106
Compassion in Action Inc
2001 North 35th Street
P.O. Box 11483
www.compassioninactioninc.com
Teela Ann Mickles
Founder/CEO
teela@compassioninactioninc.com
+1 (402) 502-9890
Yes
Project Leader -Project Manager- Architect - Electrician - Plumber - IT - Work Crew Manager- Finance Coordinator
Will upload Organizational Chart
Compassion In Action Inc., (CIA) relocated to the property of the former Wesley House in 2013. His historic site was the location of the first Social Service Office in North Omaha in the early 60's. CIA moved to the property to expand services to people confined in prison and begin the RAW DAWGS Youth Corps Gang Prevention Program for boys 5 to 13, to break the cycle from cradle to crime. The RD Program embraced academics, parents, teachers, siblings, coaches, Omaha Police Department, UNMC College of Public Health and other entities in its operations. In 2017, the building was vandalized and due to lack of funding and staff, the RD Program was terminated but will be resurrected as funding and staffing are sufficient. Many civic leaders and citizens in North Omaha have cherished childhood memories from the former Wesley House and CIA constructed a "Community Mural" to express some of those memories and honor the rich history of family service from the Wesley House. The Community Mural is painted on the entire west side of the Mission Church building, also located on the same property. At the time of its inception, the Wesley House mainly served African American families until it closed in 2010. Today, CIA and Mission Church continue to expand services and support to people groups of 14 different languages. These are struggling disenfranchised individuals and families who were already affected by cultural change, systemic poverty, racism, addiction and other negative social ills. Now, they are attempting to recover from the effects of the Covid pandemic with additional concerns including mental, emotional and physical adjustments. The number of participants in prison that CIA serves, tripled during the pandemic and now all Pre-Release Education/Reentry Preparation Courses are facilitated via correspondence. In addition, the number of people we serve in the community including families affected by incarceration, through our food pantry also tripled. CIA, in partnership with Saving Grace provides fresh produce, dairy products, eggs and prepared meals to families through our Community Pantry. The service is provided only once a week, due to the food shortage nationwide and less food products available through the Foodbank of the Heartland. CIA received the 2020 Black History "Trailblazer" Award from Congressman Don Bacon, for outstanding services in the North Omaha Community. We are listed in the Congressional Records of the United States of America House of Representatives for the second time. The first time was when Congressman Lee Terry recognized and honored the work of CIA in the community, in 2004.
Compassion In Action Renaissance Project
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Combination of capital project and service/program
The overview of the project is to develop the property with a state of the arts auditorium that will provide the headquarters and meeting place for the Omaha RAW DAWGS Youth Corps Gang Prevention program and serve 100+ boys. Property improvements and additions include the renovation of our commercial kitchen for job training and employment. The auditorium will also provide office space for job training, life skills and additional program and project development to accommodate generational progress in the areas most lacking in the community. Attached to the auditorium is a stage for the Ampitheater on the north side of the building, which will provide an avenue for the expression of the Arts in this multi-cultural area. North Omaha will have the opportunity to expose individuals and families to different cultural expressions, creating community unity. The location is Compassion In Action - 2001 Noth 35th Street, Omaha, NE 68111.
The timeline for the project is projected to be at least 90% completed by 2025 as necessary city code requirements are approved in a timely manner for construction. The timeline for completion of the project could be 2025 with the understanding that some situations for completion will be beyond our control and could delay the process. A timeline schedule is uploaded at the end of the grant application
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Fundamental Change (i.e., a proposal that will continue to elevate North or South Omaha's presence and perception within the region, significantly improving the lives of area residents through physical development) Long-Lasting Economic Growth (i.e., a proposal that will foster gainful employment opportunities and financial investment in the area, leading to the creation of generational wealth and widespread economic vitality in North and South Omaha) Transformational (i.e., a proposal that will help energize, recharge, or spur significant and favorable advancements in North or South Omaha's function or appearance)
Policy (i.e., develop or improve context-sensitive education, finance, health, training, zoning, etc.) Quality of Life (i.e., create or enhance natural spaces, mixed uses, parks, safety, etc.) Sustainable Community (i.e., create or enhance housing, services, education, civic uses, recreation, etc.)
