announcements [Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council]

The meeting was held in Bristol Hall of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church on
November 8, 2011 beginning at 12:00 noon.
AN OPENING REFLECTION was provided by EISCC President Dave Emery.
SELF-INTRODUCTIONS were made by 29 members and guests.
MINUTES of the October 11, 2011 meeting were approved as distributed.

TREASURER’S REPORT:The October financial statements will be available soon.

CONGREGATIONS FOR THE HOMELESS: CFH Executive Director Steve Roberts (206-295-7803 or stever@cfhomeless.org) reported that the shelter was currently at First Congregational Church of Bellevue with the food being provided by Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Bellevue and will be moving First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue in December.

A Thanksgiving dinner for the men in the shelter program is being planned by First Congregational Church with St. Thomas Episcopal preparing to provide turkeys for the men in housing.

The shelter program is moving men into housing pretty rapidly right now (5 or 6 this month alone) so the waiting list to get into the shelter is relatively short.

THE SOPHIA WAY: Sophia Way Executive Director Helen Leuzzi (425-463-6285 or director@sophiaway.org) reported the Holly House has only been open 4 months but has already served 10 clients with 6 still staying in Holly House and 4 others having been helped to move to other housing.
The capital campaign to raise funds to remodel the space at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church for use as an expanded Sophia Way shelter is coming to a close. They are only $20,000 short of their $500,000 goal. Interested churches can still “buy a cubicle” – donating funds to help install cubicles for each of the women in the shelter that will allow for raised beds and more private space.

The St. Luke’s shelter has a planned opening of June 2012. The YWCA day shelter will be moving to St. Luke’s at that time as well. The Congregational Church where both programs have been housed is offering their space to Congregations for the Homeless for use a men’s day shelter.

LEGISLATIVE COORDINATOR Nancy Bent encouraged congregations to participate in an “Offering of Letters” in anticipation of the WA State Special Legislative Session that will begin at the end of the month. That session will focus on balancing the state’s budget and people of faith are encouraged to consider contacting Governor Gregoire and their state legislators, asking them to consider a balanced approach - both spending cuts and increased revenue - to balance the budget.

You can provide stamped postcards and addresses at church. Members write a few sentences, address the cards to their own legislators and Gov. Gregoire, and the cards are mailed.

For your members who would like more time or information, here is a suggestion: You (EISCC member) can collect email addresses from those interested and send them something like this:

Thank you so much for your interest in writing the governor and our state legislators, encouraging them to take a balanced approach that will result in a budget that preserves as much as possible the vital social service programs that the poor and vulnerable among us rely on to survive.

The Faith Action Network aids this kind of advocacy with information and sample letters which may be of use to you.

Please feel free to edit their sample emails, adding your own story and your own feelings.

Thank you for joining your voice to the chorus of voices seeking economic justice for "the least of these."

EISCC EMERGENCY SERVICES FUND REPORT: Hopelink’s Dave Bowlan (425-943-7558) reported that between January 1 and October 31, 2001 donations to the EISCC Emergency Services Fund totaled $16,848.30. Contributions were received from:

Dave thanked everyone for their contributions to this vital fund.

EASTSIDE WINTER SHELTER: Beginning late November, two overnight winter shelters will open in Bellevue. The shelters will open every night at 8:30 pm and remain open until 7:30 am. Both will open on November 22, 2011 and will remain open nightly through March 15, 2012 (contingent on sufficient funding).

Shelter for women & families with children: This shelter will be located at Salvation Army Eastside Corps (911 – 164th Ave SE in Bellevue). The shelter will be run by trained, experienced staff from The Sophia Way.

Shelter for men: This winter shelter will be located at St. Peter's United Methodist Church (17222 NE 8th St. in Bellevue) and will accommodate up to 50 men. Trained staff from Congregations for the Homeless will oversee the operation of this shelter.

Providing shelter is the first and possibly the most critical step toward ending homelessness. Criteria-based shelters (those that are open only when the outside temperature drops below a set minimum) are harder to staff and it is very difficult to let those you wish to serve know when they are and are not open. Being open every night during the winter provides a lifeline for people who would otherwise be sleeping outdoors and increases the possibility of connections to other needed services and long term housing options. For many individuals, developing a relationship of trust with the shelter staff builds a bridge to programmatic shelters that assist clients through case management and housing.

This season the Eastside Winter Shelter is expected to provide 2,670 bed-nights, a 745% increase over last year.

In order for the Eastside Winter Shelter to provide these services to the homeless, we need donations of money, supplies and time. A financial gift of $1,500 pays one shelter's rent for a month, $100 helps pay for supplies. All financial donations go directly to serving clients of the shelter.

Drives for in-kind donations are also needed:

100 blankets
paper products to serve dinner and breakfast to 70 people every day
disinfectant wipes
large clear trash bags
ground coffee
protein bars
cereal

Emergency supplies needed:

A dozen flashlights and attendant batteries
twelve cases of bottled water
cases of canned chili
cases of canned tuna
boxes of crackers.

