Looking Ahead:

The Volunteer Management Essentials Series

This series is designed for new volunteer managers or as a review for others. It will be offered once in 2015. Attend one session or the whole series. All held 9 am - Noon.

Build a Structure
for Success, 
Wed., May 13

Create Attractive Opportunities and a Recruitment Plan, Wed., May 27

Retention, Recognition and Relationships,
Wed., June 10

by Bonnie Andrews, Volunteer Milwaukee Manager

Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, has certified four Milwaukee nonprofits as Service Enterprise Organizations. 

Guest House, IndependenceFirst, Vision Forward and the Nonprofit Center are among the first organizations in the U.S. to receive this designation. They were part of a national pilot process led locally by Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center.   

Service Enterprise (SE) organizations fundamentally leverage volunteers and their skills to successfully deliver on their mission.  Research shows that SE organizations outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness and are more adaptable, sustainable, and capable of scaling their work.

Certification was achieved through a research-based diagnostic, training and certification process.  Art Works, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, Milwaukee Public Museum and Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers also participated in the 2013-14 training process.   

A new group of nonprofits has just completed their diagnostic and is beginning 16 hours of training with the goal of becoming the next Certified Service Enterprise organizations.  They are: Autism Society of SE Wisconsin, Friedens Community Ministries, Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation, Interfaith Older Adult Programs, Milwaukee Achiever Literacy Services, Ronald McDonald House charities, UW Extension-Milwaukee County, and UW Extension-Wehr Nature Center. 

The Milwaukee Service Enterprise Initiative is funded in part by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Volunteer Generation Fund through Serve Wisconsin.  For more information contact Bonnie Andrews, Volunteer Milwaukee Manager, Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, [email protected].

Related
Wellness Workshop

Say Goodbye to Fast Food:  Eating Healthy at Work

Thursday, March 19
Noon-1:30 p.m. at
CORE El Centro,
130 W. Bruce St.

Need quick, easy and affordable ideas for filling and nutritious midday meals at work? Get recipes and tips for healthy snacks and meals. Participate in a cooking demonstration and enjoy a sample after preparation.

Presenter: Stephanie Calloway, Master Gardener, Urban Agriculturist, and Garden & Nutrition Program Coordinator at CORE/El Centro

Click here to register

February 15 is the last day to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act at healthcare.gov. Many people have questions about health care coverage. If your nonprofit serves or employs people, please share this information with them. Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, a corporate member of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, provides health care to individuals and families covered by government programs. They are offering free enrollment assistance events to the public before the February 15 deadline, listed at the end of the article.

Guest blog by Scott Johnson,
President, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin

With open enrollment closing in less than two weeks, Wisconsin residents have the opportunity to visit the online Federal Health Insurance Exchange – also known as the Marketplace – to explore their health care options. Marketplace provides individuals with competitive health insurance plans for 2015 that will fit their health care needs.

The health insurance Marketplace is a valuable resource for individuals to compare benefits and costs that are within their budget.  The open enrollment deadline is February 15, 2015, so there is still time to choose a plan even for people who did not sign up before December 15, 2014. Eligible individuals who do not have health insurance must choose a plan or pay a penalty with their 2015 tax returns. For 2015, the penalty is either 2% of a person’s income or $325 per adult ($162.50 per child), whichever is higher. Some people qualify for a fee exemption based on income or other situations. Individuals can still avoid the bulk of the penalty if they sign up by February 15, 2015.

Avoiding a tax penalty should not be the main reason to choose a health plan. There are many other good reasons. First of all, health insurance can make it easier and less expensive to manage one’s health.  People with health insurance receive free preventive care including vaccines, screenings, and checkups. Individuals also pay less for doctor visits and have other health care benefits offered by their health plans. Having medical insurance also helps people avoid the high costs that come with unexpected medical care or hospitalization.

Registering for health insurance is a simple process. You can register online at www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to speak with a representative. Nearly 140,000 people in Wisconsin purchased private health insurance through the Federal Exchange for 2014, and this year’s software programs have been refined and upgraded to make registering easier. There are also many organizations across Wisconsin, including Molina, that assist the public with open enrollment.

Below are the Molina Healthcare enrollment assistance events in Milwaukee. If you have questions about these sessions please call Ted Anderson at (414) 239-3933.

Sunday, February 8, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
North Shore Christian Church, 6659 W. Mill Rd.

Monday, February 9, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, 5000 W. Chambers St.

Wednesday, February 11, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Senator Lena Taylor’s Office, 2602 W. Silver Spring Dr.

Thursday, February 12, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Senator Lena Taylor’s Office, 2602 W. Silver Spring Dr.

Saturday, February 14, 12:00-3:00 p.m.
Guadalupe Head Start, 1645 S. 36th St.

Saturday, February 14, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Liberty Tax, 2236 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.

Sunday, February 15,10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Quality of Life Center, 7798 N. 60 St.