Compassion In Action Inc. (CIA) has been serving men, women and youth confined in prison and families affected by incarceration since 1994. The Pre-Release Education/Reentry Preparation Program is the preliminary service which is implemented prior to their release from prison Enrollment is voluntary and well known throughout most of the Nebraska Department of Correctional facilities. The services and support provided cover; pre-release, reentry, post-release, transition and community reestablishment for program participants. CIA is embracing the person in prison to validate and empower them. Rebuilding their families through community resources and trained volunteers during their absence. Breaking the cycles of racial injustice, systemic poverty and negative behaviors leading to criminal acts and incarceration, which have become generational. The longevity of the program has placed CIA in a unique position to create personal and meaningful curriculum, seminars, workshops and trainings to meet the needs of the most disenfranchised group of people n our society, the incarcerated and their offspring. Each level of service to this population has exposed a new need as well as connected our cause to different resources in the community. CIA has a more realistic approach to violence prevention among youth by developing inspired, educated and engaged parents. Thus, enhancing the quality of life for citizens who experience additional stress and social struggles due to criminal histories. CIA has learned from serving parents prison the very negative effects and generational challenges they have passed onto their offspring. Unfortunately, they are setting them up for failure without adequate intervention and prevention in breaking those negative generational cycles. With the development of the CIA Renaissance Project, CIA will continue to create and enhance services and support families affected by incarceration including the 14 different languages in this community. The auditorium will support civic uses for meetings, workshops, seminars and strategic planning to improve the quality of living for generations to come. Sports competition, recreation, academic improvements will also be available for the community through this Project. Improvement of the quality of life is the focus for most non-profits and CIA's Rennaissance Project will provide a center location for extended education in finances, health and cultural competency. The Amphitheater will be the site for the expression of the arts, dance, music and drama in central North Omaha.
According to the SWOT Analysis, one of the strengths for North Omaha is identifying unique resources the area can draw from and what others see as the area's strengths? Individuals who graduate the CIA program and are supported by other entities that serve this population, experience personal validation. This is the fuel that motivates these individuals to respond to the opportunities available to them in North Omaha above and beyond the call of duty. Character building and commitment to prove themselves in a community they once offended, will turn the identified internal strengths in the SWOT Analysis into opportunities. This population also experiences all the points identified as "Weaknesses in the SWOT Analysis, regarding fewer resources than others and how others would likely view their criminal background. The strength of culture and character integrated in the neighborhoods, would also include Returning Citizens (RCs) in the economic hubs proximate to North Omaha. Thus, providing more opportunities for economic growth to RCs who are willing to commit to projects of development for the long term that most would reject. Hopefully, the process would also address the lack of economic investment in North Omaha that does not recycle within the community. RCs, for the most part don't have the luxury to pack up and move out west for economic success. Black owned businesses, unfortunately, are not supported by Black people. Therefore, they are forced to take their business outside of the immediate area in order to succeed. With regard to the FINDINGS: Insufficient Infrastructure, Development that fits within the cultural context and need to access and tools to leverage community resources, the CIA Renaissance Project (CIARP) would house the necessary programing, progression application and advancement to improve these areas for North Omaha. In the North Omaha Needs pie chart, Quality of Life is 3% mostly due to the concept that people confined in prison, who will one day be released are rarely included in the equation of neighborhood improvement. They are mostly seen as a negative element delaying the process of quality of life and neighborhood safety. The CIARP with the foundation of serving this population and preparing their families for a successful reentry back into society provides a piece of the puzzle that is rarely considered but extremely significant. The CIARP will be inclusive of all cultures and community residents, however, will also know the value of this struggling population committed to be a part of positive long-term change. They can actually become community champions in the fight against violence and crime due to their experience and the results of their criminal acts. In response to the Transcribed Public Comments for North Omaha, the location of CIARP is easy access to local neighborhood and surrounding areas. The project will accommodate the Arts including the cultural expressions of 14 different languages in a positive light in an area once plagued with violence and crime. The construction of the CIARP can utilize the identified strengths and opportunities for North Omaha and far surpass the weaknesses and threats once embraced and implemented in the planned programing and strategies for that project.
The LB1024 strategic priorities focus is on the additional lack of services and support imposed on the already disenfranchised population in certain geographic areas in North and South Omaha, prior to Covid-19. CIA is serving and supporting the population that are usually not included in community awareness of a suffering population. In addition to racial injustices, lack of economic opportunities, poor education, cultural adjustments and systemic generational challenges, criminal history further deprives them of opportunities for advancement. The pandemic simply made a negative living situation worse. In addition to their 'norm' of life challenges, those individuals and their families are struggling with depression, poor health, suicide and a sense of hopelessness. When adequately supported, the confined population can make significant strides toward improving the economy once given the proper training and opportunity to work. The construction of the CIARP will provide a hub to correct those areas most ignored by the general public and establish positive strides of live improvement for generations to come. The CIARP will provide service and support to all, however with the inclusion of the RCs and those yet to be release, the potential for breaking many negative, systemic, generational cycles will be an additional asset.
