August 2007 Brown Bag Minutes

At this third Brown Bag, panelists discussed the importance of learning to communicate effectively across all three sectors in Montgomery County – business, government and nonprofit/philanthropic – within the City of Gaithersburg. Panel members spoke briefly about the characteristics of Gaithersburg and what convinced them to work in partnership – and what kept them working in partnership - even though such efforts have either never gotten off the ground or failed in other jurisdictions around the country.

Panelists included:
Crystal Carr, Director of Human Services, City of Gaithersburg and Panel Chair
(School UpCounty Partnership, nonprofit grants, Character Counts! and UpCounty Latino Network 1)
Chief John A. King (Cops in Shops & Extra Eyes)
Cindy Hines (Olde Towne Coordinator- Gaithersburg Business Alliance)
Maureen Herndon (HS Program Manager- Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers,
Principals Lunch, Landlords Lunch)
Ralph Bunge (Gaithersburg Help - Holiday Giving Program)

Nonprofit Montgomery! and
Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships (OCP)
Brown Bag Lunch #3
August 21, 2007

Meeting Notes

Welcome and Introductions
MaryAnn Holohean and Bruce Adams welcomed the attendees. Ms. Holohean gave a brief overview of the collaboration between NonProfit Montgomery! and the Office of Community Partnerships; she thanked the City of Gaithersburg for hosting the meeting.
Participants introduced themselves.

Panel Topic - “Local Government, Business and Nonprofits Working Together to Create a Just and Caring Community: What We Can All Learn from Gaithersburg”

Crystal Carr, City of Gaithersburg Director of Human Services

· Gaithersburg is a fiscally responsible city that has a pay-as-you-go financial philosophy that allows the City to enjoy a thriving economic status. A comprehensive, bottom-up opposed to top-down, management approach is taken, as the City acts as both conduit and facilitator.
· The City of Gaithersburg Human Services Office has only three staff persons.
° They credit their ability to provide these programs and services to their partnerships with area business, nonprofits, government agencies, and congregations.

° The Human Services Office is responsible for the following initiatives:

• Education Committee
• Multicultural Affairs Committee
• Community Advisory Board, Montgomery Outcomes Development Group, Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers
• Latino Providers Network
• Character Counts! Steering Committee
• Community Partnership Development
  
  · Friends of Wells/Robertson House
  ° The Wells/Robertson House is a 14-bed transitional housing program for homeless men and women in recovery from alcohol and/or drug addiction. The program is a combined community effort supported by the City, grants, state funding, fundraisers and local contributions.
  ° The house was established by the City of Gaithersburg in response to the concerns over the rise of homelessness in Olde Towne. A City Task Force was formed to explore the concern and recommended that Homeless Advocate position as well as the Wells program, which would provide those overcoming chemical addictions and homelessness with a clean, safe, sober, long-term environment to pull their lives together and become committed to a program of recovery.
  ° Friends of Wells/Robertson House, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that was formed later to raise funds to ensure the growth of the Wells/Robertson House program.
  
  · Nonprofit Grants – Recognizing that the City can not provide all the needed services, some programs are outsourced to nonprofits organizations that have the skills and can speak the language.
  ° Four priority areas
• Healthcare and mental health
• Prevention of homelessness
  * permanent, transitional and emergency housing
  * eviction prevention
• Building strong children and families
  * gang prevention
  * early childhood care
  * home visitation
• Individual and family self-sufficiency
  * job training and education – seeing larger gaps in education due to the increasing immigrant population
  * case management services
  * food, clothing and furniture
  * affordable home care
• $626,947 funding 29 nonprofit grants which provide 15,547 units of service (units of service differ with the type of service).
  · School Grants, Prevention Dollars & Breakfast Program: serving approximately 6,000 students
  ° Partnering with a business can help supplement programs for schools.
  ° Prevention dollars and breakfast program - $14,500
  ° The breakfast program in the City is subsidized by the Gazette Newspapers - $3,130
  ° Grants going to 23 schools that have student bodies composed of 10% or more City residents.
  ° 16 Gaithersburg Schools funded $54,987 for students.
  ° Three priority areas
• Promoting academic enrichment
• Safe environment conducive for learning
• Parental involvement
  
