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PER SPEAKER.UH, THE GOAL IS TO GET US UP BY SIX 30.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE, UH, OKIE DOKIE
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, THE, THE OFFICIAL MEETING IS SET TO START.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ROLL RIGHT INTO THE SIX 30 OFFICIAL START MEETING.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE TIME AND SAVE ROOM FOR QUESTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, FIRST UP, I BELIEVE WE HAVE CAMILLE HADLEY WITH LITTLE GROWERS.
GOOD EVENING, CITY OF MELBOURNE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
I'M SO EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE WORK THAT LITTLE GROWERS HAS BEEN DOING.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, COUNCILMAN NEWMAN.
I AM THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LITTLE GROWERS INC.
UM, THIS ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED BY MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING 'CAUSE HE'S AT WORK.
UM, BUT WE FOUNDED THIS ORGANIZATION FOR THOSE FOUR CUTE LITTLE BOYS IN THAT PICTURE.
AND AT THE TIME THAT LITTLE GROWERS WAS FOUNDED IN 2017, WE WERE LIVING IN, UH, THE POWELL DRISCOLL SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS A FOOD DESERT COMMUNITY.
AND MY KIDS WERE EATING ME OUTTA HOUSE AND HOME.
SO I WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO NOT ONLY, UH, SUPPLEMENT THE FOOD THAT WAS COMING INTO MY OWN HOME, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE HEALTHIER OPTIONS TO MY KIDS.
SO ME AND MY HUSBAND STARTED GROWING IN POTS IN OUR FRONT YARD, AND THEN ALL THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WERE LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE? AND WE DECIDED TO TEACH THEM HOW TO GROW HEALTHY FOODS.
AND SO WE THEN PLANTED OUR FIRST COMMUNITY GARDEN AT CLUB ESTEEM, WHICH IS LOCATED IN LIPSCOMB STREET PARK.
UM, WE PARTNERED WITH THE LIPSCOMB PARK ASSOCIATION, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE BEGAN TO GROW FOOD.
AND WE HAD WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE AFTERSCHOOL KIDS THAT PARTICIPATED IN CLUB ESTEEM.
AND EVERY WEEK THEY TOOK HOME FOOD.
THEY KEPT JOURNALS OF WHAT THEY WERE TAKING HOME.
IT WAS VERY COOL, VERY EXCITING.
AND WE GOT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF HEALTHY FOODS THAT THEY WERE EATING IN THEIR HOMES.
SO THEN HURRICANE IRMA HIT, UH, HURRICANE ARMA WATERLOGGED, ALL OF OUR GARDENS, THE GARDENS THAT WE WERE GROWING AT HOME, THE GARDENS THAT WE WERE GROWING AT CLUB ESTEEM.
AND WHAT THAT ENDED UP DOING IS IT ENDED UP CAUSING US TO RETHINK THE WAY WE WERE DESIGNING FOR FOOD SECURITY, BUT ALSO FOR CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO WE DECIDED TO START TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY EXPERIENCED DURING HURRICANE IRMA.
BEING A COMMUNITY THAT EXPERIENCED FLOODING FOR THREE WEEKS STRAIGHT.
WE COULDN'T GET OUT, FEMA COULDN'T GET IN.
AND WHEN THEY FINALLY DID, THEY END UP CONDEMNING MY HOUSE.
SO I HAD TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA, BUT MY WORK DIDN'T STOP.
I, I STOOD AT THE END OF THAT DRIVEWAY AND I SAID, GOD, I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND I'M GONNA FIX THE FOOD.
I'M GONNA FIX THE FLOODING, AND I'M GONNA FIX THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FACING.
SO AS WE BEGAN TO MEET WITH, UM, COMMUNITY, WE LEARNED THAT THEY HAD OTHER CONCERNS OUTSIDE OF JUST THE FLOODING AND FOOD SECURITY, BUT THERE WERE ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT TOXICITY IN THE AREA.
SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, THRIVING EARTH EXCHANGE, AND UM, ALSO WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA.
AND WE DID THIS GIS MAP AND MAP SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY TOXINS.
