TOGETHER-Strengthening Our Community Services!
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WE WANT TO HELP YOU REACH YOUR COMMUNITY!
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T-SOCS COMMUNITY FORUM
MAY 18, 2009 NOTES!
Please email necessary changes to info@tsocs.org
T-SOCS COMMUNITY FORUM
MAY 18, 2009 NOTES!
Please email necessary changes to info@tsocs.org
Meeting opened @ 6:40 pm
First I would like to thank everyone for coming out this Monday evening.
The times that we are living in right now with loss of jobs, budget cuts, there are a lot of people and a lot of need and you are to be commended for; what you do counts. Tonight I just want to have an open discussion. We are going to document tonight’s proceedings and hopefully we will have it up on the website and to the Lt. Governor’s office tomorrow.
My name is Ben Hill.
Arlina Wong is the Program Director.
T-SOCS is the organization that God has created to help church and community work together. Big things can come out of small meetings.
We want to know what some of your desires are and we want to know what you’re thinking, because sometimes we concentrate so much on the people that are on the bottom that we forget about the people who are not in need until they’re in need and when they do come into need they’re not vocal about their need.
We’re going to have a round-robin quickly after prayer so we have time to talk. Share with us who you are, your organization and what you’re about. We want to pray about the people who are helping and need help. (Prayer by Ben.)
Arlina Wong – background in social work, now for the UH in Child and Adolescent Health and has a large background in community organization; now with Ben, helping with T-SOCS.
Esther Mc Daniel, Kokua Ohana – foster care ministry at Calvary Chapel. Gather and support families in foster care.
Ray Sylva – & wife, Traci, attend Calvary Chapel of Pearl Harbor. He is a para-professional with Department of Human Services. Involved in church for 21 years. Want to do something more.
Traci Sylva, Ka Puni Ohana – for foster care and adoption support is just starting at Calvary chapel.
Cindy Osajima, Project Dana – for interfaith caregivers, program for disabled and family caregivers.
Larry Biggs, Breakthroughs for Youth At Risk … since 1990. – At-risk kids in high school are in the youth training program. At first they were 24 hours a day, five-day courses and two-day courses that are non residential working with kids at Puuohala School. The kids really jelled together as an ohana. The programs at Castle High School at and Intermediate are looking for female mentors. Have a course at Pearl City Highlands; going quite well and we’re branching out and are working with different age groups now.
Pastor Dwight Cook, Pastor at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. Welcome. Glad that you are working together, and am a committee member with T-SOCS. Last month Trinity celebrated 41 years in services. Trinity has a tremendous ministry toward military families. We help deployed members’ families, and PTSD; 25th battalion just returned. When they come back home, we make sure we have specific ways to help our men and women who have served so faithfully.
Rose Nakakmura, Co-Founder, Project Dana. – Project Dana supports social services to the home-bound failed elderly. 20th year in Hawaii. And part of a national movement of faith in action (from North Carolina) started with National Federation of Interfaith Caregivers with 700 interfaith caregivers programs throughout the nation; over 750 volunteers in Hawaii. Welcome any church who would like to join and get volunteer training and has brochures and fact sheet on Project Dana.
Nena Uche – Background in case management, theology and journalism but is trying to start a new interest involving all three areas.
Jose Villa – writer, writes business plans, grant proposals, 501(c)3s and Hawaii Hispanic Newspaper.
Denzie Thomas – Center of Deliverance – looking for partners in new ventures.
Pastor Jesse Wilson, Center of Deliverance – looking to partner with nonprofit organizations and are in the process of procuring a building in a particular location. Has experience of six years in child care and done numerous community projects in Wahiawa and Mililani.
James Cabarrus, Center of Deliverance – serves in the Marine Corps and wants to learn new ways to be of assistance to the community.
Keith Oliver, Center of Deliverance – By way of US Army is here to support Pastor and better part of the community.
Frances Ellen, Minister – The Father’s Heart; prison ministry and working with Ben on T-SOCS and keep us connecting together.
Bev Larranaga, Hope Inc. – Christian adoption agency from foster care to permanent… goal to network with churches and other organizations. Want children to go to Godly families. If you’re a church and have an interest in this area, contact us for more information.
Marsha Tamura – Citizen Coordinator for Civil Defense – program was started by President Bush. Started by CERT: medical reserve corps; security watch. If you’re interested in those programs contact Civil Defense. Also, language emergency identification card for those who don’t speak English for when they go to shelter and encounter first responder.
