Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council Minutes

P.O. Box 662, Bellevue, WA 98009-0662
May 10, 2011

The meeting was held in Bristol Hall of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church on May 10, 2011, beginning at 12:00 noon.
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AN OPENING REFLECTION was provided byLloyd Van Vactor of Northshore United Church of Christ. 

SELF-INTRODUCTIONS were made by 22 members and guests.

MINUTES of the April12, 2011 meeting were approved as distributed.

TREASURER’S REPORT: EISCC Treasurer Pat McDermott (pmcdermott@amnis.com) provided a written summary:

At 4/30/2011 cash balances total approximately $50,000. First quarter billings brought our accounts receivable balance to more than $193,000. Collections will begin in early May.. Nothing unusual was noted during the month. Monthly patterns of income and expense are consistent with prior periods.

Save the Date!  CFH has scheduled their yearly fundraising luncheon for Tuesday, October 4th.  We will be sure to provide more details as planning for the event unfolds.

Although the warmth of spring is barely upon us, CFH and the Sophia Way are already making plans for this winter’s Eastside Severe Weather Shelter.

To better keep up with news about Congregations for the Homeless, EISCC members are encouraged to sign up for their monthly e-newsletter by dropping an email to staceyw@cfhomeless.org.

THE SOPHIA WAY: EISCC President JoAnne Way reported that the Sophia Way’s recent “Culinary Journey” event raised some $65,000 before expenses.
Residents will be moving into the newly renovated Holly House within the next two weeks

LEGISLATIVE COORDINATOR: EISCC Legislative Coordinator Nancy Bent reported that in these waning days of the special session of the Washington State Legislature, support is needed for two important issues: HB2048 which supports several critical housing and homelessness programs and SB 5944 which would give voters an opportunity to improve decision-making in the state budget process. 

LEGISLATIVE COORDINATOR:EISCC Legislative Coordinator Nancy Bent that in these waning days of the special session of the Washington State Legislature, support is needed for two important issues: HB2048 which supports several critical housing and homelessness programs and SB 5944 which would give voters an opportunity to improve decision-making in the state budget process. 

EISCC EMERGENCY SERVICES FUND UPDATE:  Hopelink’s Dave Bowlan (425-943-7558) reported that between April 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011 donations to the EISCC Emergency Services Fund totaled $19,373.05.  Contributions were received from:

Services Provided with EISCC Emergency Services Funds

Dave thanked everyone for their contributions to this vital fund.

PROGRAM:
CONGREGATIONS FOR KIDS: 
Congregations for Kids, a coalition of local congregations, helps students from low income families within the Bellevue School District have a Good Start Back to School.  Partnering with the school district, Eastside businesses and community organizations, CFK equips these students with the backpacks and supplies they need for the school year.

Congregations for Kids is sponsored by the Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council.

• So far in the 2010-11 school year, CFK has helped 1,699 students from kindergarten through high school, a 17% increase over last year.  District staff chooses the students they feel would most benefit from the 22.3% of the student population who qualify for the free and reduced price lunch program, up form 20.8% last year and 17.7% two years ago.  The district provides the numbers, genders, grade levels, and schools of those who need help, never the student’s names.  CFK is the only organization in Bellevue that provides backpacks and school supplies tailored for these students throughout the district – 28 schools this year.  In the first 15 years, CFK has filled over 13,600 requests.

• Donation drives usually begin around July 17th.  Donations will be turned in Monday, August 8th from 10: a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, August 9th from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the project site: the Stevenson Elementary School gym – 14220 NE 8th St., Bellevue.

• Items needed: elementary/MS/HS backpacks, 1.5” and 2” binders, simple calculators, composition books, sets of 24 crayons, dividers, erasers, folders with pockets, glue sticks, highlighters, 3”x5” white lined index cards, sets of 10 thin classic colored markers, sets of 8 washable wide classic colored markers, lined wide & college-ruled notebook paper, pencil boxes & pouches, sets of pencils, sets of 12 colored pencils, black/blue/red ballpoint bens, erasable pens, post-it notes, report covers with fasteners, 12” rulers, pointed scissors, fine/ultra fine black sharpies, wide and college-ruled spiral notebooks, gift cards (especially from Target), and checks made out to Congregations for Kids/EISCC to buy more supplies.

• The project’s value in 2010 was over $56,000, based on our inventory estimated prices of backpacks and what goes into them: $22 for k-2nd, $35 for 3rd-5th, $44 for middle school, and $42 for high school.

• Helping so far in this coming summer’s 16th annual project are: Aldersgate United Methodist,; Bellevue First Congregational Church; Bellevue First United Methodist; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Bellevue Third and Cougar Mountain Wards; Episcopal Church of the Resurrection; Cross of Christ Lutheran; East Shore Unitarian; Eastgate Congregational UCC; First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue; Grace Lutheran; Holy Cross Lutheran; Newport Covenant; Pilgrim Lutheran; Sacred Heart Catholic; St. Andrew’s Lutheran; St. Louise de Marillac Catholic; St. Luke’s Lutheran; St. Madeline Sophie Catholic; St. Margaret’s Episcopal; St. Peter’s United Methodist; St. Thomas Episcopal; Temple B’Nai Torah; Temple De Hirsch Sinai; Westminster Chapel; AYFEEO, student organization; Alpha Delta Kappa, Sigma Chapter; Bellevue Rotary Club; Costco Wholesale; and the Pease Family Fund.

