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Non-Profit Sector Meeting Notes February 12, 2020

Lake Almanor Nonprofit/Service Sector Meeting
February 5, 2020
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Lake Almanor Area Chamber of Commerce Offices
 
Attendees:
 
Susan Bryner - Representing Chamber of Commerce
Matt Moore - Representing Sierra Hospice
Peggy Fulder - Representing Lake Almanor Watershed Group
Nichole Young - Representing Westwood Wellness Center & Food Pantry
Carol Francetti - Representing Community Suppers and Food Pantry
Jobana Townsend - Representing Almanor Basin Food Pantry
Brian Foos - Representing St. Andrew’s Academy and Church
Carlos Espana - Representing Almanor Recreation and Park District
Susan Espana - Representing Almanor Recreation and Park District
Steve Dewitt - Representing Our Lady of the Snow and Elks
Gregg Scott - Representing Boy Scouts
Pam Mashburn - Representing Almanor Basin Food Pantry
 
Summary:
 
This meeting was called after conversations started at the Almanor Basin Community Consortium in November revealed that there are many ways in which community nonprofit and service groups can work better together to help serve the needs of the people that live, work, and play in the greater Lake Almanor Area. Susan Bryner had started to launch a new hub for volunteers which temporarily is being called “Points of Light.” The purpose of this meeting was to discuss plans to turn Points of Light into a hub for volunteers across many different sectors in the area. Participants in this meeting were invited to volunteer to help build this new hub and see how we can best reach out and engage the community and foster a positive culture of volunteerism and service.
 
Minutes:
 
4:00 - Meeting called to order by Susan Bryner
 
4:00 - 4:15 - Introductions - each attendee introduced themselves and discussed their projects and the nonprofits/church/service organization they were representing.
 
4:15 - 4:30 - Matt Moore discussed Points of Light/Volunteer Hub program for Lake Almanor. Discussed goal of creating the larger nonprofit organization that would hopefully grow out of this project.
 
4:30 - 5:00 - Round table discussion of volunteers, brainstorming ideas for how to increase volunteerism in the area. Discussed new ideas, approaches that have and have not worked, and what might work best moving forward.
 
5:00 - 5:30 - Discussed challenges/problems that are faced by the nonprofits and service organizations in this area. Created a list of different challenges for nonprofits that included discussions of what problems are facing our community from economic, demographic, and policy standpoints. Created a draft of a needs assessment for the area. See list of challenges and needs below.
 
5:30 - 5:50 - General discussion about what can be done to resolve and help the community at large and what things we can do to help make nonprofits more viable in the community. Conversation focused on ideas for increased economic viability for Chester/Westwood and the Peninsula. This was related back to the nonprofits needs assessment because it is believed that with more investment in the commercial/residential sectors more resources will become available to nonprofits in the area. See ideas discussed below.
 
5:50 - 6:00 - Final thoughts and call to each member to volunteer to help create and maintain the volunteer hub. Contact information exchanged.
 
6:00 - Meeting Adjourned by Susan Bryner.
 
 
Specific Challenges in our Area
   
Challenges Unique to Non-Profits
   
Non-Profit Administrative Challenges
   Brainstorming Solutions

 More youth invested in idea of service – early education by schools, churches