ALLIED PARTNERS: January 14, 2009 - Minutes

Present: Linda Ketcham, Jack Tiffany, Susan Corrado, Marge Lyford , Tricia Rasmussen, Ryan Estelle, Cheryl Caruso, Mike Bodden, Loree Wynn,

Attachments: Treasures Report, Food Pantry Financial and Annual Report, Allied Wellness Center Annual Report, Boys and Girls Club Calendar

Minutes: December was a social gathering - minutes were not taken

Ryan E. - JFF thanked everyone for their generous donations of Christmas gifts. 250 children were served with each receiving approximately 2 gifts.

Updated us on the collaboration between JFF, MG&E, Alliant Energies and Energy Services. The program in place consist of 1) JFF offices will be working with 2 families 2)The utility company will donate $1000.00 per family. This $1000.00 will be spread out over 1 year. 3)JFF will work with families to get in the habit of paying each month towards there bill, even if they do not have enough funds to cover the monthly charges. 4)At the end of the year if the utilities have the financial resources and the families are still behind on payments the utility company will cover remaining payments.

Jack Tiffany - Treasurers Report (see attachment). There is a discrepancy with the Eviction Prevention Fund and the Food Pantry. Jack will work with Mike and Dianne and to straighten it out.

Mike Bodden - Food Pantry Report (see attachment). Food Pantry has a balance of $38,035.05. A parishioner from Good Shepard donated from her estate $20,000.00. She passed away this year ending a long history of supporting the pantry. The $18,000.00 in parenthesis is what the pantry would have brought in with out the donation.

Food Pantry Annual Report should read 2008.

Pantry usage is up 14% from 2007.

Susan Corrado - Wellness Center Annual Report (see attachment). As stated before Susan is planning to leave in 2010. Susan explained what her vision was of the Wellness Center and how it might evolve (see discussion notes below).

Eviction Prevention - Refer to treasurers report on finances. Due to weather conditions we were unable to have any further report.

It was asked if Dianne and Ryan have numbers comparing number of request for financial assistance from year to year.

Cheryl Caruso - Boys and Girls Club went through calendar (see attachment) of adult activities. One program not listed yet is "Strong People" a fitness program sponsored by the Wellness Center.

Child Care availability for ESL programs is always an issue/lack of child care prevents people from attending.

Points of Discussion

1	Susan asked what the possibility would be, because of the current balance of the food pantry, if a family's meal plan could be increased from 2 meals a month to 3 or 4?
	Initial conversation was that it would increase the cost. Mike wondered about what the possibility of cooking classes were and raised the question of would increasing meals really benefit families in terms of becoming independent or would it keep them more dependant?
	In reference to the cooking class it was discussed how in years past a variety of programs have been tried with very little success. Susan is going to talk to a nutrient at the UW for possible recipes to hand out at the food pantry.
2	Mike brought up the closing of Cub Food. 8 management staff will be out of a job the union workers will be able to bump other employees at other Cub Food Stores.
3	At the December gathering the informal conversation implied that there may be an opening to pursue the idea of a community center with the City of Madison.
4	Susan shared some ideas she had on the development of the Wellness Center which could be linked to a community center. These topics would be discussed at the up coming Retreat for the Wellness Center.
	Consensus was that the ideas Susan had of the development of the Wellness Center were worth pursuing and that we would have further discussion after the Wellness Center retreat at the end of January.
	February's Allied Partner Meeting would be devoted to the Wellness Center and what came out of the retreat.

Submitted by Michelle Horton