George Long, Assistant Pastor – here at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.
Linda Edwards, Abilities Unlimited (a.k.a. WINNERS) – secular nonprofit, works with adults with mental disabilities. invited by Nena.
Ben explained what is T-SOCS. Forums like this allow us to stay on track with what is happening in the community. Church leaders, community leaders need to attend. Our efforts are to have faith-based organizations work with community organizations. Organizations have combined and gone into buildings together helping clients. Some have been able to find churches and identify partnerships to better identify clientele.
First topic:
With all the budget cuts and layoffs, what has been the effect on your church and organization? (We’re going to watch the time to allow time for all.)
Examples:
Linda – Abilities Unlimited …participants’ hours were cut 34.5%.
Ben – what’s the impact been on the people they served?
Linda – Classes have been cut. People that have psychological problems – their treatments have been cut from three hours a week to three hours a month. Job coaching resources are lost.
Larry – used company called Exclusive Promotions for monies, but monies are dying up; smaller now and because of the economy the fewer pieces are even smaller than before.
Ben – We also want to talk about possible solutions.
Jose – Going back to the Persian Gulf War is when all this started. A lot of the federal money which were discretionary funds started drying up, which affected state and local monies as well as the corporate foundation funding. Plus there are 7,000 nonprofits in the state of Hawaii. I encourage nonprofits to go to the mainland for monies. Only one in ten grants get turned in… and most grants don’t make it because the grants are not correct and the standards are higher. The work must be done on the front end to realize the grants.
Ben – We have one grantwriter but we wanted to have grantwriters come in and discuss grants because it’s not going to get better soon. The faith point is to help the helpless and help men and women learn to fish.
Jose – 99% of the nonprofits are reactive rather than proactive like other business sectors. Nonprofits have to start acting like business. If you can’t pay your rent, you don’t have a mission. Nonprofits either have to cut positions or cut services. And now nonprofits are merging.
Ben – Coalitions of nonprofits are making an impact. Maybe we could do a better job if we can talk to one another and share information rather than being over protective. The answer is that we learn to work together and where you have to consolidate to go in for monies.
There are things that can be done to strengthen or help other organizations. We really need to talk and share with each other ideas.
What can the Church do to help. There are Pastors here and T-SOCS is going to send these meeting notes out to organizations.
Larry – Personnel resources are needed for mentoring; organizations to work with youth for an entire year and match them up with a mentor. Mentors are hard to come by because of insurance. Providing space for workshops and training sessions for people coming into the program is also needed.
Ben – Does anyone else have anything to add?
Esther, Kokua Ohana – Definitely locations for training. 18 hours of PRIDE training is needed and classes on what to expect for foster parenting. Someone just opening up a room would be nice, which is not a high commitment. Other things like recruiting foster families is another need and to offer wrap-around services. We have to come together – As Believers, this is biblical… We’re looking at about 1500 children who are in the foster care program now.
Bev – (Hope, Inc.) Regarding permanency, there are a couple of hundred to adopt. No cost to the client, all is reimbursable by the State for hard to place, fragile children. Yes, we do need a place to hold training and wrap-around services. Also to start adoption support groups. Has 8-step program. Get churches involved with orphan ministries.
Ben – We need for churches and organizations to really think in terms of wrap-around services and how beneficial and non costly those programs can be and they can keep organizations from folding. The costs are minimal with volunteers. Sometimes there are people in our congregations who have a heart for people with these needs and they’re overlooked. It is a dangerous time for some of our elderly; it’s a matter of either getting medicine or getting food. Sometimes, the church forgets how even very little can greatly help people to actually succeed.
Lena – This is a golden opportunity to return to the church roots of providing support services. We can provide a lot more with less money; often that is the case. Provide training before the need. Many people in the church can be trained to do that. Church websites can have links to crisis hot lines; links to community resources and crisis hot lines that provide services churches cannot yet provide. Churches shy away from making money.
Ben – T-SOCS wants to help with MOA/MOUs so that when you work together, everyone knows and understands the boundaries.
Jose – There are 400 – 500 people in that room on Sundays. If the church had asset mapping – what skills are sitting in the room… if we could easier serve the needs.
Ben – we have skills and abilities; we just need to share the knowledge.
Jose – If church says, I need to know what assets I have sitting in this room today, and takes account of the response, then the church becomes proactive.