  · City World Market
  ° The City World Market is a celebration of cultural heritage, diversity and economic empowerment, winning national and state economic development and cultural diversity awards upon its debut in 2006.
  ° The City World Market is sponsored by the City of Gaithersburg’s Office of Economic and Community Development, Montgomery College, Through the Kitchen Door International, All About Signs, Inc., and the Gaithersburg-Germantown and Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Chambers of Commerce.
  ° For the second year, new entrepreneurs selling ethnic crafts and goods have had the opportunity to receive 15 hours of free business development training through Montgomery College, television exposure and a place at the City World Market to be held on September 16, 2007 at the 26th Annual Celebrate Gaithersburg in Olde Towne Festival.
  ° This year, 17 of the 23 participating students will graduate (August), representing 19 new businesses; the market will host 50 vendors, 27 of which are selling international crafts.
  ° Workbooks were developed on marketing and business plans how to’s.
  
  · Vivan Las Americas
  ° Began and organized by Through the Kitchen Door International, Vivan Las Americas conducts life skills and empowerment training programs using food and nutrition as a means for family and community empowerment.
• Graduates of Through the Kitchen Door program are reported to make two dollars more and hour than others in the same job positions.
  ° The success of the program is a tribute to the contributions and efforts of volunteers, community and corporate partners such as the City of Gaithersburg; VisArts, Rockville; CASA de Maryland; and Whole Foods Markets.
  ° The event celebrated the heritage, culture and diversity of the area’s Hispanic community. VIVAN LAS AMERICAS featured the healthy preparation and samples of typical foods from representative countries of the Americas. Activities and exhibits that addressed interests and needs of Hispanic residents focus on nutrition, diet, health, public and private social and consumer services, cultural exchange, education and training.
  
  · Character Counts! Program
  ° The Character Counts! program, enables adults to teach children the six pillars of ethics -responsibility, respect, caring, fairness, trustworthiness and citizenship in ways that they will understand.
  ° There are 29 Character Counts! Schools
  ° National Character Counts! Week - $1,750 - is sponsored by Gazette Newspapers, Montgomery Village Rotary and Gaithersburg Rotary.
  ° Character Counts! Scholarship - $5500 – Bohrer Memorial Scholarship Fund, Rodgers Consulting, Lockheed Martin, and DRS.
  
  · Upcounty Latino Network
  ° The mission of the Upcounty Latino Network is to strengthen human service provider networks in the Upcounty Montgomery County and to improve access and delivery of health and human services to individuals and families who encounter language and cultural barriers.
  ° An estimated 20 organizations and providers are active members.
  ° Monthly forum (workgroup format) where issues that are timely and current to the community are addressed.
  
  Chief John A. King, City of Gaithersburg Police Department
  
  · There are approximately sixty thousand residents in the ten square miles that is the City of Gaithersburg. Policing of the City is shared with Montgomery County Police Department. Community policing is the philosophy of the City - working with community, City departments and other government agencies. Cops in Shops and Extra Eyes are two programs in which the City partners with government agencies, businesses, nonprofits. The success of the programs is measured by anecdotal feedback from the community who express that with the programs there is a better quality of life.
  
  · Cops in Shops
  ° Implemented by the Gaithersburg Business Alliance, the Cops in Shops program involves businesses that sell or serve alcohol in an on-going campaign that includes owner policy seminars, state certified alcohol server training, business intervention, business code of conduct and risk assessment, compliance checks and stepped-up enforcement.
  ° Cops in Shops often use plan clothes police officers to make alcohol purchases or act as cashiers.
  · Extra Eyes
  ° Extra Eyes is a component of the Enhanced Enforcement program run by the County Police Alcohol Unit.
  ° Community persons are trained on Maryland alcohol laws, underage drinking, how to recognize intoxicated individuals, subtle signs of intoxication and impaired drivers.
• Those who have successfully completed training are able to work in the community to identify violators and notify a police officer by radio.
  
