TMCS offers Comm. Relief, social service programs
Since its founding in 1969, Tipp-Monroe Community Services (TMCS) has grown to serve a special role in the local community, offering a combination of social service programs and traditional recreational, cultural and educational programming.
“We’re very unique,” TMCS Executive Director Kathy Taylor said. “We do recreation, education and cultural programming, but we also do social services.”
“When we started, we were more based on recreation, education and cultural programs,” she said, “but over time, we found out that there were needs within the community.”
Located at 3 E. Main Street, TMCS began in 1969 as the Tipp City Community School Program, which sought to use city- and school-owned buildings in the evenings and on weekends when they were not in use. The program’s name was changed to Tipp-Monroe Community Services in 1976, and in 1977 the organization started the Mobile Meals program, which still serves local residents today.
TMCS also offers the Community Relief program, which assists individuals once in a 12-month period with rent, utilities, or prescription medication.
“We have a three-time lifetime, where they can come in and get help three times,” Taylor said. “It’s up to $500 that we can help with.”
TMCS took over the Community Relief program from the Fellowship of Churches in 1986. Last year, the program helped 113 families, Taylor said, benefiting a total of 366 individuals.
“Everybody in the household benefits from us paying rent,” she said.
Other social services programs include the eyeglass program, which provides a free pair of eyeglasses and exam, and the emergency dental program, which can assist individuals with pulling or filling a tooth. TMCS also offers the Lunch with Liberty program at Liberty Commons, a Christmas gift-giving program, and assistance for local students with school supplies and calculators.
The organization also offers a diaper fund for diapers and formula, as well as the Good Samaritan Fund, which provides individuals with a gift card for gasoline that can be picked up at the Tipp City Police Department.
“People can go in there and get a gift card to get gasoline,” Taylor said. “They go to the police because we have to make sure they have a valid driver’s license and they have car insurance.”
In 2010, TMCS started the Lunch On Us program, which provides lunch for children during the summer months at seven different pick-up locations. The program has now served a total of more than 90,000 meals.
“We also do Friday Bags through the Lunch Program,” Taylor said. “Kids can get Friday Bags during the summer months.”
All of TMCS’ social service programs are supported through donations.
“What’s nice is it’s all supported by businesses, organizations and individuals,” Taylor said. “Everybody donates to these programs, which is how we keep them going.”
“We have a very good community, and people are very giving here in this town,” she said.
TMCS also hosts an annual Purse Auction to raise funds for the Lunch On Us program. The organization is always seeking volunteers, as well as donations of food and other items. More information, and a list of needed items, can be found online, at www.tmcomservices.recdesk.com.
Funding for TMCS’ salaries and administrative costs is provided through a 0.5-mil levy, which will appear for renewal on the local ballot this November.
“We try to be very diligent with the money we receive from the tax levy,” Taylor said. “That’s our base to run the organization.”
“We try to use our money to the best of our ability, and not overspend,” she said. “I think we do a good job with that.”
The organization currently includes a total of four part-time employees and one full-time position, Taylor said.
“Right now, we have the best staff I think we’ve ever had,” she said. “They do such a great job.”
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