Commissioner Marty Cooke reads the official proclamation at the 8/20/2018 Brunswick County Board of Commissioners meeting as Joe Staton and Barbara Serafin of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition attend.
At their August 20, 2018 meeting, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners voted to officially proclaim the week of November 10th – 18th, 2018 as “National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.” Commissioner Marty Cooke read the official proclamation, then presented it to Barbara Serafin, representing the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
Commissioner Marty Cooke presents the official proclamation to Barbara Serafin of Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
Also in observance of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Commissioner Mike Forte is scheduled to speak at the BCHC’s Seventh Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon at the Brunswick Center in Shallotte on Nov 10, 2017. Commissioners Frank Williams, Marty Cooke, and Pat Sykes, and County Manager Ann Hardy have also worked to make previous Hunger and Homeless Banquet events a success. BCHC appreciates the tremendous support that the Board of Commissioners has consistently shown.
BCHC Participates in UNCW Grant Writing Class for Nonprofit Organizations
Barbara Serafin, left, with Joe Staton and Betsy Duarte at the March 2018 UNCW Grants for Nonprofits class. Photo: Justin Pope
Three members of BCHC, Betsy Duarte, Barbara Serafin, and Joe Staton, attended a class especially for nonprofit organizations on the topics of identifying grant opportunities and writing grants. The class was presented in a single session on March 15, 2018 by UNC Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and QENO (Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations), and led by Grants Specialist Althea Lewis and Nonprofit Advisor and Grant Consultant David F. Morrison.
The UNC Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Photo: BCHC
Class materials included introductory information about grants, sources for grants, and specific tips for preparing grants that are accepted.
Introducing Grants
Grants were introduced simply as proposals (“Grant Proposal”) submitted in response to RFP or RFA opportunities (“Request for Proposal” or “Request for Applications”) that are requests to obtain funding in a form that does not have to be paid back. The RFP/RFA specifies the approximate amount of funding available, the deadline(s) for applying for the funding, who offers the funding, and who may qualify to receive it.
Applicants are expected to read completely and understand any RFP/RFA, and comply completely with their requirements in order to avoid needless disqualification of the application.
Getting down to the details of what grants represent: An organization offering funds has one specific purpose that they want to fulfill, and an organization applying for funds has its own, possibly different, purpose. Aligning these two in “the matching game” is an important part of the process. The applying organization must describe the specific part of their purpose that overlaps with the purpose of the grant, and not simply request money for their own aims (no matter how brilliant or how needed they may seem), either in a LOI (“Letter or Intent” / “Letter of Inquiry”) or in the application itself.
The Matching Game. Image: UNCW/QENO.
Funding Sources
Within the class, we focused on locating funding sources likely to be of benefit to the target audience (Eastern North Carolina Nonprofits). We talked about both potential sources and “sources for sources”.
Sources for Sources included: Grants.gov (The U.S. Federal Government grants website, with search feature) Philanthropynewsdigest.org (A nationwide searchable listing of grants offered) Ruralhealthinfo.org (The Rural Health Information Hub)
Resources. Image: UNCW/QENO.
Specific potential sources that we identified: Kbr.org (The Kate B. Reynolds Trust). With grants available only to nonprofits and government agencies, and only within North Carolina. Funding for things like capacity building, direct services, program planning has a grant maximum of about $50,000. Their deadlines work on a rotating basis each August and February.
Zsr.org (The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation). With grants available to North Carolina nonprofits, government agencies, schools, and churches. Funding areas have included things like community economic development and social justice programs. Deadlines and details are currently not posted at this writing.
Cfmfdn.org (Cape Fear Memorial Foundation). With grants available to nonprofits only in Duplin, Columbus, Pender, New Hanover, and Brunswick counties of NC. Their funding focus is on health education and improvement. Grants up to $200,000 have been awarded in the past. Their LOI deadlines are June and December, and their Application deadlines are July and January.
Landfallfoundation.org (The Landfall Foundation). With grants available to nonprofits only in Pender, New Hanover, and Brunswick counties of NC. Their funding areas for up to about $7500 are arts, education, and health & welfare. Their LOI deadlines are June and December, and their Application deadlines are July and January.
Grant preparation tips
Some highlights on the tips on grant preparation:
Use your “Need Statement” or “Problem Statement” to make a compelling case that your specific project is needed and important.
Make sure that your goals are specific and measurable, with specifically described benefits.
The Budget and its justification can be the hardest items in an application, making them good candidates to do first.
Make certain that all instructions are followed.
