September 17, 2020
Dear Interfaith Member Congregations and Friends:
“Good people turn to love, courage, and kindness in times of crisis, not hate, fear and cruelty.” (Laurence Overmire) This has certainly been our experience at Interfaith Coalition! Your generosity of time, resources, and compassion continued to be there for families and people in need in all Interfaith programs, despite COVID and other challenges this year. Thank you!
This letter contains a lot, but I’ll try to be brief. I am hoping that you will share the dates and information with your congregation, leadership staff, office, and newsletter.
Some program updates: The annual Winter Warmth Drive has begun. You should already have received information, but if not, please contact me immediately. Coat collections are happening throughout the county and we will still be helping our neighbors stay warm this winter. Project Warm Up hats, scarves, and gloves are also being collected. Family Promise continues to shelter and support families in a static site thanks to congregation heroic support, and families in our housing program have continued their work to transition to permanent housing. Although many other sites shut down, CAST has continued to feed the hungry, thanks to the dedication of many volunteers. A death in the family has paused our Kids Need Books program, and our thoughts and prayers are with coordinator Joe Nolting. The Holiday Joy program is in the planning stages – you will hear more soon.
Can you help? Interfaith Coalition can do so much because we use volunteers and congregations to do this important work. But we can’t do it without financial resources. Please talk to your congregation’s stewardship or finance committee about committing financial support to Interfaith; perhaps adding Interfaith as a line item in their budget or with a special offering. We know that money is always tight, but we stretch every dollar! I would be happy to speak to your church council, mission/outreach committee, pastor, etc. Just call or email me.
Transitions: After 28 years of service to Interfaith Coalition, Executive Director Laura Harker stepped down in August. We will never be able to adequately thank her for, not only her service, but for the heart and soul Laura brought to the Coalition. If you get the chance to drop her a note of thanks, I know she would appreciate it. Laura hands the reins on to Deanna Wildermuth, our new E.D., who started on Sept. 1st. We welcome her and look forward to her leadership.
Annual Meeting: Each year we celebrate our partnership in service with our congregations at the annual meeting. The meeting this year is a virtual event on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7pm. Please advertise and on your congregation calendar. You’ll have an opportunity to meet our new director, view video and photos of programs, and hear firsthand from staff and some of our housing families, as well as electing new board members and approving the budget. We’ll send out specific info soon on how to attend.
2020 Proposed change to Articles of Agreement/Bylaws Oct. 27, 2020 - Interfaith Coalition
At the September 8, 2020 Interfaith Coalition Board meeting a unanimous decision was made to recommend the following change to the Articles of Agreement:
5. THE COALITION BOARD
5.1 The Coalition Board shall consist of not more than 24 members elected by the Representatives for three-year terms. Members-at-large shall not constitute more than 20% (rounded down) of the Board. The Board shall elect the following officers from its members who shall also serve as officers of the Board as the Executive Committee: President, Past President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, for terms of one year.
This small adjustment will increase our ability to fill the need for particular skills, address diversity, and include individuals who may be interested in supporting the work of Interfaith and are not a part of a member organization. The majority of the Board membership will continue to be comprised of individuals from member organizations.
THANK YOU for all you do! We know that we do not do this alone. If you have questions about any of the programs or information above, or want help in brainstorming ideas for collections, etc., please contact me! We hope that you will join us for our virtual Annual Meeting on October 27th and celebrate the many ways we work together to empower and bring hope to our neighbors in need.
Gratefully,
Janie Pemble
Outreach Manager and Congregation Liaison
