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By MARK MILLER
Bluffton’s efforts to be “an inclusive community,” an effort that has garnered national attention via a front page picture and story in USA Today, continues to evolve.
Although nothing visible has taken place since a visit by nationally-known author Dr. Phil Devol last December, the committee has full intentions of having at least one “Getting Ahead” class this fall.
Those classes are designed to teach low-income families some basic budgeting strategies. Research by Devol and his partner, Dr. Ruby Payne, who spoke in Bluffton last September, shows that low income households find themselves in a “vicious circle” of living paycheck to paycheck with no long-term outlook or plans. It is a cycle that feeds itself and makes it difficult for many to escape poverty.
Wells County United Way executive director Pamela Beckford, who serves on the Inclusiveness Committee, characterizes the classes as an attempt to make a “more sustainable change.
“It’s an attempt to get away from just giving people a basket of food, or helping with a utility bill,” Beckford said. “Maybe we can help solve the issues that create these situations.”
Participants will explore the impact poverty has had on them, they investigate economic realities that they probably haven’t recognized, complete a self-assessment of their own resources, and then formulate a plan.
The committee is trying to find an appropriate location for the sessions. Session leaders were trained by Devol during his December visit. Beckford estimates that 15 Wells County people went through the training process to lead the classes.
The committee is also planning to have several VITA session during the early part of 2009 to assist low income people with income tax filing.
VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) provides free assistance in filing income tax returns utilizing computers and e-filing, which will speed up the tax refund process for people.
The effort will require obtaining computers and a location for the sessions, but Beckford is confident there is some state funds available. “And if not, I’ll find a grant somewhere,” she said.
Beckford has proven herself as a veteran in that regard. She recently obtained a $25,000 “planning grant” from the Lilly Foundation (via the Indiana state United Way) to further the inclusiveness effort.
She also successfully applied for scholarships for three local people (including herself) to attend a national Financial Stability Leadership Summit (see accompanying story).
Meanwhile, Bluffton’s three school systems have also followed-up on the Payne/Devol seminars. A number of staff members from the schools have been certified as trainers for the Payne program in how to more effectively teach and deal with children from poverty homes.
The inclusiveness effort, quite visible by signs at every entranceway into Bluffton, originated several years ago when an immigrant businessman started a new enterprise in the city.
He received a clipping in the mail of a news item that had appeared in the News-Banner with wriiten comments that “we don’t wear turbans and we speak English in Bluffton.”
He shared that with Mayor Ted Ellis, who used it as a catalyst to launch what he called a “diversity effort” to make Bluffton more inclusive and welcoming.
A committee was formed based around a shared partnership of the effort by the local United Way, the Wells Community Foundation, Bluffton Regional Medical Center and Franklin Electric.
That committee has evolved into a more individual-based committee that include Ellis and Beckford, along with Tom Gibson, Bette Erxleben, Tammy Slater, Kirk Nevins, Sheila Howe, Tamra Boucher and John Wallace.
The visits by Payne and Devol, as well as a stab at offering an elementary Spanish language class can be attributed to the group’s efforts.