CR netWORK

Tiger Cub Club is a structured before and after school program that operates out of Taylor Elementary School.  Tiger Club is a free program to families in the Taylor neighborhood whose children attend Taylor School in kindergarten through fifth grade.  The Tiger Club program offers enriching activities such as cooking, gardening, social play, homework help, etc.  During the Flood of 2008, they lost all of their materials which included cooking supplies, games, and toys for creative play such as Legos.

Thanks to support from CR netWORK, Tiger Club has been able to purchase new pots, pans, and utensils so they can once again do after school cooking activities.  They also replenished their lost supply of toys for ‘building’ including new Legos.  Tiger Club staff and students are very appreciative of the new materials.  One student commented, “Thank you for the new Legos.  I play them with my friends in the morning before breakfast.”

Administered by the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc (HACAP), the Crisis Child Care program offers safe shelter for children during times of family crisis.  Care is provided in homes of experienced and trained providers and is free of charge to Linn and Benton County families, regardless of income. Children enter the Crisis Care program due to a variety of situations, such as: domestic abuse; medical emergencies; housing problems; death in the family or high levels of stress. These situations sometimes result in children coming to a crisis care provider without essential items, which may cause added anxiety to an already stressful situation for both the child(ren) and provider.

HACAP Care Packages

CR netWORK will partner with HACAP  to offer an essential care package for any West Side child who enters the Crisis Child Care program.  The initial grant will be for $500 and will include 20 essential care packages, the remaining $200 will be retained by HACAP in a reserved fund to supplement the care packages with size specific clothing items that may be needed.  HACAP will store and administer the distribution of the care packages and supplement clothing items for West Side children and report back to CR netWORK on a quarterly basis.

Care Packages (Estimated cost of $15/pkg)

• Reusable Carrying Bag
• Stuffed Animal
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Story Book
• Oversized T-Shirt for Sleeping