Questions & Answers

A. The Clearinghouse Project began in 2007 and now is a collaboration of over 100 Partners working to provide economic benefit to southeastern Indiana. The Clearinghouse will be a multi-tenant facility where workforce development entities and agencies providing short-term assistance will work under one roof. The goal of the Clearinghouse Partners is to help low-income families or those living in poverty make a positive, sustainable change in their lives and decrease their overall demand for assistance by enabling them to become self-sufficient.

The Partners in the Clearinghouse concept collaborate to serve multiple needs of low-income families or those living in poverty with chronic barriers. One program to be offered by the Clearinghouse Partners is a rural adaption of Cincinnati Works!. Cincinnati Works is a proprietary poverty-to-self-sufficiency employment model designed specifically to help families move out of poverty. In 2010, Cincinnati Works! founder Dave Phillips formally adopted southeastern Indiana as 1 of only 4 pilot implementation sites nationwide. The Clearinghouse Partners’ model, called Rural Works! will be the only rural adaptation of this model in the country. The Clearinghouse Partners have piloted the Rural Works! program in Jefferson, Jennings and Scott counties.

A. In September, the US Census Bureau reported that Indiana’s poverty rate increased from 13.1% in 2007-2008 to 16.2% in 2009-2010. This increase is not only statistically significant, but is the 6th highest increase in poverty rate in the country. This rate qualifies Indiana as 15th in the nation for highest poverty. The Census Bureau data also highlights a very troubling increase in child poverty in Indiana – in 2010, Indiana’s child poverty rate increased 10% in one year to 21.7%. Today, 1 in every 5 Indiana children lives in poverty.1

1 Indiana Institute for Working Families. "Indiana Experiences One of the Highest Poverty Rate Increases in the Country in 2010."

A. Southeastern Indiana’s economic future requires that our county and region address our poverty rates, rates that contribute to Indiana’s poverty woes. The location of the Clearinghouse – Jefferson County – has a poverty rate of 15% and a child poverty rate of 22%. These rates are the highest within the 10-county Workforce Region 9 and higher than our neighboring counties, with the exception of Scott. Not unrelated is the fact that Jefferson County also has the highest dropout rate in the region, at 16.7%.2

Poverty Rates By County3
County	Poverty Rate - All	Poverty Rate - Under 18 Years
Bartholomew Decatur Dearborn Franklin Jackson JEFFERSON Jennings Ohio Ripley Scott Switzerland	10.4% 10.8% 7.2% 11.7% 11.1% 15% 12.3% 8.4% 9.8% 15.9% 14.4%	15.8% 17.3% 8.5% 16.8% 13.7% 22% 16.1% 11.4% 14.3% 22.6% 19.2%

2 Indiana Department of Education. Figured by largest school corporation in county

3 US Census Bureau. Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months. 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

A. The facility’s initial service area will include up to 12 southeastern Indiana counties.

A. The key elements of the Clearinghouse Project are:

• The Clearinghouse Partners will offer a rural adaption of Cincinnati Works!, a proprietary poverty-to-self-sufficiency model designed specifically to serve families living in poverty with chronic barriers.
• The Clearinghouse Partners will collaborate to increase the number of skilled workers by helping individuals access the short-term assistance they need while they improve their skills, educational level and employability. Dave Phillips, the founder of Cincinnati Works! estimates that successful implementation of his model can increase the number of well-prepared workers in southeastern Indiana by 25%.
• The Clearinghouse multi-tenant nonprofit center will permit joint case management; shared overhead; greater economies of scale; more efficient use of limited resources; and will prevent abuse of programs.
• The collaborative food pantry within the Clearinghouse will expand Jefferson County’s capacity to serve the 16.6% of Jefferson County’s population and 26.3% of our children (approx. 2,000) considered food insecure.4  The pantry will be supported by local churches as well as Feeding America, Gleaners, USDA Food Commodities, Midwest Food Bank, and Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry.
• The Clearinghouse will greatly improve the public’s knowledge about available services and will result in enhanced awareness of the demand and the severity of the need.
• The Clearinghouse will provide training and education for nonprofit professionals and networking opportunities for providers.
• The coordinated approach demonstrated by the Clearinghouse will enhance our ability to attract grants.