If you are not listed, CFK would love to hear from you!  Volunteers are needed to help with sorting and packing at Stevenson.  CFK expects to help us to 2000 students this year.

See the CFK website for details, photos and testimonials at www.congregations4kids.org.  Contact Congregations for Kids chair Nancy Jacobs at 425-883-6406 or bnjacobs@frontier.com for more information.

BELLEVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT: Betty Takahashi, Coordinator of the Bellevue School District’s Family Connections Centers and McKinney-Vento Liaison, reported on how the district works to help homeless and low-income students become more successful learners.

Under the provisions of a federal law known as the McKinney-Vento act, local school districts must provide homeless children transportation to and from school free of charge, allowing children to attend their school of origin (the last school enrolled or the school they attended when they first become homeless) regardless of what district the family resides in. It further requires schools to register homeless children even if they lack normally required documents, such as immunization records or proof of residence.

As the Bellevue School District’s McKinney-Vento Liaison, Betty works to:

• Determine homeless status
• Arrange transportation
• Request Free Reduced priced lunch
• Coordinate with other school districts to facilitate enrollment
• Inform parents, guardians, and school personnel
• Provide information regarding social services.
• Advocate for unaccompanied youth
• Arbitrate disputes between parents and school district.

The act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” The Act then goes on to give examples of children who would fall under this definition:

• Children sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing;
• Children living in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations”
• Children living in “emergency or transitional shelters”
• Children “awaiting foster care placement”
• Children whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
• Children living in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations…”

Bellevue McKinney-Vento Students by School:

Bellevue McKinney-Vento Students by Grade

 Bellevue Students on Free or Reduced Price Lunch:

• 22% District-wide
• 49% Ardmore
• 67% Lake Hills
• 33% Phantom Lake
• 49% Sherwood Forest
• 43% Stevenson

Bellevue School District Interesting Facts:

• 84 Different Languages spoken
• 75% of students at Stevenson Elementary speak a language other than English.
• 55 Different languages spoken at Interlake
• White students represent less than ½ the student population for the first time this year.

The City of Bellevue funds 5 Family Connections Centers, located at the following elementary schools:  Ardmore, Lake Hills, Phantom Lake, Sherwood Forest, Stevenson. The staff at these centers provides support for the educational, health and economic needs of families of all backgrounds.  They provide information and referral services in the areas of:

• School (lunch forms, culture, programs. etc.)
• Support school events
• Scholarships for school activities and summer camp
• Medical/dental/health services
• Counseling
• Community Programs
• Parenting Classes

The Family Connections Centers also partner with community groups when district resources alone cannot meet families’ needs. For example, they partner with Congregations for Kids.

Other community partners include:

• Operation School Bell ( Sept.-Nov)
• Holiday Support
• Breaktime/Mealtime
• Clothes for Kids ( April-June)
• Baby Corner

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CITY OF BELLEVUE FAITH COMMUNITY SURVEY: The City of Bellevue is in the process of collecting data to be included in the City of Bellevue’s biennial Human Services Needs Update report that will be available early in 2012. Again this year, and especially now with all the budget cuts and increased needs in the community, they would like to hear from Bellevue congregations about the key needs, trends, and gaps that they are seeing related to human services available in the City of Bellevue.

There are several reasons that Bellevue regularly publishes the Needs Update.  First, it gives the Human Services Commission, providers, and the community an understanding of the overall human service needs and trends in the City, the Eastside and King County.  Many other groups are very interested in using the information from this survey to help show the impact budget cuts are making on the most vulnerable populations. 

The Update also provides a framework for the Commission as they make recommendations for funding.  During every allocation cycle, there are more than a few examples of how data from the Update contributes to recommendations from the Commission to fund certain gaps in the community. Finally, the report is often useful to various community groups and non-profit agencies in writing grant applications and for program development and planning. 

The online survey will take about ten minutes, so please take the time to complete it by clicking on the attached link no later than Tuesday, May 31st.
To reach the survey click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011FaithSurvey.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call City of Bellevue Human Services Planner Alex O’Reilly at (425) 452-2824 or email her at aoreilly@bellevuewa.gov.

BRIDGE DISABILITY MINISTRIES : Bridge Disability Ministries will hold a Sunday Evening Celebration for people living with disabilities and friends Sunday, May 22nd, 4-6pm, at Highland Covenant Church, 15022 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue, 98007. 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.

In May we will also be hosting a breakfast event - Biblical Justice & Right Relationships with Justice Charlie Wiggins. This event will explore biblical justice and its role in society, and will be held Friday, May 20th, 7-9am at the Harbor Club, 801 2nd Ave, Seattle, 98104. Call (425)885-1006 ext. 113 or email events@bridgemin.org for more information about tickets.

Bridge will also hold a Sunday Evening Celebration for people living with disabilities and friends Sunday, June 5th, 4-6pm, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave SE, Mercer Island, 98040. 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.

A CLOSING REFLECTION was offered by Cathy Goodrich of Lake Washington United Methodist Church.

NEXT MEETING:  Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
PROGRAM: THE COMMITTEE TO END HOMELESNESS – A MID-PLAN REVIEW OF THE 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LOCATION: BRISTOL HALL,
ST. MARGARET’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
4228 FACTORIA BOULEVARD SE
BELLEVUE (ACROSS FROM NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL)

Brian Anderson, EISCC Secretary