Promise of Community Action14228BCA-C630-42B7-932D-F8F148… · Needs You 245 Leave Laws: FMLA, ADA and State Laws. What you Need to Know about Employee Leave 279A Trends in Aging

Community Action changes people’s lives,

embodies the spirit of hope, improves

communities, and makes America a better

place to live. We care about the entire

community, and we are dedicated to helping

people help themselves and each other.

Promise of Community Action

Minnesota Community Action Partnership Annual Training Conference

September 20 - September 22, 2016

Verizon Wireless Center

Mankato, MN

2 | Change. Challenge. Opportunity. 2016 MN Community Action Partnership Training Conference

Verizon Wireless Center Meeting Room Layout

Registration

Free Wireless is available at Verizon Wireless.

Network Name: Civic Center Guest

Username: civiccenter1 Password: cc309

Tweet about the conference and share your experiences using:

#MinnCAPConf #BeCommunityAction

Need directions to setup a Twitter Account? See page 32.

Change. Challenge. Opportunity. 2016 MN Community Action Partnership Training Conference | 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome Letter 4

Schedule At A Glance: Tuesday, Sept 20, 2016 6

Schedule At A Glance: Wednesday, Sept 21, 2016 7

Schedule At A Glance: Thursday, Sept 22, 2016 8

Keynote Speaker Bios 9-12

Session Descriptions 13-17

Award Ceremony Program 18-29

Conference Committee and Sponsors 31

Twitter Directions 32

Minnesota Community Action Partnership 33

Minnesota Community Action Network Map 34

Photo Disclaimer: Attendees at the 2016 MinnCAP Conference do hereby grant permission for Min-

nCAP event planners to use any photos taken during the event that contain their likeness in any respecta-

ble manner without compensation. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of these photos in print or

electronic promotional material and/or on MinnCAP’s website or conference website.

Please keep your name badge

visible. It is your meal ticket for

ALL of the meals during the

conference.



MinnCAP Awards Luncheon 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2016

The MinnCAP Awards Luncheon will be held

at Noon on Wednesday, September 21st.

Awards presented will be the 25 year Awards, Allies in

Action and the Steve Chadwick Award.

We will also recognize this year’s new CCAPs.

Check out page 18 for this year’s program

Name Tag Raffle Prize During closing session after closing speaker

Must be present to win.

1.Turn in your nametag at the closing session.

2.MUST BE present to win.

3.Listen for your name to be called.

4.CLAIM YOUR Prize. Items must be claimed at the

time of drawing.

Drawing will be held on Thursday after lunch.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS


SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Registration Open, Lobby 1:00 PM - 2:45 PM Welcome and Opening Plenary, Banquet Hall West Welcome from MinnCAP Catherine Johnson, MinnCAP Board Chair Amanda Mackie, Executive Director, Minnesota Valley Action Council Tribal Blessing Carolynn Schommer, Tribal Elder, Upper Sioux Community Opening Keynote Doug Luffborough Welcome from Office of Economic Opportunity Tikki Brown, Director 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM Break/Book Signing - Doug Luffborough 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM Breakout Sessions Tribal Community Action Grantee Roundtable Discussion - for CSBG Tribal Grantees/Tribal Fiscal Staff Only 241A Data-Breach: Do I Really Have an Exposure? 241B Strengthening Our Diverse Communities 245A Student Loan Debt as a New Barrier to Overcoming Poverty 245B Employment Law Basics and the Intersection with Workers Comp 279A Criminal Justice Reforms: Seizing the Momentum 279B

Conference Evaluations

Conference Evaluations will be done through Survey Monkey. The survey will be sent out in the next two weeks to all

conference attendees at the email address provided at registration. To ensure we have the correct email address for you, please visit registration.


7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Registration Open, Lobby 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast Served, Banquet Hall East 8:30 AM - 10:15 AM Legislative General Session, Banquet Hall East Senator Kathy Sheran 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM Break 10:30 AM - 11:45 PM Legislative General Session, Banquet Hall East David Bradley, NCAF Representative Bob Gunther Representative Clark Johnson 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM Break 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Awards Luncheon, Banquet Hall East 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM Breakout Sessions Indirect Cost Rate vs. Cost Allocation Plans 241B Key Issues, Policies & Practices for Agency Bylaws Part 1 243 Community Needs Assessment Toolkit 245A Lead! Create! Your Organization (and our World) Needs You 245B Leave Laws: FMLA, ADA and State Laws. What you Need to Know about Employee Leave 279A

Trends in Aging 279B 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM Break 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM Breakout Sessions Community Action Procurement Challenges and Best Practices Under Federal Uniform Guidance 241B Key Issues, Policies & Practices for Agency Bylaws Part 2 243 Planning for Staff Changes 245A Authentic Persuasion: Communication That Moves Others to Action 245B Social Media: What Employers Need to know about Employee Use 279A

Stress Management 279B 4:30 - 6:00 PM Mutual of America Sponsored Reception, Reception Hall

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21


7:30 AM - 10:00 AM Registration Open, Lobby 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast Served, Banquet Hall East 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM Breakout Sessions HR Best Practices Roundtable (Tentative) 241B ROMA for Board of Directors 243 Workplace Essentials: Ethics, Accountability and Compliance Part I 245B Assessing Paperless Record Retention and Processing For Fiscal 279A

Creative Fundraising Ideas/Engaging Your Community 279B 9:45 AM - 10:00 AM Break 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Breakout Sessions Community Action Fiscal Staff Roundtable 241B Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP): What’s It All About? 243 Workplace Essentials: Ethics, Accountability and Compliance Part II 245B Paperless HR: Easy Organizational Tools 279A

Are you Open for Business? Why Accessibility Matters 279B 11:30 AM Closing Speaker, Lunch & Name Tag Raffle, Banquet Hall East

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22


KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Doug Luffborough www.dougluff.com Doug Luffborough is an over-comer! Raised by his mother, a housekeeper, Doug grew up in an impoverished environment. As the oldest son in a single parent family, he was thrown into the role of fa-ther figure to his three younger siblings while lacking a strong male role model for himself. Doug’s greatest ambition was to become the first member in his family to attend college, a dream challenged when his family became homeless during his senior year in high school. De-

spite homelessness and discouragement from his guidance counselor to attend college, Doug continued to work hard and was eventually accepted in-to Northeastern University in Boston, MA to pursue a Business and Human Re-sources Management degree. Five years later he was chosen as the Student Commencement Speaker for his class and preceded then President of the United States, Bill Clinton. President Clinton was so impressed with Doug’s tenacity and drive that he invited him and his mother to the White House. After working with a national community service organization, Doug went back to school to receive his master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a con-centration in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy. After Harvard he was chosen to receive a Fellowship degree from the prestigious Center for Social In-novations at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Execu-tive Program for Non-Profit Leaders. Currently, Doug is getting his PhD at the University of San Diego School of Leadership Studies with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership Consulting. Doug has spent over 20 years working with organizations as a leadership consultant, social entrepreneur, and advocate for social change. Extremely devoted to youth development and family empowerment, he has created and directed social service pro-grams throughout the United States and Asia. His core values and belief in faith, discipline, action, and hard work led to special appearances at the Fleet Center (formerly the Boston Garden), the White House, the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, and the Crystal Cathedral’s “Hour of Power” television broadcast. Doug’s life is a tale of inspiration and hope for the American dream which has impacted hundreds of institutions and thousands of young people across the world. Today he lives in Chula Vista, CA with his wife and five children.


LEGISLATIVE SESSION SPEAKERS

Senator Kathy Sheran Kathleen “Kathy” Sheran (born 1947) represents Senate District 19, which includes portions of Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet counties in the south central part of the state. She was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and was re-elected in 2010 and 2012. Sheran is currently the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Housing (HHS) Committee. She is also a member of the HHS Finance, Judiciary, and Higher Education Committees. She serves on the Legislative Task Force on Child Protection, Healthcare Financing Task Force, MNsure Legislative Oversight Committee, and the Prison Population Task Force. Sheran has authored a variety of

legislation including the Freedom to Breathe Act, establishing a smoke-free environment in restaurants and bars; legislation that advances the Corridors of Commerce project, fostering economic growth and increased mobility and safety for citizens; and Child Protection system reforms that provide for the safety and well-being of children. Before being elected to the Senate, Sheran worked in the nursing field for over 30 years as an advanced practice nurse and assistant professor of nursing at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She served for 16 years as President of the Mankato City Council and for a period of time as Mayor Pro Tem.

David Bradley, Executive Director National Community Action Foundation David Bradley has been recognized as one of Washington’s leading advocates for low-income programs. He has worked with federal government representatives, members of Congress, congressional staff and key White House personnel to develop national policies dealing with low-income needs and related regulations and guidelines. Mr. Bradley has served as a member on a number of advisory boards and commissions. He helped found and fund CAPLAW, which provides a legal support system to this anti-poverty network and is widely credited with increasing the

effectiveness of all partners, federal, state and local in the Community Services Block Grant network. Mr. Bradley established CAP-PAC, the Community Action Program Political Action Committee. This allows individuals associated with community action programs to participate in a sophisticated manner in the political process. Recently Mr. Bradley helped create CAP Fund, which is the first venture capital fund to be established to assist CAAs in their economic development activities. Mr. Bradley continues to demonstrate the ability to make issues affecting the poor of interest to both political parties. This was clearly demonstrated in 1995 and 1996 when the House Republican Contract with America agenda called for the elimination of funding for the CSBG. Mr. Bradley turned that challenge into an opportunity to fully discuss the Community Action network. Mr. Bradley has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from George Washington University. In 1987 he was a Senior Executive Fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in President Carter’s Administration as Congressional Liaison at the Small Business Administration.


LEGISLATIVE SESSION SPEAKERS

Representative Bob Gunther

Representative Bob Gunther is in his eleventh term in the Minnesota House. He represents portions of Blue Earth, Fairbault, Jackson, Martin and Watonwan counties. Bob is a small business owner, and focuses much of his legislative efforts on improving the job climate in Greater Minnesota. He graduated from Fairmont High School, served in the United States Navy, and received his marketing degree from Saint Cloud State University. Bob and his wife, Nancy, live in Fairmont. They have one adult daughter, Elizabeth.

Representative Clark Johnson State Representative, District 19A. Elected special election Feb. 12, 2013. Re-elected Nov. 2014. Committees: Agriculture Finance, Agriculture Policy, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Transportation Finance and Policy. Member of the Legislative Water Commission. Born: July 21, 1952, Fargo, North Dakota. Family: Married to April Moen Johnson for 36 years. Two adult daughters, Ida and Alena.

Education: Minnesota State University: MS in continuing studies, 1990. BS in teaching social studies, 1985. Michigan State University: BA in social science 1974. Professional Experience:

Minnesota State University, Mankato. Student Relations Coordinator (retired) and Social Studies Coordinator (current). 1985 to 2015. ITESM, Irapuato, Mexico. High school social studies teacher. 1996-97. West High School, Mankato. Part-time social studies teacher. 1985-87 and 1992-93. Minnesota Valley Action Council, Mankato. Outreach Coordinator. 1982-1984. Institute for Cultural Affairs, Kenya. Volunteer in Community Development. 1981 U.S. Census. District Manager for 1980 Census in eastern North Dakota. 1979-1980.

My wife, April, and I moved to the Mankato area in 1982. We have two adult daughters, Ida and Alena. I worked at Minnesota Valley Action Council for a couple of years. I retired last year after 30 years working at Minnesota State University, Mankato where I coordinated academic advising for undergraduate students in the social and behavioral sciences and I prepared future secondary social studies teachers. April and I manage a small family tree farm.

http://www.senate.mn/members/member_photo.php?mem_id=1078&parm_status=ACTIVE


CLOSING KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Roxanne DeLille Boozhoo Nindahwaymahgunnidoog (Greetings relatives) Bushqwa dahmooqway indahgo (The sound of thunder is what I am named after) Roxanne DeLille indizhnahkawz zhagahnashimowin (Roxanne DeLille is what I am known as in this foreign language) Whabizhayshi indohdaim (I am a member of the Martin clan) Mushkahzeebing indohnjahbah (I am from the Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin)

I am very much a contemporary Anishinabe woman whose life has been divided between res-ervation and urban areas. Much the same, my education has been divided between the tradi-tional teachings of my people and mainstream education. I have been honored to sit at the feet of many great teachers and have sat in numerous classrooms, always intrigued by the ways in which we come to understand each other. Following the spirits guidance, education was a natural profession. I am a mother, grandmother, auntie and active community member. I am tenured faculty at the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College where I’ve taught Speech and Communication Studies for the past 15 years. I am also an independent consultant focused on skill acquisition, specializing in relational dynamics. Among the topics I train are: transformational and servant leadership, communicating across differences, team building, peace keeping, internalized op-pression and resilience, cultural competency and youth leadership. I am a certified trainer of: ToP Facilitation Methods

Facilitating Conciliation

MBTI (Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator)

IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory)


Tribal Community Action Grantee Roundtable Discussion Amy Doyle, Andy Grewell, and Becky Wochnick, MN DHS OEO This interactive roundtable discussion will provide an opportunity for tribal Community Action grantees to share success stories, information about emerging community needs, and discuss best practices. Tribal Community Action grantees should plan on having at least one representative attend.

Data Breach: Do I Really Have an Exposure? Joe Westerlind, Mahowald Insurance Agency Ongoing business happens continually throughout the day and night, both via electronic and non-electronic methods. Assessing and mitigating data security exposure is quickly becoming standard as agencies evaluate their risk management strategies. This session will review who has exposure to cyber-attacks and risk management techniques. In addition, it will review what a cyber-liability insurance policy covers, including examples of claim scenarios and considerations when purchasing coverage

Caring for Minnesota’s Aging Population: A Look at State Policy Proposals Supporting Older Minnesotans Mary Jo George and Erin Parrish, AARP In this presentation, you will learn about new state laws enacted to support older Minnesotans as well as public

policy being proposed in the 2017 Minnesota Legislature to enhance the lives of not only older Minnesotans but also

family caregivers. You’ll also learn about ways that you can advocate for these issues.

Strengthening Our Diverse Communities Athieei Lam, Joseph Eslait, Jenny Larson, Three Rivers Community Action Minnesota has become home to immigrants from all over the world who are seeking opportunities our economy provides. Hear what one agency has learned about working with Somali, Sudanese, Karen, Latino and other immigrants. Find out how they put a culturally tailored, comprehensive program together that provides financial literacy, counseling and education services in order to create successful homeownership for hundreds of new Minnesotans.

Student Loan Debt as a New Barrier to Overcoming Poverty Darryl Dahlheimer, LSS Financial Counseling Student loan debt now surpasses even total credit card debt, and the Federal Reserve reports that 31% of borrowers are now 90 days late on their student loan debt. This widespread delinquency and debt load leads to accelerated wage and benefit garnishments, big drops in credit score and related car insurance costs, and ever-growing balances owed – in short, new financial instability. CAPs can take a leadership role in finding solutions to prevent education debt from undermining the rise out of poverty. This workshop will review the scope of the problem and related policy paths, Minnesota-based pilot programs being explored, and will engage attendees in group discussion about how student loan debt is impacting their clients and communities.

Employment Law Basics and the Intersection with Workers Comp Mark Lorentzen, SFM Insurance We will explore the basics of the FMLA, ADA, GINA and Minnesota Workers Compensation and the areas of intersection with the above.

Criminal Justice Reforms: Seizing the Momentum Jim Fleming, Maschka, Riedy & Ries Law Firm Jon Erickson, Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD, ACCAP Board of Directors Community Action Agencies know that far too often people ensnared in the criminal justice system end-up with a sentence to live in poverty. The good news is that some important reforms have taken place in the past few years, but we still have much work to do. In this session, you will learn about some of the common ways in which we’re not very smart on crime, you will learn about recent reforms, you will understand why we have some special opportunities for changes right now and how you can get involved in advocating for further reforms. Our very special presenters, Jim Fleming and Jon Erickson bring their decades of experience as both prosecutors and defense attorneys to this very hopeful discussion.

241 A

241 B

243

245 A

279 A

279 B

SESSIONS | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 | 3:15 - 4:30 PM

245B


Indirect Cost Rate vs. Cost Allocation Plans Rex Porter, Porter Group LLC Is an indirect cost plan right for our organization? How much time is involved? Are there tips for putting together an indirect costs rate proposal? What are best practices for an efficient and effective cost allocation plan? This session is designed to assist in understanding the “pros and cons” of adopting an indirect cost rate versus a cost allocation plan as a methodology for cost recovery within a Community Action agency.

Key Issues, Policies & Practices for Agency Bylaws, Part I Pam Pullman, Personnel and Management Company Are you happy when certain members don’t show up for board meetings? Do the same members do all the work/make all the decisions ALL the time? Have some members stayed too long…on the same committee…in the same position? Are you a Board – or just BORED! The CSBG Organizational Standards will require even more from board members, so come hear best practices, real sketches and tips for successful board operations. This may be the workshop you don’t want to miss!

Community Needs Assessment Lori Schultz, Tri-County Action Program Doug Jacobson, Tri-County Community Action This interactive workshop will highlight different approaches and best practices for developing an agency-wide community needs assessment. We will discuss data collection methods, survey response incentives, and analysis practices for hard-to-reach and diverse populations.

Lead! Create! Your Organization (and Our World) Needs You Josh Dye, Convene, LLC Leading and creating is no longer about hierarchy. It is about influence, taking initiative, and having the guts to do something different. It also involves risking failure in the pursuit of greater effectiveness, influence, and impact. True leaders care enough to put in extra thought, time, emotion, and energy to make something remarkable happen. You will learn the following: Adapting to the ways technology has changed the behaviors of staff, clients, and key stakeholders. The difference between leadership position and influence. How routines become ruts (and how to get out of the rut!). The 5 Steps of Courage to follow when making difficult decisions. Get ready to have a new, practical perspective and refreshed energy after attending this session.

Leave Laws: FMLA, ADA and State Laws. What you Need to Know about Employee Leave Penny Phillips, Felhaber Larson This session will provide information on employer obligations under state, federal and local leave laws, Including, FMLA, ADA, State Parenting leave, sick leave, and Minneapolis and St. Paul sick leave requirements. This session will also address overlapping leave obligations and how to coordinate potentially conflicting leave obligations.

Trends in Aging Rolf Hage, MN Board on Aging As they have moved through the various phases of their lives, the Baby Boomers have transformed society every step of the way. With the initial wave of Boomers entering retirement during the next five years, we may get a good preview of what’s to come. Rolf Hage from the Minnesota Board on Aging will share some observations about recent and future trends in communities throughout Minnesota. Come what may, it’s a good bet that CAP Agencies will be in the thick of things. This will be an informal session with plenty of time for discussion.

SESSIONS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 | 1:45 - 3:00 PM

245 B

243

245 A

279 A

279 B

241 B


Community Action Procurement Challenges and Best Practices Under Federal Uniform Guidance

Rex Porter, Porter Group LLC Jessica Birken, Porter Group LLC Topics Include: Agreeing On What We Need to Buy and Do We Have Money and Authority? What Are the Key Federal Standards and Where Is Your Risk? What Are Our Own Set of Best Practice Tools and How to Use Them How Do We Prove to Ourselves and Funders We Did What We Promised? Where Do I Go To Get More Help and Resources? What Are My Cohorts Doing As Best Practices?

