Agency News | EOTCWorks

Agency News Seventh Avenue Center Open House More than 100 guests attended the grand opening of EOTC’snew Scranton headquarters. Visitors to the Open House donated a total of 263 books to our Family Center library area, supplementing the Toy & Book lending library. More than 100 guests attended the grand opening….263 books to our Family Center library area, supplementing the Toy & Book lending library. Click to learn more about EOTC’s affiliation with the statewide Family Center Network. Programs for At-Risk Families Expand EOTC is expanding Parents as Teachers services thanks to a new PA Children’s Trust Fund grant and recent community fundraising. The expansion will focus on teen and young adult parents, and will enhance our Play & Learn early childhood initiative. In 2010, EOTC added over 50 new families to its Parents as Teachers enrollment by collaborating with Lackawanna County’s Head Start program. Waiting lists for EOTC’s Incredible Years parent training program will be eased thanks to a new grant from PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency. EOTC will also add an array of workforce development services for low-income families through its Healthy Fathers & Families Initiative. This initiative will serve 150 parents through a new federal Pathways grant. Practicum Exposure for Students EOTC offers in-depth internship experiences to students from area universities. The agency hosts three to six human service majors for each semester-long assignment. Beginning in October 2011, EOTC also became a community site for students attending Commonwealth Medical College. Recently, nine first-year medical students observed EOTC programs in action. Going the Extra Mile EOTC goes the extra mile to help vulnerable children and families. Our staff recently facilitated construction of a handicapped ramp at the home of three-year-old Javier Lugo, a special-needs participant. Volunteers constructed the ramp using lumber purchased with a grant from the Epiphany Church Christian Outreach Committee. Community Recognizes EOTC’s Service Lackawanna County Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division named EOTC 2010 nonprofit of the year and supported the 2011 Helping Children At Risk fundraiser. Attorneys also donated interview attire for EOTC‘s workforce development participants. EOTC was also honored to be selected by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce as a finalist for a 2010 SAGE award (Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence – best nonprofit category). Helping Ex-Offenders Get New Lease on Life EOTC has expanded its offender reentry services to provide more literacy training inside Lackawanna County Prison. Over 40% of the people housed in the local jail dropped out of high school. 256 prisoners enrolled in the agency’s Basic Literacy and GED classes in the past year. To date, 65% of those who took the high school equivalency exam passed, with more scheduled for testing. Says one former participant: “I dropped out of school in 4^th grade….[After EOTC's program] I am happy to report that I am working and read daily to my grandchildren.” Click here to read the August 7, 2009 article by staff writer Dave Falchek featured in the Scranton Times Tribune. ________________________________________________________________	Gloria and Lily George enjoy the Children's Corner
	Tammy Capone reads to Joshua Matias Javier Lugo enjoys his new ramp.
	Kate Holod, Sharon MCrone, Ruth Connolly and Tim Speicher gather at the Chamber of Commerce event. Lawyers Kim Scanlon (L) and Chris Carling (R) present donated interview attire to EOTC's Nina Olmedo and Angela Seibert.