From our quarterly newsletter: The Board of Directors of Moses Taylor Foundation has announced its most recent grant awards, awarding a total of $355,000 to 5 organizations that advance the Foundation's mission of improving the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. "We continue to work diligently with organizations to address community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also providing support to organizations for non-COVID related needs,” said LaTida Smith, Moses Taylor Foundation President and CEO. "From supporting school nurses by providing much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitization supplies, to providing modern blood scales for our local American Red Cross chapter, these grants support our local community and nonprofit partners while we all continue to navigate the effects of COVID-19."

Read the 3rd quarter grant announcement.

Dear Friends,

In this season, like so many of you we are balancing resuming “normal” activities, while staying responsive to new needs and adhering to local public health recommendations. This quarterly newsletter provides updates on where we are and how we’re preparing for the coming months:

• Our Office – We continue to work from home and hold all meetings remotely. Please feel free to reach out to any staff member via email or the mobile telephone numbers provided on our website.
• Our Responsive Grantmaking – We have resumed our quarterly responsive grantmaking cycles with proposal deadlines on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1. At the same time, we will continue to review emergency requests of any size at any time to expedite emergency support in response to COVID-19.
• Our Strategic Initiatives – We continue to identify the best next steps for our school-based health and older adult isolation initiatives. While in many ways COVID-19 has underscored the urgency of those priorities, we are reevaluating our long-term approach and identifying new ways to meet immediate needs.

This summer our Board of Directors authorized a $1 million increase to our annual grantmaking budget to increase our capacity to be responsive during this extraordinary time. We know your needs will continue to change. Please stay in touch and let us know how we can be helpful.

In partnership,

LaTida Smith
President and CEO

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What this newsletter includes:

Grantee Highlight:

Scranton Area Community Foundation's Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence

Looking Back and Ahead at NEPA Learning Conferences

In September 2019, the Scranton Area Community Foundation held its first-ever NEPA Learning Conference. The conference was a major success, offering attendees opportunities – such as hearing speakers and attending workshops – that they may only get at a national-level conference. 

“2019's event was very successful. Initially, we were not sure if it would be an every-other-year conference, but because of the success for the first conference, we knew that we wanted to do it again this year.”

-Maggie Martinelli, Vice President, Administration and Operations at the Scranton Area Community Foundation.

Martinelli and the rest of her team began planning for this year’s conference in late 2019. Everything appeared to be moving smoothly, that is, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“We got stymied for a short time with everything going on with the pandemic,” Martinelli explained. “We weren’t sure if we should postpone until next year or to take it virtually. But with everyone’s comfort level now with this technology, we decided to do the event virtually this year. We started rolling out registration at the end of July. It’s going to be 100% virtually held.”

The 2020 NEPA Learning Conference will be held on Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18, 2020.

Conference organizers are taking every step to have diverse opportunities for the participants, such as speakers, workshops, and one-on-one sessions. Those who attend this year’s conference virtually can also look forward to break-out sessions, coffee breaks, and virtual show rooms.

“It’s really important that we make sure it’s not just an 8-hour webinar,” Martinelli said. “It’s going to be much more dynamic than that.”

This year’s event will be held through the virtual conference platform, Whova.

According to Vivian Williams, NEPA MOVES Project Manager, the conference will also be an opportunity for non-profits throughout the region to interact with one another.

Moving an entire in-person conference to the virtual world isn’t without its challenges, however. When asked what the biggest hurdle has been so far, Williams discussed the technology.

“I think really trying to educate and inform the speakers along with the attendees on how to utilize the Whova app and how to get the most out of their experience is probably going to be the biggest challenge.”

But the conference organizers have backup plans and support in place. They expect everything to move smoothly as a result of their hard work and planning.

When asked how people have been responding to the news that the NEPA Learning Conference will be held digitally this year, both Martinelli and Williams said that the feedback has been positive.

 “There hasn’t been any negative feedback about it going virtual,” Williams said. “People were worried that because of the pandemic that we weren’t going to have it. There’s a lot of excitement that the conference is happening this year.”

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2020 NEPA LEARNING CONFERENCE

The 2nd Annual NEPA Learning Conference, hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence in partnership with Moses Taylor Foundation, will be taking place on Thursday, September 17, and Friday, September 18, 2020, through our virtual conference app Whova. This conference will be an opportunity for local nonprofit organizations and nonprofit professionals to receive in-depth training from local and nationally-recognized presenters and to network with peers.

