Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council Minutes

NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m.
PROGRAM: A PRESENTATION BY SHELLY SHELLABARGER, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, CITY OF BELLEVUE

Meeting Location:
CHANGE OF LOCATION! The December 17, 2008 meeting will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church at 3030 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004, (425) 822-7907.

The meeting was opened and conducted by EISCC Co-President Marilyn Rands.

OPENING PRAYER: The meeting was opened in prayer by Diana Stice of Bellevue’s First United Methodist Church.

Brian Anderson (425) 653-1652. Minutes for the October 14, 2008 meeting were accepted as printed.

TREASURER’S REPORT: EISCC Treasurer Pat McDermott (425-643-7759) was unable to attend and submitted a written report in his absence:

As I mentioned last month, on an annual basis receipts can be either greater than or less than disbursements, primarily depending on the amount of contributions from congregations and other grants. This is because the amount from these sources is not as predictable as the amounts received from the cities, King County, and United Way. Each year we budget receipts to equal disbursements. However, because of the lack of predictability in receipts, actual results will vary from the budgeted amounts. 2007 was an excellent year as receipts exceeded disbursements by approximately $49,000. I anticipate that for 2008 total disbursements will exceed receipts by $10,000 - $15,000.

Following are the monthly net results since January 2008 (in thousands). A bracketed number indicates that disbursements exceeded receipts.

Jan (17) April (26) July (16) Oct (26)
Feb (20) May (14) August (24)
March 30 June 39 Sept 39

Total – Qtr (7) (1) (1)

As you can see, there is a pattern. The third month of the quarter is positive because of billings to the cities and King County that happen during that month. I anticipate this pattern to continue.

At 10/31/2008 cash balances remain a strong $103,000.

Nothing unusual was noted during the month.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Pat

THE SOPHIA WAY: Co-President Rands reported that on October 24, 2008 the EISCC Executive Committee met with representatives of The Sophia Way, a new program that will provide temporary shelter, life skills education and case management to single homeless women on the Eastside with the aim of placing them successfully in permanent housing. The Sophia Way will act as a logical next step in the journey that these women begin taking at YMCA’s Angeline’s Eastside Women’s Center (located at First Congregational Church of Bellevue). There single homeless women are offered a safe place to stay during the day (9am to 3pm) as well as a warm meal, warm showers, laundry facilities, as well as career counseling, resources to find overnight assistance, bus passes, and access to nursing care.

Having utilized these services, clients who are ready to make life-changing choices would be recommended to take part in Phase II called the E-WISH Program (Eastside Women Interfaith Step Up to Housing). E-WISH is an education-based interim housing solution. A small group of 8 women will spend overnight time together with access to case management and daily life management educational opportunities, giving them the resources to lead them toward independence. The program will operate as a pilot from December 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009. The hope is that following the completion of a successful 6 month pilot program that the program would continue to serve this vulnerable population into the future.

At that October 24th meeting, the EISCC Executive Committee was asked to allow the Sophia Way program to operate under EISCC’s 501(c)3 status and to utilize the services of EISCC treasurer Pat McDermott to keep their books and monitor their funds. The EISCC Executive Committee voted to recommend this to the general membership at their November meeting.

A motion to that effect was made and seconded.

Steve Roberts, Executive Director of Congregations for the Homeless—one of the program’s that currently operates under such an arrangement—reported that the Sophia Way would be a huge first step in providing adequate shelter to homeless Eastside women. The Sophia Way would act as a stand-alone project, raising its own funds. There is virtually no risk financially to EISCC.

The motion to allow the Sophia Way to operate under EISCC’s 501(c)3 status in the same manner as Congregations for the Homeless and Congregations for Kids was carried.

Sophia Way Executive Director Helen Leuzzi will be given an opportunity to present information about the program in greater detail at either the December or January meeting.

CONGREGATIONS FOR KIDS: JoAnne Way reported that the Back-to-School program that provides backpacks of school supplies to needy students in the Bellevue school district was successful and it currently on hiatus.

