HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 01/12/20171
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
222 Laporte Ave, Fort Collins
January 12, 2017, 6:00PM
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:
Holly Carroll – Chair
Margaret Long – Vice-Chair
Anita Basham
Sara Maranowicz
Amy Dondale
Annette Zacharias
COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT:
Deb Westcott
Steve Backsen
Taylor Dunn
STAFF PRESENT:
Sharon Thomas – Staff Liaison
Tina Hopkins-Dukes – Minute Taker
At 6:00 pm Sharon Thomas gave a tour of the new building and the meeting was called to order
by Chair, Holly Carroll at 6:15 pm.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
None
INTRODUCTION OF NEW COMMISSION MEMBERS:
Sara Maranowicz - Community Programs Director of the Bohemian Foundation
ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Delayed until February meeting
PRESENTATION – FOOD BANK OF LARIMER COUNTY
Amy Pezzani, CEO at the Food Bank for Larimer County. Pezzani stated the purpose of her
presentation is to share the Gap Analysis results conducted in 2016 using data from 2015.
According to Pezzani, an estimated 43,000 Larimer County residents are food insecure. 29,000
unduplicated individuals are directly served by the food pantry every year. Accessing free food
is a coping strategy for thousands of Larimer County residents. In the past five years rent costs
have increased 41% and daycare costs $15,000 a year. The increase in these costs can cause
food secure households to become food insecure. 14% of our population or 1 in 7 households
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are food insecure. The Food Bank has three primary programs they operate; Food Share, Food
Link and meal programs for kids (Kids Café) and seniors. They have two locations, Loveland and
Fort Collins, and a commercial kitchen where they prepare hot meals made from scratch. In
2016 they provided 83,000 meals to children in the community and 88,000 snacks. In
conjunction with the Junior League they were able to provide 134,000 snacks to Poudre School
District students. In September they began providing hot meals for seniors and prepare 500
meals per week. 95% of the food served is prepared from scratch including hamburger buns,
granola and muffins. Most of the produce comes from local retailers and is food that is edible
but unsellable.
Data collected from clients in 2015 shows that 54% of the 11,826 households that visited the
Food Bank for Larimer County are Fort Collins residents. 23.6% are 30-39 years old and 21.7%
are 50-61 years old. Guests can visit the food pantry twice per week, however the data shows
the average number of visits is only 14 times per year. This shows that people are using the
food services in real times of need and not just because they can get free food. USDA research
indicates people will typically travel 3 miles to access food. According to GIS mapping data, 65%
of Fort Collins residents live 4 miles or more from the Food Bank, 49% live within 3 miles and
29% live within 2 miles. Pezzani said that in 2004 data showed 90% of clients lived within a 2
mile radius of the food pantry.
In order to address this situation, the Food Bank for Larimer County is shifting focus to provide
new programs to residents on the Southside of Fort Collins which includes providing a “mobile
food pantry” on the first and third Sunday’s of each month for residents in the south part of
Fort Collins. Pezzani noted that food insecurities have risen drastically in the past 10 years. For
the first time ever the Food Bank for Larimer County served over 14,000 meals in one month in
2016-this actually happened in five out of twelve months for a total of 7.5 million meals for the
year. Meals are determined based on the USDA calculations of 1.23 pounds of food per meal.
In order to keep up with the population growth in Fort Collins, Pezzani said the Food Bank for
Larimer County will need to provide 12.6 million meals a year by 2035. Pezzani said the Food
Bank needs to expand storage space and is looking to purchase property to build a food
warehouse which is centrally located between the two Food Share sites. Pezzani said their
fundraising goal is $8.8 million. When asked about funding sources Pezzani said 58% of funding
comes from individual donations. Annette Zacharias asked about United Way funding and
Pezzani stated they receive roughly $9,000 through the allocation process. Holly Carroll asked if
they participated in Colorado Gives Day and Pezzani said yes and that they received $120,000
that day which is about double what they receive in designations. Of that $120,000, only
$35,000 was from the fund matching incentive portion of Colorado Gives Day.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Holly Carroll asked if everyone had a chance to review the July 14
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and October 13
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minutes.
Anita Basham asked for a revision to the July 2016 minutes. On page two the first line of the
last paragraph before Staff Reports should read “Annette Zacharias explained what it means to
be a United Way employee working at the Murphy Center.”
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Margaret Long motioned to approve and Amy Dondale seconded the motion. The July 2016
minutes were approved unanimously. Dondale motioned to approve October 2016 minutes and
Long seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Dondale motioned to approve the October
2016 funding deliberations and Basham seconded. Deliberation funding was approved
unanimously.
APPROVE WORK PLAN AND ANNUAL REPORT:
Annette Zacharias made a motion to accept the 2017 Work Plan and Margaret Long seconded.
Holly Carroll asked to amend the 2016 Annual Report noted the Commission did not fund DMA
Plaza rehabilitation project under Housing. Amy Dondale motioned to approve the amended
2016 Annual Report and Zacharias seconded. Both reports were unanimously accepted.
DISCUSS LETTER TO COUNCIL:
Holly Carroll suggested the Commission write a letter to Council thanking them for the increase
in funding from the Budgeting for Outcomes process last year and to discuss the diligence and
attentiveness of the Commission when choosing to fund or not fund projects. Carroll and
Margaret Long agreed to draft the letter and send it out prior to the February 2017 meeting.
STAFF REPORTS:
Sharon Thomas said several Executive Directors from childcare organizations are getting
together to discuss ways to provide affordable quality childcare services for anyone in need and
to make sure children are receiving any other services they need such as trauma and mental
health services. They are also exploring ways to free up funds to be used to engage older
children who no longer attend BASE Camp and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Thomas also informed the Commission Councilmember Gino Campana is not seeking reelection
for his seat in District 3 and Gordon Coombs has announced his interest in seeking the position.
Thomas expressed concerns regarding The Center for Family Outreach. They reportedly served
four families during the first quarter of fiscal year 2016 and have projected 45 for the entire
year. Typically the first quarter is when the highest number of clients receives services.
SummitStone has a new Executive Director and a new contact person as Chris Fine is no longer
with the agency.
SAVA is still looking for an Executive Director and is interviewing potential candidates and
should have the position filled soon.
Homeless gear is fiscally responsible for the Murphy Center now and United Way is no longer
part of the partnership.
Catholic Charities will be moving their utility assistance program from the Murphy Center which
will free up office space.
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Thomas provided the Commission with the Competitive Process schedule and Commission
roster. Annette Zacharias noted her email was wrong and Thomas said she would correct it and
resend to the members. Thomas asked everyone to pencil in Wednesday March 29
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as a
potential additional night for agency presentations.
Thomas also mentioned a page on the City Website that shows the FY2015 funding allocation
categories and outcomes, and funding gaps for the past five years.
OTHER:
Margaret Long would like to add to the agenda for February and update to the Commission
regarding changes to United Way Community Impact Funds.
Holly Carroll asked to have the Commission review the City Strategic Plan prior to reviewing
grant applications.
ADJOURNMENT:
Meeting was adjourned by Holly Carroll at 8:02 pm