Tri-County Opportunities Council

Executive Summary Tri-county Opportunities Council (TCOC) Is the Community Action Agency Which Sponsors the Foster Grandparent Program of Western Illinois (FGP). Tri-county Opportunities Council (TCOC) Was Organized and Incorporated in 1965 by a Group of Interested Citizens From Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside Counties for the Purposes of Investigating the Frequency, Location, Character and Cause of Poverty; and Coordinating Efforts to Prevent, Alleviate and Eliminate Poverty Through the Cooperation of Public Agencies, Private Organizations, Business, Industry and Interested Individuals. to Strengthen and Enable Low-income People to Become Self-sufficient Through the Attaining of Necessary Skills, Knowledge, Motivations and Opportunities. to Better Organize a Wide Range of Services Related to the Needs of Low-income People in Bureau, Carroll, Lasalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside Counties by Utilization of Innovative Approaches and New Types of Services in Attacking the Causes of Poverty Including the Support of Self-help Groups and Cooperative Efforts of Low-income People. to Encourage Participation of Low-income People in the Planning, Development and Implementation of Programs and Projects and in the Decision Making Processes of Governmental Entities Affecting Their Lives. to Strengthen the Capabilities of the Caa's Community for Planning and Coordinating Federal, State, Local and Private Assistance Related to the Elimination of Poverty by Broadening the Resource Base of Programs to Include Public Officials, Private Organizations, Individuals, Business and Industry. the Agency Currently Employs 217 Individuals and Is Made Up of Seven Main Federal and State Grant Funded Programs Including the Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (liheap), the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP), the Weatherization Program, the Housing Program, and the Head Start Program. the Agency Serves Bureau, Carroll, Lasalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark, and Whiteside Counties. These Nine Counties Cover an Expanse of 5,454 Square Miles. the Foster Grandparent Program Began 52 Years Ago in 1966 at Tri-county and Is One of the Oldest Programs at the Agency and Was Among the First Foster Grandparent Programs in the State of Illinois. We Will Be Requesting $316,120 of Federal Funds and Non Federal Funds(match) $41,647. at the End of the Three Year Grant, Approximately 72 Foster Grandparents Will Provide Over 225,000 Hours of Service to Over 720 At-risk Children in the 9 County Service Area of Tri County Opportunities Council, in Western Illinois. the Primary Focus Area Will Be Education; School Readiness and K-12 Success. Foster Grandparent Will Serve in 25 Public School Sites and 11 Preschools Working One on One With at Risk Children. at the End of Each Grant/ Academic Year, the Outcomes Projected Will Show No Less Than Improvement of 80% in Each of the Areas Listed.