CFK’s Warm Coats for Kids program was something less than totally successful this year. Over 600 requests for specific sized coats for specific kids were gathered by the Bellevue School District’s Family Connection centers. CFK collected donated coats then purchased the remaining requested coats and was able to fill every request. However, only half of the students actually picked up their coats. Of course, all of the donated and purchased coats were disbursed to needy individuals through programs such as Eastside Baby Corner, Tent City, and others. But the Warm Coat program plans to take next year (2009) off during which time they will investigate ways to avoid the problem they encountered in 2008.

Warm Coats for Kids is another program of Congregations for Kids that is going on right now.

CONGREGATIONS FOR THE HOMELESS:
CFH Executive Director Steve Roberts (206-295-7803; stever@cfhomeless.org) reported that CFH has moved its offices to St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (2650 148th Ave SE in Bellevue). The offices are much bigger and afford them much needed private space for counseling. CFH is in the process of hiring a graduate student.

CFH will be hiring a graduate student intern who will specialize in counseling.

Currently, CFH has 32 men in permanent housing. Rent is set at 30% of the client’s income. Rent is reviewed every six months. A couple of these men are ready to move away from subsidized housing into market housing, which is the ultimate goal for every client.

THE SOPHIA WAY: Executive Director Helen Leuzzi (425-652-5893) thanked EISCC members for taking the program under its wing. She reported that the intake process for the shelter will begin December 1, 2008. By January she expects to be able to report how many women they are sheltering.

PROGRAM: AGENCY PRESENTATIONS (Part Two)

BRIDGE MINISTRIES: Executive Director, Jack Staudt explained that Bridge Ministries is designed to bridge isolation. In their service to persons with physical and/or developmental disabilities, Bridge Ministries seeks to build a bridge between people with disabilities and churches, social and government agencies, and society at large, providing a way to re-integrate people with disabilities back into the community.

Bridge Ministries has a variety of volunteer opportunities for both individuals and groups. Volunteers choose to give of themselves and their time to engage in relationships with persons who have disabilities—some through one-on-one relationships, some through involvement in a Circle (a small group) with a person with a disability, and others through participation in special events alongside persons they serve.

Volunteers choose to use their skills in office support, equipment repair, or project planning and implementation in order to serve persons with disabilities by assisting them to be out in the community. One phone call, one visit, one piece of equipment giving the gift of independence and mobility -- all of these efforts mean so much to the persons they serve who are often isolated and who are sometimes made to feel “on the outside looking in” in social gatherings and in relationships with others!

Bridge Ministries is holding Guardianship Christmas Parties on Tuesday, December 16 from1:00-3:00pm at St. Matthew’s Parish (1230 NE 127th St. in Seattle) and on Thursday, December 18th at Southminster Presbyterian Church (19834 8th Ave S. in Des Moines). Join the Bridge staff as they celebrate the holidays with members of their Guardianship Family. Cookies and punch are needed for approximately 30 guests. Volunteers are needed to help set up, clean up, and serve.

For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities at Bridge Ministries, please contact Colleen Dodson at 425-828-1431, ext. 113 or colleend@bridgemin.org.

And because spiritual care is Bridge’s calling, their Church Connections Project offers an opportunity for Bridge staff and a "Core Team" of experienced volunteers to form partnerships with area churches to help them in their efforts to more fully involve persons with disabilities in their congregation. If your congregation is interested in having the Church Connections Project work with your faith community, please visit them on the web at http://www.bridgemin.org/churchcommunity/churchcommunity02.html or contact e-mail their Chaplain, Rev. Dr. David Emery at ChaplainI@bridgemin.org.

CRISIS CLINIC: Crisis Clinic provides crisis intervention and information and referrals efficiently, effectively and with compassion to all people of King County. Crisis Clinic offers year-round volunteer opportunities.

The 24-Hour Crisis Line and Teen Link depend on a select group of volunteers to staff the phone lines. All volunteers receive extensive training, supervision and ongoing support.

Crisis Line volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, agree to serve a 4 ½ hour shift per week for at least one year and be available for on-call and holiday coverage. Training is scheduled six times per year.

