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Blue Water Community Action Agency Household Needs Closet

Blue Water Community Action Agency Creates Household Needs Closet

Port Huron, MI — Blue Water Community Action Agency is using CARES funds to provide a Household Needs Closet to the community. The Household Needs Closet is open to all St. Clair County residents who need hygiene and cleaning supplies they may find it difficult to purchase due to a loss of income related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Residents who would like to receive items from the Household Needs Closet can contact Blue Water Community Action Agency directly. They will be asked to provide general information on all household members including birth dates, social security numbers, and the last 30 days of household income. State identification and income documentation may be sent via email or copied when the items are picked up.

Blue Water Community Action Agency is open by appointment only, and eligibility and appointments for the Household Needs Closet are determined by calling their main phone number at (810) 982-8541.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Local Young Adults Can Explore a Career in the Trades or Manufacturing for Free

Opportunities are available for young adults ages 18-25 looking for a career in the trades and manufacturing. The Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! Young Professionals have received a grant to fund 25 participants in the MAP+ pre-apprenticeship for the fall 2020 semester at Macomb Community College.

The apprenticeship is a series of four online classes that explore career pathways in fields that are in high demand. The classes are Shop Math, Drafting/Blueprint Reading, Industrial Safety, and Trade Related Prep. Those who complete the semester will get an Industrial-Readiness Certificate and earn nine credits at Macomb Community College.

Tuition, fees, and book costs will be covered by The Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! Young Professionals. They will also pay for a laptop if needed, as well as tutoring. There is a participation stipend available as well. A high school diploma or GED are NOT required for enrollment, and there are no set times for the classes, which are self-paced modules.

Enrollment information can be found at https://www.macomb-stclairworks.org/map-pre-apprenticeship/.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

August is Community Health Worker Appreciation Month

Lansing, MI — Governor Whitmer proclaimed August 2020 as Community Health Worker Appreciation Month in Michigan and encouraged Michiganders across the state to take this opportunity to thank the community health workers who have worked tirelessly to fight COVID-19.

“Community health workers have risen to the occasion to protect Michigan residents and battle COVID-19,” said Governor Whitmer. “We are grateful for community health workers who continue to work hard to provide health services to communities across the state. I encourage each and everyone of us to show our appreciation to community health workers by taking steps to make their jobs easier by washing our hands frequently, practicing social distancing, and wearing a mask.”

COVID-19 has shed a light on the inequalities felt by communities of color. While African Americans represent 13.6% of Michigan’s population, they represent a staggering 40% of the deaths from COVID-19. Community health workers are vital to reaching under-served areas to help promote and protect the health and well-being of their communities.

Community health workers serve in all regions of the state to help prevent and manage chronic conditions, develop healthy lifestyles, improve maternal and child health, and improve rates of preventative screenings. They effectively deliver health and social services to under-served communities across Michigan through outreach, enrollment and patient education.

Kids in Foster Care Get Help from Dave Thomas Foundation

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the Dave Thomas Foundation to move kids from foster care into permanent homes. Dave Thomas was the founder of the Wendy’s fast food chain and an advocate for adoption.

The program provides the funding for recruiters who find homes for youth at highest risk of aging out of foster care, including teenagers, children with special needs and siblings. JooYeun Chang, executive director of the Children’s Services Agency within MDHHS said, “Wendy’s Wonderful Kids has demonstrated success at finding families for children who have waited in foster care the longest, and we are thankful for the opportunity to expand this program in Michigan.”

The Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program has a success rate for placement that is three times higher than average. According to MDHHs, there are 13,000 children currently placed in foster care with 300 kids needing to be adopted. More information about fostering and adopting can be found at Michigan.gov. More about the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program can be found at davethomasfoundation.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Many Regional and Final Silver Stick Tournaments Cancelled

The cancellations due to COVID-19 aren’t showing many signs of stopping. On July 22nd, after consultation with numerous Minor Hockey Associations, the Board of Directors of the International Silver Stick announced the cancellation of many of their Regional and Finals tournaments for the 2020-21 season.

All Canadian Regional Qualifying tournaments for the 2020-2021 season are postponed until the 2021-2022 season. American Regional Qualifying Tournaments may be held as permitted by State and Local regulations; however, Champions will not advance to an International Final.

All Internationals Finals for the 2020-2021 season are postponed until 2021-2022, except Port Huron AAA. For now, the PeeWee and Bantam AAA teams are still scheduled to play the weekend of January 7-10.

The Board expressed how difficult it was to make the decision, but the health and safety of players, coaches, parents and tournament volunteers was of utmost importance.

SC4 Job Fair Goes Virtual This Month

Port Huron, MI — St. Clair County Community College has not given up on this year’s job fair. While indoor gatherings have been restricted, a Virtual Job Fair will be held on August 18th and 20th, with another one planned for September 22nd and 24th.

In partnership with the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, the City of Port Huron, Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works, and the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, the job fair has the same goal as the “in-person” job fairs: to allow employers to connect with job seekers who are actively seeking work in the area.

This week, employers can enter their company information, contact information, and available job openings through the SC4 Career Coach portal. Next week, job seekers can review the list of job openings and choose a fifteen-minute time slot to meet with employers to find out more about the jobs. Finally, on August 18th and 20th, the employers and potential employees will meet virtually. Job seekers can find more at sc4.edu/virtual-job-fair. Many local companies are in urgent need of new employees, according to SC4. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland