How Can Non-Profits Do More With Less?

Public Forum to explore funding and services in this challenging economy

 

The Great Recession--and slow recovery--have ushered in a "new normal" in the non-profit sector.  In an era of diminishing resources and increasing need, Bergen County non-profits are scrambling to provide much needed services and fulfill their missions.  This challenge will be the topic at an upcoming public forum  presented by the graduating class of Bergen LEADS, the premier civic leadership program for adults sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.  The forum will be moderated by Nina Stack, president of the NJ Council of Grantmakers.

 

Sponsored by TD Bank, PSEG and Synetek Solutions, the forum will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, from 3-5 pm at Bergen Community College’s Ciccone Theater.  The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required; call 201-489-9454 Ext. 112 to register. 

 

“When faced with dwindling funds, the traditional response would be to either cut services or grow revenue," says William “Pat” Schuber, former Bergen County Executive and Bergen LEADS seminar director. "Many organizations, already lean, have cut expenses to the bone, severely hampering their ability to meet their mission.  On the revenue side, more and more organizations are competing for scarce dollars, often with little success."

 

The Bergen LEADS Class of 2013 will explore current practices, both locally and in other communities, then make recommendations on ways in which Bergen County non-profit organizations could do business differently to meet the economic challenges of this "new normal.”

 

The men and women in the Bergen LEADS Class of 2013 have been meeting monthly since September to dissect issues, debate viewpoints and get a first-hand look at Bergen County’s infrastructure.   The Forum is the culmination of the seminar year for the Class of 2013. 

 

To register for the forum and for further information, email amissey@bergenvolunteers.org or call  201-489-9454 ext. 112.

Welcome Ameriprise Financial!

 

The Northern New Jersey Business Volunteer Council (BVC) is delighted to welcome Americprise Financial as a new member!  Welcome Ameriprise.

 

Te BVC is a program of the Volunteer Center that helps community minded companies do good while doing well.  The BVC counts 30 member companies which represent every sector of the economy and range in size from small, local businesses to major international corporations. Despite their differences, members agree that being a good neighbor and good corporate citizen impacts our community – and their bottom line.

 

The BVC mobilizes more than 30,000 employee volunteers every year, with a specific focus on impacting the lives of low-income children and families.

 

BVC activity revolves around four annual strategic initiatives designed to address literacy, emotional well-being, hunger and education. Through these initiatives, the BVC has generated more than $1.4 million in resources in 12 years.

 

For more information on the BVC please contact Ellen Lutvak, BVC Coordinator, at the Volunteer Center. (Link to email)

The Jersey Shore is OPEN!

 

The Jersey Shore is OPEN - Bergen LEADS Fifth Friday to Focus on Rebuilding and Restoring After Hurricane Sandy

The next Fifth Friday luncheon will feature Robert Hilton, executive director of the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, who update us on how the Jersey Shore communities is rebuilding and renewing post-Hurricane Sandy.  The program will be held on Friday, May 31, from 11:30 am to 2 pm at the Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack.  Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.

Fifth Friday is hosted by Bergen LEADS, Bergen County’s civic leadership program for adults sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Bergen County. Tickets are $40.00 and must be purchased in advance by registering online by calling Beanne at 201-489-9454 Ext. 112.

PNC Wealth Management is presenting sponsor for the 2013 Fifth Friday series. Additional sponsors are TD Bank, Archer & Greiner PC, the Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce, Synetek Solutions, Bergen Community College, Kreisler Manufacturing, PSEG, United Water, Rockland Electric,  (201) Magazine and The Record.

Sponsorships for the May 31st event are available. For more information about the Fifth Friday events, or about Bergen LEADS, call 201-489-9454 Ext. 119.

Derby Day Fun!

Apple Ridge Country Club was the prefect setting for a great Derby Day on Saturday, May 4, as the Volunteer Center of Bergen County celebrated it's 21st annual Derby Day Party.  More than 200 guests sipped mint juleps, grooved to the amazing southern rock and blues tunes of the Stuff Brothers, took a chance at the Winner's Circle and Wine Pull, sampled fine wines and cigars and bid on fabulous items in the silent and live auction. 

MC Leo McGuire and auctioneer Andy Russ led the festivities and encouraged enthusiastic bidding, and everyone cheered as "Orb" flew through the mud to win the Run for the Roses.  It was a great way to spend the afternoon and also raise funds for the Volunteer Center's programs and services in the community.

Judge for the “Most Elegant Hat” contest was (201) Magazine Social Editor Deirdre Ward and judge for the “Most Outrageous Tie” contest was Deidre's husband Joseph Ward. Together they stalked the crowd for the winners and finally named Mary DeStefano the "Most Elegant Hat" winner and for the second year in a row, Keith Jensen the "Most Outrageous Tie" winner.

