Next Forum: Friday,  September 24,  10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, First United Methodist Church, 55 Fenn St., Pittsfield, MA

Announcement: After the completion of six community forums, along with participation of Seventy-two nonprofit organizations, Co-Act will be conducting a survey before resuming our monthly meetings in September.

Starting in September the new time slot will be 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon as a response to the many requests for a schedule change.  The meeting will be followed by lunch and networking opportunities.  We will continue to alternate our meetings between Pittsfield and Great Barrington on the last Friday of each month.

Present activities of the Coalition include collaborating with the faith-based community on actions identified during our Forum meetings.  Topics we are addressing are as follows:

• Community Gardens and “Grow an Extra Row” for donations to meal sites.

• Open a community center in Pittsfield for homeless, unemployed, or underemployed residents, which can also serve as a peer support center.
• Make facilities available for an emergency shelter, overflow, or cot facility that meets fire codes.
• Increase understanding of the scope of services available within Central and Southern Berkshire County by providing a training class for the faith based community.
• Affordable housing and the “Housing First” model.

We look forward to receiving your response from the upcoming survey.

Community Coalition Forum: “The Art of Collaborative Dialogue” Friday, June 25, 2010. Meeting: 1:00 to 3:00 pm Crissey Farm,  426 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

Communication experts Luigi Morelli, Karen Andrews, and Paul Deslauriers, will provide a presentation regarding skills for collaborative dialogue, with a discussion to follow.  Join us in accessing their combined expertise of sixty years working in the field of communication.

Learn the key steps that develop cooperation among a variety of groups.  Learn techniques from Marshall Rosenberg, illustrated by Karen and Luigi.  Explore case histories of challenges and successes involved with mergers and joint ventures from an organizational standpoint.  Take away practical insights you can share with your staff.

Join us at noon for lunch and networking.

Notes from 5/28 Forum:   Interface of Social Services and Religious Community

We explored the external needs of our community and potential income streams for the faith community. We also used a case history of a congregation exploring greater social service involvement. Community needs included:

• Community Gardens and “Grow an Extra Row” for donations to meal sites

• A community center in Pittsfield for the homeless, unemployed, or underemployed, serving also as a peer support center.
• Facilities made available for an emergency shelter, overflow, or a cot facility, all which meet fire codes.
• Have a basic understanding of the scope of services available within Central and Southern Berkshire County by providing a training class for the faith based community.
• Develop a Community Van Pool, and maintenance of personal vehicles through this program.
• Affordable housing and the “Housing First” model.
• A Nonprofit business collaborative.
• Mentor programs.
• Affordable child care.

Reverend Jerrod H. Hugenot from Vermont, coordinating Minister of the First Baptist Church of Bennington, shared how his church has become a place for meeting basic human needs within the Bennington community.  His presentation cited three valuable tools he sees that help strengthen this process of change:  1.) Conduct SWOT analysis 2.)  Study organizational DNA, and 3.) Examine governance structure.

For further information on this approach,  please contact Reverend Jerrod. fbpastor@sover.net

Questions??  Contact:

Paul Deslauriers

Executive Director, Co-Act

Email:  Info@co-act.org Phone:  413-232-7888

Homelessness and Affordable Housing  5/28    Community Coalition Forum For Central and Southern Berkshire County:

Lunch 12 noon, Meeting 1:00 to 3:00 pm, Networking 3:00 to 4:00 pm          Crissey Farm, 426 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA

Learn about the scope of homelessness in Berkshire County and discuss best practices that collaboratively address this issue. Provide your insights and become part of the solution. Our presenters joining us are:  Cara Davis, Construct, Dave Christopolis, BCAC, Paul Gage, Family Life Support Center.

Our community calendar is up! Thank you to “Our Berkshire Green Magazine” for launching this supportive network. Events can be posted free. Web designer of the site, Glenn Gieger, will demonstrate navigation, and answer questions. Visit:  www.ourberkshirecalendar.com

Next meeting on May 28: Religious and Social Service First United Methodist Church,  55 Fenn St., Pittsfield, MA. Meeting 1:00 to 3:00 pm,

Solutions to homelessness and food security should include our faith based communities. Our May Forum will focus on faith based communities intersecting with social service. In various areas of the country religious institutions are being rejuvenated through community involvement. Several collaborations can serve as models.   Representatives from there and other model faith based communities will be guest presenters at the Forum on May 28.

