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Photo: Neighborhood Place
Neighborhood Place partners offer a variety of health-focused events and services in August including three opportunities to attend an educational baby shower, a Healthy Living Club to help reduce stress, a Diabetes Self-Management class, and a series of classes focused on healthy meal planning and eating. To learn more about these offerings and several others please refer to the list below.
Aug 6, 8, 13, 16, 27, and 31, Passport Health Care Community Engagement at multiple locations
Passport members are invited to join with representatives from Passport Health Care for one-on-one consultations to discuss plan benefits and options. This is a great opportunity as Passport aims to raise awareness and educate the community about the Passport Health Plan mission. Passport members will receive a $10 retail gift card for attending.
- Aug, 6, 13, and 27, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd (door #16) side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1-3 p.m. Call (502) 212-6677 to RSVP.
- Aug. 8, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Call 313-4635 for more information.
- Aug 16, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 1 – 2 p.m. Call 313-4635 for more information.
- Aug. 30, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 2 – 3 p.m. Call 1-800-578-0603 ext. 8428 to RSVP.
Aug. 7, 23 and 29, A Healthy Journey for Two Educational Baby Shower at three locations
For more information, contact Mendy Mason at 341-5400. A Healthy Journey for Two is an educational baby shower open to any expectant mothers. The class will include a range of information and resources, as well as free baby items, gift cards, prizes, and snacks. Hosted by Seven Counties and KIDSNow. Fathers are welcome but must be registered.
- Aug. 7, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 1- 3 p.m.
- Aug 23, at First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd. 1 – 3 p.m.
- Aug. 29, at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 1 – 3 p.m.
Aug. 7, Car Seat Safety Check at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 9 – 11 a.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call Norton Children’s Hospital at 629-7358 to make an appointment. Learn how to install your child’s car seat or booster seat. Find out if it’s time for a change. Car seat-fitting by appointment only.
Aug. 13, Sodexo Hiring Opportunities at South Central Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 313-4089 for more information. Sodexo, a food-service agency, will provide on-the-spot interviews for positions with Jewish Hospital, Our Lady of Peace and University of Louisville Hospital. Bring your resume and be prepared for an interview. This is one of Sodexo’s busiest hiring seasons. Stop by if you are looking for employment that can lead to a full-time or part-time position.
Aug. 14, Free Blood Pressure Screenings at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 485-6145 for more information. Louisville Metro Health and Wellness health educators will provide free blood pressure screenings and health information
Aug. 14, Healthy Living Club atSouth Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1 – 2 p.m.
Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place. For more information call 363-1483 or 772-8588. Join this Healthy Living Club to get the support you need to eat better, be active and reduce stress. August meeting will focus on a healthy cooking demonstration. Free samples and recipes shared with all that attend.
Tuesdays, Aug. 21 – Oct. 2, Healthier Meals, Healthier Me Class at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 11 – 12:30 p.m.
Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place. Registrations is required by calling 772-8588. Come and learn more about healthy eating, meal planning on a budget and more. Attend classes and earn a slow cooker to keep.
Aug 21, Basic Diabetes Self-Management Class at First Neighborhood Place, 2 – 4 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Road at T.J. Middle School. Registration is required by calling 574-6663. Whether you are recently diagnosed or have had diabetes for years and need a refresher, this session is for you. Topics include what diabetes is and is not, glucose monitoring, problem solving, healthy eating, medication management, sick day management, healthy exercise, goal setting, and more. Sponsored by Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
Aug. 30, Passport Health Care Member Informational at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 1-800-578-0603 ext. 7301 to RSVP. Come join us and get to know about your plan. Lunch is provided. Member’s will receive a$10.00 retail gift card for attending. *Retail gift card available to passport Health Plan members only
Back to School Event Reminders:
Aug. 7, Back to School Fun Resource Fair at Southwick Community Center, 4 – 7 p.m.
Located at 3621 Southern Ave. Call 313-4635 for more information. The annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. JCPS Family Resource and Youth Resource Centers Coordinators will complete CAP referrals for families needing clothing and uniform assistance. School supplies will be distributed (while supplies last). Several vendors will be available to provide essential health, education, and community resources. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. JCPS Nutrition Services will provide lunch to youth 18 and under. This event is sponsored in part by Ujima Neighborhood Place, Jefferson County Public Schools/The Carter/DuValle Education Center, Kennedy Montessori/Brandies, Maupin, Johnson and Foster Family Youth Service Centers, Southwick Community Center, Councilwoman Jessica Green, Passport Health Plan, Villages of Park DuValle and Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.