  Cindy Hines, City of Gaithersburg Olde Towne Coordinator
  
  · The Gaithersburg Business Alliance acts as an umbrella organization under which business owners work with State and local governments to implement prevention, education and enforcement programs that address alcohol abuse, public intoxication and related issues.
  ° The program was implemented in Gaithersburg to bring awareness to the ripple effect of over serving.
  ° Aware of the County program, Kathie Durbin from the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control was contacted. The Gaithersburg Business Alliance is a model out of the Dept. of Liquor Control Outreach Office.
  ° State certified training is offered at a reduced cost to Alliance members.
  · National Night Out
  ° The City of Gaithersburg and more than ten thousand communities across the nation participate in National Night Out.
  ° The goal of National Night Out is to increase drug prevention awareness, generate support for anti-crime programs, empower neighborhoods to organize to fight back against crime.
  ° Businesses may need additional training and lines of communication are open even after the National Night Out.
  ° National Night Out in Gaithersburg is sponsored by the business community and helps to bring together residents, law enforcement agencies, local officials, civic groups and community organizations.
  
  Maureen Herndon, City of Gaithersburg Human Services Program Manager
  
  · Human Services in the City takes a one-on-one macro approach to needs assessments. Human Services under the Department of Economic and Community Development goal is: “To foster collaboration and partnership among the private, nonprofit and public sectors in the community. To foster efficient and beneficial service delivery, community awareness of challenges and successes, volunteerism and educational opportunities for all. To promote and encourage ‘best practice’ and mutual understanding among community groups.”
  · Gaithersburg Coalition of Providers
  ° Founded in 1996, the Coalition is comprised of over 60 representatives from area nonprofits, congregations and schools that provide services for families in need in the Gaithersburg area.
  ° The Coalition meets quarterly and focuses on identifying gaps in service, training, information sharing, promotion of service collaboration and community partnerships.
  · Annual Gaithersburg Landlord Lunch and Budgeting Classes
  ° An annual lunch of appreciation for City landlords that was started in 2004.
  ° Coordinated by the City of Gaithersburg Human Services and Stepping Stone Shelter Housing Counseling Program in conjunction with landlords and area nonprofit housing assistance programs.
  ° The lunch is an opportunity to share common concerns and ideas for the betterment of Gaithersburg residents. Landlords are updated on County and City services.
  ° Follow-up budgeting classes are held for renters who are experiencing financial challenges.
  ° Discussion on how landlords can recognize when their tenants are having issues and how to educate the greater community on how to avoid evictions.
  · Annual School Principals, Counselors and PTA Lunch
  ° Coordinated by the City’s Human Services, this lunch provides an opportunity for 10% schools to present to the City information on programs, volunteer opportunities and wish lists.
  · Montgomery County Housing Fair
  ° The Housing Fair is an annual event that is coordinated by the County’s Departments of Housing and Community Affairs and Health and Human Services; Cities of Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park; Maryland State Housing Office and various nonprofits in partnership with area businesses.
  ° Over 60 exhibitors from area housing programs, County programs, realtors, mortgage and rental companies participate.
  ° Workshops are held to address homeownership, renting, financial literacy and credit issues.
  · Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. event and Literary Arts contest
  ° County-sponsored program that draws over 800 each year to celebrate the life of Dr. King.
  ° A representative from the City serves on the event committee.
  ° Literary arts contest is co-sponsored by the Gazette Newspapers and the City and is open to Gaithersburg students who present their works at the annual event.
  · Community Ministry of Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Coalition
  ° The City is an active member of this Coalition which coordinates numerous nonprofit and congregational supported programs that serve thousands of needy County families.
• Provide emergency services such as food, medicine, and money to prevent evictions.
  ° Churches are frustrated with the many requests for money.
  ° Training is provided during monthly meetings to ensure proper service delivery and good stewardship of donations.
  · Gaithersburg Interfaith Alliance
  ° The City is a participating member of the alliance which is comprised of congregational representatives who meet monthly for spiritual development, training and coordination.
  ° The alliance provides an opportunity for area nonprofits and schools to present issues and programs that promote mutual understanding and address gaps in services.
  
