Transportation Survey

Horizons, and other community partners are in the midst of completing a community transportation Needs Survey to determine it the current transportation services are meeting the needs of the regions special needs population. Special needs populations are defined as Senior Citizens, low-income individuals, youth, and disabled persons.

RUFEES – Tax Assistance Preparation

March 2010

Horizons in partnership with OIC Prosperity Center, AARP and the Othello Housing Authority sponsored a Tax assistance day. Free Tax preparation services were provided to low-income individuals and senior citizens was provided at the housing authority in Othello. Services were provided in Spanish (via volunteer certified translators).

Adams County Homeless Count

February 2010

ACCN partnered with WSU Horizons, DSHS, WSMC, Adams County Health District, and other local agencies to complete the annual homeless count. Individuals were sent to various locations throughout Othello and its surrounding area to do personal interviews and observations of the homeless problems, as well as hand out Carbon-Dioxide Detectors.

Homeless Needs Assessment

November 2009:
Horizons, in partnership with the Adams County Community Network went out to assess the needs of individuals living in various labor camps in the Othello West area. The majority of the individuals living in the area are Hispanic seasonal farmworkers (and their families); very low income and are considered homeless due to their living conditions. The evening before going out the temperature in the region fell below 0 degrees. During the assessment the outside temperature was around 10 degrees. What we found were people in need of heaters, in need of blankets, in need of beds, many huddled in one room to utilize heaters; we also found many of the trailers’s had wood furnaces added to them, without carbon-dioxide detectors. In response Horizons and ACCN brought resources to bear and was able to acquire 25 heaters, over 40 blankets, 3 beds, and a van load of donated winter cloths, within 2 days to give to needy families.

Imagine U at WSU

Washington State University, Horizons and the Othello School District hosted an Imagine U At WSU for Othello High School student on April 20, 2009. Two days after the gang shooting at Taggeres Park, and the day of the funeral of the slain young man. OHS had a strong police presence during the day, but all went well for all involved. This help in showing students, and the community, in the wake of great tragedy - youth still must believe and hold hope for a better future - and education is an important part of meeting that future.


The day began with an assembly, to introduce the WSU staff and students who were there to work with HS students throughout the day, as well as to "pass" some WSU T-Shirts to HS Students.






WSU Students and staff were in attendance all day to work with students allowing to experience what some of the classes would be like at WSU and what to offer them advise and speak of their experience at WSU






















In response to the need of Hispanic students WSU had a presentation made that directly spoke of the upcoming "DreamAct" that will be presented to the US Congress, and to give hope to those students who are not documented in the need to stay in school, graduate and attend higher education as a way out of poverty.

STUDY CIRCLES

Community Study Circles training for community members was held at the Washington State Migrant Council's Headstart Building (WSMC a local partner hosted the location of the various events). The following Action items were identified as being what the local community should be dealt with in order to improve and/or assist in the reduction of poverty in the area.

1. Infrastructure: The need for road improvement, lights on street corners, stop signs and posted speed limits.
2. Park Improvements: the need for playground equipment, lighting and paved parking at the Taggeris Park (the only park located in the area)
3. Problems with the drinking water in the area. Community members complained of bad tasting and smelling water.
4. Improvement to county ordinances in regards to weeds, garbage removal, old non working automobiles, semi-truck parking in residential areas, and dog control.
5. Assistance in the elimination of the growing gang presence in the community.
6. Assistance to parents and students on how to access higher education.
7. Assistance to parents on how to understand and access the local educational system.
8. Improvement to the public transportation system.
9. Increase to access to local state and nonprofit services.
10. Increase awareness of local high teen pregnancy problem

Study Circles Facilitator Training

Regional Coach Tony Garcia, recruited and trained indivdiuals from various parts of the community to become Study Circles Facilitators.

The Adams County Community Network and the Othello Community Hospital - local area Horizons Partners hosted the training event.

Poverty Labels

Please do not delete this post. NWAF and WSU Horizons requires labels to be added to each post.