Aug 11, Back to School Event at Meyzeek Middle School, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 828 S. Jackson St. Call 574-6638 for more information. Open to students in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks with essential school supplies for the coming year will be distributed while supplies last. Your child must be present to receive school supplies. Smile Academy will provide free dental screenings. Many other local community venders and agencies will be in the gym to provide information for families. Families may complete a CAP referral during the event as well for clothing and uniform assistance. Sponsored by Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services and area JCPS schools.
Aug 11, Back to School Festival at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 1501 Rangeland Rd. Call 313-4498 or 313-4700 for more information. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks and grade-appropriate school supplies (while supplies last) will be provided. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Free lunches will be served to kids by JCPS Nutrition Services and families may complete a CAP referral during the event as well for clothing and uniform assistance. A Community Resource Fair will include over twenty presenters including diabetes and blood pressure checks, the YMCA program, voter registration, library services and lots of fun and music. Event sponsored in part by First Neighborhood Place, area JCPS schools and Family Resource and Youth Services Centers, Dr. Barbara Shanklin – Councilwoman for District 2 – and other supporting Metro Council members, and Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.
Code Louisville, which provides training to help people quickly enter the technology field, has helped more than 250 people start or advance their careers in technology, Mayor Greg Fischer announced.“It is critical for our economy and our community’s future to have as many people as possible gaining the skills to embrace the technologies of today and tomorrow,” Mayor Fischer said. “So, it’s exciting that a homegrown initiative like Code Louisville has become a national model for developing tech talent – and our goal is to take that to an even higher level.”
There have been 821 graduates of the 12-week training course, ranging in age from 18 to 71. Graduates have landed jobs at more than 150 local companies, with an average starting salary of about $48,000.
The free training has been a game-changer for many participants, including Tina Maddox, who was a stay-at-home mom when she started Code Louisville. Now, she is a Junior DevOps Engineer at Louisville-based El Toro Internet Marketing.
“I wouldn’t have the job I have today without this training, it’s changed my life,” Maddox said. “It was very hard work but I’m proof that it absolutely can be done, even without any type of tech background.”
Maddox is one of 12 Code Louisville graduates hired by El Toro, helping the company keep pace with its recent growth of more than 12,000 percent.
“This program has been great for Louisville and for El Toro,” said Stacy Griggs, president & CEO of El Toro. “As we have scaled from a half dozen employees to over 100 team members in the last four years, it’s been vitally important to have a strong pipeline of software development talent. Code Louisville has been an important factor in increasing the amount of tech talent available in Louisville.”
Other local companies that have hired multiple graduates include Appris, GE Appliances, Humana, Interapt, QSR Automations and Zirmed.
Code Louisville is designed specifically to help people prepare for software development jobs. During the online training provided through Treehouse, participants are supported by volunteer mentors, many of whom are themselves Code Louisville graduates. The program has had more than 130 mentors involved.
“This training is truly changing lives while also providing a quick pipeline of fresh talent that is helping meet the evolving demands of our existing employers and also companies that are eyeing Louisville for relocation or expansion,” said Michael Gritton, executive director of KentuckianaWorks which operates Code Louisville. “The diversity of participants is amazing: people of all ages and backgrounds, with GEDs to Ph.Ds, and from plumber assistants to math teachers and professionals from other countries.”
The program launched with federal funding in 2014, but interest and participation exploded in April 2015 when President Barack Obama visited and cited Code Louisville as a model for the national TechHire initiative, which had just started.
As a testament to the program’s need and popularity, there are currently more than 1,000 people on a waiting list. Admission is prioritized for those in greatest need, including individuals who are unemployed, from lower income families and veterans.
Code Louisville is funded through a Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The program is based just west of the city’s NuLu neighborhood. More information is available at codelouisville.org.
The goal of “Clearing The Air” is to give the public an inside look at the APCD, everything from the science of air pollution to the laws and regulations that protect our health from harmful air.
“We’re excited to share the District’s work in a setting that will encourage dialogue and learning,” said Michelle King, APCD Director of Program Planning. “We can learn more about our community’s questions and concerns, while providing an opportunity for person-to-person conversations with individuals who want to know more about Louisville’s air quality.”
