October 17, 2018 Twin Valley Seniors 4583 US Route 2 Mail: PO Box 152 East Montpelier, Vermont 05651 www.twinvalleyseniors.org Telephone 802-223-3322 Town of East Montpelier P.O. Box 157 East Montpelier, Vt. 05651-0157 Attention: Funding Request Study Committee Members, Who We Are: Twin Valley Seniors is a local senior center that provides valuable services to older adults located in six central-vermont communities, including East Montpelier. Our mission is to facilitate the social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of independent senior citizens and others by providing access to community resources and activities that maintain independence and wellness. We serve approximately 61 persons in East Montpelier each year. As part of our ongoing effort to improve the quality of life of older adults in your community, we would like to request an appropriation of $4,000 in support of our organization. What We Do: Twin Valley Seniors offers free busing to and from our facility located in East Montpelier. We provide many services, including exercise classes, lectures, meal services (including Meals on Wheels), foot, flu, and blood pressure clinics, an annual balance workshop, art classes, and informative Medicare, fraud, scam, and financial education assistance. Last year we reached out to 110 taxpayers with our free tax clinic workshop. Our space provides a welcoming, homely atmosphere for older adults, allowing them to learn, socialize, and engage in productive, enjoyable activities. How We Do It: We do not charge annual dues to those who utilize our services, as we feel it would exclude and stigmatize those who could not afford to pay. Instead we seek voluntary support from our neighbors, including those in East Montpelier who realize the benefits our organization provides to Vermont s growing senior population. The Twin Valley Senior Center is staffed by two employees and a lot of dedicated volunteers. We have a very modest operating budget ($135,330,00 in Fiscal Year 2018) that we try to stay within for all that we do at the center. Twin Valley Senior Center and its staff, board, and volunteers, as well as our clients remain grateful for the community of East Montpelier s enduring support over the years. An appropriation of $4,000 would greatly assist our organization in continuing to serve those older adults who reside in East Montpelier and its neighboring communities. Thank you for your attention to this letter, and for your consideration of our request. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions. Best Regards, Rita Copeland Rita Copeland, Executive Director
Town of East Montpelier FY2020 Funding Requests Each year the Town of East Montpelier receives requests for funds from many different organizations. The Selectboard appoints a committee to review the requests and to recommend which should appear on the Town Meeting Warning for action. The committee requires certain information to make sound decisions for each request. In order for your organization to be considered for funding, it is mandatory that you complete this information form. Submit the form and supplementary information to: Funding Request Study Committee Town of East Montpelier P.O. Box 157, East Montpelier, VT 05651-0157 (submit by mail) (submit by email) On or before Friday, October 26, 2018. Incomplete forms and/or requests received after this date will be disqualified for funding. The Committee reserves the right to require any requesting organization to defend its request in person at the Committee s annual meeting normally held in early November. An organization applying for the first time or requesting a substantial increase in funding should expect an invitation to attend the annual meeting. If your organization operates two or more programs with separate budgets or funding sources, please fill out one form for each program. All information should be given for your latest complete fiscal year (12 months). Approved requests will be acknowledged in the fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020) budget for the Town of East Montpelier. Please feel free to submit any other information you feel would be helpful to the committee in making their decision. If you have any questions please contact Bruce Johnson, Town Administrator, at (802) 223-3313 x 204 or eastmontadmin@comcast.net. STANDARD INFORMATION Organization Name: Twin Valley Seniors, Inc. Address: P.O. Box 152 4583 US Rte. 2 East Montpelier, Vt. 05651 Fiscal Year Reported: 2017/2018 Program Description: Senior Center serving meals at center and Meals on Wheels. Exercise programs, art, meditation, and yoga and Tai Chi classes. Free Tax workshop, foot clinics, blood pressure clinics and educational programs, plus act as a referral service for one seeking information for themselves or an aging loved one. Free door to door transportation. Name of Person filling out this form: Rita Copeland Name of Person to contact with questions: Rita Copeland Phone Number: 802-223-3322 E-mail: Twinvalleyseniors@myfairpoint.net AMOUNT OF FUNDING REQUEST: $4,000.
