THE "B" FOUNDATION
Now accepting grant applications from Internal Revenue
Service qualified 501 (C) (3) organizations which seek
assistance consistent with the goals of the "B" Foundation
to help feed, care, or educate society. The grants will
range from $1,000 to $10,000 and will be awarded by the
end of the calendar year.
Please submit your written requests only by
November 29, 2015 to:
The "B" Foundation
P.O. Box 5073
Attn: Elad
Woodbridge, CT 06525
~~Cheers To All~~
We are moving into the time of year where we all count our blessings and are very grateful for many, many things. I would to point out another walk -
The Walk for PKD
For
2016
PKD is Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) — one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases — strikes both adults and children. It often leads to the need for dialysis and a kidney transplant. It affects thousands in America and millions worldwide, who are in urgent need of treatments and a cure.
(Taken from the website)
PKD Foundation is striving for make their goal for this year...but there is a walk each year and if so inclined all the information is on their website. It is really a disease which needs all the help it can get to find some kind of a cure. And any type of help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you for your time in this matter and Happy Thanksgiving To All.
All the best,
Patricia Illingworth
Grove Street Cemetery
In a little town south of Atlantic City there sits a six-story elephant Lucy is a National Historic Site (built in 1881) and she is in a bit of disrepair needing attention. But wait! PETA will help. PETA (the anti-cruelty-to-animals folks) has offered to throw-in some cash if they can also highlight, using Lucy, the plight of circus animals.
The Board of the organization that owns and is committed to the preservation of Lucy has however rejected PETA's offer saying that anything that might make the Lucy experience less than a happy experience is not acceptable. While the PETA money would certainly help the board address its duty of care needs, the board's perceived duty of obedience (to remain faithful to and pursue the goals of the organization and in particular, honor donor requests) would be violated.
This is a great lesson for nonprofit boards. There are those times when challenges may appear too great to handle while at the same time, not every resolutions is acceptable. Of course these situations may be as much about perception as reality. It's is Lucy's board that perceives PETA's offer "tainted" while we must recognize that PETA saw their offer as an opportunity to pursue their own mission. Of course the same might be said of the many institutions that accepted Coca-Cola money to do nutritional research and education. What is perceived as tainted and outside the box of "obedience" may not actually be.
Here's the NJ.com article.
By Don E. Woods | For NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on October 12, 2015 at 1:47 PM, updated October 12, 2015 at 3:04 PM
MARGATE — Jersey Shore landmark Lucy the Elephant may have painted toenails but she won't be getting a tattoo anytime soon.
The tattoo was one of the conditions set by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to donate money for Lucy the Elephant restoration efforts. The conditions were too depressing to consider, according to Lucy officials.
PETA requested that Lucy be fitted with a foam shackle, a teardrop tattoo and a banner promoting awareness of circus elephant abuse, according to an announcement by the Lucy Board of Trustees.
"Lucy is a happy place," said Richard Helfant, CEO of the Lucy the Elephant Team, in the annoucement. "We must always insure that children who visit Lucy have a happy experience and leave with smiles on their faces. Anything that could sadden a child is not acceptable here at Lucy."
PETA offered a $2,000 donation for restoration efforts last week.
"Cruelty to animals is abhorrent, but given the divisive nature of some of PETA's campaigns, Lucy is much better off seeking 'no strings attached' donations," said Robert McGuigan, board member on the Save Lucy Committee, in the announcement.
Lucy is a 65-foot-tall wooden elephant in Margate. She was built in 1881 to attract people to Absecon Island to buy real estate. She was named a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
The Save Lucy Committee is raising money to fix railings on the top riding carriage, fix rust on her hide and repaint the elephant.
Restoration is estimated to cost $58,000.
Need funding for your environmental project or environmental organization?
The Greater New Haven Green Fund -- a small foundation that funds environmentally beneficial projects in the municipalities of New Haven, East Haven, Hamden, and Woodbridge -- solicits small and large grant applications once a year. Funding up to $10,000 is available. This year, grant applications are due on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at 6:00 PM. An electronic version of the Cover Letter, Application, Budget, and Attachments should be sent to grants@gnhgreenfund.org. Grant awards will be announced around February 2016.
See www.gnhgreenfund.org for more info.
The job opening for the newly-created New Haven Food System Policy Director has been posted.
