Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council Minutes

NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday, January 13, 2008, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.
PROGRAM: The Sophia Way—Services For Eastside Homeless Women &
Reprot of The EISCC Eastside Emergency Fund

NEW Change of Location! Beginning in January, EISCC General Membership Meetings will be held in
Bristol Hall,
ST. Margaret's Episcopal Church
4228 Factorial Blvd. SE
Bellevue (Across from Newport High School).

CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Lloyd Van Vactor at noon at St. Luke's Lutheran Church.

OPENING PRAYER: Sonneva Woods gave the opening reading.

SELF-INTRODUCTIONS: Self-introductions were made by 20 attendees.

MINUTES: Minutes of the November 11th meeting were approved as distributed.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Treasurer Pat McDermott reported that EISCC assets at the end of November were $103,000. Checks for $32,000 and $55,000 have been received for Sophia Way.

CONGREGATIONS FOR THE HOMELESS:
Congregations for the Homeless Director Steve Roberts reported that CFH is currently housed at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, while the usual December host, First Presbyterian, is being remodeled. CFH offices are now at St. Andrew's. The shower trailer is under construction, and will be ready for use at St. Luke's in February. The trailer will contain a washer and two dryers as well as the showers. Steve is currently contacting congregations who do not already have these facilities to make sure the new trailer can be hooked up at each place. The trailer refit was financed by $4400 from the Nadine Shannon Fund. Steve would welcome donations of a washer and two dryers in good working condition. Thirty-two men are currently in housing.

CONGREGATIONS FOR KIDS:
JoAnne Way reported that Congregations for Kids will be inactive (except for grant writing) until time to get ready for school next year.

PROGRAM:
Steve Roberts introduced Shelly Shellabarger, Volunteer Coordinator for the City of Bellevue.

Shelly's job is to:

• support and enhance the city volunteer program
• market the volunteer program
• recruit and train volunteers
• conduct outreach.

Non profits can contact Shelly at volunteer@bellevuewa.gov to add volunteer opportunities to the Hot Sheet.

The city has 38 programs which can use volunteers. They include: work in the areas of environmental stewardship, such as planting trees or working at the botanical garden; civic engagement, which includes serving on boards or commissions, providing information on city and community services at Crossroads Mini City Hall, and supporting the police force; and supporting the arts and recreation including helping at Bellevue Youth Theater, working at the Voices in Diversity radio show, helping at the Skate Park, or Crossroads Community Center. Shelly is also working on developing business contacts in the community to market volunteer opportunities to employees.

Shelly can help congregations in several ways. Faith communities can put volunteer opportunities in the Hot Sheet. She can refer potential volunteers to you. She will serve as a resource for development of a volunteer program; connect you to similar organizations; and refer you to other city programs.

CLOSING PRAYER – Sandy Lewis gave the closing prayer.