The ROC receives grant

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ST. MARYS — The Resource and Opportunity Center (The ROC), 128 S. Spruce St., St. Marys, has announced it is the recipient of a 2016 grant award from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

The $5,000 award from CCHD will help fund The ROC’s upcoming program “Getting Ahead in a Just Getting By World.” The ROC’s successful application marks the first time that an Auglaize County organization has received funding from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, which is funded by an annual collection in parishes across the country on the last weekend before Thanksgiving. In each diocese and archdiocese a portion of the CCHD collection is retained for local projects; the ROC’s award is based upon a competitive application process administered by the Catholic Social Action Office and approved by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr.

“Getting Ahead in a Just Getting By World” is a 16-week, 45-hour course that equips participants—individuals and families—living in poverty with the tools they need to build better lives for themselves and become active, engaged members of their communities.

The Getting Ahead curriculum:

• Involves rigorous work done in a safe learning environment with the support of an experienced facilitator and co-facilitator;

• Enables participants, called “investigators,” to examine their own experience of poverty as well as explore issues in the community that affect poverty − banking, housing, jobs, transportation − providing critical information the community can use to take action to end poverty;

• Guides investigators through an assessment of their own resources and how to build those resources as part of their move to self-sufficiency;

• Places the concepts, tools, and relationships in the hands of people in poverty to make a difference in their own lives and in the life of their community.

“We’re so excited about this grant award from CCHD because this program with Bridges Out of Poverty is the very essence of what we promote at the ROC. We are thrilled to have the funding available to offer a program that provides the necessary tools and knowledge to get ahead financially,” said ROC directors Joe and Bev Hurlburt.

The ROC anticipates that “Getting Ahead in a Just Getting By World” program will begin in September 2016. Those who wish to participate in Getting Ahead and those who wish to assist as volunteers should contact the ROC by Aug. 15; call 419-300-5277 or visit the organization on Facebook, The ROC – Resource & Opportunity Center.

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