Housing Authority of the City of Erie
Housing Authority of the City of Erie

Summer Fun and Activities in HACE Neighborhoods

HACE FSS PROGRAM

Sabrina, FSS Counselor, had nine public housing referrals and two Section 8 referrals. She met with four Section 8 participants and three PH participants. There have been several meetings throughout the month on the New FSS Final Rule changes and what that will mean for FSS. There will be work done towards an Action Plan which will be submitted to HUD around August. No one can be enrolled in FSS at this time until the Action Plan is submitted and approved. Three new participants were enrolled in June.

First aid classes were held at MCRC Learning Center. Sabrina held a class for the children who made band-aid butterfly art with first aid supplies. There were prizes at the end for participation and each child was able to take a few free books home with them, as well as their art.

Referrals included credit workshop, home ownership workshop, St. Martins for credit assistance, Marquette Savings Bank/Widget/Northwest/EFCU (FFD), MCRC for job assistance,
Career Link for job assistance, Keller Williams Realty, Erie County Case Management, ESL/GED teacher for classes, and Second Harvest Food Bank.

QUALITY OF LIFE LEARNING CENTER

UECDC Community Health staff provided 47 COVID PCR tests on-site with health partner LECOM, with 2 positive test results. 31 persons were provided with multilingual services. On June 20th-25th, UECDC embarked on the first in person Walking in Black History Trip since 2019, 30 years since the first trip. 39 students and ten chaperones went on this unique historical field trip. The Walking in Black History Tolerance Education Program (WIBH) has been part of the Erie community since 1992 and has impacted the lives of approximately 1,600 youth. Walking in Black History provided a “Freedom Ride” to Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery, and Tuskegee, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia and introduced participants to several southern universities of higher education, museums, and historical sites.

SAFENET

Counselors from SafeNet provided bracelet making and table art as reminders of ways to use hands peacefully and in non-violent ways this summer at the Housing Authority’s Meet Your Neighbor events. Children of all ages engaged in this activity. Tammie Johnson, SafeNet counselor, had nine new referrals and continued to work with 37 continuing clients.

JOHN F KENNEDY CENTER

  • Youth participated in the three days Learn to Fish Program that was sponsored by the Erie Housing Authority.
  • Academic Support – Anchor program, working with youth in grades K through fifth to enhance reading and math skills. Monday through Friday, four hours per day. The Erie School District provides a certified teacher to work with youth.
  • Computer Program – Youth learn computer skills by playing academic games from sites such as PBS Kids.
  • Recreation consists of games and sporting in the gym for five through 18 years old. Some games played are kickball, hill dill, dodge ball, football, basketball, gymnastics, and relay games.
  • Other activities include coloring time for youth, arts/crafts, drawing, painting, movies on Fridays, crossword puzzles, BINGO and free play.
  • The last day of school youth were taken to Family video arcade. 20 youth participated in arcade games and, snack and pizza for an afternoon of play.
  • To celebrate the last day of school and ice cream social was held for youth and family. These days were used to register youth for the summer recreation program.
  • There was an End of School Year celebration.
  • Empower Youth Anti-Bullying Fashion show.
  • JFK staff hosted a Father’s Day Luncheon .
  • 45 unduplicated youth attended the center during the month of June. 17 were public housing residents.

YMCA KIDS CLUB

Members enjoyed swimming, canoeing, playing basketball along with many other activities at Camp Sherwin. Members frosted cookies as an art project.

HOMEPLUS

A summer skin care and protection workshop was held at Schmid Towers by one of the HomePLUS nurses. Residents learned how to protect themselve from damaging sun rays. They also learned various skin care treatments for sunburn, rashes, and insect bites. John Pete, Director of the HomePLUS Program did a presentation of the HomePLUS Program for GECAC staff.

DAFMARK ART CLUB IN THE JOHN HORAN GARDEN APARTMENTS

  • Art activities included painted picture frames, created sand art craft, created origami animals, animation: students created their own stop motion films from scratch, using Lego bricks, poetry, created their very own stop motion video using an Ipad and an app, photography, hoop dance & hoop making.
  • 12 students signed up to participate in the summer reading program. Students participate in 15 minutes of reading each day.
  • Eight students received scholarships to attend a weeklong theater camp with the Erie Playhouse at Blessed Sacrament with 45 other Erie area youth. Classes were held 9:30am – 3:00pm. Each day students took classes in singing, acting, dance/storytelling, and improv. On Saturday morning students were bussed to the Erie Playhouse and performed to a full house of family, friends and community members.
  • Music Lessons (Violin & Cello) • Through a partnership with the Young Artist Debut Orchestra (YADO) our students can take weekly classes (on Fridays) in violin and cello with very accomplished instructors who drive up from Pittsburgh once a week. Students are learning about rhythm and counting. Kids have small group and individual lessons. • Students are looking forward to the Summer Music Academy form July 1st – July 11th and will perform at the SeaWolves game July 2nd and with Prelude Strings July 11th at East Middle School.
  • GECAC Summer Jam Youth Employment: Currently three youth workers through the Summer Jam Program. Youth began their 8-week employment placement on June 20th and will continue through August 12th.
  • The Dafmark Creative Arts & Library Center is accommodating 15 kids at a time. Duplicated: 191 Unduplicated: 28 Days Open: 18 Average: 10.61 High Day: 15 Low Day: 7

SR. PAT’S GREEN TEAM

Sr. Pat and her Green Team began work on the John Horan Garden Apartments Garden. Weeding and planting with the kids every Thursday.