Although the smoggy, polluted skies of the 1970s are a distant memory, Louisville still must work to meet federal air quality standards. As a major industrial and logistics hub located in a heavily populated river valley, Louisville is challenged to control air pollution while maintaining a robust local economy.
“Air quality is a very important topic in Louisville that affects every community,” said APCD Environmental Coordinator Torend Collins, who is overseeing the workshop series. “These workshops are a great way to learn more about APCD and how we, as members of the community, can continue to improve Louisville’s air.”
“Clearing The Air” will consist of seven free workshops, all to be held at the Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St.
• July 16: APCD 101/Louisville’s Air Quality
• July 30: Air Quality & Health/Reducing My Pollution Impact
• Aug. 13: Odors: Reporting and Responding
• Aug. 27: The APCD Regulatory Process
• Sept. 10: How We Monitor Air Quality
• Sept. 22: Technical Workshop *
• Sept. 24: The STAR Program/Environmental Justice
The workshops will be 5:30-7 p.m., and they are free and open to the public.
(*Exception: The Technical Workshop will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m.)
“Working with our partners in the community and the Environmental Protection Agency, we hope to provide information and training to further empower residents with resources that will help improve our health and our understanding of the successes and challenges that make up the story of Louisville’s air – past, present, and future,” King said.
For updates, go to www.louisvilleky.gov/APCD or call (502) 574-6000.
Neighborhood Place partners offer a variety of resources and services in July including the BB&T Bank Bus at two locations, a forum entitled “Voices of Addiction: Examining the Stages of Change”, as well as the Back to School Festival at Valley High School . To learn more about these offerings and several others please refer to the list below.
July 2 and 5, BB&T Bank Bus at two locations
The BB&T Bank Bus is a 40-foot mobile classroom providing credit report education, unclaimed property searches, self-file income tax preparation stations, as well as comprehensive financial services. BB&T personnel will also be available to help with checking and savings accounts and other financial services and provide access to computer-based “Money Smart Financial Education”.
- July 2, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd., side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Call (313-4700 for more information
- July 5, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 1 -5 p.m. Call 485-7130 for more information.
July 2, 9, 10, 16, 17, 24, 30, Passport Health Care Community Engagement at multiple locations
Passport Members are invited to join with representatives from Passport Health Care for one-on-one consultations to discuss plan benefits and options. This is a great opportunity as Passport aims to raise awareness and educate the community about the Passport Health Plan mission. Passport members will receive a $10 retail gift card for attending.
- July 2, 9, 16 and 30, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd (door #16) side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Call (502) 313-4700 for more information.
- July 10, NorthWest Neighborhood Place, 4018 W. Market St. at the Academy of Shawnee, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Call 313-4892 for more information.
- July 10, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Call 363-1483 for more information.
- July 17, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 1:00 p.m. Passport membership education meeting. Call 313-4635 for more information.
- July 24, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 11 a.m. Call 485-6710 for more information.
July 3, Car Seat Safety Check at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call Norton Children’s Hospital at 629-7358 to make an appointment. Learn how to install your child’s car seat or booster seat. Find out if it’s time for a change. Car seat-fitting by appointment only.
July 5, FedEx Ground Employment Opportunities at First Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd. Call (502) 313-4700 for more information. A FedEx human resources recruiter will talk one-on-one with individuals interested in a career as a package handler with FedEx Ground.
July 5 and 9, Sodexo Hiring Opportunities at two locations
Sodexo, a food-service agency, will provide on-the-spot interviews for positions with Jewish Hospital, Our Lady of Peace and University of Louisville Hospital. Bring your resume and be prepared for an interview. This is one of Sodexo’s busiest hiring seasons. Stop by if you are looking for employment that can lead to a full-time or part-time position.
- July 5, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Road (T.J. Middle School in the W.D. Bruce Building – door #24), 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Call 313-4700 for more information.
- July 9, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Call 485-7130 for more information.
July 5, American Red Cross Blood Drive at Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 200 Juneau Drive, Suite 200, conference room. Call 574-8147 for more information. Giving blood is a simple thing to do, but it can make a big difference in the lives of others. It is best to reach out in advance to pre-register, however, walk-ins the day of the event will be accepted.