A detailed job description is available here.
Submissions should be emailed to NHJobs@newhavenct.gov with the position title included in the subject line, and should include an application, which can be downloaded from cityofnewhaven.com/HumanResources.
Submissions must be received by the posted deadline date of Friday, November 20, 2015, 5pm.
General information on the application/testing process can be reviewed at
Thank you to the 100 plus individuals who braved the cold and wet weather to participate in the 5th Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence held on Saturday October 3 at East Rock Park.
Why do we walk...Because every 9 seconds a woman in the US is assaulted or beaten. We walk because studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence. We walk because Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women. We walk to show our support.
Cheers to One and All,
Well, this is the "season of the witch" as the song goes.....but I am writing to give a brief notation on Ghost Stories from the Victorian Age.
Actually, Charles Dickens, (who visited New Haven several times) was the master of the ghost story. From his own periodical paper "Household Words" taken from Shakespeare's Henry V "Familiar in his mouth as household words." he developed the interest in ghost stories. As a matter of interest, ghost stories were told at Christmas time, not at Halloween. And this type of story telling had a huge presence in the English home and a very powerful influence and effect upon reading and the interest for reading in Victorian England.
What is interesting to note is women loved to read and write about ghost stores. These various tales brought excitement into their dull lives. The stories were full of detail into another woman's home and her influence upon her family through the tragedy of the tale.
Where we see an explosion of this genre in 1860. One so noted female writer was Mary Elizabeth Braddon and her tale entitled "Eveline's Visitant" published in the Belgravia from 1866 to 1867. Other famous women writer from this era are: Amelia Edwards, Mrs. Riddel, Rhoda Broughton dating from 1860 through the 1870's to name a few.
And ghost stories have vigorously continued on through the 19th century with great zeal and so continues today with as much, or even more zeal for the macabre for some.
Well, Happy Halloween to All!!!!!!
Al the best,
Patricia Illingworth
Grove Street Cemetery
On one of the first days of class at Dos Puentes Elementary School in Upper Manhattan last month, a new student named Michelle peered up through pale blue glasses and took a deep breath.
“Can I drink water?” Michelle, 6, said.
“Diga en Español,” her first-grade teacher, Rebeca Madrigal, answered.
Michelle paused.
“Can I drink agua?” she replied.
It was a start...
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region's largest grantmaker and permanent charitable endowment, is seeking a qualified candidate for an entry level administrative assistant position in the Development, Stewardship, Donor Services and Communications (DSDSC) Department.
Position Summary:
This position supports several development, donor service and communications processes, as well as other responsibilities as assigned.
Core Responsibilities:
The DA will be part of, and support, a team of DSDSC professionals in the execution of department goals
The DA will provide service to multiple audiences of The Community Foundation and communicate through various methods, including phone, email and written communications
The DA will support internal and external meetings and events, including scheduling, attending, providing logistics, managing reservations and recording, as required
The DA will use state of the art technologies, including data entry into The Community Foundation’s relational database, FIMS
The DA will be called upon for collaboration with all Foundation staff members
The DA will support the reception area accountabilities, as needed
The DA will be assigned special projects
The DA will provide administrative duties, as needed
The Ideal Candidate will have the following qualifications:
Demonstrated administrative and data entry skills and highly skilled in technology and office software including: Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel
College degree preferred
Some experience organizing and operating efficient office processes and procedures
Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced environment, with high customer service expectations and with diverse populations
Individual should be self-directed and a team player
Attention to detail, ability to track schedules, organize meetings, generate reports and produce presentations
Demonstrated ability to direct and participate in teams
A commitment to an inclusive environment
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Superior organizational skills and eagerness to multitask
Please submit a letter of interest and résumé to Ms. Ellen Perrotti ateperrotti@cfgnh.org. No phone calls will be accepted.
Application deadline is October 23, 2015.
The Community Foundation’s mission is to create positive and sustainable change in Greater New Haven by increasing the amount of and enhancing the impact of community philanthropy.
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is an equal opportunity employer.
If new business models aren't found, supporters say, more services could disappear, straining the remaining ones and leaving some communities at risk.
"The entire system is just about to collapse," said Scott Phelps, professor of ambulance science at the Emergency Management Academy in New York. "There is not enough money to run the system the way it operates."
