Blog Post
"Heat and Eat" policy updates
by Sunny29
Attention social service professionals, advocates and individuals interested in getting assistance with the completion of the Home Heating Credit (HHC)!
Recent changes in Michigan’s “Heat and Eat” policy has made applying for the HHC even more important as it may provide a mechanism to restore lost Food Assistance Program (FAP) benefits. From March 1, 2010 to February 7, 2014 all participants in Michigan’s FAP received a $1 payment through the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This payment under the “heat and eat” policy enabled the Department of Human Services to claim additional Federal funding for food assistance each month, providing FAP recipients with an increase in their benefit of $76.73 on average. Michigan has since abandoned the “heat and eat” policy, resulting in a reduction in FAP benefits for approximately 18.2% of program recipients, many of them low-income seniors.
There are three ways to become or continue to be eligible for increased FAP and SNAP benefits; in the past 12 months, meet eligibility for and receive:
• $20.01 or greater in LIHEAP of by applying for/receiving a HHC by September 30, 2015;
• $20.01 or greater in State Emergency Relief (SER) from DHS for utility assistance
• $20.01 or greater in Michigan Energy Assistance Program Funding.
Need to apply for an HHC for your household? Looking to help your residents or clients to apply for a HHC? Please register for Home Heating Credit Refresher: Maximizing Resident Benefits which takes place on Aug 20, 2015 @ 2:00 PM EDT
Blog Post
CodeRED Emergency Telephone Calling System
by monkk
Boil-water alerts, flooding and other dangers can strike with little or no warning. If you rely on a cell phone only or have recently disconnected your landline telephone, then it’s more important than ever to sign up for the city’s CodeREDTM notification system. This could be the city’s only way to reach you in an emergency situation.
The CodeRED™ Emergency Telephone Calling System is used for mass emergency notifications to notify residents and businesses, within minutes, of an emergency or a potential hazard. The system will call each number and will leave voicemail messages on landlines and cell phones. Register today!
You can select text, cell phone, home phone and even email notification options. When registering, it is important to set up an account so you can manage and update your own contact information. When you set up your account, you can let the city know if you require special assistance in an emergency. This free and vital service is managed by the City of Ann Arbor office of emergency management.
PLEASE NOTE: The City of Ann Arbor's CodeREDTM emergency notification system will only contact residents who live within Ann Arbor city limits. It will not notify outlying areas, such as Ypsilanti, Milan, Dexter, Saline, etc.
Blog Post
Come on a Nature Walk Thursday, August 6 at Furstenberg Nature Area!
by eapearce
As part of the Ann Arbor District Library's partnership with Natural Area Preservation, we organize nature walks at various local natural areas throughout the summer! These walks are appropriate for all ages, especially those interested in learning about local flora and fauna. This coming Thursday, August 6, the nature walk will be at Furstenberg Nature Area. This 38-acre park, located off of Fuller Road, contains mesic forest, prairie and wetland ecosystems. The land was first acquired by the City of Ann Arbor in 1971 and much of the 1980s were spent turning it into the park it is today.
The walk begins at 7:00pm and goes until 8:30pm. We'll meet in the parking lot off of Fuller Road. Wear shoes that can get a little muddy and bring water and bug spray if you'd like!
If you're interested in learning more about the ecosystems and communities in the Huron River watershed, try the lovely little book Along the Huron: the natural communities along the Huron river corridor in Ann Arbor, Michigan, available in the library's collection.
Blog Post
Huron River Day!
by Beth Manuel
The City of Ann Arbor is hosting its annual celebration of the beautiful Huron River this week-end. The public is invited to Huron River Day! Haven't been? It's tons of fun! HRD activities are held at Gallup Park from noon to 4 p.m.this Sunday, July 12th. Have fun discovering and learning about the Huron River. Paddle a boat with $5/boat canoe and kayak rentals, and enjoy live music all on the banks of our lovely Huron River. Among the many activities offered will be a children’s tent with art & science activities + the enviro-challenge game; have your picture taken in a canoe photo booth; catch a fish; dip for river bugs; see a live animal program with the Leslie Science & Nature Center; step into a Butterfly House; enjoy the history of the river with the Classic Small Boat Show; make a craft (and find a GAMECODE) with AADL or try out stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Check out Gallup Park for more information, call 734.794.6240 or visit www.a2gov.org/HRD.
