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Monthly News & Updates
July 2023
Good morning,

A reflection for today: "To breathe is brave. Never underestimate the power of an exhale." - quote and art by Morgan Harper Nichols.

Please continue to keep us informed of what's happening with you in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The information here comes from you, with links to our website for more complete information and resources. Send your events and updates to Kristyn: [email protected]. Thank you!

Warmly,
Kristyn DiDominick, Executive Director
Payal Mohan, Associate Director
Coming up with the Collaborative!
We're so looking forward to this year together and our trainings and programs, which will begin in September 2023! Thank you for your membership and your commitment to collaboration. Let’s serve together again and deepen our collective impact. Renew your membership today!
Thank You to our Sponsors and Funders!
Bucks-Mont Collaborative Sponsors
Bucks-Mont Collaborative Funders
Upcoming Community Events
Join Family Service Association of Bucks County for their Public Health Clinic!

Their Street Medicine and CARE teams will be onsite, along with several community partners and will feature health screenings, vaccinations, harm reduction education and supplies, community recovery organizations, food, music, speakers, and more!
Utility Assistance - What You Need to Know!
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project

Join the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project for a webinar on Wednesday, July 26th, 11am-12pm about important utility information, assistance programs, and other critical resources. Pennsylvania Utility Law Project staff will provide an overview of the current utility assistance landscape, state-wide resources to assist people having trouble paying utilities, and how to protect individuals and families from the loss of utility services.
Learn about current and upcoming programs such as LIHEAP, Whole Homes Repair, PAHAF, LIHWAP and what else is coming down the line that you should be aware of. Presenters will cover eligibility requirements and deadlines, common misconceptions and barriers, emerging issues, consumer/tenant rights, and more. Register here.
Join We All Count for Talking Data Equity: Tools Edition!

July 14 at 12pm on Zoom

We All Count gets asked a lot about the technical tools of the trade, from survey platforms to analysis programs to viz code. The Tools Edition of Talking Data Equity will take place on Friday, July 14th. You can register at no cost here; or simply use this link on most Fridays at noon.
Join the Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce for their third and final session in the Legislative
Affairs Series

Hear from federal legislators and connect with colleagues!

Thursday, August 31, 12:00- 1:30pm
Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center
105 Seminary St, Pennsburg, PA 18073
Remaking the Economy: Tenant Organizing in Unexpected Places

Spurred in part by COVID and by a growing housing affordability crisis, tenant organizing is picking up in not just expected places like New York, but in mid-sized cities like Austin and Baltimore, and even smaller cities like Louisville, Kentucky, and Portland, Maine. Increasingly, tenant organizing is not just winning battles against landlords, but changing public policy. For instance, rent control was passed in Portland, Maine, last November. In this 90-minute, free webinar, co-sponsored and co-moderated by NPQ and Shelterforce, tenant activists will share their stories, both in direct tenant organizing and policy advocacy.
Webinar: How Nonprofits Qualify for COVID-19 Relief Funds
Nonprofit Quarterly

July 13, 1pm on Zoom

Join EZ-ERC's team of top accountants and tax attorneys to gain insights on everything nonprofits need to know when considering the Employee Retention Credit. Along with eligibility requirements and how the PPP loan may affect your organization's payroll tax refund, these industry experts will dig into what nonprofits need to be aware of when looking for an advisor and the role of tax insurance to protect your claim.
ESL Classes at the Wissahickon Valley Public Library

• Free Beginner Classes are held every Wednesday morning at 10am at the Ambler Branch Library
• Free Conversation Classes are held online, with Monday and Tuesday sessions available.

Please contact Anne Hall for registration information: [email protected]
More Than a Number: The Impact of 988 on Reimagining Mental Health Crisis Care
NAMI Ask the Expert Webinar

One year ago, 988 became available nationwide, making it easier for people experiencing a mental health or suicidal crisis to access support. But the path to creating a true crisis response system doesn’t begin and end with 988. In this webinar, learn from leading experts in mental health crisis care about 988’s impact reforming crisis response in the U.S. Hear about the outlook for 988 and for maintaining momentum to create a system that provides a true mental health response to a mental health crisis. Register here.

Thursday, July 27, 12:15 p.m.
• Employment at-will reality check
• Ideal vs. common supporting
documentation
• Having “the conversation” – dos &
don’ts
• Risk mitigation and fairness
considerations


Thursday, August 31, 12:15 p.m.
• EEOC Enforcement and litigation
statistics
•.Update: Me Too & harassment
Common mistakes & misperceptions
• Best practice guidance for prevention
Join Collectively Rooted and HEAL PA on July 31st at 12:00pm to hear from Father Paul Abernathy!  

Father Abernathy is an Orthodox Christian priest and the founding CEO of the Neighborhood Resilience Project. Since 2011, Fr. Paul has labored with his community to address Community Trauma with Trauma Informed Community Development; a framework that facilitates the transformation of trauma affected communities to resilient, healing and healthy communities so that people can be healthy enough to sustain opportunities and realize their potential. Under Fr. Paul’s leadership, innovative trauma-informed grass-roots strategies have been developed and implemented to address acute, historical, transgenerational and complex trauma on a community level. In addition to programming, millions of dollars in various kinds of support have also been distributed to the Greater Pittsburgh Area with his direction. Community groups from across the nation have worked with Fr. Paul to be trained in the Trauma-Informed Community Development framework. Register here.
News, Reports, and Tools
June 24th, 2023 marked one year since the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization. Since then, the reversal of Roe and Casey has had severe implications for the rule of law, jeopardizing other fundamental freedoms and adversely affecting millions nationwide. In the span of one year, 13 states have outlawed abortion, cutting off access to care for over 71 million Americans (Women’s Way). Read more about the State Abortion Policy Landscape One Year Post-Roe by the Guttmacher Institute: Read here.
Share Your Transportation Concerns in a Paid Focus Group!

Transportation infrastructure gets us where we need to go, but it can also come with challenges related to travel costs, access, community cohesion, air quality, noise, visual quality, and construction. Historically, negative impacts from transportation projects have been disproportionately experienced by communities of color and low-income persons. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is hosting paid focus groups to discuss the impact of transportation projects affecting your daily life or your community.

Learn more here. Thank you to Bucks County Opportunity Council for sharing this opportunity!
Commissioners Approve $16M in Funding for Mental Health Diversion Center

On July 5, the Bucks County Commissioners approved $16 million for construction of the county’s long-awaited mental health diversion center. Set to occupy the former site of the Bucks County Women’s Community Corrections Center in Doylestown Township, the Diversion, Assessment, Rehabilitation and Treatment Center will serve people in the criminal justice system who are suffering from mental illness. Learn more!
America250PA Montgomery County Photography Contest

As we approach the commemoration of our nation’s 250th birthday and the celebration of all that is yet to come, Montgomery County invites photographers of all skill levels to participate in the inaugural America250PA Montgomery County Photography Contest. This year’s theme will be Montgomery County’s Historic Sites. To be eligible for the contests, photographs must be taken at a county, state, or national historical site, historical marker, and/or park in Montgomery County. Montco residents participating in this kick-off contest may submit one entry per household in one, two, or all three categories for pictures taken from July 1st, 2023 until August 7th, 2023. Learn more!
Inflation Is Easing, but Nonprofits Still Feel a Crunch
The Chronicle of Philanthopy, July 10, 2023

“Nonprofits are still struggling to recruit workers and are being hit with higher-than-normal prices, despite signs that inflation is easing and the labor market is cooling down. … Read more about the economic data experts say nonprofit leaders should be watching” Read the article.
Bucks County Commuter Map
The Bucks County Planning Commission
This new map demonstrates the changes the County has faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically the change in commuter patterns. Maps are broken up by municipalities, as well as County sub-regions to display these changes in specific areas. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant change in commuting patterns throughout the nation, and Bucks County is no different. Traditional commuting methods have undergone a transformation. Substantially more people are consistently working from home while traditional forms of commuting like driving, biking, and taking public transit have seen declines. This is because many companies have embraced remote work as a long-term solution, reducing or eliminating daily commutes altogether. While this has reduced the number of employees commuting to work, vehicle miles traveled on major roadways have risen back up to pre pandemic levels. This is a result of increased volume of freight trucks on roadways as more people are relying on home deliveries to meet their everyday needs.
While every part of the county has seen this shift, it is more pronounced in areas of the county that are wealthier and have a large population of white-collar workers. This map can be used to explore the relationship between these factors. Learn more.

Fare Enhancements began July 1, 2023 
SEPTA

SEPTA is making travel more affordable and convenient. Customers will save money with this newest wave of fare enhancements. Learn more!
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Launches a Strategic Communication Planning Hub!

