St Gabriel-Mercy Center

TO ESTABLISH SERVICES AIMED AT INCREASING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND HUMAN DIGNITY FOR RESIDENTS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS:IN THE FOUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED AT ST. GABRIEL MERCY CENTER, OVER 100 CLIENTS UTILIZED THE PROGRAMS DURING THE YEAR THROUGH CONSISTENT ENROLLMENT OR DAILY USE. DURING THE 2023 YEAR, THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS NOT AS DETRIMENTAL TO STATISTICAL NUMBERS AS THE PRIOR YEAR; HOWEVER, IT STILL PLAYED A ROLE IN SOME REDUCTION IN PARTICIPATION. GED CLASSES STARTED AUGUST 15, 2023 FOR THE FALL SEMESTER AT ST. GABRIEL. THE PROGRAM STARTED WITH TEN STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE (WITH PEAK ENROLLMENT AT 12) SPENDING OVER 300 HOURS IN THE PROGRAM. THE ADULT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN CLARKSDALE, MS, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE TABE TESTING ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS (PRE AND POST). THE TABE PROCESS OFFERS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PRACTICE TESTING TO BECOME EXAM READY. GED INSTRUCTORS ALSO WORK WITH THE DELTA EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER AT DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY; THE PROGRAM OFFERS VARIOUS WORKSHOPS ON EDUCATION AND PROVIDES FREE TESTING VOUCHERS FOR ALL THAT QUALIFY. ADDITIONALLY, THE GED PROGRAM PERIODICALLY INVITES FORMER STUDENTS BACK AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO OFFER WISDOM AND MOTIVATION TO THE STUDENTS.THE MERCY CENTER COMPUTER LEARNING LAB REPORTED OVER 100 UNDUPLICATED VISITORS UTILIZING COMPUTERS FOR OVER 100 HOURS LEARNING BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS, APPLYING FOR JOBS, TAKING ON-LINE COLLEGE COURSES, COMPLETING SCHOOL PROJECTS, UPDATING RESUMES, AND GED STUDENTS PRACTICING FOR THEIR EXAMS AND IMPROVING THEIR TYPING SKILLS. THE COMPUTER LAB HAD 216 PARTICIPANT DAYS, WHICH TOTALED 238.75 HOURS OF USAGE FOR THE YEAR.THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM WAS RUN BY THREE ROBERTSON SCHOLARS WITH ELEMENTARY AGED CHILDREN FROM THE NORTH BOLIVAR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT SPENDING OVER 50 HOURS IN THE PROGRAM. THEY TOOK A FIELD TRIP TO THE GRAMMY MUSEUM, THE BOLIVAR COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM, DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND THE BOLOGNA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT DSU TO WATCH A FILM. THEY ALSO WORKED ON DIFFERENT SUBJECT AREAS, PLANTED VEGETABLES, AND PARTICIPATED IN ENGAGING GAMES AND ACTIVITIES.SEWING CLASSES ENROLLED THREE STUDENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WITH ONE ACTIVE TAILOR (THE COORDINATOR) AND ENDED WITH TWO STUDENTS BY DECEMBER. OVER 100 HOURS WERE SPENT IN THE LAB FOR THE YEAR. THE STUDENTS LEARNED THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF SEWING (MACHINE USAGE, LAYING PATTERNS, THE CORRECT GUIDE TO CUTTING MATERIAL AND DESIGNING GARMENTS) FROM BEGINNING TO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES TWO-THREE DAYS PER WEEK. THE DELTA BOUTIQUE RECORDED SALES OF 38 HAND-MADE GARMENTS. OF THE 38, TWENTY GARMENTS WERE SOLD.

HEALTH PROGRAMS:IN THE TWO HEALTH PROGRAMS COMBINED (SENIOR OUTREACH EXCLUDED DUE TO COVID), 54 FAMILIES WERE ENROLLED AT THE BEGINNING WHICH PEAKED AT 55 DURING THE YEAR AND ENDED AT 44. THIS INCLUDED 56 CHILDREN AT THE BEGINNING. THIS NUMBER FLUCTUATED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH A PEAK OF 63 CHILDREN AND ENDING WITH 44 CHILDREN. THERE WERE NO GROUP MEETINGS DUE TO COVID, SO THERE ARE NO HOURS OF PARTICIPATION TO REPORT.THE SENIOR OUTREACH PROGRAM RE-OPENED IN FEBRUARY 2023. THE PARTICIPANTS ENJOYED A HEALTHY LUNCH FOR THREE DAYS A WEEK (OVER 700 MEALS), SOCIALIZATION THROUGH ARTS AND CRAFTS, GAMES, MOVIES, AND EXERCISE. THE COORDINATORCHECKED THEIR WEIGHT AND BLOOD PRESSURE. OVER 1500 MILES WERE TRAVELED TRANSPORTING SENIORS TO AND FROM HOME. DUE TO THE HEALTH RISKS AND THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THERE WERE NO FIELD TRIPS OR GUEST SPEAKERS.PARENTS AS TEACHERS EDUCATORS MONITOR PARENTS' RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN (AGES BIRTH TO THREE YEARS) TO TEACH THEM THAT THEY ARE THE CHILD'S FIRST AND BEST TEACHER. FORTY-FOUR PARENT FAMILIES ENROLLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WHICH PEAKED AT 48 DURING THE YEAR AND ENDED AT 44; THIS INCLUDED FORTY-FOUR CHILDREN AT THE BEGINNING. ALL ASSESSMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS WERE DONE VIRTUALLY DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CHILDREN BEING A VULNERABLE POPULATION. DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR, PARENTS DID BEGIN COMING BACK TO THE CENTER FOR IN PERSON GROUP MEETINGS. GROUP MEETINGS INVOLVED GUEST SPEAKERS AND THE PARENT EDUCATOR EDUCATING THE PARENTS ON DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL AND RESOURCE RELATED TOPICS. MANY ITEMS WERE GIVEN TO FAMILIES DURING TIMES OF SPECIAL GIVEAWAYS AT ST. GABRIEL. IF ANY PARENT NEEDED SPECIFIC ITEMS, THEY CAME TO THE CENTER TO RECEIVE THEM FROM THE COORDINATOR. PAT PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THE BOLIVAR COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK MEETINGS COLLABORATING WITH AGENCIES AND COORDINATORS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM:IN THE SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM (EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) OVER 50 FAMILIES WERE INTERVIEWED (IN PERSON AND/OR PHONE). SOME WERE ASSISTED (FOOD, CLOTHING, BILL ASSISTANCE) AND SOME WERE REFERRED TO OTHER AGENCIES OR PROGRAMS. ST. GABRIEL MERCY CENTER PARTNERED WITH THE MISSISSIPPI FOOD NETWORK PROVIDING FOOD TO OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS MONTHLY. THE ST. GABRIEL CLOSET (THRIFT STORE) WAS OPEN AT LEAST 200 DAYS DURING THE YEAR FOR ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO PURCHASE ITEMS AT A MINIMAL COST. A TOTAL OF 674 INDIVIDUALS VISITED ST. GABRIEL FOR COPIES, FAXES, TOURS, TELEPHONE USAGE, AND MEETINGS.