Frances – We are attached to a grocery distribution and on Friday afternoons, we distribute food. Very simple and easy and has been a real gift in that area. A lot of older/ homeless people participate in that. When you talk about resources, many things could become available.
Ben – Food is becoming more and more of a need for more people. I think there is a hidden population in middle class families that food on a discretionary basis would be such a blessing and a help to them. We need to catalog or write down who does what in feeding programs. But it is not published or organized on a State-wide basis. It needs to be coordinated and published state-wide as to the food resources.
There is one organization that we don’t have here… Angel Food Network. The shipping is the problem, but we’re used to shipping costs over here. You get so much food for $30 and it can keep families for 2-3 weeks at times. Families just stop by the designated church and pick up their order. Plus the company tithes $1 of income from every family to that church. If someone could look at that model and reproduce it, it would help people in a certain class through those hard times.
Lena – I do have a resource.
Denzie – it’s on the back of the Beat Street Newsletter.
Ben – There are a lot of people feeding people and nobody knows.
Pastor Cook – We learned where you can go to get breakfast, lunch and dinner. Beat Street does hot food feedings.
Denzie – Aloha Harvest comes with truck loads to bring food.
Ben – We need to have this so it is organized and easily dispensable. Are there areas that are under-served or complexes of the elderly. What is there, what areas, is the info getting to the needy.
Marsha – In the event of a disaster, there are a lot of people who will need that info. There is 211 available. For those of us who work in the emergency situation… it would be helpful to have a listing. The more information that there is in one spot the more available it would be to everyone.
Frances – Those who are still in homes need to know what’s available.
Ben – We need to keep bringing up where someone would go in times of need. Dr. Cook has been involved in getting info. In the event of a tsunami, there’s not that much food on this island. So if we could identify some places, it would be helpful in that event.
Ben – read some of the Angel Food Network menus and prices. People are buying it! All of us can have shortages at times in our lives. We need a service like this here in Hawaii.
James (COD) – For people who need help with food, perhaps we could provide a mapping of where what services are needed. Provide fliers for everyone!!!
Marsha – Since the information changes, we could make it available to people who would not normally need that service but be able to call 211. As long as there is a resource in town, we need people to buy into 211.
James – Employers could provide that resource to those whom they lay off.
Ben – Seniors need to be considered and remembered.
We want to give you time to fill out the survey which we’ve provided for you.
Frances – Concentration needs to be on Oahu; most of the other islands are better connected.
Ben – Maui is 80%. The food is available. Angel Food Network is shipped to your church.
Funding is important; Amanda is here with us and I’d like her to talk about that and some of the things we’re doing.
Amanda – is a certified grant specialist and has a lot of experience (10 years) writing grants. Challenges: Very strong nonprofits who have restricted funds have not been building interest. Funds from city and state are unrestricted but they’re no longer available. In other places the money is there but the procedures are not. You have to tighten up your organizations. T-SOCS is a nonprofit doctor. I could be part of that nonprofit doctor hospital. I will be available here to you. The climate of our nonprofit sector is changing; just let me help you. I hope you will be looking at the website and attend the next grantwriting workshop. You could be denied of getting your grant and never know why. Some reasons are that the mission didn’t fit the grantwriter. But there are ways you can get around that and get around that. It’s a good system but we have to make it work for us. Nonprofits need to consider working as a team.
Arlina – Being a successful takes a lot of perseverance. Project Dana just received an award: Outstanding Support Group Award, and Outstanding Female Volunteer. Dana Project can be helpful in direction. The State is really suffering and in many cases we can no longer depend on them. Please keep your eyes and ears open for your neighbors.
Lena – Churches should also know how to cook nutritious meals. Churches could create nutritious cook books and raise monies by their sale.
Rose – We just had training on emergency preparedness and this company is available to do more training sessions for whoever wants it (will make that information available to T-SOCS for dissemination).
BEN – T-SOCS is a clearinghouse, which is a go-between for church and community organizations to build bridges and bonds and to have training helps to strengthen the church outreach. So that the church is not thinking one way and the organizations are thinking another way.
Opening the floor to discussion: What can the church do more? Where can we target to be of help? We really need to make an impact in these economical times to work with organizations.
On the website, there are two areas listed: if you are an organization and want to partner with churches and visa versa. We’re feeling our way, but if you are on one of those categories, it would be helpful if you fill out one of those forms and we would send that out to churches. Also, if you would help us increase our mailing list, that would be helpful as well.