This hub includes several learning topics to strengthen your understanding of strategic communication. Each topic includes a short training video and additional resources like how-to’s and templates. Discover trainings together with your team for comprehensive learning or explore individual topics for a more personal experience. There’s also an interactive tool where you can build a communication plan for your organization. Learn more and explore this free tool!
Funders & Funding
Foundations Community Partnership
Nonprofit Growth Grants

Apply to FCP for organizational development opportunities, including board training, executive and custom coaching, financial planning, strategic and succession planning, and professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, tuition assistance and certificate programs! Organizational and professional development opportunities are awarded throughout the year except for the MS in Nonprofit Leadership option, with includes a specific application cycle, now open, with the letter of inquiry due July 15. Learn more!
The FY2023 Keystone Communities Program (KCP) funding application round is now open through August 31, 2023 (7/1/23 – 8/31/23)

Program guidelines can be found on DCED’s webpage: Keystone Communities Program (KCP) - PA Department of Community & Economic Development or available for download here.

The Keystone Communities Program (KCP) program is designed to encourage the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors that jointly support local initiatives such as the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life. The program allows communities to tailor the assistance to meet the needs of its specific revitalization effort. KCP is a flexible tool for use in community and economic development for a variety of uses including planning activities, facade grant programs, accessible housing programs, and development grants. Learn more and apply!
Infrastructure, Housing, and Safety Funding Opportunities

Learn more, with various July and August deadlines for these departments and funding opportunities:

• PA Department of Transportation: Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside
• PA Department of Education: Paraeducator Preparation Pathways Grant
• PA Historical & Museum Commission: Historical & Archival Records Care Program
• PA Housing Finance Agency: Housing Options Grant Program
• PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner: Fire + Emergency Medical Services Loan Program

Thank you to Representative Scott for sharing these resources!
Catalyst Center for Nonprofit Management


• Truist Foundation, Deadline: July 31, 2023
• Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Deadline: August 1, 2023
• Hamilton Family Foundation, Deadline: August 15, 2023
• Union Home Mortgage Foundation, Deadline: August 15, 2023
• Tyson Foods, Deadline: August 31, 2023
Health and Wellness
Ending the Silence: Speaking Opportunities
NAMI Montgomery County PA

This initiative allows NAMI Montco to bring mental health education and awareness into our local schools. If you are an individual with lived experience and are interested in becoming a speaker, click here for more information.
Join the August or September sessions! Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help in both crisis and non-crisis situations, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary.

These sessions are offered by the Lenape Valley Foundation, Bucks County Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Programs, and the Bucks County Suicide Prevention Task Force. Learn more!
 
Healthcare Access Petition & Toolkit
PHAN: Pennsylvania Health Access Network

Across PA, people are struggling to find doctors, specialists, and mental or behavioral healthcare. They are calling through directories, being placed on waiting lists for months, and driving hours to appointments. If you or others have experienced these kinds of barriers, you’re not alone, and you can let PA officials know by signing a petition. This is an important opportunity to bring attention to problems in our healthcare system and your voice is needed!

Helping Direct Service Workers Become Trauma-Informed
Gerry Vassar, Lakeside Blog

“When we mention the demand for mental health services we think of the need for therapeutic social workers, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists. Yet, the hard truth is that all of these professionals are also overwhelmed with the needs they face and are often unable to take referrals. This trend is extremely difficult to manage because those who are struggling to get help are frustrated with how long it takes and the lack of availability for help in the near future. What are they to do?

We do not see a great deal of change forthcoming. I believe that this problem is so pervasive that there is little hope for more help. That means we will have a significant number of mental health needs that will not be met, creating chaos, fear and some very scary consequences to our families and communities. One way to help the problem is to provide training to the direct service professionals. These can be identified as the frontline workers who are dealing with individuals who are seeking help. Even though they may not be clinical professionals they can be trained to know how to deal with individuals who have experienced adversity and other sources of trauma. Read more…”
Get more information and register here.
Air Quality Alerts and Information

You can monitor air quality in your area by visiting www.airnow.gov or

Follow recommendations to protect your health based on your personal health risks using this guidance. Thank you to Your Way Home for sharing this important message for our neighbors who are outside: “Day shelters, libraries, community centers, and malls are public, air conditioned and contained spaces. Those at risk, including children, the elderly, and people with chronic medical conditions, should take extra precautions and seek out public indoor spaces.
Hotel stays are available for unsheltered individuals who are medically compromised or need to get inside due to health complications or vulnerability. Call 2-1-1 for assistance.”
PA House Bill 78: Medical Debt Relief Act
PHAN: Pennsylvania Health Access Network

“Nationally, 4 in 10 adults report having medical debt, and more than 1 in 10 Pennsylvanians have medical debt that is already in collections. Many more are likely to join them as the costs of medical care and other household necessities rise. Since 2015, the costs of seeking hospital-based care have increased as much as 31% nationally, growing more than four times faster than most workers’ paychecks. Patients who have medical debt often delay or avoid care, which can lead to serious complications and more expensive care down the line.”