Key Issues, Policies & Practices for Agency Bylaws, Part II Pam Pullman, Personnel & Management Company Are you happy when certain members don’t show up for board meetings? Do the same members do all the work/make all the decisions ALL the time? Have some members stayed too long…on the same committee…in the same position? Are you a Board – or just BORED! The CSBG Organizational Standards will require even more from board members, so come hear best practices, real sketches and tips for successful board operations. This may be the workshop you don’t want to miss!

Planning for Staff Changes Lori Schultz, Tri-County Action Program Laurie Drewlow, Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership This panel will discuss two recent initiatives that highlight the importance of planning for staff changes and hiring new leadership. A Board of Directors member and an Executive Director from two different Community Action Agencies will discuss agency-wide staff absence planning and the recent hiring of leadership.

Authentic Persuasion: Communication that Moves Others to Action Josh Dye, Convene, LLC No matter what position you hold, having a solid grasp of persuasion skills makes you much more effective. Even if you don’t sell a product, people need to get sold on your ideas, plans, and processes. Understanding the basics of effective persuasion (while not acting ‘salesy’) will make your communication easier and produce better results. In this training you will learn: The seven values of superb customer service. Unselling: How to effectively sell your ideas, plans, and processes without coming across as ‘salesy.’ Whose Agenda? Guiding clients and co-workers to win-win outcomes. How to lead conversations to get positive results. How to assertively ask for what you want without feeling awkward. This is a great training for those who want to communicate more persuasively while remaining authentic and kind.

Social Media: What Employers Need to Know about Employee Use Penny Phillips, Felhaber Larson This session will examine the application of state and federal labor and employment laws to employee use of social media, as well as best practices for employers in dealing with employee use of social media. It will also examine lesser known concerns about employee use of social media, including privacy and HIPAA concerns.

Stress Management Francie Mathes - CCAP, MN DHS OEO Do you know anyone who isn't at times stressed out these days? The pace of modern life makes stress management a necessary skill for everyone. Many people juggle multiple responsibilities, work, home life, caregiving and relationships. Learning to identify problems and implement solutions is the key to successful stress reduction. This is a workshop will give you a range of tools, ideas, thoughts and pondering about how to better manage stress and home and at work, including practical tips, humor and exercises to calm your mind so you can start practicing a range of stress management techniques.

SESSIONS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 | 3:15 - 4:30 PM

241 B

243

245 A

279 A

279 B

245 B


HR Best Practices Roundtable Join your Human Resources peers from across the state in a roundtable session to discuss “aha” moments from the presentations at the conference, discuss learning and enrichment opportunities for CAP HR staff in the coming year, and a chance to network with colleagues.

ROMA for Board of Directors Francie Mathes - CCAP, MN DHS OEO Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) is the federally mandated system of management and reporting that Community Action Agencies use to plan, implement and report on services provided in their community. Boards of Directors should be familiar with ROMA and what it requires. In accordance with regulation Boards must be trained annually in ROMA and have it integrated into the operations of the agency. This training will provide an overview of ROMA and the cross-over with the new organizational standards and what you should know as a board member.

Workplace Essentials: Ethics, Accountability & Compliance Part I Dan DuHamel - CCAP, MnDOT Part I We all want to focus on our mission of fighting poverty. However, a lax or indifferent agency culture around ethics and compliance can result in conflicts, bad publicity and legal action that distracts from the critical work of Community Action. Part I of this workshop will explore how to foster an ethical culture at your agency, as well as ensuring everyone has an understanding of their agency’s legal obligations. Creating an ethical organization culture starts at the top with a board of directors and senior leadership. Accountability must be accepted, expected, and reinforced at every level. Both Part I and Part II will offer an opportunity for audience participation and questions around ethics, accountability and legal compliance.

Assessing Paperless Record Retention and Processing for Fiscal Clay Baer, OPG-3 Paperless processing and record retention is continuing to grow within the Community Action Network, the non-profit sector and is quickly becoming standard practice in the private sector. A local provider, who currently works with Community Action agencies in the state, will present the considerations that need to be weighed when evaluating how and when to implement a paperless process. There will also be an opportunity for a questions and answer session with the presenter. Although the presentation will be focused on fiscal processing, all are welcome to join.

Creative Fundraising Ideas/Engaging Your Community Sheila Ous, Minnesota Valley Action Council Ann Macgregor, Minnesota Valley Action Council In 2012 Minnesota Valley Action Council was awarded a $50,000 matching grant from the Bremer Foundation. We needed to fundraise $50,000 from the community. We realized as we began that process that not only are we not well versed in fundraising we also have an awareness problem. This is not unique to MVAC but to all Minnesota CAP's and at the national level. We need to tell our story better.

SESSIONS | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 | 8:30 - 9:45 AM

243

245 B

279 A

279 B

241 B


Community Action Fiscal Staff Roundtable Dean Dalzell, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties Join fiscal and accounting peers from across the state in a roundtable session to discuss “aha” moments from the presentations at the conference, discuss learning and enrichment opportunities for CAP fiscal staff in the coming year, and a chance to network with colleagues.

Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP): What’s it all about? Leah Hall - CCAP, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency Beth Peterson - CCAP, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency Angela Larson - CCAP, Western Community Action While agencies strive toward excellence, staff, too can pursue their own professional development path to excellence through CCAP. This session will address the core CCAP process components but also how pursuing your CCAP will impact your view of Community Action as well as influence your daily work. While we know that CCAP tells others in our network that you have achieved a level of dedication, experience and knowledge, it also has significant personal value as well. Have you been thinking about going through the process to become a Certified Community Action Professional? Come to this session to learn about the steps it takes, the time commitment and what CCAP is all about. Hear from a panel of candidates that went through the process with the study group and learn why you should too. You will also have an opportunity to sign up for the 2017 Study Group starting in the fall.

Workplace Essentials: Ethics, Accountability & Compliance Part II Jodi Johnson, Stoel Rives, LLP Part II We all want to focus on our mission of fighting poverty. However, a lax or indifferent agency culture around ethics and compliance can result in conflicts, bad publicity and legal action that distracts from the critical work of Community Action. Part II will focus on an agency’s legal obligations around employment law, and common pitfalls that leave employers vulnerable to litigation or federal or state sanctions. Topics will include whistleblower protections, harassment or discrimination complaints, hiring, compensation, termination, and FMLA compliance. Both Part I and Part II will offer an opportunity for audience participation and questions around ethics, accountability and legal compliance.

Paperless HR: Easy Organizational Tools Clay Baer, OPG-3 With recent changes, the HR Department’s job is more difficult to create and manage create an organizational system. This session will help HR Staff to see a workable spreadsheet on how the best HR Departments are organizing employee documents, getting documents into the correct folders, securing them, and retrieving them. This session will discuss how best to scan or print documents into a paperless system; How to secure documents; How to retrieve documents; How to automate Business Processes in HR, such as Open Enrollment; and How to create and use a Forms Suite to automate HR processes.

Are you Open for Business? Why Accessibility Matters. Isaac Wengerd, MN DHS OEO Agencies have been trained to think about accessibility as it relates to persons with disabilities. However, being truly accessible and welcoming for all people has to do with much more than just ramps and rails. To effectively reach all persons in poverty, agencies must take proactive steps to make their locations, hours, staffing, technology and other key components more responsive to the needs of their target population, who may face transportation, employment, language, child care and other barriers to accessing Community Action services. Staff from the Department of Human Services will give examples and strategies on improving accessibility, as well as lead a group discussion on how Community Action and its partners can truly meet people where they are at, providing an exemplary level of services.

SESSIONS | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 | 10:00 - 11:15 AM

245 B

243

279 A

279 B

241B


2016 AWARDS CEREMONY

Emcee

Leah Pigatti

Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership

CCAP Recognition

Presented by Francie Mathes, OEO

25 Year Honorees

Presented by Francie Mathes, OEO & Arnie Anderson, MinnCAP

OEO Partnership Award


Allies in ACTION Awards

Presented by Leah Pigatti, Awards Committee Chair

Steve Chadwick Award

Presented by Leah Pigatti, Awards Committee Chair

Connie Greer Lifetime Action Award


Thank you Awards Committee!

Committee Members:

Leah Pigatti (Chair), Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership

Bobby Benson, Minnesota Community Action Partnership

Catherine Johnson, Inter-County Community Council

Amanda Mackie, Minnesota Valley Action Council

Angie Miller, Community Action Duluth

Wayne Stenberg, Semcac


2016 CERTIFIED COMMUNITY ACTION PROFESSIONALS

Allan Bakke Western Community Action

Becki Johnson Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Angela Larson Western Community Action

Angela Nissen Prairie Five Community Action Council

Christina McCoy MinnCAP/180 Degrees

Brenda Montplaisir Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Alice Moren KOOTASCA Community Action

Colleen Murray Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Lori Schwartz Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Dawn van Hees Lakes & Pines Community Action Council

Minnesota’s CCAP’s still working Community Action

Arnie Anderson - MinnCAP

Catherine Fair - CAPRW

Leah Hall - AEOA

Francie Mathes - OEO

Leah Pauletti - MinnCAP

Beth Peterson - AEOA

Lezlie Sauter - Lakes & Pines

Patrick Shepard - TriCAP

Wayne Stenberg - Semcac Denise Stewart - Lakes & Pines


25 YEAR HONOREES

For the work we do, for the lives we touch. Hundreds of thousands

of Minnesotans count on Community Action staff, Board members

and community partners every day. We make a difference in our

neighborhoods, cities, towns, and across Minnesota. Today we cele-

brate our commitment to Community Action and our excellence in

the work we do advocating for people with low-incomes.

Shirley Anderson Head Start Assistant Teacher

Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council

Shirley has spent her entire career working in the Head Start program. Shirley served as a

classroom aide, home visitor, substitute teacher and any other role she was asked to do.

Her passion for the families Head Start serves is illustrated in her daily efforts working in

the program.

Jeanine Antony Self Sufficiency Case Manager

Western Community Action

Jeanine has served WCA as a case manager working to serve people who are in cri-

sis. Over the years, she has helped hundreds of families who were experiencing homeless-

ness, weren’t able to meet other basic needs, or were just struggling to get by. Jeannie has

been instrumental in serving and empowering people to reach their financial goals and by

delivering financial literacy education and support. She has served as a mentor to new staff

and is a team player throughout the agency. She also helped form the Marshall Financial

Empowerment Collaborative and the Refuge Homeless Shelter in Marshall. Congratula-

tions, Jeannie!

Jill Berglund Family Resource Consultant

Minnesota Valley Action Council

MVAC would like to recognize Jill Berglund who recently celebrated 25 years with our or-

ganization. She is a gifted staff person who excels in working with her clients and our many partners. Most of Jill’s work has occurred in Brown County where she has served people

moving from welfare to work. Utilizing her vast wealth of knowledge and experience she

has successfully encouraged and guided people to build on their strengths to gain self-

reliance. Hats off to Jill!

Connie Biehn Birth to Three Home Visitor, Blue Earth County

Minnesota Valley Action Council

Connie Biehn first started with MVAC in 1991 in Faribault County as a Head Start Home

Visitor. She then went on to work in Blue Earth (Mapleton) and Nicollet (St. Peter) coun-


25 YEAR HONOREES

ties, also as a Home Visitor. As MVAC began to expand its Head Start programs to serve

pregnant women and birth to 3 families, Connie took the opportunity in the summer of

2014 to try something different. Connie has said the one thing that has changed the most

over the 25 years since her first day is herself. She states she has learned so much and has

grown a great deal in her compassion and love for others. She is now a firm believer in

CAP organizations. When she was first interviewed, she was asked what she wanted in a

work place. She said, “I was looking for a positive work environment.” It has been some of

the best positive 25 years of her life! Thank you Connie!

Gayle Bierman Community Development Program Assistant


Gayle began working in the Energy Assistance Program and has added her skills to the en-

tire Community Development Department. As she has worked stints in all of the pro-

grams, Gayle’s expertise is wide ranging, from completing applications to developing appli-

cations that facilitating the successful delivery of all department programs.

Paula Boehrs Community Services Coordinator


Paula started her career as a temporary worker in the Energy Assistance Program. She

moved into Head Start and then became a Family Resource Coordinator. She eventually

began managing homeless and crisis programming for the agency, including ESGP, THP,

RHASP, FHPAP, FEMA, Family Loan, as well as being the agency Affirmative Action Coordi-

nator.

Heidi Brown Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Teacher

Heidi has been with the Head Start program since she was 17 years old. She learned about

the Head Start program through her “little cousin.” Heidi started out as a classroom aide,

earned her Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential by the Council for Profession-

al Recognition. Heidi moved into a floater teacher position for two years, became an assis-

tant teacher, and earned her degree in early childhood education to become a teacher.

While working with hundreds of children and their families throughout her years with the

agency, Heidi has definitely made Head Start one of her life’s dedications.

Marcie Brown Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Teacher Mentor

Marcie’s love for the Head Start family developed as a community volunteer in one of the

Head Start Centers her nephew attended where she attended the Parent Teacher Training

that the agency offered. She began her career as a teacher’s aide in 1991. Marcie continued

growing her professional skills by continuing her education and obtaining her CDA from

Century College and her AAS from St. Paul College. Currently, Marcie is a Mentor Teacher


25 YEAR HONOREES

at Battle Creek Head Start where she continues helping children, as well as mentoring new

teachers in our program. Throughout her professional career, Marcie’s dedication and

commitment has helped her gain the respect and admiration of children, parents, team

members, and community members. She is very proud of her accomplishments.

Tracy Chase Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency

Lead Adult Basic Education (ABE) Instructor

Tracy first became involved with AEOA’s ABE in October of 1991, after being a substitute

teacher in her local school districts. She soon was promoted to Lead Instructor, helping

other teachers hone their craft and engage learners. Tracy has taught in diverse locations,

from the local jail to community centers, school classrooms, and even in her car on occa-

sion when ABE’s reservation was overridden by community gatherings without notice! Her

dedication to improving the lives of low-skilled low-income community members shines

through every day. She has a calming presence in the face of adversity and represents the

epitome of what an ABE instructor should be.

Judy Clear Semcac

Head Start Teacher

Judy began her Early Childhood career with Semcac Head Start in March 1991 as a support

staff. Later she acquired her Child Development Associate Degree and became a classroom

teacher. She has been described as a warm, caring, and compassionate individual, dedicated

to the needs of our families and children. Throughout her years as a Head Start teacher,

she utilized her Early Childhood education and expertise to provide children with a quality

educational experience. She demonstrated a great commitment to Head Start and Semcac.

We thank you Judy for your 25 years of service and wish only the best for you.

Paul DuFrane Prairie Five Community Action Council, Inc.

Technology Coordinator

Paul started with Prairie Five May 20, 1991 as part of the Weatherization Crew. Over the

next few years we learned that Paul was very technically savvy and could fix any computer/

internet issues we had. In 2001 Paul was hired as the full-time Technology Coordinator.

He is probably the most appreciated and the most requested person in the office. We

couldn’t imagine what we would do without him. He is a great person and gets along great

with everyone. Prairie Five is very fortunate to have Paul as a part of Prairie Five. Congrats

on 25 years Paul and we hope you are around for 25 more!

Debra Fort Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency

Head Start Teacher Assistant

Deb started her journey with AEOA Head Start 29 years ago as a Parent volunteer and

Policy Council member. Her love for working with children shined after 3-l/2 years of vol-unteering in the classroom. She started as a Teacher Aide in March of 1991. Deb worked


25 YEAR HONOREES

towards her schooling and earned her Preschool CDA Credential, and climbed the ladder

to a Teacher Assistant. Deb moved to the Toddler Center Teacher Assistant position, and

earned her Infant/Toddler CDA where she continues to work helping children feel safe,

loved, and important. Head Start is honored to have such a hardworking, dedicated, and

caring employee.

Marge Gritman Western Community Action

Bus Drive

Marge is in her 25th year and is currently a bus driver for our transportation program. She

began her work with Community Action driving Head Start children and working with

their families. Through Marge’s activities as a bus driver, she has become a well-known ad-

vocate for people of low income. The communities that we serve know Marge as a helpful,

trusted, and caring person. When driving mostly the evening shifts, she provides a safe and

dependable ride for our passengers while keeping watch on our community. Marge is ex-

tremely pleasant to work with and is respected by her co-workers. She is the face of our

program and helps our agency in fulfilling the mission of Community Action in many ways.

Laurie Hendrickson Prairie Five Community Action Council, Inc.

Housing Program Assistant

Laurie started her CAP career as the Chippewa County Outreach. She moved into the

Housing Department in 1993 and is working as the Program Assistant for the Small Cities

and MHFA and Weatherization Programs. She also manages the Chippewa County Cloth-

ing Room, where she provides rent rebates, coordinates ramp rentals and billings, and has

worked in the Homeless Programs, Chippewa County Food Shelf, the Homestretch classes

and other programs over the years. Laurie is a dedicated and valuable employee. She is ap-

preciated for her sense of humor and political savvy!

Susan Keenan Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Teacher Assistant/Float

Sue’s passion for young children has led her through many differing roles during her time of

employment with Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties Head

Start. She has been a Center Manager, a Mentor Teacher and is currently working in the

float position.

Janell Kleindl Prairie Five Community Action Council, Inc.

Head Start Assistant Teacher

Janell was hired on August 19, 1991 as a Teacher’s Aide for the Head Start classroom in

Clinton. In the past couple of years Janell has been the Assistant Teacher in the Clinton/

Graceville/Beardsley Head Start Collaborative. Janell is well respected not only by other

staff but also the children and families she works with. She has a genuine interest in the

well-being of all children in her classroom. Janell’s creativity along with her excellent class-


room management skills provides a very welcoming environment that is conducive to

learning. Congratulations Janell on 25 years of dedication to the Head Start program!

Marge Knudson Prairie Five Community Action Council, Inc.

Child Care Aware Director

Marge started on March 11, 1991 as Referral staff for what was then the Child and Care

Resource and Referral program, now known as Child Care Aware. Marge became the Di-

rector of the program in October of 1995. She has been around through the total evolu-

tion of the program. She is very involved in many committees at the State, local, and re-

gional levels regarding Child Care. Marge is a firm believer that every child is entitled to

quality child care. She is well-respected in her field and gets along great with everyone. She

is an asset to Prairie Five and we hope she is with us for many more years!

Yang Lee Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Family Advocate

Yang is kind, approachable, and has a great sense of humor. He is a positive, flexible, and

trusted member of the Family Advocate and center teams. Yang provides great insight into

processes and procedures and demonstrates a high level of professionalism in the respect-

ful way he communicates with his families and colleagues. This past year he worked within

a team that increased our father engagement by 250%. He is an asset to the Community

Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties community and it has been an hon-

or getting to know him and see his impact on children, families, and staff.

Denise Loesch Community Action Partnership of Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties

Senior Nutrition Program Manager

Denise has run the day to day operation of the Senior Nutrition Program in all three of

our counties providing high quality services and food to our aging population. She has built

collaborative partnerships with others inside and outside of the agency to strengthen her

program, which in return provides clients with desired services and outcomes. Denise is

very dependable, knowledgeable, flexible, client focused and is extremely loyal to the agen-

cy and its mission.

Peg Millar Bi-CAP

Education Manager Peg Millar has worked with Bi-CAPs Head Start Program since 1991. Over the years, she has

served Head Start in many different roles and has been instructive in the growth of the Head Start

program. She has shared countless hours providing educational support to staff and a program that

now serves 296 Head Start and Early Head Start children. Peg’s knowledge and expertise of pro-

gram standards and regulations has contributed to meeting and exceeding program compli-

ance. She was instrumental in persevering through new federal mandates, such as CLASS Observa-

25 YEAR HONOREES


tion and Child Outcomes. Her years of dedication has been a positive influence for staff and the

children and families of Head Start!

