SHORE UP!, Inc.

Last month, our Easton Head Start center hosted an annual Father's Day celebration - Donuts with Dads. Parent involvement is one of the keys to a successful Head Start program, and we love having dads, guardians, and father figures visit us at the center. The children are always so happy to see them! #headstart #earlyheadstart #communityaction #fathersday #familyengagement #helpingpeoplechanginglives

TGIF everyone! Consider these scenarios: (1) You're trying to lose weight, and you've made some progress but you aren't quite at your goal yet. But it's been ridiculously hot, and nothing tastes better on a hot day than ice cream, so you start picking up an ice cream cone or milkshake at lunchtime. (2) You're working towards a degree and you're past the halfway point, but you're tired and if you sign up for the classes you need to take this semester, you will miss out on your weekly girls' night out due to a scheduling conflict. You decide you have plenty of time to finish the degree, and postpone enrolling. (3) Your child is the light of your life but boy can that kid talk your ears off! You know you need to pay attention to what your child is saying but you also want to see what your friends have been posting on social media over the weekend. You pretend to listen to your child while looking at your phone and scrolling through your feed. You say "wow" and "that's cool" and "did you like that?" every now and then so the child thinks you're really listening. Today's Food for Thought reminds us that it's our long term goals that count, and we cannot be distracted by temporary or immediate desires. As we head into the weekend, pay attention to whether you make excuses for doing what you want NOW instead of what you want MOST. Then ask yourself if sacrificing your goal is going to be worth it in the long run. #foodforthought #communityaction #helpingpeoplechanginglives #priorities

As our Early Head Start Program wraps up this week, teachers and parents alike are reflecting upon the past year. The EHS children have grown so much in the past year - developmentally, physically, socially, and intellectually. We are so grateful for our dedicated teachers, our Foster Grandparent Mom-Moms and Pop-Pops, and for the parents who take the time to share what they enjoyed about the program! We are #CommunityAction - #helpingpeoplechanginglives!

Maryland's Department of Human Services is making some changes to their energy assistance programs this year: First, anyone receiving benefits from SNAP, SSI, TANF, Means-Tested Veterans Affairs will automatically be eligible to receive energy assistance (this is known as categorical eligibility). DHS plans to “strategically target benefits to households with the greatest home heating and cooling needs.” Eligibility for all assistance programs will be 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. For FY25, households “should expect to receive a decreased benefit in energy assistance grants compared to what was previously awarded. Please note that these changes were not made by the utility companies, such as Delmarva Power. The changes were not made by organizations (like SHORE UP) that administer the energy assistance programs. The changes were made by the Maryland Department of Human Services, the government entity which funds these programs. If you need assistance with household budgeting to help prepare for the reduced energy benefit amount, SHORE UP provides financial counseling services that includes household budgeting and credit repair. For more information about these services, call 410-749-1142, extension 1061. #CommunityAction #energyassistance #helpingpeoplechanginglives #financialcounseling #householdbudget #creditrepair #wicomicocounty #somersetcountymd #worcestercountymd

Do you have questions about your Delmarva Power account? Have you received a disconnect warning and are you wondering what your next steps are? Stop by SHORE UP's Energy Office, located at the rear of 500 Snow Hill Road in Salisbury, to meet with a representative from Delmarva Power and get the information you need. Hours for this service are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday and Tuesday, July 8-9. #energyassistance #eusp #electricbills #communityaction #helpingpeoplechanginglives

In observance of the #IndependenceDay holiday, SHORE UP will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2024. We will reopen at 8:30 AM on Friday, July 5. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!

TGIF everyone! Earlier this month we celebrated Juneteenth to celebrate the freedom of individuals who had been held in slavery in this country. Next week we will celebrate the freedom resulting from our founding fathers' decision to break away from England and govern themselves. We are fortunate to live in a time and place where we enjoy many personal freedoms. But that isn't the case for all people everywhere. There are thousands, perhaps millions, of people in places worldwide (and yes, even in the USA) whose freedom has been restricted. Freedom can be limited by discrimination, prejudice, and in some cases, even legislation. As we head into the weekend, ask yourself what you can do to respect and/or enhance the freedom of others. Then do it. #foodforthought #communityaction #freedom #advocacy #helpingpeoplechanginglives

SHORE UP recognizes the need for ongoing training and professional development for its program staff. Last week our entire Head Start and Early Head Start teams spent a day in training at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. Program supervisors covered topics such as monitoring, employee wellness, standards of conduct, video surveillance, and our child abuse and neglect/mandated reporting policy. With continuous training and ongoing program monitoring, we are ensuring that the children in our programs receive the best education and care possible in a healthy and safe environment to ensure their future success in school and in life. We are proud of our Head Start/Early Head Start team and their commitment to the communities we serve. #headstart #earlyheadstart #communityaction #helpingpeoplechanginglives #professionaldevelopment #ongoingtraining #earlychildhoodeducation

Talk about a blast from the past! Staff at one of our Head Start centers found this pennant from 1989 that colorfully depicts what we already know to be true: that Head Start programs believe that all children deserve to have success in school. Our Head Start classrooms are mandated to designate at least 10% of the total slots for children with disabilities. We are proud to provide an inclusive early learning environment for our program participants! #headstart #earlyheadstart #blastfromthepast #vintagegraphics #communityaction #helpingpeoplechanginglives

SCAM ALERT!!! The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is warning Marylanders of an online scam by an entity posing as DHCD (or a public housing authority for the State of Maryland) falsely claiming to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Shared on Facebook, the scam depicts a printed flyer announcing the opening of a waitlist for specific properties as part of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. It encourages residents to provide personal information through a fraudulent link or to visit DHCD’s Lanham headquarters. This advertisement was not created or shared by DHCD, and DHCD does not endorse any such solicitation. This scam is shared on a false Facebook page imitating DHCD. When engaging with housing information on social media, please verify the authenticity of the page and content by looking for the blue checkmark next to the page name, “Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.” To verify you are visiting the authentic page, visit our website at dhcd.maryland.gov and click on the Facebook icon in the top right corner of the website homepage to be connected. If you paid a fee or provided personal information on a fraudulent website, follow these steps: • Contact the company that facilitated the funds transfer to see if you can stop the payment. • Contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Identity Theft Unit to learn how to protect yourself in case the scammers try to use your personal information and how to recover if you are impacted financially. • Contact your local law enforcement department to file a police report. • Report the incident to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division and the Federal Trade Commission. Marylanders interested in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program are asked to be mindful of the following information: • Legitimate housing authorities will not charge fees to join a waiting list. • Before providing any personal information online, contact your local public housing authority to see if they are accepting applications for Section 8 housing, or how to apply for a waiting list. Contact SHORE UP, a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, to see what local assistance may be available to you.