Larry – If we sent a request for volunteers and mentors, where would it be posted.
Ben – It would be posted and be email-blasted to everyone on our mailing list. We’re trying to get you hooked up.
There is a form on the website for you to complete; please be specific as to what you are looking for.
Steve Kelly, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church – Regarding preparedness for disaster, we have to have basic fundamentals in place in order to circumvent a disaster.
Ben – Our recommendation was to come up with a way to certify churches; churches in certain areas of the island. We need to be prepared.
Steve Kelly – A mobile system is needed, something that goes into the areas with mobile kitchens, toilets.
Marsha – Everyone needs a plan and it‘s important for churches to provide shelter. We can always use more shelters. People need to bring everything themselves. Churches could “harden” their buildings. There’s a place on the civil defense website to learn more about this. It’s also a matter of teaching people to be prepared. People would then be much more resilient. If you need your church hardened, Danny Tangen at 733-4300 will come out and take a look at your church and explain how to “harden” it. Look at that SEAGRANT book on the website. Ask homeowners in the churches harden their homes. Also the Counties provide CERT training. People should have their own disaster kit. There are a lot of resources out there. By being prepared, you will be building that resiliency in your congregation.
Ben – We could build fliers detailing which churches are ready for disaster response.
Marsha – Go to Civil Defense website; there are lot of resources to be presented to the churches. If everyone has a plan, everyone benefits. Mormons have done ham radio training. If your church has this feature, you are then the communication hub for your community.
Pastor Cook – Whatever has to be done has to be island-wide.
Marsha – If there were a ham radio that could tell you where water and food is available, it would be helpful.
Steve Kelly – If people need assistance, where do they go… The military goes through the Red Cross for any emergency needs. Members who are military need to contact the Red Cross; the Red Cross is the official military emergency management contact organization for authenticated assistance. One of the things we don’t have in Hawaii is the management teams for the churches. You have to have a ready, facilitated team to take care of people; teams to help with children, parents, and to facilitate. Teams need to understand what is needed for the community. Different disasters dictate action.
James – Some solutions can be military because the military will fly assistance in to help. The Marine Corps loves to go out and do volunteer work. They would love to go out and be mentors. The Marine Corps wants to integrate into the communities.
(arrived) Christine Edelin – guest of Linda.
(arrived) Elena Clariza, Domestic Violence Action Center – provides legal services and case management for clients.
Ben – That’s another area with churches to gain knowledge -- how to handle domestic violence areas. Pastors and lay people get involved and when the situation is becoming volatile need to know who to call. There are good organizations out there and the church can support them. One politician said the churches need to get involved in this. We could recommend GPS systems for domestic violence offenders and if there was a way for the victim to have device to show if the offender is close, they could leave the vicinity.
Elena – has a team for training and immigration law in terms of domestic violence help which is willing to go to churches for this purpose. Helpline: 531-3771; 1-800-690-6200; website: www.stoptheviolence.org Elena’s number: 534-0040; Elena’s email is elenac@stoptheviolence.org.
Ben – Would you like this posted to the website in .pdf or just in readable note form?
Steve Kelly – posted in readable form.
Ben – Discussed survey. Please print carefully.
Lena – PATCH help people to start their own businesses – has excellent training.
Steve Kelly – TMBC has a big ice machine. One of the things churches could do would be to buy an ice machine for disaster preparedness.
Marsha – …also a generator, and gas for the generator, and the generator needs to be secure. Security is required to protect it so it does not grow legs. If you’re taking in food, it has to go out somewhere; water is needed for waste as well. People and organizations should be prepared (WAGBAGS). Also, MREs are sold at Costco… they have a shelf life of five years. You also need somewhere to store that stuff.
Ben – That’s where churches can come together and perhaps pay for storage together for purposes of emergency.
Marsha – Google State of Hawaii Civil Defense.
Arlina – Our businesses are also partners we can bring along side of us and they have resources that they can assist with in disasters and times of need.
Steve – as soon as emergency hits, take coolers and put in tub and fill them up with water.
Marsha – business need to be supported to maintain jobs and health insurance for those who are working so the business is available. The Red Cross has resources: shelter training and ham radio training. Churches are a wonderful conduit to provide information.
Ben – We have reached our time and I don’t want to go over unless you want to stay later. Please fill out the surveys completely. Thank you, Pastor Cook, and Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.