SERVICE INFORMATION What is your organization's service area? State? Washington County? or Other? East Montpelier, Calais, Woodbury, Cabot, Marshfield & Plainfield in Washington County. What is the total number of individuals served by your organization in your prior Fiscal Year? We served 11,448 Meals on Wheels to homebound; during the three days open weekly 3,292 meals were served at the center. This does not include fundraiser dinners. How many people in East Montpelier residents were served by your organization in the same period? There are 8 that attend the center regularly during the week for lunches. There presently are 14 residents who receive Meals on Wheels. Twelve attend art, yoga and meditation classes. There are 27 that attend Bone Builders classes. This does not count for town residents that have their taxes prepared or the foot clinics. What type of service(s) does your organization provide to East Montpelier residents? Free exercise classes for their health, blood pressure, foot clinics, flu clinics. Classes in Yoga, Meditation and Art which does cost the participate $35.00 to cover cost of instructor. Free tax service to all seniors and low income residents in East Montpelier. For the Meals on Wheels participants and congregate seniors, we have our Pet program that covers buying pet food, visiting Veterinarian and Groomer. At present no East Montpelier residents are on the program. Approximately how many staff hours are dedicated to provide the services your organization offered East Montpelier residents during this time period? The staff hours are 3,380 plus volunteer hours which for the year consisted of 7,024 hours. What services does your organization provide that are not available elsewhere? Meals on Wheels, Congregate meals, art classes, Bone Builders, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Meditation classes all close to home and most is free plus we do not charge an annual fee to belong. Free tax service, foot clinics, blood draws, educational & financial information, plus updated Medicare, fraud & telephone scam information which has proven to be beneficial to a couple of the seniors at the center. The information also goes out to our homebound clients. We provide a weekly gathering place. Free door to door transportation for our service towns, hot meals 3x s weekly and 7 days coverage of meals for the homebound residents. What (if any) organizations provide similar services? None on a regular basis. With no annual dues it allows low income residents to participate in healthy living classes that they may not otherwise be able to afford. The center helps combat isolation & loneliness. We assist with information to the residents that need help in seeking information for rides, heat, ramps and other information they do not know who to contact. We also take in and loan out medical equipment plus donated hygiene items, etc. East Montpelier Funding Request Form Page 2
If applicable, how does your organization collaborate with organizations providing similar services? We work closely with hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, Vt. Center for Independent Living, physician offices, CVHHH, plus CVCOA and local schools. In what way are the services your organization provides preventative in nature? Blood Pressure clinics, Foot clinics for Diabetes check, exercise programs to help elderly keep moving, socialization to combat isolation, check on homebound residents who receive meals, a nutritional meal if on the program and if they attend the center. Help taking care of their beloved pet companion. FINANCIAL INFORMATION How did your organization determine the amount of the funding request? Please explain in detail your reasoning for any increase or decrease (use attached sheet if necessary). TVSC has expanded their programs either by request or TVSC offering more programs so that it benefits everyone in the towns we serve at a much more affordable cost than outside area programs. Growth brings everyday expenses more costly. TVSC works hard doing monthly fundraisers but it is still difficult to have enough funds for the overall operation of the center which is an asset for the towns we serve. If approved by the town, how will your organization use the funds? Funding from the towns will help with the overall operating cost of the center which consists of rent, propane, food and supplies for Meals on Wheels and congregate meals. As we grow so does the need for financial help from the towns we serve. Our budget is very modest for all that the center offers. Do any of your grant sources require local financial commitment? Explain. NO Is your organization approved by the IRS as tax-exempt? Yes If yes, indicate your approval type: 501c3 I am emailing a separate paper showing our Revenue and Expenses clearly. INCOME SOURCES PERCENT OF INCOME TOTAL INCOME Federal State Local Towns United Way Fundraising East Montpelier Funding Request Form Page 3
Other Other TOTAL EXPENDITURES Personnel Insurance/Rent/Utilities Fundraising Costs Other Other Total Budgeted Percent Budgeted Dollars Actual Expense Percent Actual Expense Dollars Number of full-time paid staff positions (full-time equivalents or hours) 2 Number of full-time volunteer staff positions (full-time equivalents or hours): We have 45 volunteers throughout the center handling different positions. FY 2018 total volunteer hours were 7,024. East Montpelier Funding Request Form Page 4
Twin Valley Senior Center For year ending 9/30/2018 Revenues Sub category FY 2018 % of Income Year Budget 1. Federal $0.00 $0.00 2. State $41,163.58 33% $42,980.00 2a. CVCOA contract $38,531.08 2b VCIL $2,632.50 2. Town funds $8,800.00 7% $12,000.00 3. United Way 4. Fundraising $41,166.16 33% $44,850.00 5. Other: Individual Donations $25,911.34 21% $23,000.00 5a. Donations-Meals at Center $9,153.34 5b. Donations-Home Delivered Meals $16,758.00 6. Other: Corrections $0.00 0% $0.00 7. Other: Non Government Grants $9,270.41 7% $12,500.00 8. Sub-total revenue $126,311.49 100% $135,330.00 Expenses FY 2018 % of Expense Year Budget % of Budget 1. Personnel $46,279.03 38% $53,210.00 39% 1a. Executive Director $27,378.46 1b. Cook $18,661.71 2. Mileage - volunteers for HDM $8,464.60 7% $10,000.00 7% 3. Insurance/Rent/Utilities $32,208.45 26% $31,405.00 23% 3a. Insurance $2,418.50 3b. Rent $24,000.00 3c. Utilities $1,521.92 3d. Telephone $722.12 13. Audit/legal $1,000.00 4. Direct Expenses:Food & Consumables $17,430.78 14% $26,376.00 19% 4a. Consumables/supplies: office $731.35 4b. Consumables/supplies: meals $3,443.51 4c. Raw food or catering $13,255.92 5. Fundraising $11,188.76 9% $11,487.00 8% 5a. Advertising $5,342.77 5b. Fund raising expenses $4,761.12 5c. Training (staff & volunteers) $0.00 5d. Postage $1,084.87 6. Maintenance/Support contracts $3,021.90 2% $552.00 0% 7. Other:Restricted/Special Fund Expense $2,391.57 2% $1,800.00 1% 8. Equipment $916.00 1% $500.00 0% 23. Total expenses $121,901.09 100% $135,330.00 100%