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Dear Friends,
Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet Counties continues to be committed to helping our communities thrive. Our mission, to eliminate poverty and promote self-reliance and self-sufficiency by combating its causes, is as relevant today as it was when we opened our doors more than a half-century ago.
While each year provides an opportunity to reflect on successes and new goals, this year gave us even more to contemplate. An evolving landscape, funding challenges and changes in services and among providers, required an even greater focus on our core objectives.
Despite the challenges, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of many, we continued to see positive results in the lives of those we serve. Early childhood programs, senior nutrition, housing programs and essential assistance programs have served thousands with supplemental education, food, housing and case management.
I want to thank all of our community partners and supporters. I want to thank our Board of Directors for providing guidance and faithfully representing their communities. I want to thank volunteers whose passion for community service helps sustain our agency. And, of course, I want to recognize Opportunities staff for carrying out our goals and objectives, and consistently serving above and beyond.
This year we will continue carry the same approach, optimism and confidence in the people who make it possible.
Marco Cruz
Executive Director
YOU ARE THE CHANGE
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GRANTS & CONTRACTS ...........$10,177,651
IN-KIND DONATIONS .................$2,456,488
PROGRAM SERVICES ................$1,673,275
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS .............. $281,380
Cash ....................................................$807,346
Accounts Receivable ...........................$911,770
Pre-paids .............................................$174,914
Property & Equipment ................... $10,247,578
Total Assets .............................$12,141,608
Current Liabilities ............................. $1,183,573
Long-Term Liabilities ....................... $8,186,421
Total Liabilities ..........................$9,369,994
Net Assets ..................................... $2,771,614
Total Liabilities & Net Assets ... $12,141,608
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION*
FINANCE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 11/30/17
OPPORTUNITIES EXPENSES $14,665,933
*Audited Numbers
HEAD START ..........................$10,201,784
MEALS ON WHEELS ..................$1,362,550
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ...........$1,561,685
COMMUNITY SERVICES ............... $670,471
GENERAL & ADMIN ..................... $869,443
OPPORTUNITIES REVENUES $14,588,794
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As the official local area Senior Nutrition Program, we provide hot, fresh-cooked nutritious meals to seniors in need each week day.
We offer meals at select Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet County centers as well as home-delivered meals to those whose mobility is limited — thanks in large part to our faithful volunteers.
PROGRAM IMPACT
One in six seniors struggles with hunger. We can provide a senior Meals on Wheels for one year for roughly the same cost as a single day in the hospital.
We served 1,882 seniors from five local senior centers located in Round Rock, Georgetown, Taylor, Leander and Marble Falls. Our centers provided congregate meals for 581 seniors and deliveries to 1,301 home-bound clients.
Our meals account for one-third of the US Recommended Daily Allowances, served hot and fresh, five days per week, 52 weeks a
year.
PROGRAM SUPPORT
For 2018, we have planned two inaugural “Style in Action” brunch events to raise additional funds. Local boutiques contribute apparel and volunteers for a fashion show. Private and business donors contribute auction and raffle items. We also enlist many county and state VIPs to participate as Servers.
We plan to continue these shows as our signature events in both counties. With sponsorships, partners and community support, we expect these events to bring $30,000 in new revenue to our program.
Delivered 168,400 meals to homes in two counties
Served 36,600 congregate meals at five centers
SENIOR NUTRITION
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Did you know a family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States? Now imagine someone out of a job.
HIGHVIEW RETIREMENT VILLAGE
Our facility in Marble Falls provides services to residents, including informative health programs and screenings, food distribution, and social activities to 46 seniors and 10 disabled persons
CEDAR RIDGE APARTMENTS
Cedar Ridge in Leander is a two-phase development that offers two- and three-bedroom apartments with family-oriented amenities. With our assistance:
• 12 resident families increased financial stability and were able to purchase their first home.• 55 special needs (senior and disabled) individuals continue to live independently and comfortably.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
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Opportunities Community Services provide critical employment, adult education, utility assistance and budget counseling programs throughout Williamson and Burnet Counties.
A Change for the Better:
• 1,331 individuals served in Burnet County • 6,143 individuals served in Williamson County• 483 individuals received CEAP utility assistance in Burnet • 1,494 individuals received CEAP utility assistance in Williamson• 130 individuals assisted in obtaining skills required for employment
14 INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED THE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BY TRANSITIONING OUT OF POVERTY
I am 52 and a single parent of two daugh-ters. I used to work as a house cleaner. Everything seemed went well until it took a toll on me physically. I no longer can work as many hours as I could before and things were falling down. I went to Leander Public Library I saw the application to get help for electricity bills. I applied and a week or so later Ms. Mary called me to set up a meeting. That very first meeting changed my life! I told Ms. Mary what I was facing. She showed me many professions available, after a few short classes, that are less physical. At first, I was hesitant but finally I found something I can do well; Medical Assistant. Ms. Mary encouraged me to go to college and get information about the program. She was always there whenever I needed information or advice. She replied promptly and made the process easier for me.