Pastor Cook closed in prayer @ 8:38 p.m.
Disclaimer: If something is recorded not quite correctly, please contact us at info@tsocs.org with the correction and we will post it directly. Mahalo.
First I would like to thank everyone for coming out this Monday evening.
The times that we are living in right now with loss of jobs, budget cuts, there are a lot of people and a lot of need and you are to be commended for; what you do counts. Tonight I just want to have an open discussion. We are going to document tonight’s proceedings and hopefully we will have it up on the website and to the Lt. Governor’s office tomorrow.
My name is Ben Hill.
Arlina Wong is the Program Director.
T-SOCS is the organization that God has created to help church and community work together. Big things can come out of small meetings.
We want to know what some of your desires are and we want to know what you’re thinking, because sometimes we concentrate so much on the people that are on the bottom that we forget about the people who are not in need until they’re in need and when they do come into need they’re not vocal about their need.
We’re going to have a round-robin quickly after prayer so we have time to talk. Share with us who you are, your organization and what you’re about. We want to pray about the people who are helping and need help. (Prayer by Ben.)
Arlina Wong – background in social work, now for the UH in Child and Adolescent Health and has a large background in community organization; now with Ben, helping with T-SOCS.
Esther Mc Daniel, Kokua Ohana – foster care ministry at Calvary Chapel. Gather and support families in foster care.
Ray Sylva – & wife, Traci, attend Calvary Chapel of Pearl Harbor. He is a para-professional with Department of Human Services. Involved in church for 21 years. Want to do something more.
Traci Sylva, Ka Puni Ohana – for foster care and adoption support is just starting at Calvary chapel.
Cindy Osajima, Project Dana – for interfaith caregivers, program for disabled and family caregivers.
Larry Biggs, Breakthroughs for Youth At Risk … since 1990. – At-risk kids in high school are in the youth training program. At first they were 24 hours a day, five-day courses and two-day courses that are non residential working with kids at Puuohala School. The kids really jelled together as an ohana. The programs at Castle High School at and Intermediate are looking for female mentors. Have a course at Pearl City Highlands; going quite well and we’re branching out and are working with different age groups now.
Pastor Dwight Cook, Pastor at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. Welcome. Glad that you are working together, and am a committee member with T-SOCS. Last month Trinity celebrated 41 years in services. Trinity has a tremendous ministry toward military families. We help deployed members’ families, and PTSD; 25th battalion just returned. When they come back home, we make sure we have specific ways to help our men and women who have served so faithfully.
Rose Nakakmura, Co-Founder, Project Dana. – Project Dana supports social services to the home-bound failed elderly. 20th year in Hawaii. And part of a national movement of faith in action (from North Carolina) started with National Federation of Interfaith Caregivers with 700 interfaith caregivers programs throughout the nation; over 750 volunteers in Hawaii. Welcome any church who would like to join and get volunteer training and has brochures and fact sheet on Project Dana.
Nena Uche – Background in case management, theology and journalism but is trying to start a new interest involving all three areas.
Jose Villa – writer, writes business plans, grant proposals, 501(c)3s and Hawaii Hispanic Newspaper.
Denzie Thomas – Center of Deliverance – looking for partners in new ventures.
Pastor Jesse Wilson, Center of Deliverance – looking to partner with nonprofit organizations and are in the process of procuring a building in a particular location. Has experience of six years in child care and done numerous community projects in Wahiawa and Mililani.
James Cabarrus, Center of Deliverance – serves in the Marine Corps and wants to learn new ways to be of assistance to the community.
Keith Oliver, Center of Deliverance – By way of US Army is here to support Pastor and better part of the community.
Frances Ellen, Minister – The Father’s Heart; prison ministry and working with Ben on T-SOCS and keep us connecting together.
Bev Larranaga, Hope Inc. – Christian adoption agency from foster care to permanent… goal to network with churches and other organizations. Want children to go to Godly families. If you’re a church and have an interest in this area, contact us for more information.
Marsha Tamura – Citizen Coordinator for Civil Defense – program was started by President Bush. Started by CERT: medical reserve corps; security watch. If you’re interested in those programs contact Civil Defense. Also, language emergency identification card for those who don’t speak English for when they go to shelter and encounter first responder.
George Long, Assistant Pastor – here at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.
Linda Edwards, Abilities Unlimited (a.k.a. WINNERS) – secular nonprofit, works with adults with mental disabilities. invited by Nena.