Blog Post
TheRide Route Updates
by Sunny29
Beginning Sunday, August 23, a number of service improvements will affect many routes in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. The highlight of these changes include extended weekend service on Saturdays and Sundays; increased frequency of stops along some routes; and a new route, #67, with hourly service from Meijer on Carpenter to Wal-mart.
For detailed service changes, be sure to go to TheRideYourWay.org.
Blog Post
University of Michigan Health System Job Fair
by monkk
The University of Michigan Health System will be hosting a job fair on Thursday, July 9 from 9:00 am to noon at Washtenaw County Michigan Works! They will be seeking both entry level and experienced candidates to fill a variety of openings including environmental services, material services, laundry services, maintenance, patient care tech and more. If you are unable to attend the job fair, you may apply online at http://www.umhscareers.org.
Need to work on your resume before the job fair? Take a look at the resources on the AADL Job Search Toolkit or the resume books available for check-out!
Blog Post
On the Job Talk Support Group
by monkk
Getting a job isn’t easy and keeping your job can be even more challenging. On the Job Talk is a safe place to vent your frustrations and strategize work-life solutions. Whether you are an intern, new hire, mid-career, manager, executive or nearly retired, this group will provide support from others who share your struggles. The group meets every Tuesday from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in Conference Room B of the Center for Independent Living. For more information, or for accommodation requests, please visit www.annarborcil.org or e-mail careerservices@aacil.org.
Blog Post
Teens! Come volunteer at the AADL this summer!
by eapearce
Hey teens! Come volunteer at the AADL this summer! It’s a great way to meet people, see some cool behind-the-scenes stuff at the library, and earn volunteer hours! If you're between the ages of 14 and 18, all you need to do is fill out the form at https://aadl.org/teenvolunteer, have a parent or guardian sign the permission slip that you’ll link to via that page, and then come to any of the five orientations taking place throughout the summer. At these orientations, you’ll learn about what volunteering entails and have the chance to sign up for the opportunities you want to help with, including program prep work, stocking summer game orders, and assisting with a variety of programs themselves. If you’d like more information or have questions, email teenvolunteer@aadl.org. Hope to see you this summer!
Psst! It's also a great way to get lots and lots of summer game codes, since every program you help with will have its own code!
Blog Post
Dawn Farm Education Series: Intervention
by Beth Manuel
“It Takes a Family: A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety" will be presented on Tuesday June 30, 2015; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; by Jeff Jay & Debra Jay; Intervention specialists, chemical dependency therapists and trainers, best-selling authors of Love First: A Family’s Guide to Intervention, and the newly-released, "It Takes a Family, A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety". There will be a book signing and opportunity to meet/greet the presenters following the presentation. Addiction is often described as a “family disease” however families have been mostly left out of the recovery equation. Structured Family Recovery™ starts with a family and ends with a family recovery team. This will bring practical information, help and hope to individuals & families affected by addiction and to anyone who wants to learn about Structured Family Recovery™ from the expert who developed and “wrote the book” on this technique. The presentation will take place in the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center at 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti. All programs are free and open to all. No registration is required. Each program provides 1.5 free CE hours for addiction professionals approved by MCBAP and NAADAC.
Blog Post
Dawn Farm Education Series: Intervention
by Beth Manuel
“It Takes a Family: A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety" will be presented on Tuesday June 30, 2015; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; by Jeff Jay & Debra Jay; Intervention specialists, chemical dependency therapists and trainers, and best-selling authors of Love First: A Family’s Guide to Intervention, the newly-released, "It Takes a Family, A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety" and other books. There will be a book signing and opportunity to meet/greet the presenters following the presentation. Addiction is often described as a “family disease” however families have been mostly left out of the recovery equation. Structured Family Recovery™ starts with a family and ends with a family recovery team. This will bring PRACTICAL INFORMATION, HELP and HOPE to individuals & families affected by addiction and to anyone who wants to learn about Structured Family Recovery™ from the expert who developed and “wrote the book” on this technique.This program will bring practical information, help and hope to anyone who cares about a chemically dependent person, and to anyone who wants to learn more about the intervention process. The presentation will take place in the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center at 5305 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti. All programs are free and open to all. No registration is required. Each program provides 1.5 free CE hours for addiction professionals approved by MCBAP and NAADAC.