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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Community Development Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 1/9/2013 MINUTES CITY OF GLENDALE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING NO. 1 GLENDALE MUNICPAL OFFICE COMPLEX COUNCIL CHAMBERS 5850 W. GLENDALE AVENUE GLENDALE, ARIZONA Wednesday, January 9, 2013 6:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Arthur Swander Jr., Vice Chair Chuck Jared Matthew Versluis Cherie Hudson Shirley Wong Randy Miller John Torres Gina Schmitz Marcellous Sanders MEMBERS ABSENT: Vickie Loya Sharon Wixon STAFF PRESENT: Gilbert Lopez, Revitalization Administrator Sam McAllen, Interim Executive Director Mona Francis, Revitalization Supervisor Elizabeth Garcia, Revitalization Coordinator I. Call to Order and Introductions Vice Chair Swander called the meeting to order at 6:36 p.m. II. Roll Call All Committee-members introduced themselves. Committee-members Loya and Wixon were absent. III. Public Comment Vice Chair Swander opened the floor to public comment on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013- 14 funding recommendations. No comments were made. Vice Chair Swander closed the floor to public comment on the FY 2013-14 funding recommendations. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 2 of 12 IV. Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services Funding Requests Vice Chair Swander explained that during this meeting, there will be 14 Public Services activity funding requests presented by agency representatives. Upon review of the applications, the Committee will make final recommendations to Mayor and Council for approval in spring. Mr. McAllen thanked the Committee-members for their time commitment to the City of Glendale and its citizens. Mr. McAllen stressed that the Committee plays a vital role in the allocation of federal funds and that this is a very challenging task due to the great needs in the community. Mr. McAllen thanked all of the agency representatives for attending the hearings and for their good works in the community. Mr. McAllen stated that just as the agencies' budgets are restricted, so are the amount of federal funds available. Mr. Lopez echoed Mr. McAllen's comments and thanked the Committee-members for their participation. Mr. Lopez stated that federal regulations limit the amount of funding allocation to Public Services at 15% of the total allocation. Based on last year's total allocation of $2,083,478, the 15% for Public Services would amount to approximately $312,521. Mr. Lopez noted that the grand total amount requested by the 25 Public Services applications is $710,097. Mr. Lopez stressed that the available amount is estimated based on the prior year funding and any changes in the actual amount from the federal government would be applied to the recommended grants on a pro-rata basis. Mr. Lopez introduced Ms. Francis, Ms. Garcia and Ms. Kazmierczak and advised the Committee that staff is on hand for any questions or clarifications necessary. Mr. Lopez added that staff performed all technical reviews of the applications prior to the hearings. Vice Chair Swander stated that presentations are limited to four minutes each and that staff will be keeping track of the time. Committee-members are encouraged to ask clarifying questions, and there will be no time limit on this question-and-answer period. Vice Chair Swander asked if any of the presenters needed an English-to- Spanish translator. There were no requests. #1 The Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Keeping Families Together- $59,750 request Ms. Roseanne Gutierrez, of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), provided the following highlights of the program: • This is the seventh year the agency is requesting funds from Glendale. • The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a Catholic organization, but helps all people who come for assistance. • The church is located at 57th Avenue and Orangewood, in the Heart of Glendale neighborhood. • The funds will be used to help city of Glendale residents. • The group provides food, clothing, medical and dental assistance, utility assistance, rent assistance, and furniture, as well as Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas gifts, back-to-school items, and many other necessities. • The group is primarily funded by private donations from OLPH Church. • The program is run 100% by volunteers from the Church, no paid staff and no overhead. The Catholic Conference pays for supplies. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 3 of 12 • Nearly 100% of the money received goes to assisting the clients, but a small amount of money is set aside for a financial audit as required. • Volunteers must check for proof of address to ensure that the client is within the city boundaries. Committee-member Miller noted that the application states that the agency does pay for current or past due rent and utilities including deposits or late fees. Committee- member Miller commented that usually deposits are refunded if a client moves or disconnects the utility and wondered if the agency recovered the deposit. Ms. Gutierrez replied that sometimes a deposit has been recovered by the agency, but most of the time the deposit is used to pay for the client's outstanding balance on a bill. Committee-member Miller inquired about the training process for the volunteers. Ms. Gutierrez stated that the volunteers are trained in-depth on the program, including how to deal with people, on other agencies who can be contacted for further assistance, and on all of the federal paperwork and requirements. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Gutierrez for her time. #2 Chrysalis Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence — Victim Services - $15,000 request Ms. Kellee Ellis, director of Shelter Services, gave a presentation which included the following information: • Chrysalis is a domestic violence agency that provides shelter, transitional housing, outreach and outpatient services for victims and their children. • In 2012, 91 Glendale clients were served in the Victim Advocate Program. Victim Advocates are assigned to support the victims through the court process. Of these 91 residents, 25 were serviced within the shelter. • In 2010, a new shelter was opened in Phoenix which provides shelter services to both male and female victims and also the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered population. Male victims comprise 10% of the population at this shelter. • In the shelter, there are four licensed, in-house therapists and two case managers. • The agency has a firm belief that everyone deserves a right to be safe. Committee-member Sanders asked if Chrysalis works with the Glendale Advocacy Center. Ms. Ellis was not aware of any collaboration. Committee-member Sanders felt that there appeared to be a lot of duplication between agencies and thought it might be better if more agencies collaborated together. Committee-member Miller asked if the agency has made any inroads in recidivism. Ms. Ellis stated that on average, it takes a victim five to six times to leave an abuser before they finally sever the relationship. Ms. Ellis commented that the agency is seeing an increase in the number of average days of stay at the shelter, up from 22 days to 37 days. Ms. Ellis attributes this statistic to better services and the fine facility. Ms. Ellis stated it was promising that the victims were not returning as quickly to their prior situations. Ms. Ellis noted that sometimes, the victims do not return to the same abuser, but do get into an abusive relationship with a new person. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 4 of 12 Vice Chair Swander inquired as to how the agency finds its clients. Ms. Ellis explained that most of the clients come from the Community Information and Referral (CONTACS) Hotline or are referred by a crisis team. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Ellis for her presentation. #3 Community Information & Referral - CONTACS Shelter Hotline - $10,000 request CEO Catherine Rea Dunning of Community Information & Referral Services, was in attendance to present the request for funding for the CONTACS Shelter Hotline. Ms. Dunning gave a presentation on the Shelter Hotline which included the following highlights: • The agency was created to provide the public with information and referrals to health, human and community services. • The agency is the administrator for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for the Maricopa Continuum of Care, the Immunization Hotline, the Flu Hotline, the Community Voicemail Program, the Foreclosure Hotline, and many others. • The CONTACS Shelter Hotline is a 24/7 phone line which provides intake and assessment for victims of domestic violence and homeless persons in Maricopa County. • Hotline workers call shelters every four hours for updates on bed availability. • Warm transfers are done, which means that the caller stays on the phone until they are provided with a place to stay. • Last year, 72,518 calls were received of which 3,255 were from Glendale residents. From July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012, 3,200 calls were received from Glendale residents. • The agency appreciates the Committee's past support. Committee-member Miller stated that statistics reveal there were ten phone calls a day from Glendale residents. Committee-member Miller wondered what type of assistance was provided during the call. Ms. Dunning stated that a phone call can be time intensive because the initial intake and assessment is done during the call. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Dunning for her presentation. #4 Community Information & Referral — 2-1-1 Arizona - $20,000 request CEO Catherine Rea Dunning addressed the Committee with information on the 2-1-1 Arizona program, which included the following: • Last year, 2-1-1 Arizona was officially activated. • In 2000, the FCC designated the 2-1-1 number as a health and human services number free of charge to callers. • The Arizona Corporation Commission designated Community Information & Referral to be the state provider for the 2-1-1 services. It is a number that people can call to request information on health and human and community social services. • Due to the limited resources, the hotline could not be implemented until 2011. • The hotline is a work in progress, but has been coming along nicely. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 5 of 12 • From 2011 to 2012, the calls to 2-1-1 were doubled and the website hits were tripled. All of this without a public relations campaign. Because the state has visitors from across the nation, many clients know about the 2-1-1 number from their previous state. • Arizona was the last state to sign onto the 2-1-1 program. • 2-1-1 benefits callers because the callers only have to dial one quick number for assistance. • 2-1-1 is a vital resource to 9-1-1 operators in disaster situations. • Most callers are low-to-moderate income. Committee-member Miller stated that the CONTACS Shelter Hotline and 2-1-1 Arizona appear to provide the same service and wondered if there was a difference between the two programs. Ms. Dunning stated that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which funds a major portion of CONTACS, is actually looking at transitioning the CONTACS Hotline into 2-1-1 Arizona next year. Vice Chair Swander inquired about publicity of the 2-1-1 number. Ms. Dunning explained that at this point, due to limited budget, there are only printed materials to distribute, the website and public speaking engagements. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Dunning for her presentation. #5 St. Marv's Food Bank Alliance - Glendale Home Food Delivery - $30,000 request #6 St. Marv's Food Bank Alliance - Glendale Emergency Food Box Program - $35,000 reauest CFO Rick Fresia, provided a presentation which included the following information: • St. Mary's is the largest human services charity in the state of Arizona. • St. Mary's made the Forbes Top 100 Charities in the Nation. • The Home Food Delivery and the Emergency Food Box Program are similar because both consist of USDA-based food such as cereal, pasta and peanut butter, but the senior box includes cheese, which the emergency boxes do not. All boxes are supplemented with fresh bread, meat and vegetables. • The Home Food Delivery is a program for shut-in seniors. Approximately 250 seniors (or more) are served each month. Many of the shut-ins appreciate the visit by the delivery driver (this also gives the driver a chance to check on the status of the client). • The Emergency Food Boxes are available to be picked up at various participating agencies. Approximately 400,000 boxes per year are distributed; Glendale residents comprise 10% or 40,000, of the grand total. • The value of a box of food (for both programs) is approximately $100.00; the grant will cover about $8.00 of the cost per box. Committee-member Miller inquired if St. Mary's collaborates with the YWCA since both agencies serve seniors. Mr. Fresia noted that the YWCA program serves congregate meals, and the St. Mary's Home Food Delivery is for senior shut-ins. Vice Chair Swander thanked Mr. Fresia for his presentation. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 6 of 12 #7 YWCA of Maricopa County - Congregate Meals - $70,000 reauest Ms. Kathleen Saunders represented the agency and provided the following comments regarding the program: • Through the Congregate Meals Program, a warm, nutritionally-balanced meal is provided to seniors. • Based on a survey of clients, 50% report that the Congregate Meal is their main meal of the day and 30% report that it is their only meal of the day. • 100% of the funds will pay for the raw food and supplies needed to prepare, serve and clean up the meals. • Meals are served from Monday through Friday at four sites in the city of Glendale by both staff and volunteers. • Staff plans the meals which are approved by a dietician. • In the last complete fiscal year, 30,000 meals were served to 575 unduplicated residents. • The mission of the program is to keep seniors in their homes, to provide a nutritious meal and to delay the unnecessary placement of seniors in nursing homes. • 95% of the clients report less than $25,000 in yearly income. • The Congregate Meals also provide socialization and help keep seniors from becoming isolated. Committee-member Sanders stated that he has been to the YWCA for a meal and complimented the quality of the food. Committee-member Sanders also inquired about the actual cost of each meal. Ms. Saunders stated the cost of each meal is $9.74 and contributions are suggested but not required. Ms. Saunders noted that on average, over all four centers, the agency recoups .95 cents for each meal. Committee-member Miller commented that he knew several seniors who attend the meals and they do not just go for the meal, but for the socialization and safe surroundings. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Saunders for her presentation. #8 YWCA of MaricoDa County - Home Delivered Meals Program - $70,000 request Ms. Saunders addressed the Committee regarding the application and provided the following information: • This is the first year the agency has requested funds for this program from the Committee. • The program provides a nutritionally-balanced meal to home-based elderly and disabled people, and includes a well-check. • The meal provides one-third of the daily required nutritional values. • 100% of the grant funds will be used for food and supplies. • The goal in FY 2013-14 is to serve 56,000 meals to 485 Glendale residents. • 70% of recipients report an annual income of less than $25,000. • 80% of recipients report this is their main meal of the day. • Most of the recipients have no other way to obtain their meal for the day. • For some clients, this is their only contact with the outside world. • All drivers are trained to respond to observed changes in client condition and to be aware for signs such as a fall, abuse or a medical need. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 7 of 12 • Each client has an assigned case manager, but the driver is the initial eyes and ears in-between visits by the case manager. • Sometimes, this program is the difference between a client being able to remain in his or her own home. Ms. Saunders shared a few written client testimonials regarding the importance of the program. Committee-member Versluis asked if the program was five days a week. Ms. Saunders replied that it could be either five or seven days depending on the case manager's directive; however, the weekend meals would be frozen and delivered during the week. Vice Chair Swander asked how many clients were year-round or short-term. Ms. Saunders did not have those statistics. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Saunders for the information. #9 Back to School Clothing Drive - New Clothes, New Beginnings Annual Clothing Distribution - $20,000 request Executive Director Karl Gentles asked the Committee-members to remember how exciting it was to go back to school with new clothes and a new backpack. Mr. Gentles commented that some children never experience that excitement because their parents are struggling to pay for rent, food and utilities. Mr. Gentles provided information on the program, including the following: • The program assists children in Title I public schools with the assistance of 203 partners. • 25,000 children are served annually. • Fifteen Glendale schools are in the program. • A back-to-school clothing drive is held annually at which time children are provided with new school uniforms, clothes, shoes and a backpack. The value of the items given to the children is $300. • Last year, the agency received $10,000 in assistance from Glendale which was used to provide $175,000 in items. A total of 580 children from Glendale were assisted. • The Committee's past support is greatly appreciated. Committee-member Jared wondered if the agency has contacted the Phoenix Coyotes for support. Mr. Gentles stated that the Coyotes have supported the program in the past but not recently. Committee-member Jared stated that he has a contact at the Coyotes organization that may be helpful. Vice Chair Swander thanked Mr. Gentles for his presentation. #10 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona - lendale Mentoring Programming - $12,500 request Ms. Laura Capello, the new chief executive officer and president, was in attendance to represent the agency's grant request. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 8 of 12 Ms. Capello stated that she herself was once a Big Sister and gave the following highlights on the program: • Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentoring to children and has been in the valley since 1955. • The program helps children realize their potential through a professionally supported one-on-one relationship with a mentor. • The agency's goal is to provide 2,000 adult mentors to children across Maricopa and Gila counties with 80 matches in the city of Glendale this fiscal year and 85 Glendale matches next fiscal year. • The majority of the youth in the program are considered to be at-risk. This may include absence of a parent, poverty, academic failure, drug use, dropping out from high school and/or an incarcerated parent. • There are currently two ways a mentor can participate: at the site-based school lunch program or the afterschool/evening/weekend program. • Case managers are trained social workers who set up and manage the matches. • It is important that the matches are based on common interests. • The funds requested will be used for part of the salary of a case manager. • The agency is always looking for volunteers due to the large amount of children on the waiting list. Committee-member Miller asked for clarification of the overall budget and exactly where the funds would be utilized. Ms. Capello will provide the most current balanced budget to staff, but did confirm that the overall program budget was $84,745. Ms. Capello stated that the funds would be used for 25% of one case manager's salary, which is the portion of time that the case worker handles Glendale matches. Committee-member Torres inquired as to the length of a match. Ms. Capello stated that it used to be an average of six months, but over time, has increased to a minimum of one year with an average match of 22 months. Ms. Capello stated that there was one match whereby the child was initially nine years old and the match lasted until she graduated high school. Committee-member Torres asked Ms. Capello to share her experience of being a Big Sister. Ms. Capello explained that the week after her match was made, the child's father died and her mother was arrested. Ms. Capello saw the child go through nine foster homes. Ms. Capello was matched with the child for two years which was when the child was adopted by a family member and moved out of state. The child did contact Ms. Capello afterward to express gratitude and stressed the importance of their relationship. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Capello for the presentation. #11 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix — Swift Kids Boys & Girls Club After School Program - $21,000 reauest Mr. Brad Kuluris, chief operations officer, addressed the Committee and introduced Mr. Jonathon Corrales, a Boys & Girls Club alumni; and Ms. Nicole Torres, a staff member. Mr. Kuluris thanked the Committee for its past support. Mr. Kuluris provided the following details regarding the After School Program at the Swift Kids Branch in Glendale: Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 9 of 12 • The program served over 360 Glendale youth last year at the Swift Kids Branch next to Smith Elementary. • The following activities are provided at the center: games, sports, fun activities, homework time, snack, a hot meal, and socialization, as well as safety. • The annual cost is $30 per child on a sliding scale which comprises less than 1% of the total budget. • The center gives children a safe place to be afterschool while their parents are at work. Mr. Corrales stated that the Boys & Girls Club was very important to him when he was a child. He said when his parents were working and he was at the club, his parents knew he was safe. Mr. Corrales stated that the Club was a fun place to be. Committee-member Miller asked Mr. Corrales what his favorite activity at the Center was, and Mr. Corrales replied that it was basketball. Committee-member Miller asked if children were checked-in at the Center by their parents. Mr. Kuluris explained that the program is a walk-in program and not a licensed daycare. Mr. Kuluris noted that there is one adult for every 25 children on site. Mr. Kuluris stated that when the children arrive, they must swipe their membership card which tracks their visits. Children can leave on their own volition, but staff does keep an eye on the younger children and know which children are to be picked up. Mr. Kuluris stated that for every $1 received through grants, $19 in value is delivered. This dollar maximization is due to the amount of partnerships with corporations, foundations and private donations. Committee-member Schmitz wondered if the agency does outreach to the Smith School. Ms. Torres stated that 90% of the children come from the Smith School, while others come from Heritage School and teens come from Glendale High School. Committee-member Versluis wondered if staff checked on the children in any fashion. Ms. Torres commented that if a child does not show up for ten days, staff will make a phone call to check on them. Mr. Kuluris shared that a Harris Poll of Boys & Girls Clubs alumni revealed that 57% said that the Club saved their lives. Mr. Kuluris commented that as a taxpayer, the Club is a wise investment in the community. Vice Chair Swander inquired about the Center's hours. Mr. Kuluris stated that the Swift facility is open Monday through Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and during school breaks, the school is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Committee-member Torres praised the program stating that he was an alumni of the Boys and Girls Club (when the Club was located at 59th and Northview avenues). Mr. Kuluris stated that the Vice Mayor and two City Councilmembers are alumni as well. Committee-member Wong asked if the food served at the Center was a full meal. Mr. Kuluris stated that a snack is served as well as a fully balanced dinner meal. Vice Chair Swander thanked Mr. Kuluris, Mr. Corrales and Ms. Torres for their time. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 10 of 12 #12 Florence Crittenton Services of Arizona - Independent Living Program In Service - $20,000 request Ms. Meghan Arrigo gave a presentation which included the following program details: • Florence Crittenton Services of Arizona is a social services agency that has been serving clients even before Arizona was a state. • Approximately 600 youth annually "age out" of the foster system in Arizona. • In this program, Florence Crittenton partners with the Department of Economic Security (DES) to provide youth aged 16 to 21 with transitional assistance. • Each youth is matched with a case specialist and meets with the specialist three times a month. Discussions include career development, money management, home skills and life skills. • The youth may also have additional financial assistance needs such as school or work transportation, food, childcare or home supplies. The grant request will be used to pay for this assistance. • Currently, 70 Glendale youth are being served. Committee-member Miller asked if boys were assisted in the program as well. Ms. Arrigo replied in the positive. Committee-member Miller asked if in-home visits were made with the youth. Ms. Arrigo replied in the positive stating that when the case managers meet with the youth, it is an in-home meeting. Ms. Arrigo explained that at this time, the manager can do a check on the living conditions. Committee-member Miller inquired if drug testing was performed on the youth. Ms. Arrigo stated that it is not required to be in the program. However, if a case manager suspects an issue, DES will be contacted and a client may be required to test. Committee-member Miller asked about the process for financial assistance. Ms. Arrigo explained that many times, the case managers are directly involved in payment of expenses. For example, the case manager may provide assistance in the form of a money order made out to a specific payee. Committee-member Torres asked for clarification as to what type of assistance a 16- year old would require since he or she is not on their own yet. Ms. Arrigo replied that the case managers help the younger youth develop interpersonal relationships, develop personal responsibility and work on a plan for after high school. Also, case managers assist youth with obtaining important vital records, establish credit, purchase a cell phone and create a financial plan. Committee-member Torres inquired as to the role of the foster parents. Ms. Arrigo stated that some foster parents are very involved but some are not, and it really is the "luck of the draw." Ms. Arrigo added that some youth have been through many foster homes and have not experienced much consistency. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Arrigo for the presentation. Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 11 of 12 #13 3unior Achievement of Arizona — 3A Biztown for Glendale Students - $17,100 request Ms. Tamela Casey-DeVore addressed the Committee and provided the following information in her presentation: • Junior Achievement has been in service for approximately 100 years. • The goal of the program is to teach youth from kindergarten to twelfth grade about entrepreneurship, financial literacy and career readiness. • The agency serves 384 schools in the state and serves youth agencies such as Florence Crittenton. • Financial literacy is one of the biggest deterrents to teen pregnancy. • A unique style of education is used which is not lecture-based but rather hands-on and experiential. • 94,000 students per year are served by 32 full-and-part-time staff members and 7,000 community volunteers. • The volunteers speak to the children regarding careers and finances and the children really enjoy the speakers. • Studies show that children who receive three or more years of Junior Achievement have a 27% higher high school graduation rate. Committee-member Miller asked for details on what is taught at Biztown. Ms. Casey- DeVore explained the following: • Biztown is for 4th, 5th and 6th grades. • There are 22 lessons taught in the classroom led by teachers and volunteers. • The lessons are in regards to citizenship, taxes, job applications, supply and demand and much more. • Children choose three careers and go through a job interview to obtain one of the careers. Once they arrive in Biztown, they are working in one of the three chosen careers. • The children must develop a business plan for their career, including goods sold, price for the goods and marketing of the goods via a radio or television spot. The children run the economy of Biztown for a full day. The children do receive a pay check twice a day and must deposit the check online at Biztown, to pay bills, keep savings and use a debit card and checkbook. It is a very real and fun experience for the children. • Volunteers are on site to mentor the children through the experience of Biztown. Committee-member Schmitz stated that one section of the application states that there are six proposed Glendale schools to be served while another section states that there are twelve Glendale schools served. Ms. Casey-DeVore clarified that there are thirteen different Glendale schools served however, the grant will help fill the gap of the additional six proposed schools. Furthermore, the grant will only be used for low- to-moderate income students from those six schools. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Casey-DeVore for the presentation. #14 Duet/Partners in Health & Aaina — Independence for Seniors - $13,500 request Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee January 9,2013 Page 12of12 Ms. Elizabeth Banta, executive director, represented Duet and was accompanied by Ms. Wanda Schmoker, a client; and Ms. Donna Kay Hakes, a program volunteer. Ms. Banta thanked the Committee for its past support. Ms. Banta stated that the requested funds would help 105 clients maintain their independence through 2,500 volunteer hours of assistance with transportation to doctor's appointments, grocery stores and other necessities. Ms. Banta stated that if just one-fourth of the people served can stay out of a nursing home, approximately $1.0 million can be saved. Ms. Banta stated that the grant request will fund 25% of the cost to assist Glendale residents. Ms. Schmoker stated that she has been a client for two years and it has been a great blessing. Ms. Schmoker stated that without Duet, she would have no way to get to the doctor's office. Ms. Hakes noted that she has volunteered for Duet for five years. In addition to the clients she helps with transportation, she is also helping two visually-impaired clients, assisting them with writing checks. Ms. Hakes stated that it makes her "feel good" to help other people. Committee-member Sanders inquired as to the various types of assistance the volunteers provide. Ms. Banta stated that the special services include transportation to buy groceries and to medical appointments, minor home repair, assistance with paperwork, respite for a caregiver, computer education, social visiting and friendly phoning. Vice Chair Swander wondered how clients find the program. Ms. Banta stated that many clients are referred by Community Information and Referral Services, as well as other agencies, and also church congregations, social workers, Adult Protective Services, and family and friends. Vice Chair Swander wondered if the agency partnered with the police or fire departments. Ms. Banta stated that this is a great suggestion and noted that sometimes calls are received from first responders, but not many. Ms. Hakes interjected that two of her clients are 92 years old and are still living in their own homes. Vice Chair Swander thanked Ms. Banta, Ms. Schmoker and Ms. Hakes for the presentation. V. Adjournment Committee-member Miller motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Committee-member Torres made the second. The motion passed 9 — 0. Respectfully submitted, Denise K.;cza. (h Recording -cretar