Ben explained what is T-SOCS. Forums like this allow us to stay on track with what is happening in the community. Church leaders, community leaders need to attend. Our efforts are to have faith-based organizations work with community organizations. Organizations have combined and gone into buildings together helping clients. Some have been able to find churches and identify partnerships to better identify clientele.
First topic:
With all the budget cuts and layoffs, what has been the effect on your church and organization? (We’re going to watch the time to allow time for all.)
Examples:
Linda – Abilities Unlimited …participants’ hours were cut 34.5%.
Ben – what’s the impact been on the people they served?
Linda – Classes have been cut. People that have psychological problems – their treatments have been cut from three hours a week to three hours a month. Job coaching resources are lost.
Larry – used company called Exclusive Promotions for monies, but monies are dying up; smaller now and because of the economy the fewer pieces are even smaller than before.
Ben – We also want to talk about possible solutions.
Jose – Going back to the Persian Gulf War is when all this started. A lot of the federal money which were discretionary funds started drying up, which affected state and local monies as well as the corporate foundation funding. Plus there are 7,000 nonprofits in the state of Hawaii. I encourage nonprofits to go to the mainland for monies. Only one in ten grants get turned in… and most grants don’t make it because the grants are not correct and the standards are higher. The work must be done on the front end to realize the grants.
Ben – We have one grantwriter but we wanted to have grantwriters come in and discuss grants because it’s not going to get better soon. The faith point is to help the helpless and help men and women learn to fish.
Jose – 99% of the nonprofits are reactive rather than proactive like other business sectors. Nonprofits have to start acting like business. If you can’t pay your rent, you don’t have a mission. Nonprofits either have to cut positions or cut services. And now nonprofits are merging.
Ben – Coalitions of nonprofits are making an impact. Maybe we could do a better job if we can talk to one another and share information rather than being over protective. The answer is that we learn to work together and where you have to consolidate to go in for monies.
There are things that can be done to strengthen or help other organizations. We really need to talk and share with each other ideas.
What can the Church do to help. There are Pastors here and T-SOCS is going to send these meeting notes out to organizations.
Larry – Personnel resources are needed for mentoring; organizations to work with youth for an entire year and match them up with a mentor. Mentors are hard to come by because of insurance. Providing space for workshops and training sessions for people coming into the program is also needed.
Ben – Does anyone else have anything to add?
Esther, Kokua Ohana – Definitely locations for training. 18 hours of PRIDE training is needed and classes on what to expect for foster parenting. Someone just opening up a room would be nice, which is not a high commitment. Other things like recruiting foster families is another need and to offer wrap-around services. We have to come together – As Believers, this is biblical… We’re looking at about 1500 children who are in the foster care program now.
Bev – (Hope, Inc.) Regarding permanency, there are a couple of hundred to adopt. No cost to the client, all is reimbursable by the State for hard to place, fragile children. Yes, we do need a place to hold training and wrap-around services. Also to start adoption support groups. Has 8-step program. Get churches involved with orphan ministries.
Ben – We need for churches and organizations to really think in terms of wrap-around services and how beneficial and non costly those programs can be and they can keep organizations from folding. The costs are minimal with volunteers. Sometimes there are people in our congregations who have a heart for people with these needs and they’re overlooked. It is a dangerous time for some of our elderly; it’s a matter of either getting medicine or getting food. Sometimes, the church forgets how even very little can greatly help people to actually succeed.
Lena – This is a golden opportunity to return to the church roots of providing support services. We can provide a lot more with less money; often that is the case. Provide training before the need. Many people in the church can be trained to do that. Church websites can have links to crisis hot lines; links to community resources and crisis hot lines that provide services churches cannot yet provide. Churches shy away from making money.
Ben – T-SOCS wants to help with MOA/MOUs so that when you work together, everyone knows and understands the boundaries.
Jose – There are 400 – 500 people in that room on Sundays. If the church had asset mapping – what skills are sitting in the room… if we could easier serve the needs.
Ben – we have skills and abilities; we just need to share the knowledge.
Jose – If church says, I need to know what assets I have sitting in this room today, and takes account of the response, then the church becomes proactive.
Frances – We are attached to a grocery distribution and on Friday afternoons, we distribute food. Very simple and easy and has been a real gift in that area. A lot of older/ homeless people participate in that. When you talk about resources, many things could become available.
