THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL AGENCIES OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
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COSA 
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY  
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Amherst Survival Center

Kids School Vacation
Boost is Back!

If your know a child/children receiving free or reduced lunch in school, please let them know about the Amherst Survival Center program that gives families with school vacation school-age children (5-17 years) extra food in months that have a school vacation:

SIGN UP AT THE FOOD PANTRY:

138 Sunderland Road in North Amherst Tel: 413-549-3968

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Nominations Now Open -
2016 Nonprofit Excellence Awards


The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network wants to honor the amazing nonprofit organizations and employees whose commitment, diversity, and effectiveness are at the heart of the nonprofit sector.  Help us tell the story of the important, innovative work being done in every subsector and corner of the Commonwealth by submitting a nomination for the 2016 Nonprofit Excellence Awards.   Click here to learn more and submit a nomination.

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Bridge Programs 
Baby and Me
Learning Together

Our Baby and Me series begins on March 2nd.  Discuss parenting issues, and learn about community resources & healthy parenting practices. 

Group also provides a year of free in-home visits as well as books & toys for your child's healthy development. A light breakfast will be served. 

Pre-registration is required, 
contact Kristal at  413-549-0297 ext. 650

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United Arc
Person Centered Planning

Person Centered Planning is a collaborative planning process that collects relevant information in identifying the capacities of a person or group in order to clarify a vision for the future and identify steps and processes along the way to support that vision. 

Come and join us to look at various planning tools and to determine which planning tool might meet the unique needs for you and your family.

These trainings are hosted by The United Arc and will be presented by Joanne Odato-Staeb, M. ED. Educational & Behavioral Consultant who has been assisting individuals with disabilities for over 30 years to identify and fulfill their life's dreams. 
Two Workshops:
Feb. 17, 6-8pm at The United Arc, 294 Ave. A, Turners Falls, 
OR
Mar. 9, from 6-8pm at The United Arc/GAAAFSN, 361 Main St., Athol

For more information or to register contact Melissa Davis at  413-774-5558 x 1042 or email  melissadavis@unitedarc.org 
or register online  www.unitedarc.org

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Alexander R. Green,MD MPH

Cultural Competency in Health Care: Thinking Outside the Box
Cooley Dickinson/Massachusetts General Hospital Lecture Series

Last year, Cooley Dickinson Health Care established a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council to help meet the goals of improving our ability to serve diverse communities, expanding diversity in our workforce, and addressing health disparities. 

The Council has invited Dr. Green, from Mass General's Disparity Solutions Center, to meet with members of our community and our healthcare providers for a community lecture . Community members are encouraged to attend the  Thursday  evening lecture & discussion. 

Thursday, Feb. 18, 6-8 pm
 
6 - 6:30 pm: Light Dinner 
6:30 - 8 pm: Program Includes Question & Answer Session
 
Dakin Conference Room, Cooley Dickinson Hospital
 
Free; Registration is required: 
www.cooley-dickinson.org/classes or 888-554-4CDH (4234)

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Cooley Dickinson Educational Forums: 
The range of services provided by PVTA

The Cooley Dickinson Physician Hospital Organization (CDPHO) integrated Care Management Program (iCMP) has partnered with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) through a grant from the  Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services to provide educational forums for local  medical office staff and social service providers. The purpose of the forums is to educate attendees on  the range of services provided by PVTA (including ADA and elder ride services), and the PVTA's legal  responsibilities associated with the services. Additionally, these forums will allow attendees to provide  feedback to PVTA on the challenges faced when assisting patient's transportation needs. As an outcome  of the forums, PVTA will create patient specific educational materials for use by clients in medical offices  and social service agencies. 

The forums are intended for medical office staff or social service providers involved in the direct coordination of patients with transportation services. PVTA does NOT coordinate transportation under  the MassHealth benefit requiring use of the PT-1 form, and this will not be a forum to discuss such  concerns. 

Three forums will be held at the following dates and locations from 11:00 am - 2:30 pm and will include lunch. Space is limited, and registration is required. For any questions, or to register, please contact  Shoshana Wirth at sw@cdpho.org or 413-582-2557. Please include information about any dietary  restrictions with your registration. 

Dates and Locations:

Tuesday, March 8
170 University Drive, Amherst Conference Room (Urgent Care entrance, on the second floor)

Wednesday, March 9
22 Atwood Drive, Northampton, 2nd Floor Conference Room

Thursday, March 24
Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Dakin Conference room
 
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February 14th 

The 19th annual  Bartender Shootout  at Taylor's Tavern will benefit our member agency, DIAL/SELF. 

The tavern will open at 10 AM and registration takes place from 11 AM till 1 PM when the competition begins. Put together a team with a $20 donation per person which will get you a t-shirt, glass, 2 ales and a good time! There will be a 50/50 raffle and other great items donated by local businesses. Anyone can participate - no bartending skills required! 

