Oct 7 meeting - NOTES

cityMamas
NOTES
October 7, 2009
1900 Bldg; Room 7A


Attendees
Courtney Duke, PBOT (Owen, 4½ )
Kara Fioravanti, PBS (Vicenzo, 3.5; Francesca; 8 mos.)
Lor Lillard, BPS (Dean, almost three!; Fiona, 11 mos)
Darcy Cronin, Water (Kieran 3.8; Makenna (.8)
Rebecca Geisen, Water (Ian 8; Noah 3)
Julia Giesler, PBS (Avery 14; Annie 12)
Dana DeKlyen, PDC (first meeting – welcome!) (Jacob 8; Charlie 4 ½)
Estee Segal (Orion 2.4)

Guest: Abby Coppock, Portland Better Together (http://www.portlandonline.com/index.cfm?c=49042)

Topic: Volunteering with your family.

Abby from the city’s Portland Better Together gave an overview of the program and ideas for volunteering with kids/families. Portland Better together is on Facebook, become a fan.


Greater Hands on Portland (http://www.handsonportland.org/HomePage/index.php/home.html ) can set up specific project for cityMamas (or other groups). Good projects for all ages include things for the environment (ivy pulls), parks related projects, gardens; farms; SOLV projects; etc. There are few direct service programs for/to kids due to background heck/liability issues. Other ideas: school supply drives (summer); food drives; volunteering at Schoolhouse Supplies (https://www.schoolhousesupplies.org/ ); food box delivery via the food bank (http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/); Sunshine Division (http://www.sunshinedivision.org/.

A great resource is: 211. Information and referral from the County for all different issues. Very helpful.

Members Shared What they Did
Dana DeKlyen’s mom runs a program at the Sunnyside United Methodist church (LINK). Her older son serves meals on Wednesday nights with his grandmother while dad does neighborhood patrol. They are always looking for volunteers and personal items to provide to the customers. These include blankets, socks, travel sizes toiletries, etc.

Courtney’s daycare does a food drive for Neighborhood House in SW Portland (http://www.nhweb.org/). Courtney had a budget ($50) and went shopping with her son at Safeway. He helped pick out food for “kids that don’t have enough to eat.” When purchasing items for school (in lieu of fundraising obligations), she takes Owen to shop and pick out items. Owen’s grandma volunteers at Neighborhood House and he has visited with her. Have also purchased personal items with him and grandma for Neighborhood House.

Rebecca did some food box deliveries with her older son. Could have been a better experience: long line at food bank, ran out of food boxes, locations a bit odd.

Darcy has done SOLV, hydro-park and other neighborhood clean up, Friends of Trees, etc., activities with her family. Make it routine.

HR Rule re: Volunteering
Abby noted that there is an HR rule that allows 4 hours of volunteering. Here is the link to the HR rule that says volunteerism related to the mission of the bureau is allowed: http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?c=27936&a=12203.

Note from Abby re: HR rule – I looked into that resolution (making it the mission of all bureaus to support youth) and it just wasn’t published online anywhere. Attached is the resolution that went to Council, but this isn’t the formal signed version. Laurel Butman (who organized that pilot program) is on vacation until the end of Oct and she will have more info on that. (Courtney will follow up). Attached to these notes is the .pdf of the draft resolution


Ideas for Future

Adpot a Family
Everyone ok with doing adopt a family again. Courtney will submit forms to Salvation Army.

SOLV Beach Clean Up
Make it a beach weekend with camping! Darcy will follow up.

Zenger Farms
Volunteer/tour Zenger Farms (city owned). Estee will follow up.

Drives for Neighborhood House and Sunnyside
All wanted information on drives for things families work on. Post to website (with link/reminder in an email).

Blog
The blog is up and running. Most folks still wanted an email to at least remind them to check the blog. We will continue to do so.

Next Meetings
Tentative date: November 4 – Portland Blgd.
Topic: Faith – what do you do? Changed since have kids? Will have a speaker. Details to follow.

December 2 – Social Lunch out at location to be determined