Thanks to all who attended and to our generous corporate sponsors: TD Bank, (201) Magazine, Compensation Solutions, Inserra Shoprite, Oritani Bank, PSE&G, Synetek Solutions, United Water, Reader’s Digest, and Atlantic, Tomorrow's Office.

See ya’ll next year on Saturday, May 3, 2014!

A Most Amazing Auction!

Wow!  Guests at our Derby Day party this Saturday are going to be dazzled!
Tickets are still available, so buy online here. The party runs from 3:30-7 at Apple Ridge Country Club in Mahwah.

 

Here is just a small sampling of our abundant silent and live auctions:     

• Florida Package: one week stay in  Orlando, tickets to SeaWorld and Disney and a $500 airfare voucher  
• Week in St. Maarten
• Diamond Necklace 
• Yankees tickets!
• Sports Memorabilia Galore! 
• Great Getaways 
• Tickets to “Matilda” (12 Tony nominations!) on Broadway 
• Designer items:  Coach, Tory Burch, Kate Spade 
• Two giant flat screen TVs 
• Fine fragrances, exquisite jewelry & much, much more!

See you at the Derby!

 

P.S.  All proceeds benefit the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.

Mentoring Moms Evaluation

We have always known that the Mentoring Moms program was good.  It fills a unique role in the community by broadening the social network of support that overwhelmed mothers need in order to deal with the everyday challenges of raising a family.  And in the process of helping mothers, it helps children and families thrive.  But, the program had never been professionally evaluated to determine its effectiveness, and our view of the program was always biased by personal opinions.

Recently, however, and for the first time in the program’s 17-year history, an extensive evaluation was conducted by an independent source, Dr. Sheetal Ranjan, Ph.D., from the Department of Sociology at William Paterson University and her committee of staff and graduate research students. The team studied extensive data collected from the program, evaluated in-house surveys, and conducted focus groups of mentors and mentees as well as one-on-one interviews with staff, mentors, mentees (referred to here as mothers) and other stakeholders.

 Here are few of their findings: 

• Virtually all mothers in the program felt that the mentors have made a positive difference in their lives. 
• A very large proportion (82%) of the mothers in the program attributed their success in achieving their goals to the help of their mentor.
• 50% of the mothers see much improvement in setting and maintaining routines in their home as well as guiding children’s behavior without use of violence or yelling.
• 92% of mothers found their relationship with their mentors to be open and 87% said the relationship was helpful.
• More than 80% of the mothers felt the mentoring relationship helped them make realistic plans for their lives and their future.
• 28.9% of the mothers had seen improvement in their ability to handle stress as a result of the program.

More compelling than the results of surveys, were the comments shared with Dr. Ranjan and her team during small focus groups with the mothers and mentors:

• Mothers discussed the practical help their mentors have provided, making comments such as, “My mentor helped my get my GED and I went back to school” or “I couldn’t afford to eat and she told me about a food pantry.”
• Other mothers mentioned their mentors as a source of advice, especially with parenting and how they respond to their children, noting “I don’t feel so overwhelmed anymore” or “I can vent to my mentor and she will listen….then I feel like I can do my job as a mother.”

Perhaps the most compelling comments came when the mothers were asked about their relationship with their mentors, saying “She’s a friend, teacher, counselor to me.”  “Women helping each other are a life saver.”

The team concluded that there is no doubt that the program is very successful and mentors and mentees (mothers) alike feel other women could benefit from it.

To read the entire report click here, or you can also view the brief Summary here.

A Week of Recognition, Just for You!

By Elizabeth Bailey
National Volunteer Week is April 21 to 27, 2013. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Service” marks a time to recognize and celebrate the men, women and youth who dedicate themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. 

The week calls on every American to do his or her part to sustain the growing spirit of service to the community, whether by committing hours or dollars to the cause.

President Richard Nixon, as an executive order, established national Volunteer Week in 1974. Currently, National Volunteer Week is sponsored by the Points of Light Institute (formally a foundation), which began in response to President George H.W. Bush’s 1989 speech. During this now famous speech, President Bush urged volunteers to become “a thousand points of light.”

Looking for the volunteer experience? The Volunteer Center of Bergen County can help match individuals with opportunities to volunteer.  Individual volunteer opportunities, group projects, at-home projects, family friendly volunteering, student or school volunteer ideas—the Volunteer Center can help individuals choose an activity that is a good match for their particular talents, interests and time availability. We thank each and every volunteer that comes into our center. Without our volunteers, we simply would not be here! Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication.