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Dear colleagues,
Wow! As you read the newsletter you’ll see- there is a lot going on here at The Opportunity Alliance!
I want to highlight that we are entering the final stretch of our annual United Way Employee Campaign. It has never been more important to support the United Way of Southern Maine, a vital funding and thought partner of TOA’s and a cornerstone of positive social impact in our communities. Our organization’s tremendous impact in the community is made possible by you all. It’s also supported by the United Way. The stronger United Way is, the stronger TOA is. This year, all TOA staff are asked to register online for the United Way Employee Campaign. Giving is optional, and each person’s choice to pledge, as well as the amount, is confidential. There is more information below but if you have questions please reach out to Connor Archibald in Development.
Thanks for everything you do for TOA, our clients, and our community.
Best,
Joe
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> Last Chance to Pledge to our United Way Campaign | |
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To be Hopeful requires action.
So, let’s show up - UNITED.
Together, The Opportunity Alliance is helping to create a Hopeful and thriving future for all in Southern Maine.
Make your pledge anytime through October 14th, using the PLEDGE link below. Our participation goal is 100%, and ALL employees are asked to register, whether you choose to pledge or not. This will enter you into the weekly raffle and count towards our participation.
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Important Note: United Way of Southern Maine is using a new online platform for employee giving campaigns this year, and all TOA employees will be prompted to create a new account this year, regardless of whether or not you have participated in this campaign previously. Use these instructions to navigate the online platform.
Paper pledge forms are also available for those that do not wish to use the online platform. After completing your paper pledge form, email or hand-deliver to Connor Archibald.
Congratulations, Raffle Winners!
Week 1: Patty Mann & Rose Sack
Week 2: Jennifer Doane & Denise Lancaster
Week 3: Merrie Allen & Debbie Lombardi
Week 4: Jill McPhail & Tawni Turcotte Shannon
If you are a raffle winner so far, TOA's Development Team will be contacting you to get you your prize! Keep those pledges coming, and you could be our next winner!
THANK YOU
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> Winter Warm-Up Pop Up Shop! | |
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Save the date for Wednesday, October 12th through Friday, October 14th for our annual Winter Warm-Up Pop Up in the Marshland Classroom on the first floor of at 50 Lydia Lane.
Winter Coats will be available for pick-up in varying sizes. If you have questions, please contact Connor Archibald.
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TOA's Best Places to Work survey results are back for this year and the agency has demonstrated some improvement over last year.
If you are interested in viewing the results for both years, please click here.
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> Workday Launching in Spring 2023 | |
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A team of TOA staff and leadership are now working on an agency-wide planning process to implement Workday, a user-friendly platform that will replace several of the agency’s current employee and financial databases. Combining these functions, with an emphasis on the user experience, will streamline our work, increase transparency and collaboration across departments, and make many day-to-day tasks easier. The system is scheduled to go live in Spring 2023.
The Finance and People Operations teams are leading this effort, but will lean on the experience and expertise of staff across various programs to support the planning process and test out procedures. In addition, we are working with a consultant, Alight, to help ensure the implementation stays on track. Alight has a great deal of experience working with nonprofits of our size and scope, and we are grateful for their guidance.
The Workday system is designed for the end-user. The guiding principles of this project are:
- Leverage leading practices
- Increase operational efficiency
- Enhance employee experience
- Embrace change
There will most likely be bumps along the way- as there are in all big projects- but we hope you will join us in trusting the process. We are confident that in the end, Workday will increase efficiency and ensure that staff across the agency are supported.
Stay tuned for more information!
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PTO Carryover Policy Reminder
Full-time 40-hour employees can carry over a maximum of 200 hours of unused PTO from one calendar year to the next. Employees working less than a 40 hour per week schedule will be able to carry over a pro-rated amount. This amount is equal to five of the employee’s budgeted weeks in accrued but unused PTO. For example, an employee hired into a 20 per week position will be eligible to carry over 100 hours of accrued but unused PTO (5 x 20=100). Employees should speak to People Operations for additional information. For the purposes of PTO carry over, the year ends December 31st. All other accrued but unused PTO time must be used within the calendar year during which it accrues, or it will be forfeited.
The Vice President of People Operations may allow for carryover of additional PTO when compelling Program-related or individual considerations warrant, and a written request is made in advance.
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> Leaves of Absence
From time to time, it may be important to seek a leave of absence. People Ops and your supervisor will consider requests for medical or family-related leave and balance requests with the operational needs of the program. If that need arises, there is a required notice as outlined in the Staff Handbook and below.
Employees must provide enough information for the Agency to reasonably determine whether the FMLA may apply to the leave request. Employees must request leave 30 days in advance when the need for leave is foreseeable. When the need for leave is unforeseeable, employees must provide notice as soon as possible and practicable under the circumstances. With the exception of extenuating circumstances, less than a week notice may result in the leave request being denied.