Ben – Food is becoming more and more of a need for more people. I think there is a hidden population in middle class families that food on a discretionary basis would be such a blessing and a help to them. We need to catalog or write down who does what in feeding programs. But it is not published or organized on a State-wide basis. It needs to be coordinated and published state-wide as to the food resources.
There is one organization that we don’t have here… Angel Food Network. The shipping is the problem, but we’re used to shipping costs over here. You get so much food for $30 and it can keep families for 2-3 weeks at times. Families just stop by the designated church and pick up their order. Plus the company tithes $1 of income from every family to that church. If someone could look at that model and reproduce it, it would help people in a certain class through those hard times.
Lena – I do have a resource.
Denzie – it’s on the back of the Beat Street Newsletter.
Ben – There are a lot of people feeding people and nobody knows.
Pastor Cook – We learned where you can go to get breakfast, lunch and dinner. Beat Street does hot food feedings.
Denzie – Aloha Harvest comes with truck loads to bring food.
Ben – We need to have this so it is organized and easily dispensable. Are there areas that are under-served or complexes of the elderly. What is there, what areas, is the info getting to the needy.
Marsha – In the event of a disaster, there are a lot of people who will need that info. There is 211 available. For those of us who work in the emergency situation… it would be helpful to have a listing. The more information that there is in one spot the more available it would be to everyone.
Frances – Those who are still in homes need to know what’s available.
Ben – We need to keep bringing up where someone would go in times of need. Dr. Cook has been involved in getting info. In the event of a tsunami, there’s not that much food on this island. So if we could identify some places, it would be helpful in that event.
Ben – read some of the Angel Food Network menus and prices. People are buying it! All of us can have shortages at times in our lives. We need a service like this here in Hawaii.
James (COD) – For people who need help with food, perhaps we could provide a mapping of where what services are needed. Provide fliers for everyone!!!
Marsha – Since the information changes, we could make it available to people who would not normally need that service but be able to call 211. As long as there is a resource in town, we need people to buy into 211.
James – Employers could provide that resource to those whom they lay off.
Ben – Seniors need to be considered and remembered.
We want to give you time to fill out the survey which we’ve provided for you.
Frances – Concentration needs to be on Oahu; most of the other islands are better connected.
Ben – Maui is 80%. The food is available. Angel Food Network is shipped to your church.
Funding is important; Amanda is here with us and I’d like her to talk about that and some of the things we’re doing.
Amanda – is a certified grant specialist and has a lot of experience (10 years) writing grants. Challenges: Very strong nonprofits who have restricted funds have not been building interest. Funds from city and state are unrestricted but they’re no longer available. In other places the money is there but the procedures are not. You have to tighten up your organizations. T-SOCS is a nonprofit doctor. I could be part of that nonprofit doctor hospital. I will be available here to you. The climate of our nonprofit sector is changing; just let me help you. I hope you will be looking at the website and attend the next grantwriting workshop. You could be denied of getting your grant and never know why. Some reasons are that the mission didn’t fit the grantwriter. But there are ways you can get around that and get around that. It’s a good system but we have to make it work for us. Nonprofits need to consider working as a team.
Arlina – Being a successful takes a lot of perseverance. Project Dana just received an award: Outstanding Support Group Award, and Outstanding Female Volunteer. Dana Project can be helpful in direction. The State is really suffering and in many cases we can no longer depend on them. Please keep your eyes and ears open for your neighbors.
Lena – Churches should also know how to cook nutritious meals. Churches could create nutritious cook books and raise monies by their sale.
Rose – We just had training on emergency preparedness and this company is available to do more training sessions for whoever wants it (will make that information available to T-SOCS for dissemination).
BEN – T-SOCS is a clearinghouse, which is a go-between for church and community organizations to build bridges and bonds and to have training helps to strengthen the church outreach. So that the church is not thinking one way and the organizations are thinking another way.
Opening the floor to discussion: What can the church do more? Where can we target to be of help? We really need to make an impact in these economical times to work with organizations.
On the website, there are two areas listed: if you are an organization and want to partner with churches and visa versa. We’re feeling our way, but if you are on one of those categories, it would be helpful if you fill out one of those forms and we would send that out to churches. Also, if you would help us increase our mailing list, that would be helpful as well.
Larry – If we sent a request for volunteers and mentors, where would it be posted.
Ben – It would be posted and be email-blasted to everyone on our mailing list. We’re trying to get you hooked up.