Susan Olson Northwest Community Action

Head Start Child and Family Teacher

Susan Olson has been a wonderful contributor to Northwest CAP’s Head Start program

in the Grygla area for 25 years. She first became involved with the Head Start program as a

parent. She was hired as a Home Visitor Support Aide in Oct. 1991 and also became a

classroom paraprofessional. Through additional training, education, experience and dedica-

tion to excellence, she became a Head Start Child and Family Teacher in 1996 and contin-

ues in the same position currently. Susie has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of

children and adults through her commitment to their success.

Stacey Overson Heartland Community Action Agency

Accounting Technician

Stacey has been the backbone of Heartland Community Action Agency’s Fiscal Department

for the past 25 years. Her responsibilities have grown throughout her tenure, and she has

been responsible for processing accounts payable, payroll, cost allocation, accounts receiva-

ble, and many other duties. Stacey is very dedicated, conscientious, efficient and talented.

Stacey is a very valued employee and truly contributes to the agency’s mission by “helping

people, changing lives.” Thank you, Stacey!

Cindy Pic Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc.

Transportation Programs Director

Cindy started working at Tri-Valley as the Program Manager for Child Care Resource &

Referral serving northeast North Dakota. She then directed the Community Services Divi-

sion of the corporation. Cindy is currently the director of the Transportation Division. A

major highlight of Cindy’s work is how the Flood of 1997 impacted the child care commu-

nity throughout the service area. Tri-Valley received several million dollars in grants to

build the child care infrastructure in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. She is also very

proud of the growth the Transportation Programs have seen in recent years. This is be-

cause of the staff working together and believing in the motto of “people helping people.”

Darlene Rislov Semcac

Nutrition Office Manager

Darlene serves as the Office Manager for the Senior Nutrition Program in our main Rush-

ford office. It is her pleasant voice that greets you when you call into the program. She

fields a variety of questions and situations that come from staff and seniors alike, and in

light of her 25 years with the program, most are resolved. Darlene is most proud of her

work with the local School to Work program and has provided mentorship to many High

School students over the years. Impacting their lives in a positive manner is a benefit that

25 YEAR HONOREES


cannot be measured. Thank you, Darlene for your consistent and dedicated service to

Community Action and the Senior Nutrition Program.

Jodi Schmidt West Central MN Communities Action, Inc.

Head Start Family Education Specialist

In her role as a Head Start Family Education Specialist, Jodi has been committed to serving

young children and families in the combined role of classroom teacher and family services

advocate. Jodi has worked diligently to build the important connection between the learn-

ing and development that happens in a child’s home and how vital this is to the learning

that happens in a three to five-year-old classroom. This is especially important as Jodi has

worked in collaboration with Early Childhood Special Education classrooms for the majori-

ty this time. Jodi is well deserving of this recognition.

Marian Smith Anoka County Community Action Program

Head Start Teach

Mary Smith has dedicated the last 25 years of her teaching career to working with low-

income children and families at ACCAP’s Forest Lake Head Start Center. Her highest pri-

ority as an educator is to serve the individual needs of her students; she has a remarkable

way of inspiring both students and families to reach their full potential. Her pleasant de-

meanor is very welcoming to all who enter her classroom, her journey has made a lasting

impact on all who have had the opportunity to work and learn from this wonderful teach-

er.

Sandi Vasquez Community Action Partnership of Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties

Automation Specialist, Head Start

Sandi’s first experience with CAP of Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties was at the age of

13. Her sister became one of the first Head Start kids. Sandi rode the bus and helped in the

classroom. About 30 years ago her children were in Head Start and she became the Policy

Council Chair, MHSA Parent Association Chair and Vice Chair of the CAP Board of Direc-

tor. She got an advanced degree in computers and started working in the fiscal department.

She then moved to the front desk and ended up with the job she now has as Head Start Automation Specialist.

Val Veen Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council

Head Start Bus Driver

Val has worked her entire career in the transportation department of Head Start, most

notably as a bus driver. If the Head Start buses are moving, you can be sure that Val is driv-

ing one of them. Thank you for your years of service!

THANK YOU to all of our 25 Year Honorees!

25 YEAR HONOREES


The “Allies in ACTION” Award was created in 2004 in honor of the 40th anniversary of the initi-

ation of Community Action agencies during President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” kick-off.

The award recognizes and honors low-income individuals who have overcome barriers and obsta-

cles to achieving greater self-reliance with support from their local Community Action Agencies and

who are viewed as allies in our statewide efforts to end poverty. Agencies are asked to nominate

individuals they have worked with who exhibit the following:

1. Achievement: The nominee set and reached clear goals for achieving greater self-

reliance

2. Community: The nominee recognizes the importance of giving back to the community

3. Tenacity: The nominee exhibits a tenacity to overcome barriers and fight poverty

4. Inspire: The nominee inspires others to work cooperatively or to take positive action

5. Odds: The individual is someone who “beat the odds,” overcoming barriers to success

6. New: The nominee views challenges as new ways to grow as an individual or as a commu-

nity.

Aveen Amedi escaped war-torn Kurdistan in 1997. When she left Iraq she left her creden-

tials, her family, and her dream of being a teacher behind. While adapting to a new cul-

ture in the United States, Aveen and her fiancé married and had children. Aveen became

a parent volunteer in the Head Start classroom. Along with her three children, she learned

English and renewed her passion for teaching. Lakes and Prairies Community Action Part-

nership Head Start saw the potential in Aveen and provided her Child Development Ac-

creditation training and a teaching position. Aveen’s strong work ethic, interpreting skills,

and willingness to learn all she could about working with children and partnering with their

parents made her a valuable asset to the Head Start program. For the past eight years as

a Community Action employee, Aveen has helped families to access resources to meet

basic needs and set goals for self-sufficiency. Her bilingual skills and past experience give

Aveen credibility with diverse families. Now a home visitor for Head Start, Aveen visits 11

Kurdish families like herself in their homes each week. Aveen teaches New American fami-

lies the value of education and getting engaged in their children’s learning. Families are on

the floor playing and learning with their children! Aveen found a new home in the U.S. al-

most 20 years ago and found a new career in Head Start. Aveen gives credit to Community

Action. She said, “Lakes and Prairies believes in me more than I do in myself. They see

things about my character that I don’t see.” As a past Head Start parent and a Community

Action professional, Aveen is a wonderful representation of what Community Action can do

and what it has to offer everyone no matter where they come from.