Last month, Moses Taylor Foundation rolled out a social media campaign that recognized National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This observance highlighted the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life to protect yourself and your family against serious diseases. See the gallery below from August's awareness campaign. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook for ongoing outreach.

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Grantee:

Saint Joseph’s Center (SJC)

Grant awarded:

$500,000 over two years for direct support professional wage increase

Supporting Professional Wage Increase

The concept of a living wage has emerged as a topic of conversation recently – both locally and nationally – and it is a challenge that organizations like Saint Joseph’s Center (SJC) in Scranton, Pennsylvania are committed to meeting head on.

SJC employs more than 400 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who are responsible for the physical, social and mental care of its residents. SJC has spent years working to boost employee satisfaction and reduce turnover. In 2015, SJC implemented a first wave of wage increases, boosting the DSP starting hourly rate by $1.00. In 2017, SJC completed a second wage, followed by a third in 2018. 

From exit survey data, SJC learned that, along with an increase in wages, employees wanted the opportunity to advance their careers and learn new skills. During 2018, SJC developed and implemented a DSP Career Ladder and credentialing program, providing DSPs the opportunity to take on increased responsibility; participate in employee development opportunities; and pursue national credentialing. SJC also introduced a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) scholarship program to financially assist DSPs interested in enrolling in an LPN program. Additionally, employee recognition programs were introduced to acknowledge employees’ accomplishments and their commitment to those they serve.

In January 2019, SJC increased the DSP starting hourly wages by another $1.00 each year to bring the starting hourly wage for DSPs to just over $13.00. But that wasn’t the end.

The organization sought to increase wages for DSPs even more, which Sr. Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, President and CEO of SJC, calls “the fight for 15” (i.e., the fight to achieve $15 dollars per hour for DSPs). With the help of Moses Taylor Foundation, SJC received a two-year grant totaling of $500,000 to make a $15 per hour wage a reality. In June 2019, SJC announced that beginning with the July 1, 2019 pay period, most DSPs would receive a wage increase and new hires with experience would also start at $15 per hour.

When asked how the wage increase has positively affected workers, Sr. Maryalice Jacquinot said that employees “feel their work is recognized for the difference it makes in other people’s lives. [A wage increase] takes the pressure off of people, and they know their work is respected, and they’re going to be compensated fairly.”

Sr. Maryalice Jacquinot believes that the wage increase was a big step forward for the organization. There has been a flurry of new hiring, and the organization has placed special emphasis on recruitment and employee retention.

“Teamwork made this possible. I think people appreciate that we are investing in our workforce. From the broadest standpoint, our work reminds people that all life is sacred, and all people deserve respect.”

-Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, President and CEO

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Updates

• In a recent employee survey, one DSP mentioned that since receiving a wage increase, she is now able to put money in her 401(k) plan. Another DSP said he no longer must work two jobs and is finally able to start planning a vacation. A third said she doesn’t have to work as much overtime and is able to spend more time with her daughter.
• With the implementation of a $15 starting wage, SJC was projecting a 5% decrease in annual turnover rate. After eight months, the annual turnover rate is on track for a 24% decrease.
• SJC also projected a 10% reduction in turnover related costs, including overtime, outside agency, and onboarding costs. After eight months, SJC is on track for a 10% reduction.
• SJC has seen a 23% increase in applications and more importantly, the vacancy rate has plummeted to below 10%.
• “DSP For a Day” – state representatives and state senators spent a day with a DSP and clients to see first-hand the job responsibilities of a DSP. This helped the elected officials better understand SJC’s advocacy efforts for a living wage for DSPs.

Moses Taylor Foundation will launch a campaign to recognize that August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Over the course of the upcoming month, we'll share important information and recommendations from the CDC for advised vaccines throughout one's life to protect yourself (and your family) against serious diseases. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook for ongoing outreach.

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Every 10 years, the United States government conducts the census — a national accounting of every person living in every state, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. Nonprofits of every size and type play a crucial role in making sure the communities they serve are properly represented in the census by “getting out the count” and, most importantly, reaching what are known as “hard to count” or “traditionally undercounted” communities. Accurate census data is essential for the equitable allocation of more than $675 billion in annual federal assistance to states, communities, and families. Yet historically, the census has disproportionately undercounted non-English speakers, LGBTQ+, racial minorities, young children, low-income households, and those experiencing homelessness. Moses Taylor Foundation launched a summer social media campaign to bring awareness and provide reminders that organizations and individuals need to report U.S. census information. Check out the gallery below. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook for ongoing outreach.

