Dear Applicant:

Thank your for your interest in applying to become a member of the Johnson County Empowerment Area Board.

The Johnson County Empowerment Board makes decisions about allocating state funding to assist families in the county with children ages 0-5 as well as facilitating community collaboration and coordination of services for all citizens.

The Iowa Community Empowerment Initiative was established by legislative mandate during the 1998 Iowa legislative session in an effort to create a partnership between communities and state government to improve the well being of families with young children. The early focus is on the delivery of services to children ages 0-5. The long-term goal is to improve services in the areas of education, health, and human services for persons of all ages. 

The purpose of creating the community empowerment initiative is to empower individuals and their communities to improve the quality of life in their communities. It is expected that the empowerment of individuals will strengthen the individuals’ sense of responsibility for their neighbors and promote partnerships in order for all to succeed.

Below are links to the application and supporting documents.

Please note your application must be postmarked by July 18, 2008.  The return address is on the form. Also attached is a job description for Empowerment Board members and a list of the responsibilities of Empowerment Boards. Participation on the Empowerment Board requires approximately two hours per month for Board meetings and an additional two hours for committee or work group meetings that you are expected to participate in. Current Board committees are: the Executive Committee, Fiscal Committee, Nominating Committee, Public Awareness and Community Education Committee, and the Evaluation Committee. Current work groups are: Early Childhood Care and Education-Availability & Accessibility, Early Childhood Care and Education-Quality, Health, and Parent Education & Family Support.

All applications will be submitted to the Nominating Committee of the Empowerment Board for consideration. The Nominating Committee will review applications and make recommendations to the Board as to a slate of candidates.

Currently, the Johnson County Empowerment Area Board is providing funding to the following programs:

• Child Care Provider Supports through 4Cs.
• Every Child Reads and IQPPS Support through Grant Wood AEA
• CART child care behavioral supports through Grant Wood AEA.
• Continue Care through Johnson County Social Services.
• Lone Tree Preschool.
• Busy Bees Childcare and Preschool.
• PREP program through Neighborhood Centers.
• Shared Visions preschool through Hills Elementary and Twain Elementary.
• Wraparound Child Care through Neighborhood Centers
• Head Start expansion at HACAP and Neighborhood Centers.
• The Empowerment Family Support Program through Neighborhood Centers, Coralville Family Resource Center, Hills Family Resource Center, North Liberty Family Resource Center, and United Action for Youth (UAY).
• Parent Education and Support Networks through The Arc of Johnson County, HACAP, Hills Family Resource Center, MECCA, Neighborhood Centers, North Liberty Family Resource Center, Regency Community Center, and UAY.
• Prenatal and pediatric health care services through UAY.
• Children’s Health Insurance Outreach through VNA.
• For more information on these programs, please refer to our brochure.

Again, that you for your interest in the Empowerment Area Board and in the children and families of Johnson County. If you have any questions please contact Sara Baird, Chair of the Nominating Committee, at 351-6847 or myself, Alice Atkinson, at 337-4866.

Sincerely,
Alice Atkinson, Chair
Johnson County Empowerment Board

Application Documents Cover Letter Application Job Description Responsibilities of Community Empowerment Boards These documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be obtained here

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