Thanks to Taylor's Tavern, Harpoon Brewery and BEAR Country 95.3 for sponsoring this event.

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DOL'S Overtime Rule: 
Are Nonprofits Writing Their Final Chapters?
By Elizabeth Hays - SHRM Blog

With 2016 underway, the first order of business for many employers includes bracing ourselves for the looming rollout of the Department of Labor's revised overtime regulations.  Informed and responsible businesses are undertaking due diligence.  Armed with employee rosters, job descriptions, and payroll data, we meet and discuss time studies, staffing patterns, budgets, and contract obligations. 
At the core of many of these discussions is the proposed increase to the exempt salary threshold, raising it from $23,660 to $50,440 - a staggering hike that will impact many sectors, especially non-profits. 
As a Director of Human Resources for MHY Family Services (MHY) a long-standing social services provider that has supported youth and families for over 135 years, I can attest to the grim prospect of implementing the proposed regulations, and their impact on programming and budgeting. Continue Reading

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Free Webinar
Nonprofit 911: 
Unleash the Power of Your Crowd
Feb. 9, 1:00 PM

You have social media followers, but how do you translate them into your biggest supporters? Join us for this exclusive session with social media expert, Allison Fine, as she shares a new way of working that makes your supporters known, acknowledged and work to support your organization. Ultimately, this way of working ensures that your donors and doers stay longer and do more to support your efforts. This is a simple yet profound concept that will energize your supporters, reduce your workload, and help you to retain donors and members longer. Your network will work with you, instead of watching you work.

This hour-long conversation will provide you with:
  1. An understanding of the principles and practice of Matterness.
  2. Specific strategies to move from working at passive audiences to working with active supporters.
  3. How to maintain a focus on the supporters who really matter the most and unleash capital that exists within every network.
Free Webinar
Nonprofit 911: 
From Peer to Plenty: Why Peer-to-Peer Works
Feb. 23, 1:00 PM

Peer-to-peer giving is the fastest growing method of fundraising. A strong peer-to-peer campaign can help you reach new donors, strengthen your relationship with your most passionate advocates, and ultimately raise more for your organization. Sounds pretty great, right? But, how do you do it? This free webinar is all about leveraging the social nature of giving to add peer-to-peer campaigns to your fundraising mix.

Key Takeaways:
  • What is peer-to-peer fundraising and why it works
  • What you need for a successful peer fundraising campaign
  • How to inspire your supporters to get involved


Got a Problem with Rich People? Here is How to Get Past That
Inside Philanthropy by Kathy LeMay 


Have you ever walked into a donors' house and had any one of these reactions:

"Please don't let me break anything."

"Did I just walk into MoMA?"

"This bathroom is larger than my Honda."

I don't know about you, but I didn't quite grow up in a house with walk in closets. Ours was more "hand-me-downs I keep at the bottom of my bed." I came of age in the 1970s, in a rural New England town where yarn mills were still open for business. My family was what is now referred to as the "the working poor."
I remember government cheese, a donated Christmas tree one year and ornaments we made from tin foil. There was a constant state of worry. It wasn't wondering if we'd ever be rich or ski in Vail. It was wondering if, just for a moment, the water would steady and we could wade in a still-modest pond.

Today I have a modest pond because of opportunities, many of which were made possible by philanthropists whom I've never met. Scholarships by caring people who wanted to level the playing field. I'm here because of my family's love and support, free public libraries, being a white lady, and the good will and generosity of complete strangers. My success came because others didn't judge me for my lack of resources, but for what I had to offer. 

I became a global social change fundraiser to widen the field of opportunities. I wanted to move money to those who had been denied access. Money, to me, seemed to have a function: to be vibrant and fuel opportunities, not to be stalled and static in banks with ever-changing owners. While I've had some luck in life, I didn't want luck to be the basis of an economic system. I became a global social change fundraiser to level the playing field and to see if a few new fields could be harvested. In the process, I learned not to judge people based on resources, but instead on what they had to offer.

What does this have to do with entering homes with chandeliers and fireplaces that ignite with a flip of a switch? And how on earth can this help you raise more money?

Continue Reading 

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Free Webinar

This is not just for financial professionals! During this webinar, you'll learn how to use your organization's finances and your budgeting process to advance your organization and gain a better understanding of the inner workings of your nonprofit: the organization's strengths and weaknesses; how to tackle strategic planning; your staff's key performance indicators; and what stories you should be telling funders.  REGISTER
Opportunities

Center for New Americans

Clinical Support Options
There are many positions available. 
Click here to see the job listings 

Community Action
There are many more positions available!
Click here to see all the job listings
Click here for the weekly job bulletin

Service Net


YWCA
 
Mark Your Calendars!
HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY





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