Rankin Christian Center

SUPPORTS COORDINATION SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AND VARIOUS OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES SUPPORTS COORDINATION - MON VALLEY SUPPORTS COORDINATION (MVSC) LOCATES, COORDINATES AND MONITORS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND/OR AUTISM (I.Q. 70 OR LOWER, ONSET MUST OCCUR PRIOR TO AGE 22.) THE PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR AN INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL, HEALTH, SAFETY AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS WHILE ASSISTING THE INDIVIDUAL AND HIS OR HER FAMILY IN NAVIGATING THE SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM. MVSC HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A LEADER AMONG THE SUPPORTS COORDINATION SECTOR BY DELIVERING SERVICES IN A WAY THAT IS UNIQUELY PEOPLE-DRIVEN, COMMITTED AND PROGRESSIVE. MVSC CURRENTLY HAS A CLIENT BASE OF NEARLY 1,600 INDIVIDUALS, AND EXPECTS TO CONTINUE TO GROW AS CHANGES IN THE STATE HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM CONTINUE TO OPEN THE SERVICES TO A WIDER POPULATION. *** WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020, OUR SUPPORTS COORDINATION PROGRAM QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO VIRTUAL PLATFORMS AND HAS CONTINUED TO FOLLOW ALL GUIDELINES TO SERVE OUR CONSUMERS REMOTELY OR IN PERSON AS NEEDED. ***

CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES - THE CENTER'S YOUTH PROGRAMS EACH PROVIDE A VARIETY OF AGE-APPROPRIATE RECREATIONAL, NUTRITIONAL, COMPUTER AND SKILL-BUILDING ACTIVITIES AIMED AT PROMOTING PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THEY ARE THE FOLLOWING: AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM (AGES 5-12); EVENING PROGRAM (AGES 13-18); YOUTH OF THE NATION (AGES 13-18); AND SUMMER CAMP (AGES 5-12). THE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS SERVE UP TO 40 ENROLLEES AT THE RANKIN SITE AND ANOTHER 10-15 THROUGH OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM AT PALISADES PLAZA. YOUTH OF THE NATION IMPACTS THE LIVES OF UP TO 20 AT-RISK AREA TEENS. IN ADDITION TO THESE PROGRAMS, THE RANKIN CHRISTIAN CENTER RAISES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF PRIVATE DONATIONS ANNUALLY FOR ITS A.N. MINNEY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH SINCE THE 1970'S HAS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS AND RETURNING COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE GRADUATES OF THE WOODLAND HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT. NORMALLY AROUND 30 SCHOLARSHIPS OF $500 - $1,000 EACH ARE AWARDED EACH YEAR, FOR A TOTAL OF $15,000 - 20,000. *** WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020, WE WERE REQUIRED TO SUSPEND ALL IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS AND FUNDERS, WE PROVIDED "GRAB AND GO" OR DELIVERED MEALS, CRAFTS AND OTHER SUPPORT TO OUR YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE TIME THAT WE COULD NOT HOST THEM IN OUR BUILDING. STARTING IN JUNE 2021 WE WELCOMED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES BACK FOR WEEKLY FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS, TWO OUTDOOR COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHTS, AND A ONE-DAY PER WEEK DAY CAMP THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. ***

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - THE CENTER'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE SENIORS ON THE MOVE, WHICH STRIVES TO KEEP SENIOR CITIZENS ACTIVE AND INDEPENDENT THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL, RECREATIONAL, SPIRITUAL, EDUCATIONAL, NUTRITIONAL AND PERSONAL SAFETY ACTIVITIES. ON AVERAGE, AROUND 20 SENIORS PARTICIPATE IN DAILY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS COMPUTER CLASSES AND MISCELLANEOUS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, WHILE 50 - 70 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS. THE CENTER ALSO OPERATES A FOOD PANTRY FOR THE RANKIN COMMUNITY, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK, THE EDGEWOOD TOWNE CENTER GIANT EAGLE, ALDI'S MARKETS, AND LOCAL PARTICIPATING VENDORS. ON AVERAGE, THE FOOD PANTRY SERVES AROUND 200 NEEDY FAMILIES EACH MONTH. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION, THE CENTER COORDINATES THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN RANKIN TO HELP PAY UN-MET UTILITY BILLS. AROUND 40 NEEDY FAMILIES PER YEAR BENEFIT FROM THE FUEL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE CENTER ALSO HAS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO AT-RISK RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING, INCLUDING ASSISTING RESIDENTS FACING HOUSING DISPUTES, HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND TENANT COUNCIL. *** WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020, WE WERE REQUIRED TO SUSPEND ALL IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES FOR OUR SENIOR PROGRAM. OUR FOOD PANTRY QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO OUTDOOR DISTRIBUTIONS WITH APPROPRIATE SAFETY PROTOCOLS. WE PARTNERED WITH HERITAGE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES TO PROVIDE DELIVERED MEALS TO OUR SENIORS WHILE WE COULD NOT HOST THEM IN OUR BUILDING, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH THEM TO PROVIDE ONSITE MEALS FOR OUR SENIORS WHEN THEY RETURNED IN AUGUST 2021. ***

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