The Medical Debt Relief Act is a solution to a growing problem in PA, and would help by:

1. Creating a single, uniform application for financial assistance that all hospitals would need to use.
2. Screening more people for eligibility for health coverage, like Medicaid, CHIP, and Pennie. Currently, many people end up with medical debt who should have been covered from the beginning.
3. Providing information about available financial assistance and coverage in an easy-to-understand format written at a 6th grade reading level and translated into the languages patients speak.
4. Clear, direct notices right on the bills that assistance is available and patients can get help applying for that assistance.
Download the flyer and registration form!

Registration is required! Your registration includes: 4 nursing contact hours, continental breakfast, lunch and all materials and activities. If you have any questions, please contact Shelly Longcoy at 215.361.6796 or [email protected].
NAMI Montgomery County PA

This is a free, 8-week course for families and friends of individuals with serious mental illness. The course is led by trained family members who have lived with this experience and is designed to facilitate a better understanding of mental illness, increase coping skills and empower participants to become advocates for their family members. Learn more, share or sign up to get involved!
Our deep thanks and a huge cheers to the Montgomery County Immunization Coalition for celebrating 20 years of service to this community! MCIC celebrates 20 years of partnering, educating, and promoting age-appropriate immunizations across the lifespan for all residents of Montgomery County. Enjoy their 30-second video celebrating this 20th anniversary!
Senior Services
Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter
Click below to download their current in-person support group schedule, and check out their e-learning at training.alz.org
Check out these in-person programs from the
Greater Harleysville and North Penn Senior Services!
And learn more about their special programs:
Hot Dog! It's a Karaoke Dance Party!
Wednesday, July 19, 11:30am
Generations

Do you love to dance and sing? Or. . . do you love to watch other people make fools of themselves? If so then join Generations for a fun karaoke dance
party where you're in charge of the tunes! Get up and move to your favorite hits of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. If you like to sing along, they'll put the words up on the big screen and have a microphone available for the "hot dogs" in the room.

Registration is required by July 12. Visit their front desk or call 215-723-5841. If you have special song requests you would like to hear/sing along to at this event, please share them upon registration.
Montco SAAC's
Fifth Avenue

Montco SAAC's Fifth Avenue offers community members access to many styles of clothing for all seasons for nominal prices. The shop also offers footwear, home goods, and accessories!

PA WorkWear: Although the thrift shop is for everyone, those seeking employment can find additional support while shopping. As a PA WorkWear provider, Montco SAAC's Fifth Avenue provides one complimentary outfit for those interviewing for a job and three outfits for qualifying TANF recipients that have landed a job! Montco SAAC's Fifth Avenue is dedicated to finding outfits for anyone, regardless of their budget.
Child Care and Education
Register here
Register here
Is your faith community looking for ways to positively impact the lives of children? Keystone Family Alliance can provide you with a framework and support for getting involved in the care needed by children in our community. Whether congregants are interested in becoming foster parents, donating needed items or providing a meal to a foster family, everybody can do something! To find out more, you are invited to attend one of these events that Keystone Family Alliance will be holding in Bucks and Montgomery Counties (flyers below).

Thank you to the Montgomery County Multi-Faith Coalition for sharing!
The Literacy Council of Norristown is proud to partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now available to all children birth to age 5 living in the 19401, 19403, 19405, and 19406 zipcodes! Children can enroll to receive a free book in the mail once a month.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children. Click here to sign up, and happy reading, dreaming, and imagining!
Food, Housing, and Financial Resources
PA has been approved to issue Summer 2023 P-EBT benefits to eligible K-12 students.

These benefits will help families cover the cost of school meals that their eligible children miss out on during the summer months. All eligible kids will receive benefits in a single payment of $120 to cover the entire summer. This payment will be issued July 31-August 11, 2023. Learn more, including eligibility requirements and distribution details.