AND RATHER THAN USING THIS MAP AS A TOOL TO KIND OF SCARE OUR COMMUNITY, WE EDUCATED THEM ABOUT THE TOXINS THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING, HOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, VERSUS COMING TO OUR COUNCIL AND SAYING, HEY, YOU GUYS NEED TO FIX THIS, BUT NO, WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SOLUTIONS FOR OURSELVES.
WE CAN THINK ABOUT DESIGNING FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE BEGAN TO TEACH THROUGH A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE CALLED MAKE A GREEN NOISE.
SO WE'VE HAD WHAT, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 OF THESE WORKSHOPS MAKE A GREEN NOISE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE WORKSHOP.
WE'VE HAD UPWARDS OF 150 PEOPLE, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE WORKSHOPS.
SO THESE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE EDUCATION ABOUT CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND, UM, ALSO FOOD SECURITY.
AND IT ALSO ENGAGES COMMUNITY IN HELPING DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF SOUTH MELBOURNE AND ALSO NORTHEAST PALM BAY.
WE DO SOME WORK IN THAT AREA AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COCOA.
SO, UM, AS WE BEGAN TO RETHINK THE WAY THAT WE WERE GONNA DO THIS WORK, WE PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, UM,
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TO NOT ONLY DESIGN FOR FOOD, BUT ALSO TO DESIGN FOR CLIMATE.UM, THAT INCLUDES FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
EMILY RALSTON, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE HERE.
UM, AND WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, WHO'S DONE SOME BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENTS IN THE AREA.
AND WE ARE NOW A PART OF THEIR BROWNFIELD'S COUNCIL.
SO THE BROWNFIELD, UM, THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, IT JUST RECEIVED $1.5 MILLION IN EPA FUNDS, WHICH THEY ARE LEVERAGING TO DESIGN FOR US A FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY EX EXECUTING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WE'VE, WE'VE ALSO RUN A DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANT, TOTALING $1.5 MILLION.
THAT GRANT IS CURRENTLY FUNDING SOME, UM, CLIMATE DATA ANALYSIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ALSO INSTALLED 11 WEATHER STATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AT WHICH COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE MONITORING AND REPORTING ON THESE WEATHER STATIONS.
TOOK WHAT WAS FORMALLY A WEATHER DESERT TO NOW A WEATHER OASIS.
SO WE ARE GETTING LOTS OF WEATHER INFORMATION ON HUMIDITY, ALL OF THAT STUFF FROM THESE WEATHER STATIONS.
AND THE RESIDENTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE COLLECTING AND REPORTING ON THAT DATA.
UM, WHAT'S ALSO BEEN PRETTY AWESOME IS THAT WE RECENTLY WON THE NATIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCE FROM, FROM THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION.
THIS FUND IS ALLOWING US TO PARTNER WITH, UM, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN MELBOURNE, TWO IN COCOA, AND THREE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ALL WHO HAVE RECEIVED SUB-AWARDS FROM THIS GRANT FROM LITTLE GROWERS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF WE ARE GIVING THEM MONEY, THEN YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
UM, AND WE ARE GIVING THEM FUNDING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO HELP INFORM HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS WORK DONE.
UM, THE NATIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCE FUND IS ALLOWING US TO DESIGN UP TO 10 COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WE WILL IMPLEMENT FOR FLOOD RESILIENCE TO SUPPORT THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON AND NATIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
ACTUALLY WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS.
SO WE DID ONE IN PERSON THROUGH MAKE A GREEN NOISE, AND THEN WE ALSO DID ONE ON ZOOM.
AND THEY ARE ALREADY HELPING US TO DESIGN SOLUTIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE HOPING TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF MELBOURNE ON.
ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT IS WELL UNDERWAY THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANT, IS OUR NATIVE PLANT PRAIRIE AT STONE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BEGIN INSTALLING THAT PLANT PRAIRIE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ON AUGUST 6TH.
UM, SO WE'LL BE FINISHING THAT UP.
IT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND IF YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE TO THE LEFT, IT IS NEAR THE SCHOOL, UM, BUS ROUTE, THE BUS COMPOUND PART.
