GMCAA Help Me Grow Newsletter
January 1, 2011
Volume 5, Issue 6
Upcoming Events
The following dates are
tentative. Please check for
cancellations and changes.
Please call 992-5266 or 1-866-
0110 and register if you will
be attending any of the
activities!
January 2011
Make it and Take it craft on
1/19/11 at 10:30 Make a
simple bird feeder. It will be
held at Help Me Grow.
February 2011
Heart Healthy Meals
Workshop. 2/9/2011at 10:30
at Help Me Grow
March 2011
Going Green Workshop at
Help Me Grow on March 16th
at 10:30
GMCAA Executive Director, Tom Reed
GMCAA Planner/Help Me Grow Director, Teresa Varian
gallimeigscaa.webs.com
Fun Indoor Learning Activities
You don’t need to invest in a lot of
expensive toys or classes to help your
child learn the skills they’ll need to
succeed. With everyday items you
already have in your home, your child
can develop physical skills, shape
recognition, sorting skills and more. The
biggest benefit is that these activities can
encourage a lifetime love of learning that
will prepare your child for school and
beyond.
With just a few items found around the
house, parents and caregivers can
entertain toddlers and preschoolers and
help them develop gross motor skills,
creativity, observation techniques and
more. The following games are geared
for toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 and
up, but can work for developmentally-
ready one-year-olds as well.
One way of working on important gross
motor skills with your preschooler and
toddler you need nothing more than an
expensive roll of masking tape.
Stretch a piece of masking tape across
the floor to make a balance beam and
encourage the child to walk the beam,
one foot in front of the other, while
holding an adult’s hand. Later see if they
GMCAA Help Me Grow Bad Weather Policy
The GMCAA Help Me Grow Policy
concerning bad weather is: If
schools in your area are closed
we will not have the scheduled
event.
If you have a planned visit
when school is closed, we may
not be coming to your home.
Your Service coordinator/ Home
Visitor (SC/HV) will try to call you
if she is not coming. It is left up
to her if she will make the visit
as they know their ability to
drive in bad weather. GMCAA
Page 2 of 4 GMCAA Help Me Grow Quarterly Newsletter
HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
What is Regular HEAP?
The Home Energy Assistance Program
(HEAP) is a federally funded program
administered by the Ohio Department of
Development's Office of Community
Service (OCS). It is designed to help
eligible low-income Ohioans meet the
high costs of home heating. If you are
eligible for assistance, the amount of
Tips to lower your one-time HEAP benefit wilI depend
your heating on federal funding levels, how many
costs this winter people live with you, total household
income, and the primary fuel you use to
heat your home. In most cases, the one-
time benefit will be a credit applied to
Reduce thermostat your energy bill by your utility company
setting to 68 degrees. (or fuel vendor).
What is the Emergency Component
Install a water heater of HEAP?
blanket. A special component of the HEAP is the
Winter Crisis Program (WCP). The
Winter Crisis Program is administered by
Lower the thermostat the local delegate agencies.
set point on your water
heater.
January Activities
Change furnace filter. Bird Feeder Craft
Help Me Grow will be having a
Let sunshine in south make it and take it bird feeder on
windows during day Wednesday January 19th at 10:30
am to 11:30 am.
. the health of others attending.
Check and replace Please call 992-5266 or 1-866-219-
0110 to register so we will have
weather stripping on
enough items for everyone.
doors and windows.
Reduce hot water use. February Activities
Help Me Grow will be offering an
exciting Workshop this February
Operate kitchen and intended to help you make the
bath vents minimally. most of your food budget dollars.
Heart Healthy Meals on a budget
will be presented by Beth Eskew at
Close storm windows the Help Me Grow office on
February 9th at 10:30 am. Come
and doors.
In Meigs County, the delegate agency is
the Gallia Meigs Community Action
Agency in Cheshire, Ohio. Appointments
are made on Fridays and you can call
992-6629 or come to the office to receive
an appointment date. Phone lines are
very busy so keep trying.
Last year, there were more than 175,000
households served by the Emergency
"Winter" Crisis Program. The Program
provides assistance once per heating
season to eligible households that are
disconnected, threatened with
disconnection, or have less than a 10-
day supply of bulk fuel. Those
households, serviced by a PUCO-
regulated utility, must sign up for the
Percentage of Income Payment Plan
(PIPP) or another payment plan in order
to receive emergency benefits. Bulk fuel
users must certify in writing that they
have less than a 10-day supply of bulk
fuel in order to be eligible.
Please remember if your child has
had a fever or bad cough within
24 hours or any communicable
disease please do not attend for
Thank you.
make and sample heart healthy
meals you can make for your
families. A small recipe book will be
included. Please call 740-992-5266
or 18662190110 to register today!
 GMCAA Help Me Grow Quarterly Newsletter Page 3 of 4

