Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) Executive Director, David Hollars, began Centralina Day of Giving in 2017. Since its inception, Centralina WDB and NCWorks Career Center staff have dedicated the Friday before Thanksgiving to volunteer at different local agencies and organizations. Unfortunately, due to the unforeseen circumstances that surrounded the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional in-person Centralina Day of Giving was not an option.

Six years have passed since the regional growth framework for CONNECT Our Future was unanimously accepted by the 95-member CONNECT Consortium in 2015. Implementation of the landmark achievement started immediately for different partners and different areas of the region. This document summarizes the work of Centralina Regional Council and its look back on accomplishments in the region that tie back to CONNECT Our Future

The Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) helps older adults bridge the gap to retirement by providing paid job training for adults 55 and older. Although training for individuals in this age group is not common, there are several reasons why it is necessary. Adults in this age group may be too young for social security, need a second job in addition to social security or simply not be ready to retire. Centralina staff help participants develop employment plans to find jobs that match their interests, abilities and goals. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, in-person operations were derailed so Centralina AAA had to get creative with training methods.

The Town of Mooresville Fleet Department recently entered a partnership with the NCWorks Career Center in Mooresville for hiring new staff using the Center’s On-the-Job Training services. Initial outreach by the Mooresville was made by HR Generalist Violet Carter during the COVID-19 lockdown in the summer of 2020. This began a series of meetings between the Mooresville staff and Jens Schmidt, NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville Center Leader.

Every ten years, the General Assembly requires local governments that elect governing board members on a ward basis to revise their voting ward boundaries to correct population imbalances. Often, communities gain or lose population, or the population shifts over the ten-year period. Known as “redistricting,” revising imbalanced voting wards is necessary for local governments to remain compliant with the “one-person, one-vote” equal protection clause of the United States Constitution. The one-person, one-vote principle is meant to ensure that representation and voting power remain equally distributed among voting-age constituents.

Signed into law on March 11, 2021 by President Biden, The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), provides COVID-19 funding relief for eligible state, local, territorial and tribal governments. The purpose of ARPA is to support the public health response to COVID-19, address negative economic impacts, replace experienced revenue loss, implement premium pay for essential employees and make vital broadband and water/sewer infrastructure improvements.

Stanly County celebrated National Manufacturing Day with the Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) and NCWorks team on September 30 and October 1 of this year with events held at the Agri-Civic Center in Albemarle. Students from four Stanly County high schools had the opportunity to tour local companies and the Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Center at Stanly Community College. The tours included FiberOn in New London, Norwood Manufacturing in Norwood and Eudy’s Cabinet Manufacturing in Stanfield.

Older adults and caregivers of older adults have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of COVID-19. In an effort to remain safely distanced from others, caregivers and their loved ones have experienced social isolation, food insecurity and financial insecurity. And as they spent more time confined at home, they also became more aware of safety issues in their homes. To help address caregiver issues that have either arisen or become more obvious during COVID, the Centralina Area Agency on Aging Family Caregiver Support Program was granted funds through the CARES Act. These funds were allocated to provide financial relief to caregivers and their families with greater flexibility than previous funding.

Throughout the pandemic, our Centralina Area Agency on Aging Ombudsman have received numerous requests from long-term care residents and families to help increase visitation. One special type of visit is the compassionate care visit in which a family member or other visitor provides comfort, support and/or assistance to a resident whose well-being is suffering, at risk or who is dying.