Annual Report 2010-2011
The Interagency Council of Norristown (ICN) had another active and productive year. We remained dedicated to improving human services in central Montgomery County through the enhancement of communication, networking, advocacy and collaboration among human service organizations, schools and government agencies, and citizens. ICN’s important work was carried out through the volunteer efforts of its Board of Directors and through its part- time paid coordinator. The Finance and Fund Development Committee, the Community Education Committee, the Program and Professional Development Committee and the Central Advisory Board (CAB) Committee also worked to strengthen ICN.
As it has for 25 years, ICN’s Board of Directors continued to focus most of its energy on the organization’s primary purpose, its monthly membership meetings. The Program and Professional Development Committee planned and, with the assistance of the coordinator, executed monthly membership meetings (from September through May) that covered a broad range of informational and interactive topics which helped human service professionals assist more effectively their consumers. Discussions increased members’ understanding of area resources and the needs presented by the diverse population in central Montgomery County, provided valuable information about how their agency’s services may interact or complement other agencies and offered agencies strategies to build capacity within their own organizations in the face of difficult financial times. Monthly topics this year included: At Risk Youth: A Community Response, Mapping the Assets and Needs of Latinos in the Greater Norristown Area, Advocating for Public Benefits and Resources for the Disabled, and Brain Sciences: Offering New Hope for Mental Illnesses.
In an effort to expand ICN’s efforts around Communication and Information Sharing, ICN and the Norristown Area School District continued to collaborate on a community education initiative available to ICN members. School districts and human service agencies are always seeking effective and cost efficient mechanisms to educate the community and residents about their organizations and the programs and services they provide. Agencies also seek to raise awareness about personal, family and workplace concerns and pressing community issues. Utilizing the Norristown Area School District Community Access Channel, opportunities for Public Service Announcements, Informational and Promotional Spots about agencies and a monthly panel TV show, “ICN Presents: Making Connections,†is about relevant community, health and human services topics are made available to the community. This is an effective way to reach the community and educate students and their families about services available to them, issues and concerns in the community, and ways they can be involved in making solutions. During 2010-11, some of the topics presented included Literacy and the Power to Success, Immunization Guidelines and Injury Prevention, Capacity Building ThroughVolunteers, and Youth Violence Trends and Community Prevention Strategies.
During the 2010-11 year, ICN engaged in ongoing professional development through a partnership with the Norristown Area School District. This initiative encompasses trainings, relationship-building, case management and referral coordination as well as the facilitation of collaborations among District staff, the Office of Children and Youth and the Office of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Many children in the District are served by multiple systems, including human service agencies and county offices and it is ICN’s connect to each of these entities that links providers together to provide a more cohesive, holistic array of services to children in need.
Human Service professionals are dedicated to meeting the needs of their clients. ICN is interested in providing the bridges between those who have resources and those who need them. Connections, our regional resource guidebook assists in this endeavor and is an invaluable asset to area professionals. In 2010, ICN’s, Connections pamphlet was updated.
ICN’s revised website (www.icnconnections.org) includes a web-based contact form. Anyone who visits the site can complete the form and their contact information goes to Linda Bean, ICN Coordinator for review and response. This new form is yielding ten to fifteen new contacts each and every week from consumers, family members, organizations and other seeking information about services available to them as well as assistance in accessing those services. Once again, ICN is the link between those in need and the agencies that are providing vital services to our community. Currently ICN is the “go to†agency for this type of information and referral service. ICN is also branching out into other social media, including Facebook and Twitter. These new portals, along with the contact form on the updated ICN website, are receiving over 40 hits each week. Tracking programs allow us to see exactly which pages people are viewing the most on our website: membership meetings, the resource guide, and the television shows (“ICN Connections†show).
This past year ICN remained dedicated to integrating human services and promoting collaboration among organizations in the central Montgomery County region to reduce duplication of efforts and meet the needs of the community. We did this through active participation on the Norristown Weed and Seed Advisory Board, Child Advocacy Network, Bryn Mawr College Civic Engagement Program, Cabrini/Norristown Partnership, Norristown Area School District, (NASD), Core Management Team for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students, and Norristown Area Communities that Care.
This year, ICN continued to play an instrumental role within the Montgomery County Collaborative Board. The Central Advisory Board (CAB), serving the Central region of the County, is a Board of committed key leaders in this region that are working together to improve public systems and enhance communication and collaboration among health and human services and local stakeholders. In the fall of 2007 ICN assumed formal leadership of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and was re-structured as an active board committee. CAB’s focus in 2010-11 has been to educate children and families who reside in the greater Norristown Area School District about available health and human service resources. In September 2010, CAB coordinated information and resource tables at all of the NASD open houses. This served as a positive mechanism to connect families with available community resources. In April 2011, CAB sponsored our 4th Annual “Family Summit†at Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy. This exciting, interactive event focused on creating a fun, safe and healthy lifestyle experience for school-age children and their families throughout the Norristown Area School District. The fun-filled event featured health and wellness screenings, good nutrition demonstrations, sports activities and a community mural project as well as a resource fair on basic needs and afterschool and summer camps and activities. Approximately 300 children and adults were in attendance. In May, 2011 CAB focused on identifying Summer Food Service Sites for the Greater Norristown Community. During the 2010-11 year, United Way of Southeastern hired consultants, Capacity for Change to conduct a needs assessment and evaluation of the Montgomery County Collaborative which is comprised of six regions. Key Informant interviews were conducted for each region and two visioning retreats were held to help to identify future direction of the Collaborative.