4 Gleaners Food Bank: http://www.gleaners.org/Who-We-Serve/Hunger-in-Indiana.aspx

Q. Who supports the Clearinghouse?

A. The following support the Clearinghouse. If you would like to add your name to our growing list of supporters, please contact Molly Dodge, Clearinghouse Project Director: molly@rivervalleyresources.com or O: (812) 265-2652.

Representatives of these organizations attend a Clearinghouse monthly meeting held the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 8:00 a.m. at River Valley Resources, 319 E. Main Street, Madison, Indiana. These meetings are open to anyone with an interest in the Clearinghouse Project.

Nonprofit Organizations
Centerstone Cincinnati Works  Economic Development Partners Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry George Junior Republic  Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc. Goodwill Industries, Inc. Habitat for Humanity Healthy Families Historic Madison, Inc. Hoosier Hills Literacy League Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) Indiana Youth Pro Jefferson County Bar Association LifeSpring Mental Health Services LifeTime Resources Madison Area Chamber of Commerce Madison-Jefferson County Public Library Madison State Hospital	McDowell Education Center Mental Health America New Hope Services Ohio Valley Opportunities Pathways Youth Shelter and Family Services Red Cross of Jefferson County Region 9 Workforce Board Region 15 Children’s Advocacy Center River Valley Resources, Inc. Rotary Club Ruth Haven Scott County Clearinghouse & Partnership Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Southeastern Indiana Independent Living Center Switzerland County Economic Development Corp. Turning Point United Way: Bartholomew, Jennings, Jefferson, Switzerland Co. United Way of Greater Cincinnati Veterans Services WorkOne Southeast
Faith-Based Organizations
Calvary Baptist Church Christ Episcopal Church Faith Alliance Church Faith Lutheran Church First Baptist Church First Christian Church Greater Madison Ministerial Association Hanover Baptist Church Hanover Presbyterian Church Hanover United Methodist Church Jefferson Presbyterian Church Madison First Assembly of God	Madison Presbyterian Church New Bethel Church New Life Fellowship North Madison Christian Church North United Methodist Church Prince of Peace Catholic Church Resurrection Lutheran Church Salvation Army St. Vincent de Paul St. John’s United Church of Christ Trinity United Methodist Church Union Flatrock Baptist Church
Foundations
Arvin Sango Foundation Birk Foundation Madison-Jefferson Co. Community Foundation Decatur County Community Foundation	Duke Energy Foundation Indiana Association of United Ways Schroeder Foundation Vectren Foundation
Government/Elected Officials
5th Circuit Court, Honorable Judge Todd Madison – City Council  Madison – Office of the Mayor Indiana Department of Adult Basic Education Indiana Department of Child Services Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources, Div. Historic Preservation & Archeology Indiana Dept. of Veterans Affairs Jefferson County Commissioners Jefferson County Council Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office Jefferson County Township Trustees Lawrenceburg – Office of the Mayor	Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) Office of Faith Based & Community Initiatives (OFBCI) Scottsburg – Office of the Mayor State Representative David Cheatham State Senator Jim Smith Switzerland County Commissioners Switzerland County Council Superior Court, Honorable Alison T. Frazier U.S. Senator Dan Coats U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar U.S. Representative Todd Young U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
Education
EcO15 (Lilly Endowment) Hanover College Madison Consolidated School Corporation IUPUI, Center for Urban Policy	Ivy Tech Community College Prince of Peace Catholic Schools Purdue Cooperative Extension, Jefferson County Southwestern School Corporation
Businesses & Corporations
Alcorn, Goering & Sage Arvin Sango, Inc. Century Tube DLZ Engineers & Architects Flint Group Grote Hirons & Associates Hilliard Lyons Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corporation King’s Daughters Hospital & Health Services Koehler Welding Supply, Inc.	MPS Printing The Madison Courier Madison Precision Products Main Source Bank Midwest Tube Paradise Cove River Valley Financial Bank The Strategy Center Woodburn, Kyle & Co.