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> Culture Shifting-Technology | |
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We’ve heard that in the past TOA’s technology or help desk process has felt ineffective or frustrating, leading some of you to give up on asking for help.
But there are a lot of great things happening here and new tools being implemented every day- please ask for what you need to do your job or to be more comfortable. ‘Yes’ may not always be the answer, however when you ask for what you need it helps the agency better understand the bigger picture. And, perhaps, ‘yes’ may be the answer!
We have an exceptional relationship with an IT consultant (Larry) and our managed services provider (WG Tech). We collaborate not only on big picture planning and strategy but also on day-to-day needs. Please use the help desk ticketing system (email to: ITSupport@opportunityalliance.org) to ask for what you need!
> VPN Client Updates
For those of us who connect to the network outside of TOA program offices, the VPN (virtual private network) is of critical importance. We have had some issues with the VPN connectivity due to the lack of routine maintenance and updates over the years. We have a plan to fix this by replacing all the VPN clients, the application used for the secure tunnel, over the next couple of weeks. Any issues can be reported to our help desk at:
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> News from the EDI Committee
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Employee Advisory committee has engaged Beyond Racial Equity (BRE), a group of professionals with lived experience and professional competence to guide TOA to the next level of advancing equity. This work with BRE kicked off on September 19th with the committee. There, our consultant introduced the general plan of our work together to include: discovery to assess where TOA is currently with EDI efforts, learning for all advisory, senior leadership and board members, reflection, and finally planning for additional initiatives to advance equity. These three groups are now doing self-work and are scheduled for 3 sessions of learning and reflection with BRE.
If you have interest in joining the EDI Advisory committee, please talk with your supervisor to discuss the time commitment and reach out to POSupport@opportunityalliance.org with questions and requests to be added to the committee. The Committee supports the agency’s EDI training, practices, and policies to ensure a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist environment for the staff and clients of TOA. This Committee is composed of staff from various teams across the organization and interfaces with all TOA departments including People Ops, Finance, Development and Communications, and Quality Improvement, as well as the agency’s programs. The committee is divided into three subcommittees: training, policies, and practices and working to advance equity across the agency.
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> Mileage Reimbursement Increasing
The staff mileage reimbursement rate is increasing, effective 10/1/22, to 46 cents per mile to follow along with the State of Maine’s rate.
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> Virtual Training Opportunity | |
> TOA is assisting those now sheltered at the Scarborough Comfort Inn with transition | |
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The Comfort Inn on Route 1 in Scarborough, which has been a temporary shelter for more than 80 unhoused people, will begin removing those guests in November.
Two on-site, full-time employees of the Opportunity Alliance, which placed the unhoused individuals at the Scarborough hotel, are assisting in the three-phase transition. One-third of the guests will be removed by Nov. 1, another one-third by Dec. 1, and all remaining guests by Jan. 1. About 80 to 100 people have been sheltering at the hotel.
“I think that having The Opportunity Alliance on site with two full-time staff members is going to be very important,” Scarborough Police Chief Mark Holmquist said. “They’ll place people where they can, whether that’s at hotels or other housing avenues. They play an important role in this transition.”
Read the full Portland Press Herald article here.
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> Economic Mobility Exchange Honors TOA | |
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Every year, the Economic Mobility Exchange learning network holds open nominations and selects winners for four member awards: Most Impactful, Key Innovator, Key Collaborator, and Pinnacle Award.
The Opportunity Alliance has been awarded the 2022 Key Collaborator Award! Below is a quote shared by our nominators:
“The Opportunity Alliance is a strong ambassador of Mobility Mentoring; they are willing to share experiences within the network and beyond; consistently great to work with (e.g. Intergen project, panel presentations, conferences, etc.). Specifically, they co-presented with Exchange at the National Head Start Conference and staff & participants served as panelists on May 2022 Early Childhood Public Panel”
TOA will be presented the award at this year’s Disrupting Poverty Conference in October.
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> ProsperityME selects TOA for a "Commitment to Service Award" | |
ProspertyME hosted its 14th Annual Community Block Party on September 14th. The 2022 Commitment to Service Award was presented to The Opportunity Alliance in recognition of our Emergency Rental Assistance program in 2021 and 2022.
TOA's President and CEO, Joe Everett accepted the award and celebrated with several members of the TOA staff, also in attendance.
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> Senior Volunteer Programs Meet with AmeriCorp CEO | |
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TOA’s SCP/FGP had the opportunity to sit with AmeriCorps CEO, Michael Smith to highlight their program as well as discuss challenges. Our Foster Grandparent, Fran Seeley (a.k.a. Grammy Fran) told her story and brought tears to Michael’s eyes as she said “Michael, I live with abundance not scarcity. I have been given a gift and I want to return it" when she was asked why she does what she does with such a small stipend.”
Fran has been a gift to our Programs. Stayed tuned to video of Michael Smith and Grammy Fran all over AmeriCorps social media!
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>Monthly Spotlight: Aimee Senatore | | | | | |