Community Coalition Forum For Central and Southern Berkshire County Friday, March 26, 2010

Agenda: Providing Nutritious Food to Community Meal Sites Through Community Development

Lunch 12 noon, Meeting 1 to 3 pm, Networking 3 to 4 pmFirst United Methodist Church, 55 Fenn St., Pittsfield MA

Main Topic: Spring is here and the time for planting has arrived, along with the need to address one of the top ten initiatives identified: “Community and home gardens as a means to engage our youth and underemployed, provide education, better nutrition, and sense of community.”  The Berkshire Co-Act Food Net, a volunteer based organization, has delivered 7,000 lbs. of fresh organic produce to three Pittsfield meal sites in a 2009 pilot program. Hear about this and other success stories of community gardening along with other efforts to revise our food support system through local means. Become informed about local programs like “West Side Farm Project”, “Grow an Extra Row”, and “Project Sprout”. We will discuss this local food system in terms of education, youth development, employment development, and community building.

We will open up our group creativity through brainstorming to explore strategies and identify potential actions for our community, your organization and clients you serve.

Agenda for 3/26:

• Noon to 1 pm. Lunch and networking. Use this time to enjoy lunch, compliments of local restaurants, then network, or meet with colleagues.
• 1 pm to 3 pm. Update of work being done on transportation pool and community calendar.
• Representatives from Berkshire Community Action Council will present on various programs and resources available through BCAC. Speakers will be Linda Greenbush & Janie McCormick.
• Main Topic: Presentations by Berkshire Co-Act Food Net, West Side Farm Project, and other organizations involved in providing local food to our meal sites. Overview of best practices.
• Break out session for brainstorming and co-creating solutions.
• 3 pm to 4 pm. Network or have a meeting with colleagues.

Questions:

Contact Paul Deslauriers, Executive Director, Co-Act.

Email:  Info@co-act.org Phone:  413-232-7888.

Next meeting on 4/30 will be held at Crissey Farm, 426 Stockbridge Rd., Great Barrington, MA. Lunch 12 noon, Meeting 1 to 3 pm, Networking 3 to 4 pm.

Coalition Meeting 1/29

Friday, February 26, 2010 Identify and Promote Collaborative Health and Human Service Events, plus Updates

Lunch 12 noon, Meeting 1 to 3 pm, Networking 3 to 4 pm Crissey Farm, 426 Stockbridge Rd., Great Barrington, MA

Agenda: Update of work on transportation pool, and community calandar. A survey will be sent within one week on your transportation needs and resources.

• Main Topic: We will prioritize events we will stage as a coalition. Then we will have brainstorming session on positioning, branding, and promotions. The objective is to develop a joint outreach program in our community to help break the stigma of assistance programs and increase enrollment of those who need support.
• 3 pm to 4 pm Network or have a meeting with colleagues.

Upcoming Locations and Dates:

Coalition meetings will be held the last Friday of every month. We will use two alternating locations. Next month the forum will be held at The First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield on 3/26; Crissey Farm on 4/30 …

Scope of Coalition Forum:

From an initial survey, sent prior to the February Forum, 60% of the responders preferred to have the coalition’s initial focus begin on Health and Human service issues. Once these community concerns are addressed over the months ahead, the request was to expand to community wide issues such as job creation and neighborhood engagement. Priorities will be reevaluated this May.

Questions:

Contact Paul Deslauriers, Executive Director, Co-Act.

Email:  Info@co-act.org Phone:  413-232-7888.

Participating Organizations:

Please note if your organization or organizations that you feel should be included are listed below. If not, please respond to this email with the name of contact person, organization, phone and email address.

Berkshire WIC,  Berkshire County ARC, Habitat for Humanity of Central Berkshire County,  Elizabeth Freeman Center,  Berkshire Medical Health Net Plan, Berkshire Good Will,  Brien Center,  Berkshire Community Action Council, Big Brothers and Sisters of Berkshire County,    Berkshire United Way,  Pittsfield YMCA,  Salvation Army, Berkshire South Community Center,  Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, Berkshire Youth Development Project,  Project Hunger, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition,  Co-Act,  National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Berkshire County,  South Berkshire Youth Coalition,  Pittsfield Family and Community Engagement,  Berkshire Co-op, First United Methodist Church,  Western MA Electric Fuel Assistance, Gould Farm,  Community Health Programs,  Volunteers for Change, Berkshire for Women Worldwide,  Food Bank of Western Ma,  Our Berkshire Green Magazine, Berkshire Rides, South Congregational Church, Hillcrest Education Center, Bridge,  AmeriCorps VISTA, Berkshires Bounty,  The Breaking Bread Kitchen,  South Berkshire Youth Coalition, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires,  Catholic Charities,  Berkshire County Regional Planning Authority, Ride Buzz, United Cerebral Palsy, Berkshire Co-op, Berkshire County Kids’ Place & Violence Prevention Center,  Berkshire Children and Families, NAMI, CATA, Community Planners,  Resources for Childcare, The Christian Center, The Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Construct.