  Ralph Bunge, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
  · Holiday Giving
  ° The City of Gaithersburg Holiday Giving Program is supported by area congregations, businesses, nonprofit organizations and area individuals and families.
  ° Needy families are referred by counselors, schools or social services (duplicate referrals are weeded out).
• Over 800 households were referred last year.
  ° Special Thanksgiving and December holiday meals are provided.
  ° This program is run county-wide by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center.
  
  
  Discussion/Questions
  
  · How did the collaboration/partnerships begin?
  ° Mayor Edward Bohrer brought together a group of people with varying views to work with the City Council to address the homeless situation in the City. This group became the Community Advisory Board. The committee was given the freedom to come up with a plan. The group identified and reached out to community leaders and area nonprofits.
  · Training small nonprofits
  ° The Human Services Office can coordinate with Maryland Nonprofits to bring in a trainer for a group of nonprofits who will share the cost of the training.
  ° New nonprofits can be paired with established nonprofit organizations who will act as mentors.
  ° Partner each nonprofit in Gaithersburg with a business or church.
  ° Each nonprofit should be run like a small business.
  ° Several nonprofits are supported by churches.
  · Nonprofits are a form of social capital.
  · Asian community
  ° No natural collaboration – most are in survival stage
  ° Asian communities believe in helping themselves.
  ° The need to work very closely with each distinct Asian cultural group to understand how best to deliver services.
• Jayne Park of the Asian Pacific American Legal Resources Center and co-chair of Nonprofit Montgomery! has established a committee of ten Asian leaders. The group is working with Larry Shinagawa at the University of Maryland to conduct survey research on the county’s Asian communities, their needs, and their networks of service providers. As is true nationally, Asian-serving nonprofits are funded at lower levels than any other subset of ethnic-serving nonprofits.
  ° Korean Community Service Center located in Grand Mart has taken some of the stigma away from receiving help. The space is provided free of charge. The Center partners with Mobile Med to offer health services to the community.
  · Are new businesses coming into Gaithersburg made aware of the community’s ethic of county service?
  ° Depends on the type of business. Those who serve or sell alcohol are approached by the Gaithersburg Business Alliance.
  ° The Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) also reaches out to these businesses to create a climate of giving back and employees volunteering.
• The CVC has made more inroads in Gaithersburg than in any other area.
  · Idea to develop an orientation brochure to give to businesses.
  · Volunteer Center implements a great many partnerships and programs.
  · It is often true that nonprofits are not seen by government and business as equal partners; they are seen by these sectors as full of passion but poorly organized and managed – the old “charity model” perspective. It is very impressive to see the value the City of Gaithersburg places on their nonprofit partners.
  ° The City of Gaithersburg appreciates the uniqueness of the nonprofit sector and the depth of knowledge and expertise of nonprofits. They have a deep embedded appreciation for the nonprofit sector.
  · Where are the gaps?
  ° Affordable housing – many residents are one small crisis away from being able to afford housing.
  · When the City puts out the call, people respond. The City is very specific when explaining the need.
  · The City has great collaboration with the County.
  · The County should adopt the Character Counts! Program which has been a cornerstone of Gaithersburg’s success in bringing the three sectors together.
  · Building mutual trust and loyalty is essential to any partnership.