Program areas at Vineyard Community Center
Vineyard Early Childhood Center achieved the following: (1) Maintained the rating of a "Four Star" quality center through Ohio's "Step Up to Quality" program, which recognizes excellence in early childhood education programs; (2) Continued development of VECC includes using new and updating existing technology in the center, implementing new curriculum, and continued focus on professional development for the staff; (3) Continued partnership with Columbus City Schools to prepare Pre-K youth for Kindergarten (received one-on-one coaching for Lead Teachers and access to online training to better equip them for the classroom); (4) Maintained a 50% rate of enrollment of children from low to moderate income families (measured by eligibility for Title XX), reflecting continued diversity of families served; (5) Provided services to parents and children through community partnerships - not limited to vision screening to preschool students (in partnership with OSU), monthly story time and book delivery from Westerville Library, Kindergarten Readiness night, and student art show; and (6) against licensed capacity of 104 children per day, had average daily attendance of 44 children (lower enrollment due to safety measures in response to COVID-19 pandemic).
Moved K-5 and MSHS into one program model, now called VCC K-12 Programs. The after-school and summer programming for school-age children is organized as VCC K-12 Programs, serving children in grades K-12 in after-school, summer program and new in-school services with four partner schools (Northland High School, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy, Northgate Intermediate and Avalon Elementary). Enrollment remained low due to the COVID-19 pandemic (increased transportation challenges prevented schools from dropping off students at VCC). However, the programs never closed due to COVID-19 exposure or spread. The programs served the community as follows: (1) Further developed school partnerships to serve an additional 65 youth for daytime, in-school program led by the VCC K-12 Program manager. The program returned to in person programming; (2) Maintained partnerships with Future Ready and use of Learning Circles and DESSA tools for academic and social/emotional improvement; (3) The Vineyard Summer Program offered quality low cost or free summer services to 56 youth for 9 weeks (increased by 1 week); (4) Summer employment for junior staff was offered as well as programming, 3 days per week to rising youth in 6th-9th grades; 10 participants were served; (5) Overall, VCC K-12 served over 100 (unique) youth during after-school, in-school, and summer programs.
The Social Outreach Programs achieved the following: (1) Community Resource Coordinator continued a COVID-19 Crisis Response Team and began transition to general crisis assistance program. CRT fielded 490 requests (increase of 142 requests from previous year) for help and distributed financial assistance to qualifying households; (2) Increased partnerships with Spanish speaking community, serving 98 Spanish speakers during the fiscal year; (3) Continued with a full time immigration attorney (pursuant to authorization granted in 2011 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Board of Immigration Appeals), hosted community awareness events and training, supported the growing volume of clients, provided 400 consults, re-launched monthly walk-in clinics at Northside Food Pantry, and continued community partnerships with Legal Aid for naturalization clinics and Catholic Charities to host asylum clinics;(4) Prompted by the previous success of partnership with Convoy of Hope and World Vision, VCC continued addressing food insecurity in the greater Columbus area by partnering with Vineyard Columbus campuses, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and VC Food Pantry to host monthly Fresh Produce Distributions where 100 individuals and families were served at each location. During the months of April through August 2022, 1456 households were served at 3 locations over 5 months; and (5) as we continued to navigate a new normal as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff began to re-launch in-person programming and activities like Alpha groups, Men's Bible studies, Easter Egg Hunt, and monthly Movie Nights.
The Free Health Clinics achieved the following: (1) Continued a partnership with Lower Lights Christian Health Clinic (FQHC) to utilize facilities at our two free clinic locations (Weinland Park community and VCC building); (2) Closed the Weinland Park operations and consolidated services to VCC building; (3) Temporarily paused services to transition from long-term retiring leader; (4)Hired new medically trained Health Clinics Coordinator with background in international and local crisis response management; (5) The total patients served was 781 (19% increase); (6) Organized over 74 volunteers with total of 480 consolidated volunteer hours provided, and the conservative overall value of services rendered exceeds $106,410.
The Sports & Exercise Programs re-launched weekly programming through classes and events in 21-22. Nearly 200 (198) participants engaged in gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, staff basketball and staff pickleball. In addition to the Sports and Exercise Programs, 14,382 visits from community members to VCC spaces for all programs and activities programs were counted for the program year.