Harrah’s donates to Chester Senior Center, Domestic Abuse Project of Delco and DCCC
CHESTER » As part of Caesars Foundation’s $3.3 million donation to organizations across the U.S., Harrah’s Philadelphia donated a total of $35,000 in April. Harrah’s Philadelphia presented $12,000 to The Chester Senior Center and $11,000 to The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County.
Additionally, the property presented $12,000 to Delaware County Community College. This donation serves as the first part of a $60,000 commitment to be presented over 5-years. Funds received from this check will go towards building a new demonstration kitchen for culinary art students.
Donation ceremonies and check presentations were held to celebrate each of the organizations and show Harrah’s Philadelphia’s ongoing commitment to the community.
The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County was created in 1976 as part of a movement to provide safety, advocacy, and supportive services to victims of domestic abuse. Empowering victims of abuse and domestic violence prevention are at the core of their mission. Each year, thousands of victims of abuse and their children are supported through their 24/7 hotline, emergency safe shelter, counseling, and legal advocacy.
Chester Senior Center, one of the Senior Community Services senior centers, is working to give individuals a self-sufficient lifestyle by helping older people remain healthier, more active, and more independent. SCS is a community-based organization with over 39 years of experience, four national accredited senior centers, and an abundance of programs directly serving the aging population in the service area of Delaware County.
Delaware County Community College strives to facilitate learning by providing quality educational programs and services that are student-focused, accessible, comprehensive, and flexible to meet the educational needs of the diverse communities it serves.
The Caesars Foundation is a private foundation funded by resorts owned or operated by Caesars Entertainment and is the entity through which Caesars funds non-profit programs. visit http://www.caesars.com/corporate.
Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack features over 1,500 slot machines, live table games including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Baccarat, and has become a major destination for harness racing on the East Coast.
DCCC chosen to participate in national Initiative to provide education and training to incarcerated individuals
Delaware County Community College has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education to participate in a national initiative that provides education and training to incarcerated individuals. The college is one of an additional 73 institutions nationwide that will take part in the “Second Chance Pell Experiment,” which since 2015 has helped incarcerated individuals gain access to higher education and training. Participating institutions can begin accessing Pell grants as early as July 1.
“Ultimately, this program will provide incarcerated individuals with a pathway to stable, sustainable jobs, which will, in turn, minimize the possibility of recidivism,” says Delaware County Community College President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black.
“The Second Chance Pell grant will provide transformative change to prepare incarcerated individuals with the essential workforce skills and credentials to successfully transition into employment as well as additional pathways,” says Laura Williams, warden of the George Hill Correctional Facility in Glen Mills, one of the college’s partners.
With this third cohort of additional schools, Second Chance Pell now includes 200 institutions chosen to lead the way on this unique initiative, which is expected to fully ramp up in July 2023, when the Department of Education intends to implement legislative changes to allow eligible students in “college-in-prison” programs to access federal Pell grants.
The federal Pell program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain post-baccalaureate students. Grant amounts are dependent on the student’s expected family contribution; the cost of attendance at the school; the student’s enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less.
“Access to high-quality postsecondary education is essential to incarcerated individuals, but for far too long people in prison were left out,” says U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The expansion of Second Chance Pell and these new pathways out of default are critical steps for incarcerated individuals to be able to access educational opportunities that will provide second chances to build a future.”
To increase participation, the federal government is waiving previous loan defaults that prevented incarcerated individuals from participating. Soon, incarcerated individuals also will be able to consolidate loans, which they were not allowed to do previously. The increase in Pell opportunities is expected to allow the Department of Education and institutions to see how well the experiment is working across a broader, more diverse, geographic range.
In year one of its program, Delaware County Community College plans to partner with the George Hill Correctional Facility to provide education and training for up to 30 incarcerated students in Culinary Arts (food prep, service, and management) and Construction Supervision (construction and building inspection, construction laborer). The college will use what it learns in year one, to expand the program in years two and three possibly to other prisons in Delaware and Chester counties. The college anticipates serving a total of 100 incarcerated students over three years.
Depending on COVID safety and security protocols, classroom and handson instruction will be provided, as well as in-person and online academic and career guidance. Students will earn industry recognized certificates, such as certificates in Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation from the American Heart Association. Career fairs will be held to connect incarcerated students with employment in high-priority, highdemand career fields. Upon release from prison, students also may opt to enroll in Delaware County Community College or another higher education institution.
To be eligible for Second Chance Pell, incarcerated individuals must have either a high school diploma or a General Educational Development high school equivalency credential. Students 19 years of age or older who have not graduated from high school or passed the GED exam will be considered for admission on an individual basis. The college provides remedial courses which are available as part of its broader curriculum.
It is estimated that for every dollar spent on correctional education programs, $4 to $5 are saved on threeyear, re-incarceration costs, according to the RAND Corp., a California-based, nonprofit, research and public policy organization, which in 2018 did a study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. For more information, visit http://www.dccc,edu.
Learn more about Medicare at four Zoom presentations
APPRISE will offer four free Zoom Medicare presentations to Delaware County residents in May via Zoom to help beneficiaries learn more about their plans.
“Medicare 101” will be presented 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, May 4. This Medicare presentation will explain the basic fundamentals of Medicare. People can learn about Medicare Parts A, B, C & D; Medicare eligibility requirements; Medicare plan enrollment; and other Medicare benefits.
“How to Complete a Medicare Drug or Advantage Plan Comparison on Medicare.gov” will be presented 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, May 11. This Medicare presentation will explain how to use the online program at Medicare. gov to find the best Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription plan for you. This is designed to help people signing up for Medicare and ongoing Medicare beneficiaries who should check their plans each fall during Open Enrollment to make sure they have the best plan for the following year.
“Medicare Cost Sharing” will be presented 9-10 a.m. Friday, May 20. This Medicare Presentation will discuss Medicare Cost Sharing Programs to help pay for Medicare Insurance, premiums, and some benefits. “Medicare Supplemental/Medigap Plans” is the final presentation, 9-10 a.m. Tuesday, May 24. This Medicare Presentation will discuss Medicare Supplemental Plan Programs that cover the 20% of Medicare costs that Medicare A and B do not cover. These plans are the alternative to a Medicare Advantage Plan. To register for any or all of these presentations, email Louisa at louisaapprise@yahoo.com.