There is a form on the website for you to complete; please be specific as to what you are looking for.
Steve Kelly, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church – Regarding preparedness for disaster, we have to have basic fundamentals in place in order to circumvent a disaster.
Ben – Our recommendation was to come up with a way to certify churches; churches in certain areas of the island. We need to be prepared.
Steve Kelly – A mobile system is needed, something that goes into the areas with mobile kitchens, toilets.
Marsha – Everyone needs a plan and it‘s important for churches to provide shelter. We can always use more shelters. People need to bring everything themselves. Churches could “harden” their buildings. There’s a place on the civil defense website to learn more about this. It’s also a matter of teaching people to be prepared. People would then be much more resilient. If you need your church hardened, Danny Tangen at 733-4300 will come out and take a look at your church and explain how to “harden” it. Look at that SEAGRANT book on the website. Ask homeowners in the churches harden their homes. Also the Counties provide CERT training. People should have their own disaster kit. There are a lot of resources out there. By being prepared, you will be building that resiliency in your congregation.
Ben – We could build fliers detailing which churches are ready for disaster response.
Marsha – Go to Civil Defense website; there are lot of resources to be presented to the churches. If everyone has a plan, everyone benefits. Mormons have done ham radio training. If your church has this feature, you are then the communication hub for your community.
Pastor Cook – Whatever has to be done has to be island-wide.
Marsha – If there were a ham radio that could tell you where water and food is available, it would be helpful.
Steve Kelly – If people need assistance, where do they go… The military goes through the Red Cross for any emergency needs. Members who are military need to contact the Red Cross; the Red Cross is the official military emergency management contact organization for authenticated assistance. One of the things we don’t have in Hawaii is the management teams for the churches. You have to have a ready, facilitated team to take care of people; teams to help with children, parents, and to facilitate. Teams need to understand what is needed for the community. Different disasters dictate action.
James – Some solutions can be military because the military will fly assistance in to help. The Marine Corps loves to go out and do volunteer work. They would love to go out and be mentors. The Marine Corps wants to integrate into the communities.
(arrived) Christine Edelin – guest of Linda.
(arrived) Elena Clariza, Domestic Violence Action Center – provides legal services and case management for clients.
Ben – That’s another area with churches to gain knowledge -- how to handle domestic violence areas. Pastors and lay people get involved and when the situation is becoming volatile need to know who to call. There are good organizations out there and the church can support them. One politician said the churches need to get involved in this. We could recommend GPS systems for domestic violence offenders and if there was a way for the victim to have device to show if the offender is close, they could leave the vicinity.
Elena – has a team for training and immigration law in terms of domestic violence help which is willing to go to churches for this purpose. Helpline: 531-3771; 1-800-690-6200; website: www.stoptheviolence.org Elena’s number: 534-0040; Elena’s email is elenac@stoptheviolence.org.
Ben – Would you like this posted to the website in .pdf or just in readable note form?
Steve Kelly – posted in readable form.
Ben – Discussed survey. Please print carefully.
Lena – PATCH help people to start their own businesses – has excellent training.
Steve Kelly – TMBC has a big ice machine. One of the things churches could do would be to buy an ice machine for disaster preparedness.
Marsha – …also a generator, and gas for the generator, and the generator needs to be secure. Security is required to protect it so it does not grow legs. If you’re taking in food, it has to go out somewhere; water is needed for waste as well. People and organizations should be prepared (WAGBAGS). Also, MREs are sold at Costco… they have a shelf life of five years. You also need somewhere to store that stuff.
Ben – That’s where churches can come together and perhaps pay for storage together for purposes of emergency.
Marsha – Google State of Hawaii Civil Defense.
Arlina – Our businesses are also partners we can bring along side of us and they have resources that they can assist with in disasters and times of need.
Steve – as soon as emergency hits, take coolers and put in tub and fill them up with water.
Marsha – business need to be supported to maintain jobs and health insurance for those who are working so the business is available. The Red Cross has resources: shelter training and ham radio training. Churches are a wonderful conduit to provide information.
Ben – We have reached our time and I don’t want to go over unless you want to stay later. Please fill out the surveys completely. Thank you, Pastor Cook, and Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.
Pastor Cook closed in prayer @ 8:38 p.m.
Disclaimer: If something is recorded not quite correctly, please contact us at info@tsocs.org with the correction and we will post it directly. Mahalo.