An important outcome is a monthly community forum initially focused on health and human services, where issues are discussed by utilizing local experts and best practices. The tracks will be the initiatives the community coalition prioritizes.

To begin with we will focus on generating significant movement working collaboratively on the following initiatives.

Prioritized Initiatives

1. Create a transportation pool for health and human services in our region and better utilize existing transportation services.
2. Further develop a cross referral information and registration network and events for health and human services in Central and Southern Berkshire County.
3. Further compile and use a comprehensive, community wide, internet based calendar of events and meetings, with regular updates
4. Develop a joint outreach program in our community to help break the stigma of assistance programs and increase enrollment of those who need support.
5. Help neighborhoods organize and develop initiatives including engaging health and human services connections.
6. Address the issue of homelessness as collaborative effort. Support community and home gardens as a means to engage our youth and

The Community Coalition Forum
1/29/10 Social Service Organizations
for Central and Southern Berkshire County

Report, Strategies, and Actions from 1/29/10 Meeting

A coalition meeting for Health and Human Resources of Central and Southern Berkshire County was held on January 29, 2010. Fifty four participants represented 48 organizations at the first meeting. We made progress on the top three coalition initiatives identified in our survey.

Our second meeting is scheduled for February 26, starting with lunch and networking at noon and the meeting from 1 PM to 3 PM. The space will be available for further informal networking and meetings until 4 PM. Location to be announced.

The notes and strategies from our 1/29 meeting are provided below and as an attachments. On this file:

I   Summary and Actions

Attached files:

• Introduction
• Survey Results
• Transportation Initiative
• Networking Initiative
• Community Calendar

I  Summary and Actions

We began the meeting with insights and inspirations from coalition builders in our region. (See II Introduction)  From our survey results ( See Attachment A ) the top three initiatives were addressed. We heard from local experts and their experience on all three topics. We then worked in brainstorming groups. The groups discussed the issues and prioritized the initial action plans to begin movement on all three initiatives.

1)  Create a transportation pool for health and human services in our region and better utilize existing transportation services.

An inventory and needs analysis of vehicles, with software to help communicate resources is a top priority.

Workshop participants began an inventory on transportation needs and
availability of vehicles and seats.  The initial response is promising. Issues of insurance and liability can be worked out.

In two weeks there will be a survey distributed over the Internet that will explore available resources and needs throughout Central and Southern Berkshire County. This data will be compiled making it available to our region.

Under consideration are school buses, vans from assisted living, and other transportation laying idle for large portions of time. Insurance, liability, and dispatching are solvable issues. Also a more expanded ride board is available for clients through Ride Buzz, www.ridebuzz.org. Suggestions to brand this initiative “Ride Bank” had interest.  We can begin ride sharing and exchange soon on a small scale. More details are in Attachment 2.

2)  Further develop a cross referral information and registration network and events for health and human services in Central and Southern Berkshire County.

There are three promising cross referral events that the group prioritized. The first involves an expanded job fair, community support day. The second is to expand “Care a Van” to include additional services in caravans using the CHP Van and similar vehicles. The other is the “Third Thursday” in Pittsfield, having a store front.

A discussion and scheduling of collaborative events will occur at our 2/26 meeting. More details in Attachment 2.

3)  Further compile and use a comprehensive, community wide, Internet based calendar of events and meetings, with regular updates.

With workshop participants input on what would make a calendar user friendly; Our Berkshire Green Magazine is developing “Our Berkshire Calendar”. It will be free to nonprofits and grassroots organizations, and easy to post events and services for all health and human services. More details about the launch will be at our 2/26 meeting.

Why develop this community forum?

• Provide a response to reduced funding and increased needs.
• Network and develop partnership opportunities and pool available resources.
• Use economies of scale, cost-efficiency, and reduced duplication.
• Support assessment standards for our region.
• Inform and update community wide on events and offering.
• Address urgent situations.
• Empower our community in taking control of our future.
• Bring about more effective and efficient delivery of programs.
• Revitalize the energies of members of groups who are trying to do too much alone.
• Bring credibility to community initiatives by having a coordinated plan, a united front and a consistent message.
• Attract media attention, political support, and public profile your organization.
• Share the exciting feeling of belonging to something greater than the sum of its parts.

Join us in a noncompetitive forum and help our community members capture exciting opportunities through a collaborative approach that benefits our region.