Foreclosure Prevention Help

Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report /
Dickinson County
Community Services Center, 800 Crystal Lake Boulevard
Iron Mountain, Mich. 49801-2765
Phone: 906-774-0363 / E-mail:
Fax: 906-774-4672
Web: msue.msu.edu/dickinson
April 2009

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A number of homeowners facing possible foreclosure have contacted Beth Waitrovich, County Extension Director for assistance. One important fact that Waitrovich has shared with the homeowners is, homeowners should never pay to have someone help them to find resolution with their mortgage delinquency. When a lender or servicer isn’t able to offer workout options to a counselor or the homeowner, there are companies charging big bucks promising to help save their homes. These companies won’t get any further in the process. In the end, the homeowner has spent large sums of money that should have been used to possibly save their home. One of the families Waitrovich was working with had been contacted by a number of these companies and had been considering spending the money with one of these companies to try to save their home.

Waitrovich has provided the following type of assistance to homeowners: creation of a budget which addresses income versus expenses for the individual homeowners, explanation of how to work with loss mitigation departments at their lender to possibly change the interest rate or extend the loan, explanations of programs available to help homeowners such as the “Making Homes Affordable” program recently initiated at the Federal level for persons with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae home mortgage products.

Waitrovich has also conducted two workshops in the Upper Peninsula for the public to discuss mortgage counseling for foreclosure prevention, budgeting information and suggestions for reducing expenses and how to discuss difficult situations with creditors.

Programming with Community Youth

MSU Extension SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) staff has been working with 410 area elementary, middle and high school students. Topics covered include the 2005 dietary guidelines, Mypyramid.gov for kids, label reading, Food Safety and Hand Washing, Portion control, Agriculture in Michigan with highlights on dairy and fruits and vegetables and stressing the importance of keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Working with the teachers to provide Nutrition education fits in with the Michigan Model for Health Education and the Action for Healthy Kids Plan. The teachers plan many of their activities for the day to reinforce our sessions.

SNAP-Ed works with the Life Skills program under the guidance teacher, Peggy Jones. The youth range from sixth grade through tenth grade. They come from income eligible families and are all coping with learning disabilities. We work on a lot of the same topics as elementary students at a preteen to teenager level. The focus is on healthy lifestyles and habits. Cooking skills are incorporated into each lesson as well as kitchen safety and nutrition. This year there is a lot of focus on portion control and keeping active.

Adult programming is the first priority for SNAP-Ed. The adult programming covers many topics with each client depending on individual needs. Most common lessons are Food Safety, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, MyPyramid, Label Reading, Planning Menus and making the most of your food dollars, keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The local mental healthcare system has requested our program in a new traditional home site. Bi-weekly SNAP-Ed sessions are being provided to 13 residents and staff members. All sessions are adapted to the needs and skill levels of the residents. Staff are learning how to follow-up with lesson materials and activities. A unified effort of teaching one concept from all the different agencies has become very successful in regards to more progress with clients. Many of the agencies in our county rely heavily on MSUE to provide updated, researched and practiced programming to guide them in how they teach their clientele Nutrition education.

New After School Program Focuses on Healthy Lifestyles

A Learn and Serve grant has made it possible for Dickinson County 4-H to add another after school program at our local community center. Over 1,000 youth within the Iron Mountain and Kingsford area were targeted. Teens serve as mentors to the elementary students and assist the program coordinator in planning program activities.

Currently, there are over 75 youth involved within the program. A coordinator facilitates the program. Busing is provided for all participants, and youth get transported from their perspective schools. The program is in session every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:30 until 5:00 p.m. The teens and the coordinator then meet from 5:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. for program planning, leadership, and team building activities.

Youth use the facilities at the community center and participate in physical activities such as basketball, team games, walley ball, and soccer. Participants are provided with a healthy snack at every session.

The program will continue after the school year with special summer hours. The sustainability of the program relies upon local business support. Currently, we are already partnering with JCPenney’s Roundup program.

‘Keeping It Green’

Over 130 4-H adults and leaders recently attended the annual UP Leadermete held at the Ramada Inn, Marquette. This year’s conference theme focused on environmental issues and how we play an important role in it. Participants selected from various educational workshops, make it and take it sessions, and an awards banquet.

Held annually, this conference is an opportunity for all Upper Peninsula adults and youth ages 12 and over, along with MSU state staff, to meet and learn more about youth development topics. Dickinson County had four youth, eleven adults, and one MSUE 4-H Extension Educator attend. They participated in various workshops including Earth friendly cleaning products, Creating Dreamcatchers, Making Four Corner Aprons, Fun Filled Activities for clubs, Pork Quality Assurance Training, and Photography. Participants will then share this information with fellow club members.

Two youth members from our county of the Crystal Lake Angels 4-H Club, demonstrated making ‘Earth Balls’ as a Make It and Take It session. An adult leader led a session on creating potholders from scrap materials. Other sessions included crafts from recycled materials, measuring your Carbon footprint, and creating jewelry.

MSU Extension Dickinson County Staff

Beth WaitrovichCounty Extension Director

Kristine ChampagneSNAP-Ed. Program Associate II

Rebecca Krans4-H Extension Educator

Diana MilliganOffice Manager

Rachelle Taff4-H / Extension Secretary