Closing
The BCHC members who attended the class have contact information for experts who have expressed a willingness to help look over grant applications before submission to help them achieve success. The class has been helpful already in the information that it provided, and hopefully it will be helpful in the future to help BCHC secure needed funding for operations and special programs.
Roy Tucker, Coalition to Reduce Poverty in Brunswick County, addresses 2017’s 6th Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon (SOURCE: WECT)
WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – About a hundred people gathered at the Brunswick Center in Leland for the Sixth Annual Hunger & Homeless Banquet Saturday.
Community leaders, experts, formerly homeless people, and concerned citizens were among the attendees.
The purpose of the event was to educate the community about homelessness, but also to raise funds for the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition, which put on the event.
According to data provided at the event, there were 322 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in Brunswick County in a count January 2017.
The Brunswick County Homeless Coalition assists about 300 people struggling with homelessness every year, according to the Co-President of the coalition.
Volunteer Joe Staton faced homelessness four years ago, but eventually got back onto his feet. Now, Staton volunteers with the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
“When I moved to Brunswick County I was homeless. And through a process of getting help… I was able to get an apartment, somewhere to live,” said Staton. “So now I volunteer to try to give back something and help the ones who still need it.”
Brunswick County Homeless Coalition’s annual banquet (Photo: Jenna Kurzyna/WWAY)
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Ending homelessness and hunger in one county is the mission for the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
This weekend the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition held their 6th Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon.
This event was to educate and raise awareness about poverty-related problems.
The event was free and hosted at the Brunswick Center at Leland.
The banquet and soup luncheon invited formerly homeless individuals to talk about their past struggles and learn about solutions.
Joe Staton who now volunteers with the coalition used to be homeless and said the help he received from them was life changing.
“A lot of people don’t know that Brunswick County has a homeless population at all, but they do and we work directly with them. When I came to Brunswick County I was homeless, and I received the help and I know there’s a lot of people out there needing it,” Staton said.
The Brunswick County Homeless Coalition is made up of volunteers and wants to continue to educate the community about the hunger and homeless problems in the area.
Note: This is an archived article about a past event. There may be more current information about a related recent event at the following link: http://brunswickhomeless.com/banquet
The Sixth Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon
Basic Information
Observing National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov 11-19, 2017), The Brunswick County Homeless Coalition invites you to attend the Sixth Annual Hunger & Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon
on Nov 18th in Leland, NC. There is no cost to attend; a lunch of homemade soups and bread will be provided.
This year’s program will be held at BSRI’s Brunswick Center in Leland, NC, located at 121 Town Hall Dr. NE, Leland, NC, 28451, at the corner of Village Road and Town Hall Drive. [Click or tap for Driving Directions.] The program, scheduled to run from 10am to 2pm, is entitled “Ending Homelessness in Brunswick County.” Doors open at 9:30am.
Besides the delicious soups, you will hear the powerful stories of local formerly homeless men and women, information from local leaders about what’s being done to address the problem (and how you can help), and a presentation from special guest Terry Allebaugh, Community Impact Coordinator for the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness.
You are invited to pre-register for the event on the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition website’s registration form to help us prepare for the appropriate number of guests. There is no cost to register or attend; donations of any amount are appreciated and directly go to help the hungry, homeless, and at-risk population of Brunswick County.
2012: the First Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in an event held each November which began at Villanova University in 1975. It’s an annual program across the country to draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Held at more than 700 locations each year, with hundreds of thousands of participants,
this event has raised millions of dollars for local service providers across the country. Participating groups spend the week holding a series of educational, service, fundraising, and advocacy events. The Sixth Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon is Brunswick County’s registered National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week event, held to raise awareness and work toward solutions here at home.
The Sixth Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon is organized by the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition. The Coalition meets the second Tuesday of the month at the BSRI Senior Center in Shallotte, NC. You can find out more at the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition website.
Publicity
Your help in getting the word out about this event is very much appreciated. The more people that are able to attend, the more support can be gathered and the more resources can be mobilized against the fight against hunger and homelessness right here at home.
Person to person, word-of-mouth publicity is very effective–and today, with e-mail and social networking, it has a potentially much larger reach. The sharing buttons at the bottom of this page can help you to share and spread the news using Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, and e-mail.
There are also promotional printables and promotional graphics in the form of printable 8.5×11″ flyers and .jpg graphic files. You are encouraged to download these and share them online, and print them to post publicly, to share with friends and family, or to share with your civic, church, or worship group.
If you have trouble downloading the .jpg graphic files–if they just show a larger version when clicked–then right click the larger version and select “save image” or “save picture”.