Teen Link volunteers must be between 13 and 20 years of age and may choose to be on the help or serve as outreach volunteers who help to educate their peers about youth suicide prevention and Teen Link.

For more information about volunteering at Crisis Clinic please contact Volunteer Services Manager Mildred Smith at 206-461-3210 ext. 611 or msmith@crisisclinic.org.

Crisis Clinic is hosting a Volunteer Open House on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 from 4-7pm. Learn about opportunities at Crisis Clinic, meet current staff and volunteers, and enjoy holiday appetizers. RSVP to 206-461-3210, ext. 638 or volunteerservices@crisisclinic.org.

EASTSIDE BABY CORNER: Eastside Baby Corner makes a positive difference in the lives of children and families in need by collecting and purchasing children’s items and distributing them, free of charge, through local service care providers. Baby Corner is a volunteer-driven organization that collects items that children use from birth to age 12 and distributes them, free of charge, through service care providers directly to families in need. In a 12 month period EBC collects $225,000 in cash donations, but distributes over $4 million in goods! Baby Corner is a nonprofit children’s’ charity which depends on volunteers to prepare items for distribution, give community presentations, and help with accounting and public relations.

Volunteer opportunities are available for both individuals and groups on an ongoing or one-time basis:

• Sort incoming donations or fill orders
• Knit baby sweaters, hats, baby blankets, quilts
• Website and database maintenance.
• Handyman projects
• Grant writing or bookkeeping

Eastside Baby Corner is particularly in need of your help during these tough economic times when the number of requests has risen dramatically and that amount of cash donations has dwindled. In short, they are in great need of your generous and continued support.

For more information visit them on the web at www.babycorner.org or contact them at 425-865-0234 or babycorner@gte.org.

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE: Jewish Family Service of Seattle began in 1892 with the sole purpose of resettling Eastern European and Sephardic Jewish refugees. Today, KFS supports the adjustment and employment of refugees and immigrants from all religions and cultures world wide, including Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Through their many social service programs such as financial assistance, ESL, citizenship classes, job placement and the Morris Polack Food Bank (which serves some 1500 people every month!), JFS helps new Americans become fully integrated members of our community.

Volunteer opportunities with JFS include working as an English-as-a-Second-Language tutor, a housing/donations assistant, community mentor, homework helper and tutor, and helping out in the food bank. For more information about how you can help, please visit the JFS website at www.jfsseattle.org or call them at 206-461-3240.

KINDERING CENTER: Kindering Center is a not-for-profit neurodevelopmental center that has been providing comprehensive services for children with special needs and their families since 1962. Each year nearly 3,000 infants and children receive crucial therapies, special education, and counseling.

One in five children has special needs—needs most often caused by complex disability or medical condition, but which can sometimes be the unfortunate result of abuse or neglect.

How you can help: Kindering Center’s services rely on the support of the community. Please call to pledge your help:

• Serve on a committee of the board of directors
• Volunteer in preschool classrooms or with evening childcare
• Include Kindering Center in your estate and planned giving arrangements
• Contribute to Kindering Center’s Endowment
• Raise funds through special events
• Donate goods or services
  

  For more information on how you can help, please visit their website at www.kindering.org or call them at 425-747-4004.
  

  NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI): NAMI Eastside works to improve the lives of persons affected by mental illness through support, education and advocacy. Who are the mentally ill? There are 40,000 caused of mental illness. One in four people nationwide will suffer from mental illness this year.
  

  NAMI Eastside is the East King County chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). Our members include families, friends, and people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, (manic depression), major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder and ADHD. NAMI sponsors free support groups and educational programs and advocates for improvements to the mental health delivery system in terms of access t care, standards of care, continuity of care, recovery, housing and rehab.
  

  Needs:

  Financial – Congregations are urged to adopt NAMI as a benevolence. Individuals are urged to become members of NAMI Eastside. Basic membership is $35 a year, but other membership levels (both lower and higher than the basic membership) are available. Check out the membership page at http://www.nami-eastside.org/giving/membership.htm.

