Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Minutes

October 3, 2018

1. Welcome and Board update: Twenty-three members representing nineteen agencies attended. Billie Jo announced that the Coalition Board had been awarded United Way funding for 2019 and received a donation from the Pioneer Kiwanis Club. She also noted that she had submitted a grant application to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

2. Member introductions and announcements:

• Bob Eckles, filling in for Gary Murrell, Beacon Director, shared that the annual Beacon and Adopt-a-Child sign-ups will be held during the first part of November. Qualifying for a Beacon card will entitle a person to two visits each month for food. Bob also shared that the Beacon board has voted to discontinue clothing distribution on November 1. The Beacon organization continues to seek donations of food, money, and books. Christmas distribution is scheduled for December 19 at Community Christian Church.
• Following Bob’s announcement, several members – Community Health Center of Pittsburg, Mother-to-Mother, Communities in Schools, shared that they can provide some clothing if qualifications are met.
• Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Fort Scott Early Childhood Program all have openings. Contact these organizations for qualifications and applications.
• Tammy Alcantar, Crawford County Health Department, reminded members that WIC continues to meet weekly at Buck Run and at Mercy Hospital, for the next three months, the last week of the month. She also mentioned that she has ten Bourbon County participants in the “Baby and Me Tobacco Free” program. She also has a program dealing with best practices for becoming a mom; participants can earn nice prizes for completion of the program.
• Samantha Daniels, KVC, has foster parenting classes beginning soon in Pittsburg and Parsons; she will email details.
• Next Steps will be starting a new class in November; contact Jean Tucker for additional details. There is an application and interview process.
• Sandy, Haggard, RSVP, will have volunteers to place with the closing of Mercy Hospital and the closure of clothing distribution at Beacon. She is working on a new grant application which requires a project dealing with the opioid crisis.
• Alice Maffett, Bourbon County Health Department, has been busy with flu shot clinics.
• Michelle Stevenson, FSECP, summarized the information from her latest regional coalition meeting. A parent helpline can be accessed through the KCSL application.
• Allen Schellack, Compassionate Ministries, announced that bell ringing for the Salvation Army will begin in only seven weeks! He also shared that “Safe Families” is happening in Bourbon County. Tina from Safe Families will be here on November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the Senior Citizens Center, 26 N. Main to answer all of our questions.
• Jackie Sellers sent word that commodities distribution will be on November 15. Senior Citizen food distribution will be on November 16. Contact Jackie for further information.
• Amanda Gilmore is actively working on finding a building for clothes distribution.
• Ashley Reeder, SEK Mental Health, needs more children enrolled in her program.
• Lewis Dunkeson, Communities in Schools, gave a brief synopsis of his program which is new to USD 234.

3. Program presented by Vicky Polen, Safehouse:

Safehouse Crisis Center, Inc. serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Southeast Kansas. Services provided include a 24-hour crisis hotline, temporary emergency shelter, crisis intervention advocacy, individual supportive counseling for adults or children, victims support groups for domestic violence and sexual violence. They also promote family-centered safety with a child exchange and visitation center whose mission is to provide a place that is safe and free from violence where children can build and maintain positive relationships with their parents.

4. The November 7 program will be presented by Mandi H-Woods, Kansas Children’s Service League. Matt Witt will present the December program; we also have a program scheduled for February.

5. Open Forum: In Cinda Reynold’s absence, Billie Jo announced that the next blood mobile will be held October 25 and 26 at Buck Run Community Center.

6. Adjournment: Next meeting will be November 7, 2018.