A. Nine service providers will co-locate in the Clearinghouse:

• Centerstone*
• Food pantry (collaborative)
• LifeSpring*
• Jefferson County Community Corrections
• Pathways Youth Shelter and Family Services (administrative office)
• Region 15 Child Advocacy Center*
• River Valley Resources
• Turning Point
• United Way of Jefferson County
• WorkOne

*These organizations will share an office suite within the Clearinghouse.

A. The Clearinghouse floor plans include permanent and rotating office space for service providers; training classrooms; computer lab space; a commercial food pantry; and an information resource and referral center. The Clearinghouse will offer employment and occupational training services; the Cincinnati Works! poverty-to-self-sufficiency employment model; educational programs such as credit recovery and GED; mental health and counseling services; domestic violence assistance; child care vouchers; transportation, housing, utility and emergency assistance; court appointed special advocate services; pro bono legal, budgeting and low-income tax preparation services; support groups; and material aid in the form of food.

A. The Clearinghouse will be located at 100 E. First St., Madison. The Clearinghouse will be located in census tract 9666 – the poorest census tract in Jefferson County.

A. The Clearinghouse building is 30,000 square feet.

A. River Valley Resources purchased the Clearinghouse building at 100 E. Second St. in September 2011. River Valley Resources paid the appraised value of $230,000. The building was purchased from M&T Holdings of Madison.

A. The Vawter-Irwin Building is a contributing structure to Madison’s National Historic Landmark District. In the Harry Lemon Historic Photo Collection, the building is described as: “a building softly rounded on the east, front side with modern pillars on the west side. Overall the façade was glazed tile.” When it was constructed in the 1940’s, the building was the Irwin Motor Company, selling Hudson cars. It then became the Irwin Farmers Store. From the early 1960’s to 1990 it was the C & R Auto Parts store, then from 1995-2002, Hoosier Auto Parts. Most recently, its private owner used the facility for storage of manufacturing equipment.

Mr. Lemon also writes, “It was a building much more progressive than most found in Madison.” Given this description, it is fitting that this building will serve as the Clearinghouse, a multi-tenant nonprofit center to co-locate charity, non-profit and faith-based services to more efficiently and effectively assist families in need. The Clearinghouse will be the only one of its kind in southeastern Indiana and the only center in the Midwest to specifically combine workforce development entities with organizations providing work supports, including a commercial food pantry.

A. Yes. The proposed operating budget has been approved by the Board of River Valley Resources and the Clearinghouse Steering Committee. The tenants in the facility will pay rent to locate in the facility. The rent figure is based on each organization’s dedicated space and also includes utilities; maintenance and repair; janitorial services; and access to information technology, telephone and security systems and shared personnel. The goal of the Clearinghouse is to operate at cost and maintain a low cost of operations by adopting new process and program efficiencies.

A. There are 370 parking spaces and 15 spaces designated for persons with disabilities within 3 blocks of the Clearinghouse. Of those spaces, 174 are off street parking. All parking described below is free of charge.