• Library Book Donations – Donations of books for the NAMI library are welcome.
• Be a Stigma-Buster! – When someone says something about mental illness that is misinformed, be prepared to correct that information.
• The Holidays are a lonely time. If you know someone who is isolated, invite them to a function, to dinner, to church or temple, etc.
  

  For more information about how you can help, please contact Sherri Brown at 425-885-5361 or sbbrown106@gmail.com.
  

  HERO HOUSE: Hero House, a program of NAMI Eastside, uses the clubhouse model of psychiatric rehabilitation where adult members determine the need and actually run the program. Hero House is a place where people with serious mental illness can go to rebuild their lives and rejoin their community.
  

  Hero House Wish List:

• Espresso Machine
• Industrial Kitchen Stove
• Kitchen Exhaust Fan
• Light Box
• Laptops
• Cassette Player and Headphones
• WRAP electronic materials
• Books on Tape/CD
• Canned Pop Dispensing Machine
• Transportation Support (gas, volunteer drivers)
• Prof. Knife Sharpener
• LCD Projector
• Seahawks Tickets
• Wheeled Pushcart
  

  To help, support, donate or volunteer, please contact Roberta Lyon at 425-614-1282 or robertajlyon@comcast.net.
  

  BAIT UL MAL PNW: An Islamic community services safety net and referral organization for the metropolitan Seattle/Puget Sound Region. Bait UL Mal is currently helping the following individuals on a monthly basis:

  Sisters of the Sunnah Islamic Services - Women's shelter for homeless Muslimas with children ($100 a month)

• Al-Shifa Clinic who provides medical treatment for families and children ($100 a month)
• Single senior Muslims who need help with their medical supplements ($100 a month)
• A family of five who needs help with their rent or food expenses ($300 to $500 a month)
• Occasional Rent, Utility bills, food and transportation expenses like bus passes. ($300 - $500) whenever requested
  

  For more information about Bait UL Mal PNW visit their website at http://www.baitulmal.org/ or email them at info@baitulmal.org.
  

  GOODWILL JOB TRAINING & EDUCATION CENTER: The Bellevue Goodwill Job Training and Education Center is looking for volunteers to help with a new initiative that will provide one-on-one tutoring in English as a Second Language for non-native speakers. They are also interested in setting up an ESL Council that will attempt to coordinate ESL courses on the Eastside making it easier for students to conveniently get the help they need.
  

  Goodwill is also looking for childcare providers to enable parents who have no other available childcare to attend classes.
  

  For these and other volunteer opportunities, please contact Andy Herbst at 425-289-0040 or andy.herbst@seattlegoodwill.org.
  

  ANNOUNCEMENTS: EISCC members may share announcements pertaining to their congregations/agencies. If you wish these announcements to appear in the minutes, please make them well in advance of any event that you are publicizing and to help insure accuracy please provide them in writing to the recording secretary. Among the announcements at the October 14, 2008 meeting:

  THE SOPHIA WAY: As the Sophia Way, the Eastside homeless women’s shelter, becomes a greater part of the EISCC family, Eastside faith communities are urged to take on roles that they feel comfortable with in order to make the program as successful as possible. To learn how your community can take part, please contact Helen Leuzzi at 425-653-5893 or sophiaway@comcast.net.

  BRIDGE MINISTRIES: Bridge Ministries is holding their annual Christmas Party on Saturday, December 6, 2008 from 12:00 to 2:30pm at St. Theresa’s Community Church at 3939 SW 331st St in Federal Way. Come join them and enjoy a wonderful meal, music, Mr. and Mrs. Claus and a whole lot of fun.

  NESES (Niños Estudiando El Salvador): NESES is a non-profit organization for the education and enrichment of children living in Salvadoran orphanages. In 2008, NESES gave 14 scholarships. Five of those students will graduate from high school. But NESES lacks the funds to honor their applications to college/higher education. In December, 13 students will finish the study tour and graduate from the 9th grade, but NESES hasn’t the money to offer them scholarships either. These children have nothing to look forward to if they do not at least complete high school. The NESES Scholarship program is vital for these kids’ future. For more information about NESES and the students they help, visit their website at www.neses.org. And to find out how you can help provide a successful future for these worthy children, place contact NESES at 425-747-0877 or email Joy Pocasangre at joypoca@neses.org.