Of course this set of variables could describe a number of sub-sectors within the nonprofit sector and the big issue: what steps should the nonprofit board take? Of course the first step: recognize and acknowledge the problem. Next: review the options and not singularly the short-term options but the long-term, multi-year options. A good board takes these steps on a regular basis, every three-five years such that it can limit the surprises and be pro-active about its future. Yes, the surprises may still arise, but good planning can reduce the impact.
The following article also offers some of the range of options the ambulance folks have considered. Nicely done piece.
Ruth von Minden's life revolves around family, church, and the Springfield Ambulance Corps.
At age 66, von Minden proudly shows off a "Dinosaur of EMS" T-shirt she wears under a comfortable blue long-sleeved overshirt. She started in the Delaware County community 41 years ago as a "swoop and scoop," when medics would grab the patient and rush to the hospital for any care, and through 4,000 runs, she's seen childbirths, deadly car crashes, heart attacks, and life-altering burns.
Now she's a veteran of the last all-volunteer ambulance company in Delaware County. Fewer stations than ever rely on volunteers such as von Minden.
For decades, volunteer ambulance companies were part of the fabric of community life. Generations of good Samaritans stepped up to donate their time, money, and skills to help their sick or injured neighbors. But the emergency-services landscape has changed, across the region and the country.
If new business models aren't found, supporters say, more services could disappear, straining the remaining ones and leaving some communities at risk.
"The entire system is just about to collapse," said Scott Phelps, professor of ambulance science at the Emergency Management Academy in New York. "There is not enough money to run the system the way it operates."
In better times, the way it operated was simple: Often an outgrowth of local fire companies, ambulance corps relied largely on donations to train, equip and staff local paramedics and emergency medical techs. At any hour of the day or night, they dashed to reports of accidents, calamities, even heart attacks, to deliver immediate treatment or hospital transport.
Some were paid, but many - such as von Minden - were not.
These days, the data on volunteers is elusive; as the National Association of State EMS Officials points out, even the very definition of volunteerism is unclear.
But the signs of change are everywhere. On the outer edges of Chester County, two longtime corps merged. In Newtown Township, Delaware County, officials turned over their services to Riddle Hospital. On the Main Line, four fire and ambulance companies have allied with municipal officials to address money issues.
Eamon Brazunas, the Berwyn Fire Company chief, says that without a funding solution, the volunteer system will all but disappear in a decade.
"We can't just keep kicking the can down the road," he said.
The Elverson ambulance company had struggled financially. In 2009, it narrowly avoided bankruptcy. Twice in the last three years, it ran five-figure deficits.
So when another Chester County company - this one from Honey Brook Borough - approached it about a merger two years ago, Elverson jumped on board.
"It was the right thing to do," said Stephen Bobella, executive director of the Schuylkill Valley EMS and paramedic brought in to oversee the transition and manage the finances.
The new company will share about 60 paid and 10 volunteer members and cover 13 municipalities in Chester, Berks, and Lancaster Counties that pay $65,000 a year, combined.
Twenty years ago, 25 or so volunteers ran the ambulances. "It's been a gradual decline," said Joe Carmen, director of operations, echoing what's happened in other spots. Howard Meyer, president of the EMS Council of New Jersey, which represents about 80 percent of that state's volunteer squads, estimates it would take more than $500 million to replace the ones that have folded.
Pennsylvania officials have seen a decline in license applications for emergency medical responders and technicians, the lowest levels of medical workers in the field, according to the Department of Health.
One reason could be cost: The price tags - and total hours required for certifications or degrees - have increased dramatically since the days when only a basic first-aid class was required.
A 12-credit EMT certificate costs $3,000, and a 70-credit, six-semester associate of applied science degree to become a paramedic at Delaware County Community College, $7,500. Non-county residents pay more.
EMTs make between $16,000 and $19,000 a year; paramedics, who have higher certification, take in $25,000 to $33,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. To make ends meet at home, those incomes must be supplemented.
"Everyone works a part-time job," said Bill Downey, of the Marple Township Ambulance Corps.
Part of the funding quandary stems from a constant battle over insurance reimbursement, EMS supporters say. Often, insurance companies send payments directly to patients, who fail to pass them on to the ambulance crews that served them.
"Well over 30 percent" of the patients keep the funds, said State Rep. Bernie O'Neill (R., Bucks), who has sponsored a bill to force insurers to send reimbursements directly to ambulance companies.