If your community is interested in donating a meal or meals, please contact Andrea Liggett at 425-822-0295 ext. 110 or andrea@hfkparish.org. To volunteer, arrange a supply drive or get more information, please contact Barbara Woontner, Logistics Manager for the Eastside Winter Shelter at 425-417-4815 or wintershelter@SophiaWay.org. Please mail financial donations to Eastside Winter Shelter 700 108th Ave NE Suite 201, Bellevue WA 98004.

SELF-INTRODUCTIONS were made by 24 members and guests.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

HOPELINK HOLIDAY GIFT ROOM – VOLUNTEERS & GIFTS NEEDED: Hopelink needs your help to make their gift room a success.

Available dates:
December 5-19th: Gift Room Setup
December 20th-21st: Running Gift Room
December 22nd-23rd: Gift Room Cleanup

If you are interested, please contact Dave at 425-943-7558 or dbowlan@hope-link.org.

Please drop off toys before December 16th at Hopelink, 14812 Main St. in Bellevue.

BRIDGE DISABILITY MINISTRIES: Bridge Disability Ministries will hold their annual Christmas Celebration for people living with disabilities and friends on Saturday, December 3rd 12-2:30pm, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 12600 84th Ave NE, Kirkland, 98034. Dinner will be provided. There is no charge, everyone is welcome and volunteers are very much appreciated. Call (425)885-1006 ext#118 or email lindam@bridgemin.org for more information.

VOLUNTEER CHORE SERVICES: (a program of Catholic Community Services) Over 80 individuals are on the waiting list on the Eastside for a volunteer to come in their home and help with light house chores, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, transportation, companionship, or yard care. Volunteers work 1:1 with the individual and also group yard work clean ups are available. Volunteers help seniors or adults living with disabilities remain living independently. Training is provided and mileage is reimbursed. Must fill out application and background check. For more information contact Andrea Briehl, Eastside Coordinator, at 425-679-0342 or adriab@ccsww.org.

SHOEBOXES OF JOY: Volunteer Chore Services is also looking for volunteers to participate in the annual Shoeboxes of Joy program. Help decorate shoeboxes and then fill with small gifts. Volunteer Chore Services will deliver the shoebox gift packages to elderly and disabled members of your neighborhood who may be isolated from family and friends during the holiday season. By giving a few hours of your time to create Shoeboxes of Joy filled with treats, you give a gift of caring and holiday cheer. Please contact our Intake Specialist, Cindy Jenson at 1-888-649-6850 / 206-328-5787 or email vc@ccsww.org, if you would like to participate or need more information.Note: Call now. Shoeboxes must be dropped off at a Catholic Community Services office on or before Friday, December 2nd, 2011.

ISSAQUAH MEAL PROGRAM: Nightly meal served @ 5:30, no questions asked. Doors open from 5:00-6:00 p.m. 180 E Sunset Way in Issaquah connected to the Fire station. Questions call 425-679-0342.

FESTIVAL OF THE NATIVITIES: A CELEBRATION OF CHRIST. You and your congregation are invited to attend a family celebration and crèche display at the Bellevue South Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (15205 SE 28th St in Bellevue) on December 1 & 2, 2011 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and December 3 & 4, 2011 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. You are welcome to come and enjoy and also to share your crèches, provide religious Christmas musical numbers, participate in a live nativity, enjoy children's activities, and have family pictures taken in period clothing in a stable. For more information please contact Cressida Stapley at 425-747-2962.

WHERE THE HEART IS – A Community Cookbook in Support of Tent City 4 is in production. Recipes will be accepted until December 1, 2011. Delivery of the cookbook is expected in mid-winter.

You can submit recipes online at http://www.typensave.com. Two recipes per person, but recipes from Aunt Susan or even Betty Crocker, with you as an additional contributor on the recipe form, are welcome. Please indicate the number of serving in the recipe subtitle line.

You can also pre-order cookbooks or CDs for your organization. The book order will be placed once they have the 300 recipes and commitments for 100 books or CDs. Get your order in now so the cookbooks can be ordered sooner rather than later. Books and CDs will cost $12.

Email tc4cookbook@gmail.com with your group pre-order. Let them know:

The name of your organization
How to contact you
How many cookbooks your organization will purchase
How many CDs of these recipes your organization will purchase.

Questions? Email tc4cookbook@gmail.com or call Nyla at 425-298-3250.

CLOSING REFLECTION: Al Bagley of Overlake Park Presbyterian Church offered a closing reflection.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO MEETING IN DECEMBER

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, January 10, 2011, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: BRISTOL HALL, ST. MARGARET’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 4228 FACTORIA BOULEVARD SE, BELLEVUE (ACROSS FROM NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL)