THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 28, 1995 TAG: 9507260126
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
They're calling it one-stop shopping.
The only difference is that the goods aren't groceries or clothing, and everything's free.
It's Chesapeake's first CARE Fair, a daylong exhibition for families and children, to be held Aug. 5 at Crestwood Middle School.
City agencies and medical professionals will offer Chesapeake families a huge range of services - everything from free health screenings and immunizations for children to help signing up for social services such as food stamps.
``One of the key things about CARE Fair is that we're minimizing that red tape families normally have to go through to get services,'' said Patricia Powers, principal of B.M. Williams Primary School and head of the committee that's planning the fair.
Normally, parents must trek to many different agencies to get the services they need.
The idea behind the fair is to provide parents with vital services, in one place at one time, with minimal paperwork. Participants will be asked to fill out one form when they arrive at the fair, which will allow them access to all services. Child care and some transportation will be provided.
Children will be entertained with clowns, pony rides, a petting zoo, professional storytellers, face painting, coloring books and balloons.
``We're trying to make it a festive thing,'' said Tom Cupitt, the school system's spokesman and a member of the fair's planning committee.
The inspiration for the CARE Fair, short for Children's Assistance and Resource Event, came from a similar exhibition that's held annually in Tucson, Ariz. Nancy Welch, director of the city's Health Department, read about it.
School officials were interested in helping organize the event because they want children to be prepared when the new school year starts in September. Students must have physicals and must show proof of immunization against disease before they can start class.
Other agencies, such as the Social Services Department and the Health Department, just want to get the word out about the services children and families need.
``As best we can determine, this is the first time an event of its kind has been offered in Virginia or anywhere on the East Coast,'' Powers said.
Close to 40 community agencies and 100 volunteers will donate their time and expertise for the event. Chesapeake businesses have contributed everything from food for the volunteers to medical supplies. More volunteers and donations are being solicited.
A comprehensive computer system will allow CARE Fair volunteers to research children's immunization records, on file at the Health Department, make referrals for services that can't be offered at the fair and follow up later to make sure children eventually get those services.
Among the things to be provided at the fair:
Free physicals, shots and screenings for hearing, vision, speech and dental problems.
Help with signing up for social services, such as Aid for Families with Dependent Children and food stamps.
Help registering children for the school system's free and reduced-price lunch program.
Financial, legal and nutritional counseling, including advice on child support enforcement.
Information from a wide range of other agencies, including the YMCA, the Salvation Army, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Head Start, the Tidewater AIDS Crisis Task Force and the Social Security Administration.
People who are interested in participating should bring: proof of Chesapeake residency, such as a driver's license, utility bill, voter registration card or rent receipt; proof of income, such as an employer's statement, a recent paycheck stub or a federal income tax return; other useful documents, such as Social Security cards, children's immunization records, proof of home ownership and custody or divorce papers. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
Chesapeake's first CARE Fair will be held Aug. 5 at Crestwood
Middle School, 1420 Great Bridge Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some
transportation will be provided; shuttle buses will depart for
Crestwood at 8:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. from five other schools throughout
the city - Rena B. Wright Elementary, Carver Intermediate,
Southwestern Elementary, Camelot Elementary and Southeastern
Elementary. For more information about the event, call Patricia
Powers at B.M. Williams Primary at 547-2014. To volunteer, call
LaChele Gray, Chesapeake Health Department, 543-6058.
by CNB