By Haylee Pence
MIAMI VALLEY – The Miami County Commissioners recently proclaimed April 22 as Council on Rural Services (CORS) Day in Miami County.
“We are so thrilled with this recognition! Originally headquartered in Darke County, we moved our headquarters to Piqua at 201 RM Davis Parkway, and the citizens of both counties have been so very instrumental in our success that we cherish this proclamation,” stated Millie Woryk, Chief HR and Admin Officer.
CORS provides programs and assistance to children and families throughout Miami County and eight other counties in Ohio. Their mission is “to empower individuals and families to achieve stability, hope, and confidence,” said Woryk.
“Our goal is to provide a unique mix of learning and social experience to develop competence, motivation, and behavior for a better life and stronger community,” stated Woryk.
CORS offers Early Childhood Programs with the Kids Learning Place which includes full-day classrooms, part-day (preschool) classrooms, home base visits, and pregnant women support.
Full-day classrooms are offered at their Troy and Piqua locations. Preschool classrooms are offered at their Troy, Piqua, and West Milton locations. The home base visits and pregnant women support options are offered one-on-one and throughout the county.
In Miami and Darke counties, CORS offers Achievement Center for Educational Success (ACES) and the Gateway Youth Programs to encourage youth to remain in school and graduate by providing additional instructors and social services.
The ACES program assists with high school students by providing them with additional “structured, supportive, and educational environment as they work toward their high school diploma,” according to the CORS brochure. ACES also provides a workforce development program to students by matching them to available jobs in the county.
The Gateway Youth Program offers youth development and prevention services for youth 7-17 years of age. The Gateway Youth Program hosts a variety of subprograms such as the Community Connectors, Incredible Years, and the Connection Center.
CORS attended Wellness Day at Edison Community College on April 22. CEO/CFO Dan Schwanitz presented on the State of CORS to the Miami County Commissioners.
There will also be a CORS Graduation for this year’s Mimi County seniors who graduated at Romer’s Catering at 10:30 a.m. on May 26. “We would love to have you celebrate with these talented young people who faced many unique challenges to achieve their diploma,” Woryk stated.
For those who are interested in helping CORS and the children they help, reach out to Millie Woryk at 937-778-8970 for volunteer information or donation information.