Thank you to the Coalition Against Hunger for sharing!
Now Available! Montco Report on Housing Units Built

The 2022 Housing Units Built annual report tracks all housing units built (single-family detached, single-family attached, multifamily, mobile homes), their location, and characteristics (square footage and lot size). The 2022 report indicates that despite increased construction costs, Montgomery County experienced a rebound in housing units built this past year. Over 2,700 new units were added to the county’s housing stock in 2022, which was just above the average number of homes built annually in the county over the last five years.
The Self-Determination Housing of Pennsylvania (SDHP) and Inglis fall 2023 webinar series has been scheduled and they look forward to continuing their free 1-hour webinars on housing topics relevant for the private landlords in our communities. All webinars occur on Tuesdays from 4 – 5pm. You can register for one or all three of the webinars by going to this link: SDHP LLPM Fall 2023 Webinar Series.

• September 12: Housing Choice
Vouchers Explained. Learn the logistics
of HCV and how property owners can
get involved.
• October 10: Eviction Prevention and
Processes. This webinar reviews the
eviction process while focusing on
preventative strategies to avoid having
to evict tenants if possible.
• November 14: Assistance Animals &
Home Modifications. Discuss
assistance animals, emotional support
animals, reasonable accommodations,
and modifications with examples and
more.
Download their summer meal toolkit here to share information and resources widely!
SHARE is an affordable housing choice that brings together homeowners who want to share their home with home seekers who are looking for housing in exchange for rent, help around the house, or a combination of both. The home seeker receives their own bedroom and agreed upon use of the common areas. Every arrangement is unique depending on the needs, preferences, and abilities of the participants involved. Learn more about this housing opportunity! For additional information or questions please contact Deborah Solodar, LSW, 484-682-7804,
The Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund at Inglis is currently looking to expand their landlord network. If you know a landlord or have a network of landlords, please share this information with them. They can join the Inglis network of landlords for referrals for those who are transitioning from nursing homes back into the community, with the link to join here: LRMF Landlord Network Signup. If you have any questions you can email: [email protected]
Tune in! Meeting the Challenges of Affordable Housing

Housing is getting harder and harder to come by in southeastern Pennsylvania. Affordable housing, for people of average means, is almost nonexistent. This trend, if it continues, jeopardizes the economic vitality of the county. Montgomery County Planning Manager Anne Leavitt-Gruberger talks about the shrinking housing market, its consequences, and what municipalities are doing to address it. Listen to this podcast with Anne with this call to action included: “Start going to your local commissioner’s meetings and planning meetings. The future of your home town is in your hands!”
Jobs and Support
Travel Green!

Check out the Share-A-Ride program for greener travel. Use travel options such as carpools, vanpools, public transportation, bikes, and/or telecommuting options. While improving air quality, you can also earn rewards by tracking your green travel options. For more about this program, click here.
Do You Want To Bike More?


The Partnership TMA of Montgomery County is continuing to work with residents, businesses, and community leaders on the Bike More, Drive Less project, which aims to add bike lanes to suitable roads and increase facilities, such as bike racks and fix-it stations. If you want to bike more, they can help with resources to help find the best routes, safe bicycling tips, and more! Contact [email protected].
Your Way Home is hiring a Data Manager!

The Data Manager is responsible for the collection, analysis and reporting of data related to ending homelessness in Montgomery County through the Your Way Home program, housing initiatives and related projects. The Data Manager is directly responsible for the development, design, integration, configuration/programming and maintenance of the County’s HUD-required Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), including 30+ partner agencies and 100+ licensed users. In addition, the Data Manager manages HMIS training for Your Way Home service providers and County staff. Finally, the Data Manager is a core member of the Your Way Home Operations Team within the Office of Housing and Community Development, working with other team members to ensure that the experience of homelessness in Montgomery County is rare, brief and non-recurring.
Join the Family Service Association of Bucks County team!

The Community Health Nurse will provide mobile outreach, assessment, and minor treatment to homeless individuals in the community. The salary is $65,000. Learn more and apply here!
Applications due by Friday, August 4, 2023. Learn more here.
It saves to be a
Bucks-Mont Collaborative member! See below for details:
Join Team BCOC!

Bucks County Opportunity Council changes peoples' lives - and is a great place to work! #BCOCProud
The Credit Counseling Center is hiring!

Join this fantastic team, and share with others who may be interested.

Housing Counselors (1 FT and 1 PT): Housing Counselors will play a vital role in providing exceptional financial counseling and coaching services to our clients. Responsibilities will span a broad spectrum of activities, all designed to empower individuals in various crucial areas. These include foreclosure and eviction prevention/intervention, credit building, savings accumulation, debt reduction, assisting with first-time homeownership, as well as providing comprehensive credit counseling services. Learn more!
Thank you for joining us and for supporting your fellow members.
See you next month!

Bucks-Mont Collaborative
We produce results-oriented impact on health and human services issues in our community through education, collaboration, and advocacy.