In the middle of the registration process, we discovered I was too late for financial aid. She discussed my problems with the organization and taught me how to negotiate a payment plan. She also encouraged me to get a job in customer service to be able to pay for the rest of the tuition. I took the opportunity! I met the head of Health Department Pro-gram and discussed the payment plan. The response was so positive and they approved the financial aid through the TPEG program. Without Ms. Mary guidance, I would not know what to do and how to hustle like that. With-out the organization behind me, I would not know there is always hope. I see the future much better. I thank Opportunities for helping people like me. Thank you for having the best social workers. There are many in my situation who
just need a little help, a little guidance, and a little push. Opportunities, through its social workers, does such a GREAT job. Thank you so much. ~Diani
_______________
Thank you for helping me through these difficult times by assisting with my electric bill. With all of the doctor bills plus medication, it gets pretty tuff. Your services has saved me lots of stress. Also the meals I eat at everyday helps me also. I don’t have to try and cook everyday. I give back as much as I can when I can. I do appreciate the program so much. ~Pearlie C.
COMMUNITY SERVICES
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EARLY HEAD START TOTAL: 297 HEAD START: TOTAL: 507
BELOW THE POVERTY LINE ...........236
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) .......... 16
FOSTER CARE .................................. 13
OVER-INCOME .................................... 8
HOMELESS ....................................... 10
100-130% INCOME ......................... 14
BELOW THE POVERTY LINE ...........315
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) .......... 29
FOSTER CARE .................................. 14
OVER-INCOME .................................. 42
HOMELESS ......................................... 4
100-130% INCOME .......................103
Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child and family development programs that prepare children from birth to five years of age to become successful school students and members of society. Williamson and Burnet Counties are made up of many diverse communities. Our cities include fast-growing urban centers like Round Rock; approximate population 106,000 and 29% economically disadvantaged, to rural farming communities like Bartlett, with an approximate population of 2,700, 70% of whom are economically disadvantaged.
HEAD START • EARLY HEAD START
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OUR FAMILIESPERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL: 804
OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL: 804
• 47 HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN 47 • 23 HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL FAMILY SERVICE PLAN• 66 AT EARLY HEAD START RECEIVE EMOTIONAL WELLNESS SERVICES • 132 AT HEAD START RECEIVE EMOTIONAL WELLNESS SERVICES
While some may think it is only preschool; I know the truth. This wonderful program allows our children to learn and grow; prepare them with a solid foundation of education and social skills. What I didn’t realize, was that it would do so much more than teach. By the end of the year with Head Start, my chil-dren developed a foundation of knowledge and social skills; recognizing names, shapes, letters, colors, days of the week, months of the year, and much more. Every day, this program says Friends instead of Students because our children are more than bodies filling seats. The staff treat them like their own child
and only want the best for them. The staff is very helpful, they help to find solutions and genuinely care about your well-being. You never feel like you have someone in your corner helping you achieve your goals. Head Start isn’t just a preschool, it’s a family working together to make a better life. “It takes a village to raise a child” is a very com-mon quote and now I understand it better. The Head Start program is my village.
~Joshua Ballard
AT FLORENCE HEAD START
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HEAD START COMMUNITIES
• BARTLETT• BURNET• FLORENCE
• GEORGETOWN• GRANITE SHOALS• HUTTO
• LEANDER• LIBERTY HILL• MARBLE FALLS
• ROUND ROCK• TAYLOR
Opportunities Head Start program, in collaboration with local school districts, operates 31 Early Head Start classrooms in infancy through three years old, and 36 Head Start classrooms with children aged 3 to 5 years in Williamson and Burnet Counties. Eligible families are enrolled based on their level of need.
STUDENT PROFILES
One-third of our children are overweight or obese.
On a standard chart, kids ages 2 to 19 fall into one of four categories. For kids under 2, doctors use weight-for-length charts instead of BMI. Any child under 2 who falls at or above the 95th percentile may be considered overweight.
BMI is usually a good indicator of body fat, but it is not a direct measurement.
