Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Minutes

October 7, 2020

1.  Welcome and Board update:  Five members representing five agencies attended this first face-to-face meeting since March 4, 2020.  Billie Jo noted the following board highlights:

• There was no swim pass program for 2020 because the City of Fort Scott did not issue any passes due to COVID.
• The Coalition Board has received $2,500.00 from the SEK Community Foundation, $1,600.00 from the Fort Scott Area Foundation, and $1,000.00 from the T. B. Baker Foundation for the 2020-2021 budget.
• The average amount of assistance for rent or utilities has increased to $188.00 for the first nine months of 2020.
• Opioid information consisting of brochures, drug disposal packets, and magnets were distributed.
• Pictures were taken to submit to the SEK Community Foundation for the virtual grant celebration.
• Billie Jo noted that she had begun sending the agenda through google docs.  Apparently, several did not receive notice of the meeting; she will work to rectify the situation.

2.  Member introductions and announcements:

• Nancy Van Etten noted that she was doing CASA cases by Zoom and virtual Red Cross.  She also announced that the Red Cross Blood Drive will be held at Buck Run Community Center on October 15 and 16.
• David Gillen gave an update on the remodeling recently completed at The Beacon.  He also shared that Beacon Food Pantry sign up for 2021 has begun and must be completed by October 30.  Clients must call to make an appointment to complete applications.  They will also be doing sign up for the Adopt-a-Child and the Elks food baskets during this time.  
• Amanda Keller, TFI, announced that the agency is in need of foster families, especially for teens and LGBT.  Interested persons can get information by calling 1-800-7FOSTER or online at www.tfifamily.org.  
• Sandy Haggard, RSVP, shared that COVID has made the senior volunteers very creative.  They have sent notes to nursing home residents and have a new program “Seniors calling seniors.”

3.  Program:  We will not be having programs until January 2021 at the earliest.

4. Open Forum:  Billie Jo shared that the First Baptist Church was not having anything in their building other than one Sunday morning worship service until January at the earliest.  Therefore, we will definitely meet in the conference room at the High Rise for November and December.  Thank you to Patty Simpson for making this space available for us!

5.  Adjournment:  Next meeting will be November 4, 2020.