Its My Community Initiative

Programs: The training to work, (t2w) program is led by imci and seeks to serve incarcerated individuals from high crime and poverty areas by offering them job training, education, and mentoring; finding employment; and providing follow-up services. The citizens served by this grant are learning the skills needed to be successful in stable jobs that both pay well and provide workers with employee access to health and other benefits. Upon release, many offenders lack the basic resources, education and job skills that will help them to reintegrate successfully, find employment and prevent recidivism. It's my community initiative (imci) and its lead partner, the education and employment ministry (teem), and 23 additional community partners, have stepped up to address this problem through work ready oklahoma (wro). This multifaceted program combines job readiness and vocational training, educational opportunities, a wide range of workforce development supports, case management, individual and group mentoring, and supportive services to create a seamless safety net for adults in odoc's work release program. Housing, substance abuse treatment and mental health services, clothing, transportation, child support and legal assistance, food supports, and other resources allow participants to focus on successfully meeting education, training and employment objectives, all key to achieving financial independence and stability. Imci will serve at least 175 offenders a full range of reentry supports while also providing job readiness training or one-time services to others in the work release program as identified by odoc (and its two community corrections centers and five halfway houses). The program begins with a wide range of assessments, followed by the development of a comprehensive transition plan and an individual career plan. Case managers help participants navigate systems and connect with resources, including volunteer mentors. Training programs result in industry-approved certificates and certifications, and a job developer engages employers in providing work experience and job opportunities in demand industries in the okc area. Incentives, needs-related payments and regular contacts with staff advocates keep trainees focused on their goals. Between 7/1/13 and 6/30/14 imci served 34 participants

the imci temporarily restricted fund is used to account for revenue received from the annie e. Casey foundation, the edwards summer reading program, the reading explorers program, and the change together program. The annie e. Casey foundation grant is intended to provide support to imci to serve as an advocate for youth relationship education. The edwards summer reading program is intended to provide a multi-week summer reading camp that will enable edwards elementary students to improve their reading abilities and defy the summer reading gap. The reading explorers program is to provide weekly one-hour sessions with students in first through third grade to ensure all students are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. The change together program provides support throughout the year to individuals and their families who were identified in the schools and neighborhoods in which imci is engaged. The count me in 4 kids (cmi4k) temporarily restricted fund is used to account for revenue from donors seeking to support the work of the cmi4k. The cmi4k project is led by imci and seeks to create and implement a system which will provide quality homes and support for foster children and families in oklahoma.