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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. This historic site was the location of the first Social Service Office in Omaha in the early 60's. CIA relocated to this 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, families, 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 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 located on the entire west wall 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 they 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, poverty, systemic racism, addictions 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 prison population 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 has also tripled. CIA in partnership with Saving Grace is managing to provide fresh produce, dairy products, eggs and prepared meals to families through our Community Pantry once a week. This is also due to the food shortage nationwide resulting from the pandemic. CIA received the 2020 Black History "Trailblazer" Award from Congressman Don Bacon for 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 2004. According to former Executive Director of the Wesley House, Paul Bryant, the flagpole on the east side of CIA was donated by the Woodman Tower to the Wesley House and was the first flagpole to go up in North Omaha after 911. Today, a flag from our Nation's Capital, which was presented by Congressman Don Bacon, waves from that flagpole, honoring our location.
Compassion In Action Renaissance Project
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Combination of capital project and service/program 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. The renovation of our commercial kitchen for job training. Attached to the auditorium, is a stage for the Ampitheater, on the north side of the building including all interior and exterior property and building improvements to accommodate the completion of the project. The location is Compassion In Acton -2001 North 35th Street- Omaha, NE 68111. The timeline for the project will is projected to be at least 90% completed by 2025 if all necessary city requirements are approved in a timely manner for construction.
The timeline for the completion of the project is proposed to be 2025 with the understanding some situations beyond our control could delay the process. A timeline schedule will be 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 all Nebraska Department of Correctional institutions. 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, while rebuilding their family through community resources and trained volunteers while breaking the racial injustice, systemic, economic and negative cultural cycles that have become generational. The longevity of our 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 in 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 learned from serving parents in prison, the generational challenges they have passed onto their offspring, setting them up for failure without adequate intervention and prevention of violent behavior. As this property is developed according to the proposal, CIA will continue to create and enhance services and support to families affected by incarceration and the 14 different languages in the community. The auditorium will support civic uses for meeting, celebrating and developing neighborhood improvements, recreation and sports competitions. Improvement of the quality of life is the focus for most non-profits and Compassion In Action's Rennaissance Project will provide extended education in finances, health, cultural competency and the Ampitheater for the expression of the arts, dance, drama and music in North Omaha.
I need to review the Visioning Workshop Summary to complete this section
The LB1024 strategic priorities focus is on the additional lack of services and support imposed on the already disenfranchised population in certain geographic areas prior to Covid-19. CIA is serving and supporting individuals in prison and families affected by incarceration who 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. Now, in addition to their 'norm' of life challenges, those same individuals are struggling with depression, poor health, suicide and a sense of hopelessness. When adequately supported the confined population can make significant strides in improving the economy once given the proper training and opportunity to work. They are desperate to prove themselves in the communities they once offended. The LB 1024 strategic priorities encompass the journey of this population to recover from the effects of the pandemic in a very major way. The Compassion In Action Rennaissance Project will provide ongoing strategies for life coaching, job training, gainful employment and job retention. This will not only be for the prison population in their different levels of transformation toward success but all individuals in this geographic area for generations to come.
The anticipated job creation and wages associated with this proposal will be both temporary and permanent. Temporary jobs and wages will be through the planning, zoning, construction and completion of the site. Once completed, it will house workshops and seminars for life skills, network with other entities for job skills and placement of gainful employment. Since the Compassion In Action Rennaissance is geared to serve several generations concurrently, permanent employment and job retention will evolve from the process.
That number can only be estimated to be in the hundreds as the program will be progressive and one group learns another group begins.
That number will also be determined by the Construction Planner which will probably be 100
The job wage levels will be determined according to the required skill of the contract managers and workers.
The plans being created for the development of the property will provide immediate opportunities for business and contractors in the Qualified Sensus Tracts. At the completion of the project, the ongoing opportunities for the development of new business owners 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. Latina 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 immediate needs. The CIA Rennaissance Project will provide that validation and genuine motivation from the progression of early childhood, intervention in criminal lifestyles and empowering families to break negative generational systemic cycles of poverty. The local neighborhood will be improved as Returning Citizens are adequately equipped and prepared to become law-abiding citizens making positive contributions to the communities 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 livability in the community as restored returning citizens become a positive part of deterring violence and criminal acts. CIA Rennaissance Project has the opportunity to address more than one generation at a time, reuniting the family and fostering community unity for the benefit of 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 basic "9 to 5" employment. 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 path of self-destruction. These are the people who will be committed for the long haul after the construction of the CIA Rennaissance Project. They will become the leaders, project managers, worker recruiters and demonstrate positive examples to follow for natural environment and quality of life in this community. These same individuals were problems in the community at one time of their lives and know all too well where the needs are for stabilization and quality of life.
The newest concept for Omaha to realize is the actual recovery, restoration and value of the population we are discussing. The prison population impacts every single citizen in Omaha in one way or another. Their involvement in the development and success of this Project is new.
Restored individuals to society, reunified families, youth violence prevention on a large scale improved education for underserved youth, new jobs, job retention, new job opportunities, demonstration and display of the arts for 14 different languages, cultural diversity at a higher level, safe impowered neighborhoods.
They would be measured by a hired 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 on for generations to come
Yes
Most Reentry programs such as RISE, ReConnect, Metropolitain Community College Reentry Program are some we currently partner with, and new partners will be those who come on board for the development and construction of this project.
Only those who will be involved in the development and construction of the project. Their MOUs will be downloaded at the end of the application.
No
Compassion In Action 2001 North 35th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68111 and Mission Church 3401 Patrick Avenue, Omaha, NE 68111
Within one or more QCTs
The above applicable documents will be downloaded at the end of this form.
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Estimated by The Wells Resource LLC
No
will upload the rationale for the dollar amount request
They will be used for the entire project.
No
A plan of action for the project will be downloaded
We have none
Not sure of the question
Not sure
Not sure
We are totally committed to the completion and operation of this project going forward.
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Additional Location Documents (see application for list) Data table of uses (breakdown of how the requested funds will be used for your proposal) Documentation of site control (proof of ownership, option, purchase contract, or long-term lease agreement) Environmental assessment of subject site. Is the property a brownfield site? Organizational Chart Plans and detailed descriptions, including pictures and a map of the site location/surrounding area Proposal Budget/Sources and Uses Request Rationale Documentation Schedule