Summer Food Program
The Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP) was created to serve nutritious meals to children when National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program meals are not available. To ensure all children receive proper nutrition throughout the year. Partnering with USDA and Indiana State Department of Education AISEDA will feed Children 18years and below this summer. It is estimated that AISEDA will serve approximately 35,000 meals this summer (Break Fast and Supper). All kids ages 18 and below are welcome for free meals at the sites below:
Financial Literacy
The Foellinger Foundation report revealed that access to credit has been a challenge for refugees in Allen County. Since most come from countries without a credit system comparable to that in the U.S., they do not have a credit history. Most refugees arrive here with what they can carry. Banks and credit card companies classify refugees with no credit experience in the same category as bankrupts. Refugees do qualify for federal housing programs that make "no down payment" mortgages available to first time home buyers. But then they cannot get money to furnish the homes. Limited success in finding jobs makes paying monthly mortgages difficult.
Cultural Orientation
Increasing public awareness and understanding of recent immigrants—Because misperceptions about recent immigrants often fuel negative attitudes, AISEDA is working to enhance the public's awareness and understanding of recent immigrants, in part by creating opportunities for increased interaction between immigrants and nonimmigrant. Addressing cultural and linguistic barriers to health care, supporting several activities to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers in health care delivery settings, including improving the linguistic and cultural skills of providers and staff, expanding access to third-party interpretation, work with teachers and school kids to promote cultural understanding and recognizing newcomers' unique contributions to the community at large, and promoting advocacy and policy change. As immigrants and their families continue to become a part of the larger communities, AISEDA provides continuous cultural orientation to the newcomers about their new home.
Employment Services
Job Skill Training/Placement/Coaching
General computer literacy, targeted job skills such as resume writing and filling out job applications and KeyTrain software (provided by the Workforce Investment Board of Northeast Indiana) done in the Computer room, with translation or interpretation provided as needed from volunteers.
Classes are open through the week: (9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon This would be done all week when we have the capacity. Class size is limited by the number of computer stations available (8).