  THE EMERGENCY FEEDING PROGRAM: The Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle & King County is urging congregations, schools & businesses to help local families struggling in this dismal economy by participating in their Holiday Food Drive. Groups are encouraged to collect donations of the following “most-needed” foods:

• Peanut butter (18oz plastic jars)
• Canned corn, peas, green beans
• Canned peaches, pineapple, fruit cocktail
• Canned Pineapple & Tomato Juice (48oz)
• SPAM
• Canned Beef Stew (24oz)
• Canned Tuna (6oz)
• Canned Soup
• Canned Beef Chili
• Canned Evaporated Milk
• Powdered Milk Packets
• Vegetable Oil (24oz)
• Fish Sauce
• Macaroni & Cheese

  The Emergency Feeding Program will provide any support that you need—flyers, donation barrels, etc—and will gladly pickup donations at the end of the drive. The important thing is that you and your congregation/organization join in this countywide effort to ensure that no family has to face this Holiday Season hungry.

  Hunger is 100% preventable. We have the resources. What we need are willing hearts to share them.

  For more information visit their website at www.emergencyfeeding.org or contact Brian Anderson at 206-329-0300 or brian@emergencyfeeding.org.
  

  HOPELINK: People are suffering in this weak economy, causing requests for Hopelink services to rise as much as 71 percent over one year ago. So to meet the increasing need, Hopelink is requesting the community to be generous with its donations of food, new toys, clothing and monetary contributions this holiday season.
  

  Hopelink offers more than 40 programs and services to 50,000 people in need annually in north and east King County. In 2007, Hopelink provided holiday gifts to 1,482 low-income families with children and the ingredients for holiday meals to more than 11,000 hungry people.

  These numbers are expected to rise dramatically for the 2008 holiday season, considering the sharp increase in requests for help that the agency has experienced recently. For example, the number of families served at Hopelink’s six food banks has increased approximately 26 percent over the past year, while requests for emergency food bags have increased 71 percent during the same period. Calls requesting information on housing have climbed from approximately 30 calls per day to more than 50 per day. This urgent need is expected to continue growing through the holidays and beyond.
  

  Hopelink’s wish list for donated food includes the same staples that are needed year-round: canned tuna fish, rice, pasta, canned fruit, peanut butter, cereal, baby food, tomato products, nonperishable juice and grocery gift cards. We also welcome donations of festive holiday foods.

  Donations of gifts that are particularly appreciated include toys, books, games and other gifts for children of ages; gift cards for stores such as Target, Fred Meyer, and Barnes & Noble; and items specifically for teens, such as MP3 players, jewelry and sports equipment. New clothing for children ages newborn to 18 is also welcome, particularly for high school-age children. This age group is easily overlooked at this time of year but their need is just as great. Gift cards to stores such as Old Navy, Target, Fred Meyer, and the Gap are great ways to donate clothing for older children.
  

  Please include only new, unwrapped items in your donation. Cash donations will be used to purchase additional items for categories not already filled by “in-kind” donations. Additionally, Hopelink is able to use cash donations to buy food items in bulk, thereby stretching those dollars to feed more families.
  

  During the holidays, our clients are grateful for the festive food and gifts we provide to help them better enjoy the season. The clothing and toys donated to Hopelink are available to low-income parents and grandparents who can “shop” at any of Hopelink’s six centers for the children and grandchildren in their families, and select just the right gift to make the holidays happier and more memorable.

  Companies, organizations and families can also share their giving spirit with those in need in a number of ways, such as by including a request for donations when inviting guests to a holiday party; purchasing Hopelink’s holiday greeting cards; or hosting a giving tree. More information about these options can be found on Hopelink’s website, www.hope-link.org.
  

  REMINDER: The December EISCC meeting will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, at 3030 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004, (425) 822-7907.
  

  CLOSING PRAYER – A closing prayer was offered by Rev. Rick Russell of Eastgate Congregational United Church of Christ.

  Brian Anderson

  EISCC Recording Secretary