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Dear Friends, Earlier this month, I posted a brief message on social media in reaction to the murder of George Floyd. In the days since, our board and staff have begun considering our opportunities to advance racial equity in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

We acknowledge we have our own work to do. Our board and staff understand racism from our own individual perspectives. We haven’t taken the time to learn together about systemic racism. We hold no shared understanding of racial equity or agreements on the role advancing racial equity must play in our work.  Learning can seem like an indulgence or an easy way out when significant, urgent actions are required. We think learning is a necessary start. Building our collective knowledge will lay the foundation for smarter, more effective action. A natural lane for our Foundation may be lifting up racism as a public health crisis, advancing practices that address health disparities and policies that dismantle the conditions that perpetuate those disparities. But I’m not really certain where we’ll land. As we learn, we will identify opportunities and set priorities that align with our mission, vision and strategic plan. You may already be working to promote racial equity in your organization. If so, please share what’s been helpful to your learning and how you’re translating learning into action. If, like us you’re just beginning, countless resources are available. I urge you to start anywhere. Below are recommendations we’ve gathered from trusted sources. While most of our funding in the near term is earmarked for COVID-19 response and recovery, we also welcome the opportunity to support your efforts to advance racial equity in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Both crises are urgent, intersectional and vital to the health of our communities. Both underscore how very much the well-being of each of us is tied to one another. In partnership,

LaTida Smith President and CEO Moses Taylor Foundation

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Resources

To inspire learning and thinking about racial equity, we've compiled a few clickable resource links.

Articles:

• “The Curb Cut Effect”(Angela Glover Blackwell)

• “The Groundwater Approach: Building a Practical Understanding of Structural Racism” (Racial Equity Institute)

• “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (Peggy McIntosh)

• “Who Gets to be Afraid in America” (Ibram X. Kendi)

Books

• "Can We Talk About Race?" (Beverly Tatum)

• "How to Be an Antiracist" (Ibram X. Kendi)

• "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" (Michelle Alexander)

• "White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism"(Robin DiAngelo)

Movies/Videos/Webinars:

• "The Impact of Racism on the Health and Well-Being of the Nation" (American Public Health Association)

• "Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" (PBS)

• "What is Systemic Racism?" (Race Forward)

Grantee:

United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Grant awarded:

$42,150 for community health planning

Community Health Planning Grant

As the region continues the transition to managed care for health, behavioral and waiver services, Lisa Durkin, Chief Executive Officer of United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC), and her team decided to ask some important questions:

• How can we improve service delivery in light of this new transition?
• How do we develop a strong plan before implementing a program change?
• Who can help us to achieve our objectives?

An outside consultant, Durkin decided, would be best suited to helping the organization address these questions. Durkin and her team applied for a community health planning grant for $42,150 from Moses Taylor Foundation to partner with a consulting agency for guidance.

After enlisting the services of XtraGlobex, UNC's Community Health Department, which provides care coordination services, facilitates free screenings, and offers health education programs to the community, began building upon its service coordination role. Working with XtraGlobex is helping UNC prepare for credentialing with three Pennsylvania managed care organizations (MCOs): AmeriHealth Caritas, PA Health and Wellness and UPMC.

“It’s been going wonderfully,” Durkin said. “With the help of our consultant, we hope to create a product to sell to the MCOs in early 2020, and that way, the program will be self-sustaining.”

The consultant has helped UNC revise and restructure existing policies; support development of communication strategies within the community regarding waiver services; and identify training opportunities for service coordinators.

“We are at a crossroads with the program now,” she said. “We never questioned the value of it and what it does, but we need to know that these MCOs feel it is valuable enough to partner with us.”

While the outcome remains to be seen, Jessica Wallo, Vice President of Programs and Services, believes preparation and planning around this initiative has already paid off.

“The process has really brought us together even further,” Wallo said, adding that the agency’s department directors now feel more professionally connected to their colleagues, more aware of the impact that each department has on the community and more involved in holistic service delivery.

Looking ahead, Durkin, Wallo and the rest of their team hope to schedule multiple meetings with MCOs. If all goes well, they expect UNC to be contracted to begin new services in mid to later 2020.

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THINKING ABOUT HIRING A CONSULTANT FOR EVALUATING ONE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS?

How to Hire and Work with Consultants: An excerpt from Succeeding with Consultants by Barbara Kibbe and Fred Setterberg.

Working with Consultants: A great set of resources from S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation to help nonprofits successfully engage and work with consultants.