart Repair Program
The Good News Garage operates the Jumpstart Program which was designed to get donated cars to working low-income families who are in danger of losing employment or training due to the loss of their transportation. A large number of families have applied to the program because their own vehicle has broken down and they don’t have the funds to pay repair costs. These grant funds will expand this program to include a repair component for low-income individual who need emergency repairs. Clients will be asked for partial payments and financial assistance will be sought from other sources to supplement grant funds. The long term goal is to develop a revolving loan funds that will allow recipients to have their car repaired and pay for repairs over an extended period of time.
Educational Interpreting Program for Deaf Children
This program offers American Sign Language interpreting services to children who are deaf in K-12 educational settings. These services will include the provision of a one-on-one certified educational interpreter, the provision of substitute interpreters as needed and the support, supervision and mentoring of the assigned interpreter. As part of this service, LSS also provides support and informal training to the student’s family, the classroom teacher, affected school employees and other members of the student’s educational team.
Scattering the Clouds: Home Companion Services
One of the primary goals of this program is to provide hope and healing to individuals with dementia living at home. Their lives are made less fearful and more comfortable through staff’s work with family members or caretakers. The follow-up objective is to design an affordable and effective program of Home Companion services that will go beyond education and support for caretakers and provide additional assistance that will prolong the dementia clients to remain at home until long-term residential care is required. Start-up funds are required to hire a program manager with the skills needed to develop the infrastructure of the home companion program. This will involve the creation of policies, training programs, employment schedules and the like.
New Life Job Development Program
The Family Support Center is planning to offer a job development program consisting of computer literacy training, English as a second language instruction and supporting financial literacy workshops to low-to-middle income people who struggle with unemployment of sub-employment. This new service will add to the existing case management services provided to enable the program to offer training and educational programs that are difficult to access in the city.