We have 804 students• 23 are underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile• 319 are healthy weight:
BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile• 69 are overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles• 76 are obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile
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On behalf of my husband and myself, I would like to talk about Head Start in general, and mor specifically about the Florence program. Our family has a long history with Head Start. Three of our daughters started their education with Head Start in a small, mostly migrant community outside of Phoenix, Arizona. It was there they learned how to socialize with other children and learned to respect authority outside of the home. It was where good health, hygiene, and nutrition were encouraged. It was where block play, drama, art, music, toys, and games taught them about the world around them. It was where the founda-tions of reading, writing and simple math were put in place to give them... well... a head start on their educations. This was true for all three of our daughters in El Mirage, Arizona and it has been equally true for our little guy in Florence, Texas. If everything I have already mentioned represented the only benefits our family and our children received from Flor-ence Head Start, it would be enough. These ladies would have done their jobs. They would have earned their paychecks, and our expectations would have been met. But apparently good enough is not good enough for the staff in Florence. They were not just interested in sewing into the educational growth and preparation of our son, they had a vested interest in our entire family. As our hard economic times grew worse, as we went through emotional struggles, and as we experienced just plain old bad luck, these ladies were there every step of the way. A Walmart gift card on a week when grocery money was tight. Everything needed for a holiday meal. Gifts to place beneath a tree that would have otherwise
been bare. A little financial help to get through another couple of months until something comes through for us. Some people may say funding is provided for things like this; within the scope of the program, and the ladies at Flor-ence Head Start are just doing their job. Okay, so how about this? These ladies gave me lists of places and programs we could use to help us get through this rough spot. They actively searched for and notified me when they heard of employment opportunities I potentially qualified for. When a paid position opened at Florence Head Start, they offered me the opportunity to apply for it. Is this still not enough to qualify for above and beyond status? How about this? The center structures its programs, outreaches and monthly meetings far beyond meeting the edu-cational needs of our children or encouraging parent involve-ment. They encourage and foster the creation of community. For the first time in years, my husband and I have people we consider friends. We have been invited to a birthday party! Do you know how exciting it is to be invited to a party when you have had no sense of community for more than four years? Thing about where the people you enjoy seeing and talking to come from. Church? Work? A club? For us, it’s Florence Head Start. My grumpy husband doesn’t complain about having to rush home to pick me up, so we can turn around and drive back into town for the monthly meeting! He looks forward to it. Let’s recap—to make sure these ladies are doing their job. The Head Start Program in Florence, Texas.
1. Encourages educational growth in our children. 2. Prepares children to enter the traditional education system. 3. Encourages good hygiene, proper nutrition and healthy
living in our children. 4. Looks out for the best interest of the children by looking
out for the entire family. 5. Helps families down on their luck. 6. Offers job assistance to unemployed parents. 7. CREATES COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ONE. My praises do not stop there. Was it their job to see through my emotional walls and take the time to ask me what was wrong? When situation after situation pushed us further into a hole, was it their job to encourage us to keep climbing? Was it their job to call me to see how I was doing or how a job interview went? When personal tragedies struck our family, was it there job to embrace me as tears rolled down my face? Was it their job to teat me and my family like we are a part of their family? Well, they did! And we are! Thank you for your time.
AT FLORENCE HEAD START
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604 High Tech Drive • Georgetown, TX 78626 • (512) 763-1400 • OWBC-TX.org
Frances Theone, Hutto [email protected]
Tiffany Wilson, Burnet [email protected]
Zachary Osburn, Burnet [email protected]
David Arelluo, Burnet [email protected]
Erica Banaski, Bagdad [email protected]
Antonio Peña, T.H. Johnson [email protected]
Crystal Saucedo, Rawleigh Elliott [email protected]
Anayeli Mendoza, Rawleigh Elliott [email protected]
Erendira Puente, Harris Ross [email protected]
Cassandra Ibarra, Harris Ross [email protected]
Josie Hernandez, Round Rock [email protected]
Elyssa Proby, Round Rock [email protected]
Romy Kirby, Round Rock [email protected]
Judy Guerrero, Florence [email protected]
Jillian Peña
2017 HEAD START POLICY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
Frank Reilly, Chair Burnet County Potts & Reilly, LLP; Municipal Judge
Kelly Dix, Vice-chair Burnet County City of Burnet, City Secretary
Valerie Covey, Treasurer Williamson County Williamson County Commissioner
Tracy Waters, Secretary Williamson County Mel’s Food & Beverage, Director
Sandy Anderson, Member-at-Large Williamson County NCI-WFS Rural Capital Area Director
Mark Tummons, Williamson County City of Leander, Parks & Recreation Director
Roxanne Nelson, Burnet County Justice of the Peace Pct 1
Nina Stancil, City of Georgetown Appointed Representative
Susie Rodgers Burnet County
Paul Emerson Williamson County
Lenwood Nelson Burnet County
Allison Milliorn Burnet County TX Housing Foundation, COO
Rhonda Mundhenk Williamson County Lone Star Circle of Care, CEO
Amelia Warren Head Start Policy Council Chair
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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