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The Patterson Foundation (TPF) Newsletter
September 2020
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The Patterson Foundation, as an endowed charitable entity, does not solicit funds
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THE CENSUS: FOUR DAYS LEFT
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WHEN EVERYONE HELPS, WE CAN ALL BE COUNTED
Census 2020, like much of this year, hasn't gone according to what we anticipated. However, with just days left until the September 30 deadline, our community efforts are stronger than ever.
Across the Suncoast, we have seen citizens, nonprofits, businesses, media, and the local government play critical roles in helping to educate our communities on the importance of completing Census 2020. You still have time to be counted: visit www.my2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020.
So far, two of our four counties have exceeded their 2010 self-response rates by more than three percent, and two more are on track to meet their 2010 numbers.
Enumerators (census door-knockers) are still out in the field working long hours to make sure that 100% of households in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties are counted. As of September 23, with one week left, 93.2% of Floridians had been enumerated. Whether it's in person, over the phone, or online, we all count!
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Remember that schools, roads, healthcare, emergency response, and state representatives are determined by census data. These programs receive $675 billion EACH YEAR. That means, when we are undercounted, the impact isn't in thousands or millions, but billions and trillions, of lost community funding.
In the last nine months, so much has shifted. TPF considers itself fortunate beyond measure to have worked with community partners to create a network of accurate, up-to-date information around Census 2020. TPF has partnered with school nutrition sites, groups distributing masks, after-hours Zoom networking events, summer learning programs, and so much more. The goal is to ensure that EVERY person understands that they matter and should be counted. As project manager for Census 2020 Education at TPF, I would like to thank many of our partners in this effort:
- The Herald-Tribune Media group for understanding the importance of Census 2020 and helping our community learn through Aspirations Journalism.
- All Faiths Food Bank
- Arcadia Housing Authority
- Catholic Charities/Casa San Juan Bosco Community
- Charlotte County Complete Count Committee
- Community Foundation of Sarasota County
- DeSoto County Complete Count Committee
- DeSoto County Public Schools
- Jake Hartvigsen, TPF Community Engagement Consultant
- Manatee Community Foundation
- Manatee Public Schools
- Manatee County Government and Neighborhood Services
- Manatee Chamber of Commerce
- Meals on Wheels Plus, Meals on Wheel North Port, Meals on Wheels Sarasota
- Sarasota City Complete Count Committee
- Sarasota Public Schools
- Sarasota Ministerial Association
- Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
- SolMart Media
- Suncoast Campaign for Grade Level Reading
- UnidosNow
- United Way of Charlotte County
- United Way Suncoast
- 96.5 WSLR Fogartyville
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ADVANCING MISSION THRIVABILITY
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| | Alexander Myles Thrivemore |
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THE JOURNEY CONTINUES FOR SIX LOCAL NONPROFITS
By John Ferguson, TPF Fellow 2020/21
Advancing Mission Thrivability began as a three-session interactive learning experience, including two "labinars" and one "webversation" with 141 participants total, representing 56 local nonprofit organizations.
Those three sessions addressed thrivability from the lens of economically informed, mission-centric decision-making, related to operational and programmatic cuts made necessary by COVID-19.
Each participant gained valuable perspective and simple tools to employ in their decision-making, now and in the future. According to the feedback we received, participants found tremendous value through their participation and indicated a strong likelihood to use the tools, such as the decision-making matrix.
While all involved organizations had a valuable experience, there were several who wanted more. To facilitate a deeper dive, The Patterson Foundation called upon expert consultants Mike Oxman and Larry Clark from No Margin, No Mission to offer them the opportunity to participate in a 4-week consulting "sprint."
To be considered for the consulting sprint, organizations had to submit a thoughtfully crafted advancement packet, outlining their current situation and why they felt this opportunity would be right for them. Their packets included a ranking of their current products, programs, and services by economic return and mission impact.
Each selected organization demonstrated careful consideration of their unique circumstances and laid out compelling cases for why this opportunity would be beneficial for them. Each nonprofit also demonstrated their ability to move forward and fully embrace TPF's concept of LWRCC (Leadership, Willingness, Readiness, Capacity, and Culture), as follows:
- Organizational leaders are ready and willing to put in the work to make the consulting sprint valuable
- Organizations have the capacity and the culture to make the work stick beyond the 4-week commitment
For those reasons, six local nonprofits were selected to move forward into the 4-week consulting sprint of Advancing Mission Thrivability.
So who are they?
We are excited to see how each of their continued efforts unfold. Sprints begin soon, so everyone get ready, get set, go!
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Recently, TPF announced its new initiative, Digital Access for All (DA4A), which is currently in its discovery phase.
The DA4A initiative is exploring the efforts of multiple sectors -- individuals, businesses, nonprofits, government, and the media -- working to enhance access to technology that connects people in ways that foster inclusion and well-being.
In partnership with the Herald-Tribune, Aspirations Journalism is covering this exploration through stories that build empathy and evolve our understanding. HT's reporting explains what digital access entails, how it affects our daily lives, and why it's important, while revealing opportunities for collaboration.
Aspirations Journalism recently highlighted a local nonprofit, Suncoast Technology Users Group (STUG), which fixes and donates computers to people in need. STUG's refurbishing group accepts Windows and Mac computers, as well as monitors, tablets, hard drives, optical drives, webcams, microphones and wireless routers.
Digital access is necessary to thrive in today's society, and COVID-19 has accelerated this trend. From learning, to healthcare, to filing for unemployment, almost everything is happening online.
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THE READING CHALLENGE CONTINUES!
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On August 10, SCGLR shared its 100th webisode of THIS BOOK IS COOL! -- a series of webisodes to encourage a love of reading. While summer is over and school has begun, we can be delighted to know that THIS BOOK IS COOL! webisodes will live on. Since June 1, there have been more than 26,700 views.
"How many children participated in the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading's Summer Reading Challenge?
5,302! How many books did they read? 94,383! A huge thank you to all our partners in the region who made it possible."
-- Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from children and their parents, SCGLR is making plans so that families, educators, public libraries, and community centers can use this tool to promote the joys of literacy.
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