LOCAL BRIEFS

A special meeting of the Brainerd City Council and Planning Commission will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Brainerd City Hall conference room to review the subdivision ordinance and zoning map.

Disability access sites expanded

The Disability Linkage Line of Central Minnesota's Brainerd's office in collaboration with the Brainerd Work Force Center will host regular access sites for consumers.

The sites, part of MinnesotaHelp Network, are located across Minnesota in clinics, libraries, senior centers and community centers. The sites help serve people with disabilities, caregivers, senior citizens and veterans to find information, resources and face to face assistance.

Anyone searching for disability-related resources or wanting to learn how employment affects their benefits is encouraged to make an appointment with the Disability Linkage Line specialist.

For more information call Sharon at (218) 371-1010 or Keith at (218) 317-1011 or the disability line at (866) 333-2466.

Foundation seeks anti-poverty projects for VISTA volunteers

LITTLE FALLS - The Initiative Foundation based in Little Falls is seeking new project sites to host and direct full-time, yearlong Volunteer in Service to America members engaged in projects to fight poverty.

In partnership with AmeriCorps VISTA, the foundation will place up to 25 full-time VISTA members in organizations serving Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena or Wright counties. Eligible agencies include nonprofits, schools and government agencies.

Initial inquiries are due by Feb. 5. Selected project sites will be invited to submit a full application and final site selections will be made by March 5. Initiative Foundation program partners directly responding to poverty issues will be given first consideration. Other programs considered include those that: Teach self sufficiency skills (financial literacy, job/life skills, etc.); support children and families at-risk (as a result of job loss, incarceration, domestic abuse, etc.); support ex-offenders and workforce re-entry services; provide services for elders; increase community engagement of immigrants/refugees.

Agencies recruit, interview and select their own AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers from a pool of local and national candidates. Selected volunteers receive training, medical coverage and a monthly living allowance of $891. VISTAs also choose between a $5,350 education award or $1,500 cash stipend upon successful completion their service year.

For more information, go online to www.ifound.org or contact Chris Fastner, VISTA Program Manager, (877) 632-9255, or e-mail cfastner@ifound.org.