GANNON NURSING

Lisa Searing RN at the HACE Nursing Center, coordinated a community first aid class at MCRC’s computer lab at the John Horan Garden Apartments. Flyers were distributed at MCRC, the daycare, and the neighborhood manager’s office. Participants received a first aid kit for their home containing a variety of bandages, cleansing wipes, anti-bacterial gel, burn gel, hydrocortisone cream, and sting relief wipes.
Health information continues to be submitted monthly for the HACE website.

Lisa participated in all three HACE Meet Your Neighbor Day. Her topic was about mosquito and tick protection. People visiting the social service agency tables at these events received samples of three insect repellants that are effective against mosquitos and ticks, including a botanical option. They also received a small card listing the chemicals and botanicals that are known to work, suitable for putting in a wallet to use when shopping for repellant. Participants were educated about options available that do not work, such as bracelets or stickers, as well as some botanical options that are not proven. A total of 75 sample packets were distributed to residents. Five mothers were provided with infant mosquito nets for their strollers. In addition to the mosquito and tick protection, informational materials about heart health were distributed along with blood pressure screenings.

Referrals

There was one referral to the health department this month for smoking cessation help.

HACE ACTIVITIES

YOUTH EVENTS

HACE sponsored the annual Learn to Fish Program for youth from the YMCA John Horan Garden Apartments Kids Club and the John F. Kennedy Center. 16 youth 8 to 14 years old had two days of instructional presentations about fishing safety, how to cast, and environmental activities at McDannell Run. On the third day the Sons of Lake Erie, the Quebec officers from the HACE COPPS program and volunteers from SafeNet, HomePLUS, and HACE helped the youth practice their skills at the Rotary Pavilion at Presque Isle. The kids were excited about catching the many fish they caught and didn’t seem to mind that they had to release them. Fishing was followed by lunch and an award ceremony where each one received a fishing pole, fishing tackle and a certificate for their participation and completion of the program.

WQLN provided a Math Literacy program for 20 families from the John Horan Garden Apartments. The program worked with parents with children in grades K-2. Families received free books, a WQLN Kids Club membership and had dinner after each program presentation. Classes were hosted by MCRC.

FAMILY EVENTS

Meet Your Neighbor Day picnics sponsored by HACE were held in the John E. Horan Garden Apartments, Lake City Dwellings, and the Eastbrook Apartments. There were many social service tables set up from the residents that offered information about medical care, offered school registrations, the HACE FSS program, banking information, and classes/services held in the John Horan Garden Apartments. Other activities included a petting zoo, pony rides, superheroes and princesses taking pictures with residents, a children’s craft, a free book, music, a water slide, free vegetable plants, hoop lessons and a drum circle. A grab and go dinner of submarine sandwiches, chips and a drink were provided to residents when the event ended.
Approximately 250 residents enjoyed the activities at the HACE Annual Meet Your Neighbor Days.

In conjunction with the Second Harvest Food Bank food was distributed to 54 families at John Horan Garden Apartments which served 99 adults and 79 children. At Eastbrook Apartments May distribution served 43 families which served 72 adults and 80 children. Volunteers included police and probation officers from the COPPS program, MCRC, counselors from the FSS program, HACE staff, and Second Harvest Food Bank staff. Also, 40 boxes of food were delivered to the senior residents at the John Horan Garden Apartment which is always the 3rd Monday of the month. Several residents at Curry Schell have begun to utilize the produce express at Eastbrook and delivery of senior food boxes began in June.

HIGH RISE BUILDING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

To celebrate summer residents at Friendship Apartments and Schmid Towers are able to purchase an ice cream sundae weekly served by HACE staff.

HACE and HomePLUS staff sponsored a summer fun day at Friendship Apartments.
UPMC presented information at Schmid Towers to residents about tablets called It’s Never Too Late (iN2L). These tablets were offered to UPMC CHC participants that live in affordable housing. These tablets will allow participants to talk to their family, friends, and their Service Coordinator via video. They will also be able to access health-related materials and games as well as chat with others. The tablet has a data plan, so the participant/resident will not need to have a separate internet connection in their home. There is no cost to the participant. UPMC staff will return in July for the distribution of and lessons on how to use the tablet.

Friendship celebrated summer by having a weekly bring a dish barbeque.

Life NWPA sponsored an ice cream social at Friendship Apartments and Schmid Towers.