• City Lot, Corner of East 2nd Street and Jefferson Street: 64 regular spaces, 5 parking spaces designated for persons with disabilities.
• City Lot, Corner of East 2nd and Mulberry Street: 53 regular spaces, 2 designated for persons with disabilities.
• On Mulberry Street, between Main and East Streets: 20 spaces (10 on either side)
• On East Second Street, between Mulberry and Jefferson Streets: 20 spaces
• On Mulberry Street, between 2nd and 1st Street: 13 spaces
• On 1st Street, between Mulberry and West Street: 8 spaces
• On West Street, between Vaughn Drive and Second Street: 31 spaces
• On Vaughn Drive, between West Street and Central Avenue: 63 regular spaces, 1 designated for persons with disabilities
• City Lot, off Vaughn Drive between Central and Poplar Street: 48 regular spaces, 2 designated for persons with disabilities
• On West 1st Street, between Central Avenue and West Street: 25 spaces, 1 available for persons with disabilities
• On Central between West Street and Vaughn Drive: 16 spaces
• On 2nd Street, between West and Mulberry: 9 regular spaces, 4 designated for persons with disabilities

LifeTime Resources will provide public transportation to and from the Clearinghouse via their Catch-A-Ride public transportation program.

A. The Clearinghouse is a program of River Valley Resources.

A. River Valley Resources was founded in 1990 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. RVR is headquartered in Madison, Indiana (Jefferson County) and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. RVR provides employment and workforce development services in 14 Indiana counties. River Valley Resources employs 48 employees.

River Valley Resources has an international accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Our three-year accreditation is the highest level possible and attests to our quality of program management, financial, and operational functions. (CARF is similar to the quality management standards of an ISO certification).

A. The mission of River Valley Resources is to build strong families by helping individuals meet their basic needs; prepare for, gain and keep employment at a self-sufficient wage, with benefits; assume parental responsibilities and develop personally and collectively within their family and community.

A. Merritt Alcorn, Founding Partner, Alcorn Goering & Sage (President & Chair)
Toni Collins, Retired, Wealth Management, Main Source Bank (Secretary & Treasurer)
Terri Ann Albrecht, Prevent Child Abuse, Decatur Co.
Nancy Bear, Retired Principal, Madison Consolidated Schools
Jon Bond, Executive Director, Switzerland Co. Economic Development Corporation

A. The Clearinghouse has a volunteer Steering Committee who oversees and directs the strategic, financial and operations of the Clearinghouse project. The Chair of the Steering Committee makes presentations and any necessary recommendations to the River Valley Resources Board of Directors. The current co-chairs of the Steering Committee are Dan Baughman, Executive Vice President & Secretary/Treasurer, Arvin Sango and Molly Dodge, Clearinghouse Project Director, River Valley Resources.

When appropriate, the Clearinghouse will also have a Tenant Committee comprised of representatives of each co-located organization and participating church. River Valley Resources welcomes participation on this committee from all interested organizations and individuals. The purpose of this committee will be to make recommendations to the Clearinghouse Steering Committee about facility operations.

A. Merritt Alcorn, Founding Partner, Alcorn Goering & Sage
Bill Barnes, President & CEO, Madison-Jefferson County Community Foundation
Dan Baughman, Executive Vice President & Secretary/Treasurer, Arvin Sango (Chair)
Charles Blackman, Retired, Chair of First Christian Disciples of Christ (Madison)
Jon Bond, Executive Director, Switzerland Co. Economic Development Corporation
Cliff Carnes, Plant Manager, Indiana-Kentucky Electric
Susan Craig, Executive Director, Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
Kevin Kellems, President, Strategy Center
Rev. Greg Russell, Retired, Member of the Madison Ministerial Association

Once the Clearinghouse is operational, 2 tenant representatives will be added to the Steering Committee. Nominations for these positions will be made by the tenants themselves at the first Tenant Committee meeting.

A. Molly Dodge serves as the Clearinghouse Project Director. Molly is employed by River Valley Resources. Molly's participation in the Clearinghouse Project is funded with a grant from the Indiana Association of United Ways to the Jefferson County United Way. Contact Molly at: molly@rivervalleyresources.com or O: (812) 265-2652.

A Clearinghouse website will be available by the end of February, 2012. The Clearinghouse Facebook page link is: http://www.facebook.com/clearinghouseproject