ICN appreciates the support of its members, presenters, funders, and community. We value the support of the Pat Kind Family Foundation, the Leo and Peggy Pierce Foundation, and the Connelly Foundation who supported our efforts this past year. The Norristown Area School District’s in-kind support of office space and telephone service is greatly appreciated. We are also grateful for the support of these facilities: the Montgomery County Department of Health office for hosting the ICN board meetings and the Montgomery County Human Service Center for hosting our monthly membership meetings.
ICN Member Meetings
2010-2011
September 2010 Topic: At Risk Youth: A Community Response
Presenter: Wendy Demchik Alloy, Montgomery County Juvenile Court Judge
Panelists: Angela Bell, Norristown Communities that Care
Jim Haig, Safe Schools Healthy Student, NASD
Vivian Schorle, Family Services
Detective Bill Mitchell, Norristown Police Department
October 2010 Topic: Community Building through the Arts
Presenter: Amy Grebe, ACPPA Community Arts Center
Highlight: Eileen Lafferty, Montgomery County Office of BH/DD
November 2010 Topic: Brain Sciences: Offering New Hope for Mental Illnesses
Presenter: Cherian Verghese, MD, Keystone Clinical Studies
December 2010 Topic: Speed Networking
Facilitators: Linda Bean, ICN, and Amy Grebe, ACCPA
January 2011 Topic: Innovative Behavioral Health Initiatives
Presenter: Lee Ann Moyer, Montgomery County Office Of
Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Highlight: James Myers, PATCH
February 2011 Topic: Mapping the Assets of Latinos in Norristown
Panelists: Steve Tyson, Delaware Valley Community Health, Inc.
Joe Leaf, Norristown Area School District
Juan Guerra, ACLAMO
Diana Granados, Family Services
Highlight: Margie Dubrow, NELI Program, Bryn Mawr College
March2011 Topic: Advocating For Public Benefits and Resources for the Disabled
Presenter: Myra Kodner, CADCOM
Susan Strong, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pa
Deborah Jesseman, Norristown Vet Center
Highlight: Joe Spause, Cradles for Crayons
April 2011 Topic: Reinvention and Retention: How to Re-Steer Your Career Without
Leaving Your Job
Presenter: Margie Cherry, Montgomery County Community College
May 2011 30th Annual Meeting and Reception
Performance: Youth of ACPPA Community Art Center
Making Connections TV Show
2010-2011
October 2010 Topics: What is ICN and First Suburbs Project
Panelists: Linda Bean, ICN
Eleanor Dill, Montgomery County Health Department
Dave Forrest, Norristown Municipality
November 2010 Topics: Trends in Youth Violence & Community Prevention Initiatives
Panelists: Karl Fischer, East Norriton Police Department
Brian Kozera, Norristown Police Department
Kate McHugh, The Lincoln Center for Youth
Kim Gianitsos, Carson Valley Children’s Aid
Margarita Bird, Central MH/MR
Jim Haig, Norristown Area School District
January 2011 Topics: Postive Parental Engagement
Panelists: Marty Eggleston, CADCOM
Bethanny Smith, Carson Valley Children’s Aid
February 2011 Topics: The Power of Volunteerism and Norristown PATCH
Panelists: Harriet Klein, RSVP
Kim Tobin , Habitat for Humanity
Cindy Serratore, Girl Scouts of America
James Myers, Norristown PATCH
April 2011 Topics: Immunizations and Car Seat Safety
Panelists: Carolyn Zimmerman, Montgomery County Health Department
Brent Daubenspeck, Montgomery County Health Department
Giselle Knoublauch, Norristown Area School District
April 2011 Topics: NAACP & Literacy As a Path to Success
Panelists: Bonita Hadrick, NAACP Norristown Chapter
Lana Shells, OIC, and NAACP Norristown Chapter
May 2011 Topics: Family Summit and Connecting Families with Community Resources
Panelists: TBA
ICN Boardof Directors
2010-2011
President: Dave Wilkinson, Central Montgomery MH/MR Center
Vice President:
Eleanor Dill, Montgomery County Health Department
Secretary: Linda DeFrancisco, Resident, and Leonis Perone, Family Services
Treasurer: Rita Cupingood, Community Consultant and Resident
Directors: Amy Grebe, ACPPA Community Art Center
Jim Haig, Norristown Area School District
Bonnie Johns, Child Care Information Services of Montgomery County
Nancy Mellon, New Choices/New Options, MCCC
Julie OConnor, Carson Valley Children’s Aid Society
Leonis Perone, Family Services
Jane Mohler Pigott, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit
Karen Shanoski, Community Resident
Steve Tyson, Delaware Valley Community Health, Inc.
ICN Fiscal Report
Fiscal Year July 2010 – June 2011
*6/30/10 Unaudited figures based on some estimates
Beginning of the Fiscal Year Bank Account Balance (7/10) $44,000.00
Annual Revenue: $32,200.00*
Major Categories:
Project Administration Fees: 12,000.00*
Grants: 15,000.00*
Membership Dues and Fees: 5200. 00
Annual Expenses: $28,000.00*
Major Categories:
Administrative: 4,300.00*
Member Meetings: 500.00*
Consultants: 1,200.00
Personnel: 22,000.00*
Bank Account Balance as of 5/15/11 $56,000.00*
This report is generated from actual and anticipated income and expenses. Those figures that include estimated amounts are followed by an asterisk (*). All figures are rounded to the nearest one. Report completed 5/15/11.