March Activities
Help Me Grow will be offering an
Program called The Energy
exciting Workshop this February
Partnership Program (EPP). You will
intended to help you make a
learn how to apply if you are
smooth transition to having a
eligible for this program along with
“Green Household”.
tips on how your household can “go
green” and help you save some
Beth Eskew will offer tips on easy green. Call and register at 740-992- The Easter
ways you and your family can go 5266 or 1-866-0110 today. Bunny will be
green and help save the
visiting
environment. She will discuss The
Gallia Meigs Community Action
Come join us
in April at
Fun Learning Songs Dave Diles
Park in
Here is a fun finger play that Middleport,
you can do with your toddler Heigh ho, fast then slow, Ohio
that teaches body part The snow is falling down. 10:00 am until
names for Valentine’s Day. 11:30 am
This song starts out slowly, The yards are covered with snow,
and then becomes more The yards are covered with snow, Call to register
challenging as the speed Heigh ho, just watch it snow, to receive the
picks up! Children point to The yards are covered with snow. date and a free
their toes, knees, chest, picture with
head, nose, and eyes. Then the Easter
they cross their hearts, and Bunny
point to you.
Call 992-5266
Tony Chestnut knows I love or 1-866-219-
you. 0110 to
Tony knows. (Tony knows.) register
Tony Chestnut knows I love
you.
That's what Tony knows.

Tony Chestnut knows I love

you.
Tony knows. (Tony knows.)
Tony Chestnut knows I love
you. Here is a song that will introduce the
That's what Tony knows. concept that letters make a word.

Here is a song about snow you WINDY

could start with yards and Tune: “Bingo”
Continue with other places the
snow might fall on; such as, the There’s a weather
streets, the cars, the houses, me that I like
and don’t forget the dog! And Windy
is its name-o.
THE SNOW IS FALLING
Tune: "The Farmer In the Dell" W-I-N-D-Y,
W-I-N-D-Y,
The snow is falling down, W-I-N-D-Y,
The snow is falling down, And Windy
is its name-o!
 GMCAA Help Me Grow
122 N 2nd Ave.
Outdoor Play Time!
P.O. Box 129 Outdoor Winter Day Activities them up and down. Get up carefully
Middleport, Ohio 45760 Can't keep them indoors another and see your angel with wing
minute? Send them out with these prints.
Phone: ideas for fun activities out -of
(740) 992-5266 -doors. Dress them warm and let Take a walk and look for animal
1-800-219-0110 them get some fresh air and tracks. Put out suet and birdseed
exercise. They'll come back in for birds. Wrap in a big stadium
Fax:
hungry and ready for some quieter blanket and sit on the porch swing
(740) 992-6553
activities. Here are a few to try. and bird watch.

Make snow angels by lying on your

back in the snow and spreading out
your arms to the side then moving
Give your child a
helping hand right
from the start!
Holidays to Remember
In January we will be celebrating
New Years Day January 1, 2011 March brings us Women’s History
and Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday Month, not to mention Day Light
on January 17th. Saving’s time change on Saturday
the 13th. Don’t forget the “Wearin’ of
In February it is Black History the Green” when Saint Patrick Day is
We’re on the Web! Month. Holidays are Ground Hogs celebrated On March 17th.
parentsmartsblog. Day on February 2, Valentine’s Day
blogspot.com on the 14th and Washington’s and
Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays on the
21st.

GMCAA Help Me Grow

122 N 2nd Ave
P.O. Box 129
Middleport, Ohio 45760
galliameigscaa.webs.com