Reimbursement was one of the issues that moved Newtown Township to take a second look at its emergency services this year. It had been budgeting $655,000 a year to maintain an ambulance and to contract with Riddle Hospital for staffing and a backup ambulance.
But given the cost, the reporting requirements, privacy regulations, and billing issues, township officials thought they might do better by getting out of the EMS business entirely.
"No one on staff is versed enough in the responsibilities of EMS," said Stephen Nease, the township manager.
So the township sought proposals in the winter, netting two bids. One, from the Volunteer Medical Service Corps in Narberth, offered to provide the service for $407,000. A second proposal, from Riddle Hospital, offered an ambulance and staff to take over billing and other services for the 12,300 residents in the 10-square-mile municipality.
It would cost the township about $50,000 - but the hospital sought to operate a resident-subscription service.
Nease had reservations about the idea of having residents - or anyone who needed an ambulance while in the township - pay a fee to a for-profit company to receive emergency services.
If they didn't subscribe, they could be billed by the hospital for the entire amount. An emergency-room trip could cost $1,500.
In the end, the supervisors voted to retain Riddle Hospital, which took over operations in August; however, a decision on subscription fees has been deferred, he said.
The township will still house the ambulance. The cost of the service is about $10,000 to cover fuel and housekeeping, Nease said.
"This is going to be a challenge for municipalities going forward," Nease said.
Amid the changes, some successful models have emerged. One is the 71-year-old Volunteer Medical Service Corps in Narberth, which has maintained a stream of paid staffers and volunteers.
The company now serves Lower Merion Township and Narberth, Conshohocken, and West Conshohocken Boroughs and responds to more than 6,000 calls a year.
With an annual budget of about $2.6 million, it employs a paid administrative staff of four that helps recoup more than $2 million in insurance claims. Fund-raising - including a subscription drive - and grants cover the rest of the expenses, along with $24,000 from Lower Merion, said Patrick Doyle, executive director.
"The success of this place, in a word, is the people," medical director Ben Usatch said. They "bleed maroon," the color of the corps, he said.
Usatch, who is also an emergency-room physician at Lankenau Hospital, is one of four doctors in the company who respond along with crews on certain calls. Narberth has about 92 active volunteers who work alongside 37 EMTs and paramedics.
A rigorous application and acceptance program ensures that new members are a good fit with the group, he said. Not everyone is accepted.
The equipment is state of the art, including seven ambulances, three command vehicles, and a large mobile bus and a smaller one for mass-casualty events. All have WiFi and act as mobile intensive-care units.
Inside the more than 10,000-square-foot, two-story station is a study room, pool table, full kitchen, workout rooms, and sleeping quarters for male and female volunteers and staff. In-house training is also a draw for members - many of whom go on to careers in the medical field, said Chief Christopher Flanagan.
"Training is absolutely a team effort," said Joe Sobol, 23, an EMT and nursing graduate of Villanova University, who during one recent session showed the crews how to properly deliver Narcan, an antidote used in heroin overdoses. "It is a great way to bring the squad together."
Von Minden knows the feeling. That closeness is what has kept her coming back to Springfield's volunteer crew for four decades, nearly all of them as a crew chief.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have fun," she said.
When she started, the 50 or so men and women who volunteered all lived in the township and came from every walk of life; two-income households were the exception.
Volunteers would often congregate at one home with portable cribs and sleeping infants in tow, leaving behind a spouse to baby-sit as the others responded to calls.
Now they are dispatched from the same building that houses Springfield Fire Company 44 on Saxer Avenue.
The company has had its share of problems. In 2013, the township voiced concerns about whether volunteers could continue to maintain staffing levels needed and debated bringing in medics from Crozer Chester Medical Center during the day, said Kelly Sweeney, president. A big training push helped boost their numbers up to 92 volunteers, resulting in a new contract with the township, she said.
Over the years, von Minden has seen the transformations in the field - and in the volunteer community.
She remembers the tragic calls she'd prefer to forget, but smiles when she talks about the five babies she helped deliver and the time a former patient ran up to her in a parade and gave her a hug.
"It became a part of my life - every Saturday night was my night," von Minden said. "This place is a family."
A few years back, she renewed her EMT certification.
Probably, she said, for the last time.