July 12, A Healthy Journey for Two Educational Baby Shower at First Neighborhood Place
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd. For more information or to register, contact Mendy Mason at 502-341-5400. This educational baby shower open to any expectant mothers. The class will include a range of information and resources, as well as free baby items, gift cards, prizes, and snacks. Hosted by Seven Counties and KIDSNow.
Mondays, July 23 – September 17, “4 Your Child Dads Making The Difference” at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave For more information or to register for the upcoming weekly workshops, please contact Dr. Cheri Langley at 709-9323 or by email at 4YourChild@Outlook.com. “4 Your Child” is an eight-week fatherhood program that aims to improve the quantity and quality of fathers’ involvement by integrating responsible parenting, economic stability, and relationship education services. Participants may be compensated for their time up to $220 but registration is required.
July 24, “Voices of Addiction: Examining the Stages of Change” at St. Ann’s, 5- 7 p.m.
Located at 1515 Algonquin Pkwy. Call 634-6057 for more information. Part of the “Addiction 101” series, “Voices of Addiction: Examining the Stages of Change” is a forum that allows individuals living with the disease of addiction the opportunity to tell their addiction stories. Their stories center around the stages of change, pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, relapse and transcendence. Sponsored by Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place.
July 26, Back to School Festival at Valley High School, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 10200 Dixie Highway. For more information call 363-1483. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. School supplies and backpacks will be provided while supplies last to families that participate in three, ten-minute ‘mini-trainings’ concentrated on what you need as a family to get through the year. Over twenty presenters and more than forty vendors will be at the event plus mascots and lots of hands on fun to help everyone “Unlock Your Superhero Powers”. Sponsored by South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, Cane Run Neighborhood Place, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services, South Jefferson Community Partnership, Drug-Free Communities Grant, 17 area JCPS and Family Resource and Youth Service Centers, Kidz Club, Kosair Charities, Fairdale Christian Church, and Fairdale First Baptist Church.
SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, the world’s largest showcase of skilled trades, returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center June 25-29. The event brings with it an estimated economic impact of $18 million to Louisville.
More than 16,000 middle-school, high-school and college students; teachers; education leaders; and representatives from national corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions participate in the event.
The conference highlight is the annual SkillsUSA Championships. During the competition, top career and technical students participate in more than 100 hands-on contests, representing a wide range of technical, skilled, service and health occupations, including:
- Architectural drafting
- Welding
- Carpentry
- Firefighting
- Cosmetology
- Plumbing
- Culinary arts
- Aviation maintenance technology
- Crime scene investigation
- Electrical construction wiring
- Masonry
- Digital cinema production
- Practical nursing
- Sheet metal
In addition to competing, 600 Skills USA students will complete community service projects in the greater Louisville community. Projects range from framing houses for Habitat for Humanity to helping clean up local parks.
SkillsUSA Championships is free and open to the public Wednesday, June 27 and Thursday, June 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is $8 per car, $20 for a bus.
The mission of SkillsUSA is to ensure a skilled workforce by preparing students for success in their chosen technical, service and health fields. Founded in 1965, the organization has served 12.5 million members, and more than 335,000 advisors and students participate each year.
For more information, visit www.skillsusa.org.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
A fun – and free – family event will take place on the banks of the Ohio River in southwest Louisville on Saturday, June 16 as Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing hosts “Family Farm and Forage Day” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will explore historic and present-day farming with a variety of children’s activities, workshops, talks and booths.
Families can enjoy a milking demonstration featuring “Bluegrass Bessie” the cow; a farm animal petting zoo; horse-drawn wagon tours, barrel train rides as well as demonstrations on beekeeping, raising chickens, growing fruit trees, forage crops and more.
Another highlight of the festival is the Jefferson County 4-H Fair Open Youth Dairy Goat Show. The goats will be judged on adherence to breed standards and their youth handlers will be judged on showmanship. Late entries will be accepted the day of the show. The entrance fee is $5 per goat and champions will be awarded a small premium. For questions, contact Kelly Smith at the Extension office at 502/569-2344. All events and demonstrations are free, although a suggested donation of $5 can be made prior to tours of the Farnsley-Moremen house. Ehrler’s Ice Cream and Shack-In-The-Back BBQ will be providing concessions at Family Farm and Forage Day.
“This is a terrific family event that combines fun and learning,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Beyond the activities of the event itself, I urge citizens from all over the community to come out and see some of the great things that southwest Louisville has to offer.”
“I am so excited to see this wonderful farm event being held again this year at the Farnsley-Moremen historic property,” said Councilwoman Cindi Fowler, who represents District 14, where Riverside is located. “It is so important to educate the public on how our food gets from the farm to the table and past and present practices of how exactly that happens. I look forward to seeing you at this free event!”
This event is held in partnership with the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service and the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Other sponsors include Louisville Gas & Electric, Jefferson County Farm Bureau, the Future Farmers of America, the Louisville Water Co. and 4-H.
In addition to Fowler, Metro Council sponsors include Council President David Yates, D-25; Vicki Welch, D-13 and Rick Blackwell, D-12.
Photo: Louisville Free Public Library
School is out for the summer, and Mayor Greg Fischer is reminding parents and caregivers that there are plenty of fun, low-cost or free learning opportunities available for Louisville area students of all ages over the next three months.
During a news conference at the South Central Regional Library in Okolona, the Mayor and partner organizations outlined a number of programs designed to keep kids engaged and prevent summer learning loss, including the Louisville Free Public Library’s Summer Reading program and the 2018 Cultural Pass presented by Churchill Downs in partnership with Metro Louisville, the Free Public Library, the Arts and Culture Alliance, and Fund for the Arts.
“Lifelong learning means year-round learning. And with our Summer Reading Program, Cultural Pass, and other programs, parents and children have plenty of fun options this summer to keep kids’ minds active so they’re prepared for success in school and beyond,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “I’m grateful to so many important partners in this effort, from Churchill Downs to the Fund for the Arts.”
In celebration of both the Library’s Summer Reading Program and the Cultural Pass, the Mayor announced the Main Library will host the Summer Reading Kickoff and Cultural Pass Showcase on Saturday, June 9, from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This free, family-friendly event will offer a host of activities, performances, and crafts featuring more than a dozen members of the Arts and Culture Alliance. Participating groups will include the Louisville Zoo, Kentucky Science Center, Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Shakespeare, and more. For more information, please visit http://LFPL.org/Kids or call (502) 574-1620.
The Cultural Pass supports and encourages lifelong learning by providing free access to 50 Greater Louisville’s arts and cultural institutions for children and young adults to age 21.
New this year, residents in three surrounding counties—New Albany/Floyd County, Jeffersonville Township, and Bullitt County—will also be eligible to participate in the 2018 Cultural Pass through their public libraries. Southern Indiana residents are eligible for the Cultural Pass for the first time thanks to support from Bales Foundation, Duke Energy, and Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County.
The Pass is valid from June 1 to August 11 for one-time general admission at each of the 46 participating institutions. Also new this year, the Office of Advanced Planning developed an interactive map for enhanced user experience that can be found:https://fundforthearts.org/venues-cultural-pass.
“Our community is fortunate to have one of the most unique initiatives across the country to fight summer learning loss,” said Tonya Abeln, Director of Community Relations for Churchill Downs Inc. “Churchill Downs is proud to continue supporting arts & cultural experiences that make our city stronger.”
“This Cultural Pass is a passport for Greater Louisville kids and families to unlock boundless creativity at our world-class arts & cultural institutions,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “We are deeply grateful to our donors and partners who make this one-of-a-kind initiative possible. This is a critical investment for our region that allows kids to learn, play, and grow all summer long.”
The 2018 Cultural Pass and Summer Reading Program materials are available now at any Louisville Free Public Library branch. Pass holders can register and track the progress of their Cultural Pass online at LFPL.org/culturalpass and are encouraged to visit as many venues as they are able during the summer. Children with 5 or more documented visits are entered into a drawing for prizes, including a free stay at 21C Museum Hotel, tickets to area performances like The Christmas Carol at Actors Theatre or Louisville Ballet’s Nutcracker, family memberships to Bernheim Forest, the Frazier History Museum, Gheens Science Hall and Planetarium, and more.
“The Arts and Culture Alliance is proud to be the part of the Cultural Pass that provides access to arts and culture,” said Kim Baker, Chair of the Arts and Culture Alliance. “We invite our community and the new surrounding counties participating, to experience all our amazing arts and cultural organizations have to offer!”
To learn more about the Cultural Pass, please visit http://fundforthearts.org/culturalpass.