(L-R) Joe Staton of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition, Leland Mayor Brenda Bozeman, Barbara Serafin of BCHC, and Councilman Mike Callahan participate in the reading and presentation of the proclamation. (Photo: BCHC/JAJ)
At their October 19th, 2017 Town Council meeting, the Town of Leland showed their support of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition by inviting us to receive an official proclamation of Hunger and Homelessness awareness week, November 11th – 19th, 2017.
Town Councilman Mike Callahan read the proclamation as Mayor Brenda Boseman presented it to Barbara Serafin and Joe Staton of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
Support from area governments and leaders is essential in the fight against poverty-related issues like hunger and homelessness, and the BCHC would like to richly thank the Town of Leland for all their recognition and support. Leland is host this year to 2017’s sixth annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon, scheduled for November 18th at 9:30am.
Proclamation proclaiming November 11-19, 2017 as National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. (Source: Town of Leland; Scan: BCHC/BJS)
Brunswick County Homeless Coalition was on hand for Seniors Helping Seniors on October 13th, 2017 at BSRI’s Stone Chimney Road center. BSRI hosts the Seniors Helping Seniors event during the autumn season of each year as an opportunity to showcase area businesses and organizations of interest to seniors. Lots of area businesses, groups, and organizations were present for the information, the fellowship, the entertainment and the food. At the BCHC table, about 75 people stopped specifically to talk with us and learn more about problems and solutions here in Brunswick County.
BCHC members at the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition table at Seniors Helping Seniors, Oct 13, 2017 at BSRI Center Supply. (L-R Ralph Carmody, Giselle Bawab, Joe Staton, and Barbara Serafin of BCHC)
Barbara Serafin invites someone to our November Hunger & Homeless Banquet.Ralph Carmody helps someone learn more about the homeless and what we can do to help.The 2017 Seniors Helping Seniors event.Brunswick Conty Homeless Coalition’s table at the event contained information about who we are, what we do, how to get help or refer someone to get help, and upcoming events.Rita, Giselle, and Ralph talk with the public at the BCHC tableJim Fish and Debra Marlowe of BSRI give away door prizes to those attending the event
Brunswick County Homeless Coalition was pleased to participate in Resource Days, September 20, 2017 in Southport, NC, and September 30, 2017 in Leland, NC.
Ralph, Mark, Barbara, and Mary representing the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.Barbara and Marc with the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition banner sign.The event and some of those in attendance.A few displays from the event.Mark and Paul talk with a representative from Habitat for Humanity.
At their September 5, 2017 meeting, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners officially proclaimed the week of November 11th – 19th, 2017 as “National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.” A copy of the proclamation was presented to Barbara Serafin, representing the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition.
BCHC appreciates the tremendous support that the Board of Commissioners has shown, and appreciates this proclamation. Commissioner Pat Sykes is also scheduled to present the board’s proclamation at the BCHC’s Sixth Annual Hunger and Homeless Banquet in Leland on Nov 18, 2017, in observation of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
Brunswick County Homeless Coalition (BCHC) participated in the 2013 Brunswick County Volunteer Fair & Expo and the Service Awards Ceremony. The fair was held April 17, 2013 from 3-7 p.m. at the Odell Williamson Auditorium on the Brunswick Community College campus. This event was held during National
BCHC members Barbara Serafin, Wade Fulmer, Shirley Wyzga-Johnson, Diana & Bill Hadesty, James Polino, and Callie Spidle were present at the BCHC table (Photo: BCHC)
Volunteer Week.
More than 35 non-profit and community agencies serving Brunswick County were on hand to meet with the public and promote local volunteer opportunities. BCHC members Barbara Serafin, Wade Fulmer, Shirley Wyzga-Johnson, Diana & Bill Hadesty, James Polino, and Callie Spidle were present at the BCHC table to advocate for the needs of the homeless and provide information. Other BCHC members in attendance were Fred Stephens manning the Brunswick Family Assistance table and T.K. Nowell manning the Brunswick County Sheriff’s crime prevention table.
The event was an outstanding opportunity for other non-profits and area residents to hear the homeless message and how they can make a difference. The BCHC members also talked to other non-profits and government agencies about their volunteer programs and how they could partner with each other. The program also included a formal awards ceremony that recognized the NC Governor’s Award for Outside Volunteer Service recipients.
This article was originally published by the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition in the “Currents” newsletter, Spring 2013 (Vol. 2, No. 1) edited by Kitty Kesler and published by Susie Kubley.