ALLIES IN ACTION AWARD

Allies in ACTION Award Winners: Aveen Amedi

Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership, Inc.

Nominated by Kristin Phillips


The Minnesota Community Action Partnership (MinnCAP) presents the annual

“Steve Chadwick Advocacy Award” in honor and memory of Steve Chadwick,

former Executive Director of the Duluth Community Action Program. Steve, an active

advocate on behalf of MinnCAP and low-income individuals/families statewide, died

of cancer in December 1995. This award is based in Steve’s beliefs, and is for an in-

dividual who is currently involved in a Community Action Agency either as a staff

person, director or volunteer including board members. The following was written by

Steve:

“I am someone that wants to live his life in a way that is consistent with his

beliefs. Because I see inequity, injustice and both individual and environmental

degradation as parts of our daily existence, I want to see my life focused on

building a community that values all people in their diversity, gives all who are

able the opportunity for meaningful work that is adequately compensated,

and an economy that is sustaining and renewing of the environment.”-Steve

Chadwick, 1993.

The person nominated must demonstrate the same qualities as Steve

Chadwick:

A persistent commitment to reducing poverty.

An effective advocate in addressing the root causes of poverty.

A leader in the local or larger community.

Is connected to a Community Action Agency as a member of the board, staff, or

program participant.

STEVE CHADWICK ADVOCACY AWARD

Steve Chadwick Advocacy Award Winner

To be Announced


The Promise of Community Action: Community Action changes people’s

lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes

America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and

we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

The only way in which we can fulfill The Promise of Community Action is

through action. The only way we have made lasting change, and continue as a

national movement is through the dedication of everyone involved. From

those have only recently joined our movement, to those that have been build-

ing it for decades, we celebrate together every milestone, every community

served, and every family lifted from poverty to prosperity.

There are those that stand out in our movement. There are those, through a

Lifetime of Action, have worked tirelessly to build and strengthen our net-

work locally, throughout our state, and across our nation to fight poverty. For

those that have demonstrated a commitment to building Community Action,

being a voice for the poor at all levels, and have lived a Lifetime of Action, we

thank them and we honor them with this award.

The Connie Greer Lifetime Action Award is named after and dedicated to a

woman that dedicated her career to the fulfillment of the Promise of Commu-

nity Action. She started her career in Bemidji, Minnesota, in 1973 at Bi-County

Community Action Council (now known as Bi-County Community Action

Partnership (BiCAP)). In 1980 she started with the Minnesota Office of Eco-

nomic Opportunity (OEO), where she worked for decades as the “voice of

the poor within state government.” Her passion and dedication to the Com-

munity Action cause guided her career and led her to national recognition as a

leader in Community Action. Connie retired from OEO in October 2014.

CONNIE GREER LIFETIME ACTION AWARD

Connie Greer Lifetime Action Award Winner

To be Announced


COMMUNITY ACTION CODE OF ETHICS


2016 Committee Members: Missy Becker-Cook, West Central MN Communities Action

Bobby Benson, Minnesota Community Action Partnership

Dean Dalzell, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties

Andy Grewell, MN Department of Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity

Francine Hunter, West Central MN Communities Action

Angela Larson CCAP, Western Community Action

Ann Macgregor, Minnesota Valley Action Council

Barb Moran, Bi-County Community Action

Sheila Ous, Minnesota Valley Action Council

Leah Pauletti CCAP, Minnesota Community Action Partnership

Conference Sponsors:

SPECIAL THANKS TO


To create an account:

1. Go to http://twitter.com and find the sign up box, or go directly to https://twitter.com/signup.

2. Enter your full name, email address, and a password. 3. Click Sign up for Twitter. 4. On the next page, you can select a username (usernames are unique identifi-

ers on Twitter) — type your own or choose one we've suggested. We'll tell you if the username you want is available.

5. Double-check your name, email address, password, and username. 6. Click Create my account. You may be asked to complete a Captcha to let us

know that you're human. 7. Twitter will send a confirmation email to the address you entered on sign up,

click the link in that email to confirm your email address and account.

Directions for signing up for a Twitter Account

Tweet about the conference and share your experiences.

#MinnCAPConf #BeCommunityAction

Conference Evaluations

Conference Evaluations will be done through Survey Monkey. The survey will be sent out next week to all conference attendees at the

email address provided at registration. To ensure we have the correct email address for you, please visit registration.

Follow us @MinnCAP

http://twitter.com/

https://twitter.com/signup

https://twitter.com/signup


Board of Directors

Missy Becker-Cook, West Central MN Communities Action

Bob Benes, Lakes & Pines Community Action Council

Jason Carlson, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council

Paul Carlson, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency

Paul Carlson, KOOTASCA Community Action

John Fitzgerald, Western Community Action, Inc.

Clarence Hightower, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Doug Jacobson, Tri-County Community Action, Inc.

Catherine Johnson, Inter-County Community Council

Gayle Kelly, MN Head Start Association

Liz Kuoppala, Bi-County Community Action Programs

Debbie Larson, Prairie Five Community Action Council

Joan Macik, Heartland Community Action Agency

Amanda Mackie, Minnesota Valley Action Council

Patrick McFarland, Anoka County Community Action Program

Angie Miller, Community Action Duluth

Randy Nordin, Northwest Community Action

Leah Pigatti, Mahube-Otwa Community Council

Lori Schultz, Tri-County Action Program

Lori Schwartz - CCAP, Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Neal Steffl, Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council

Wayne Stenberg - CCAP, Semcac

Mike Thorsteinson, Three Rivers Community Action

Joe Vaughan, Community Action Partnership of Scott, Carver, Dakota Counties

Jay Weatherford, Wright County Community Action

Scott Zemke, Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin

Staff

Arnie Anderson - CCAP, Executive Director

Bobby Benson, Deputy Director

Leah Pauletti - CCAP, Director of Operations

MINNESOTA COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP


MINNESOTA COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK


NOTES

SAVE THE DATES

CCAP Study Group Certified Community Action Professional

Credential

October 18, 2016 November 30, 2016 No December Class

January - CDF Due/Class Date TBD February - ESP Due/Class Date TBD

March 2017 - Class Date TBD April 2017 - Class Date TBD May 2017 - Class Date TBD June 15, 2017 - CCAP Test

Class sessions held at the MinnCAP office build-

ing in St. Paul MN

Interested in participating or want more information?

Email Leah Pauletti, CCAP [email protected]

Documents

Promise of Community Action14228BCA-C630-42B7-932D-F8F148… · Needs You 245 Leave Laws: FMLA, ADA and State Laws. What you Need to Know about Employee Leave 279A Trends in Aging