January 2025 Board Meeting Notes

Written By Katie Dudas

In attendance: Rachael Rennebeck, Jennifer Hisdorf, Barb Hickey, Christine Fueller, Bev Cwalina and Lisa Davidson

Meeting started at 7:33 pm

Approved the minutes from the December 2024 meeting

Katie:

  • Committee/Volunteer Priorities

    • Volunteer for care packages

  • Positions to post for

    • Facebook community management- help free up Katie’s time

      • Wishing happy birthday, accepting requests, etc.

      • Specific groups geographically

      • Pittsburgh Marathon Point person

      • Specific event chair since large

      • Monthly events - Bev and Katie

      • Fundraising chair- needed

  • Networking- groups we belong to, events to attend

  • Updating process for care packages. Do an audit of what is going into them and see what could go in at a better price point. Have more items than realized.

    • Amazon wish list for items to direct people who want to help

    • Simplify the procedure

    • Keylock system for storage; change lock combo as needed for security and access

  • Collaboration with similar organizations in 2025

  • Thriver survey

    • Education- Where are the gaps in the community?

    • Support groups- what do they need to look like?

    • Feedback is now looked at anonymously but will have the option to add gift card raffle entry if willing to give name

    • Committee sign up - be specific with availability

  • Katie to work with Chelsea and committee chairs to develop SOP’s

  • Utilize SquareSpace for fundraising

  • Private Thriver side of website. Can log in and see what is coming up. Be less dependent on social media and utilize website more

  • Clean up form responses for more accurate number of Thrivers to collect the data for grant, etc.

Update from Rachael Rennebeck:

Finances:

  • A new bank account was created with Dollar Bank today. New process in the works.

  • We withheld the final payment to the retreat facility to be certain we could meet payroll requirements and monthly expenses

    • This is only to delay it until we receive the final expected and guaranteed money coming in including: $3700 from the 12 days fundraiser and $3k from the Whole Foods Grant. We are still waiting on the remaining $3k from Pine Richland and NH Cheerleading donations.

  • We will be down one storage unit for payment thanks to Katie and Cheslea's hard work of ridding of one unit.

  • We owe grant writer October's monthly retainer fee; Rachael will let us know when we can process that bill after seeing what is in the bank account.

  • Motion was made by Bev to retain current grant writer with a renewed contract., seconded by Lisa and unanimous vote after. Contract was sent over prior to the board meeting for review.

Fundraising:

  • Katie and Rachael executed the 12 Days of Christmas online fundraiser and Katie was a rockstar. She drew the winner every day and coordinated the prize execution. We raised over $3500 that is shear profit!

  • Katie and Rachael are working on a google doc ballot fundraiser for the Oscars and planning a Bingo option with Vintage 416

  • Katie and Rachael are replacing Casino Night at Acrisure with a unique, grass roots, simple fundraiser. We are potentially working with Velum Brewing in the Southside to have a second chance prom celebration type deal for 412 Day as our major event.

  • Rachael has reached out to Caliente to partner on national Pizza Day, 2/9 for a dine and donate with us.

  • Katie and Rachael are organizing a pop-up sock hop at Johnny Angels Ginchy Stuff to sell our boob socks and other merchandise.

Misc.:

  • Lisa McGinty and Rachael had a great conversation, and she will begin heading the Education Committee effective immediately. She has resigned from the board and will be sending in a resignation letter.

  • Meeting for February will be the open meeting at the Woods Run Branch of Duquesne Light on Feb. 3. Details to follow soon

Grants:

  • We will know about one of the grants in March and meet with the third Tuesday of every month moving forward.

  • Katie and Rachael talked to the PGH Foundation about their focuses for this year

Attorney General:

  • Submitted receipts and an awareness explanation to our attorney and are waiting for the decision

  • CPA is also preparing docs for 501c3 reinstatement etc.

  • By-Law Review:

    • Jen reviewed the by-laws and pointed out several areas that we need to revise:

      • Term of the board membership

      • Term of the officer positions

      • Number of board members

Next meeting on February 3rd at 7:30, it will be an open meeting.

Katie Dudas
Next

December’s Volunteer of the Jamie Ross