The anticipated job creation and wages associated with this proposal will be both temporary and permanent. Temporary jobs and wages will be utilized through the planning, zoning, construction and completion of the project. Once completed, the CIARP will house offices for employment, job training and life skills while hosting workshops and seminars for life skills and job retention. The CIARP will have the foundation from CIA to serve several generations concurrently.
The number can be estimated in the hundreds as the CIARP will serve several generations.
The number of temporary/construction jobs is estimated 100+ but will be determined by the Construction Planner
The job wage levels will be determined according the the required skills of the Contract Managers
The plans being created for the construction of the CIARP will provide immediate opportunities for businesses and contractors in the Qualified Senses Tracts. At the completion of the project, the ongoing opportunities for development of new businessowners and contractors will be a main focus for the project.
The population being served is and has always been diversified and will impact the economy accordingly. Latino workers are committed, skilled laborers but lack opportunities for various reasons including the setback from Covid-19. African American laborers lack the inspiration and motivation to plan for a future and focus on immediate needs. The CIARP will provide that personal validation and genuine motivation from the progression of early childhood, intervention in criminal lifestyles and empower families to break those negative generational cycles. The local neighborhood will be improved as disenfranchised residents including returning citizens are adequately equipped and prepared to make positive contributions to to the community they once offended. The local neighborhood is where these individuals were raised and negatively influenced which resulted in criminal acts and incarceration. CIA provides services and support to break those cycles for Individuals to return to their neighborhoods and give back. This process also positively impacts the quality of life in the community as restored returning citizens become a positive part of deterring violence and crime. Instead of the generational tax burden, the construction of the CIARP will break those cycles and develop generational community assets. The CIARP is positioned to serve and address the needs for more than one generation at a time, reuniting the family and fostering community unity which will benefit all.
Citizens who are restored and recover from the challenges of life including the pandemic, produce committed workers seeking to become business owners or consider a liable career of their choosing beyond the basic 9 to 5 job. The processes mentioned in this project proposal exposes individuals to their own personal hidden potential. Many times, it took incarceration for these individuals to even see value and purpose beyond their negative paths of self-destruction. There are many opportunities for developing life skills, job skills, creating new jobs for generations to come though the construction of the CIARP. The site will provide a headquarters in the local North Omaha area to develop leaders, project managers, worker recruiters and demonstrate positive examples to follow, for natural environment and quality of life in this community. Since these some of the population in question were once problems in the community at one time in their lives, they know all too well where the needs are and how to contribute to the stabilization and quality of life for their offspring.
The newest concept for North Omaha to realize is the actual recovery, restoration and value of the confined population, which impacts city in one way or another. The full inclusion of this people group in the development and success of this project is new.
Restored individuals to society, reunited families, youth violence prevention on a large scale, improved education for underserved youth, new jobs, job retention, new jop opportunities,demonstation and display of the Arts for 14 different languages, cultural diversity at a higher level, safe, impowered neighborhoods.
They would be measured by hied staff, keeping track of the involvement and progress of each individual and family.
Hopefully, this is a catalyst for co-investment and even secondary investment as the project progresses to completion and then operates from there for generations to come.
Yes
Most Reentry agencies such as RISE, ReConnect, Metropolitain Community College Reentry Program asr some we currently partner with. New partners will be those who come onboard for the construction of the project. Their MOUs are not applicable, however the resumes of new partners will be attached.
none with the current network partners, resumes for new partners working on the project.
No
Compassion In Action Inc. 2001 North 35th Street Omaha, NE 68111 and Mission Church 3401 Patrick Avenue Omaha, NE 68111
Within one or more QCTs
all applicable documents to be downloaded at the end of this application.
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
By The Wells Resource LLC
No
a document with underestimated project costs will be attached which was created prior to this grant proposal. However, the costs for the project have been taken from the rough draft of the project in question.
They will be used specifically to construct the Compassion In Action Renaissance Project.
Yes
We have the information pertaining to the construction of the project only.
We have none for this project
Not sure of the question
Not sure
Not sure
We are totally committed to the completion and operation of this proposed project, now and going forward.
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Data table of uses (breakdown of how the requested funds will be used for your proposal) Organizational Chart Plans and detailed descriptions, including pictures and a map of the site location/surrounding area Proposal Budget/Sources and Uses Schedule