THAT WAY WE CAN MITIGATE SOME OF THE FLOODING THAT'S OCCURRING IN THAT BUS LOOP AREA.
UM, WE ALSO DO OUR SUMMER EARN AND LEARN PROGRAM.
YOU SEE MY STUDENTS IN THE BACK.
UM, OUR SUMMER EARN AND LEARN PROGRAM JUST COMPLETED ITS FIFTH YEAR OF OPERATION.
THAT PROGRAM THIS YEAR HAD 13 STUDENTS ENROLLED WHO WERE ENGAGED IN LAGOON RESTORATION, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE EDUCATION.
THEY GOT CPR CERTIFIED, THEY WENT TO A NATIONAL PARK, THEY ATTENDED A BANQUET.
UM, AND THEY INSTALLED WEATHER STATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE DO PAY OUR STUDENTS, EACH STUDENT, IT CAN EARN BETWEEN 500 AND $1,200 FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
SO THEY START AT 500, THEY MOVE UP TO MENTOR AT 700, AND THEN WE INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE ON STAFF AT $1,200 PER YEAR.
SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE LOOKED LIKE WHEN WE WERE A DATA DESERT.
AND NOW AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE ALL THESE WEATHER STATIONS INSTALLED.
IF YOU SCAN THIS QR CODE, YOU CAN SEE THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING FROM THESE WEATHER STATIONS.
AND THAT DATA INCLUDES TEMPERATURE, WIND SPEEDS AND ALL OF THAT.
ALSO, UM, RAINFALL MATTRESSES.
SO IT'S VERY COOL, VERY EXCITING.
THE WEATHER STATION ON SARNO IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE, I, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING JUST GREAT THINGS AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME.
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WE ARE ALSO, UH, JUST AWARDED THE PRIORITY COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON NATIONAL ESTUARIES PROGRAM, WHICH WE WILL BE USING TO INSTALL AN INTEGRATED MULTI TROPHIC AQUACULTURE SYSTEM, SAY THAT FIVE TIMES FASTSO WE WILL BE INSTALLING IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON MANGROVES, UM, SEA GRASS, AS WELL AS OYSTERS AND CLAMS FOR LAGOON RESTORATION.
AND THIS ACTUAL SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE BUILT AT ONE OF OUR PARTNER SITES, ONE OF THE CBOS THAT RECEIVED A GRANT, UM, FROM OUR PROJECT ALMOST DONE.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS BY PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.
YOU HAVE A CLOSED PARK AT A RO, IT'S CALLED ROBERTS PARK.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY INSTALLED SOME RESTORATION RIGHT NEXT TO THAT, UM, WITH SOME OYSTER REEFS AT THE, UH, FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECH TECHNOLOGIES, MERTON ANCHORAGE.
SO WE ARE WANTING TO EXPAND THAT RESTORATION TO ROBERTS PARK AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THE CITY OF MELBOURNE WILL BE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH US AND HELPING US TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.
SO I'M AT TIME, OVER TIME, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
IS THERE A FINAL CALL TO ACTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO PROPOSE TO US OR ANYTHING YOU WANNA SEND ALONG? LIKE THE STONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, PROJECT AS WELL AS THIS SEEMS GREAT.
IF YOU COULD EMAIL US SOMETHING, UH, TO GET INVOLVED.
UM, WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN US AGAIN.
THAT PLANTING STARTS AT NINE 30 TO 1130.
SO PLEASE, WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK.
BRING SOME WATER, BRING SOME TOWELS TO HELP US DRY OFF.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE HOT OUT THERE.
AND YES, ALSO WANTED TO, UM, SAY, AND I, I THINK, ARE THERE OTHER COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE ALSO DOING IN THE SOUTH MELBOURNE AREA? SO WE DID ALSO DO A PROJECT AT HERITAGE PARK APARTMENTS.
UM, WE STARTED THAT PROJECT SIMILAR TO HOW WE STARTED AT CLUB ESTEEM AND NOW THE THE APARTMENT COMMUNITY.
WE TRAINED THE COMMUNITY FOR A YEAR ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROJECT.
AND NOW THE COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN OVER MANAGEMENT OF THAT SITE.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO DEVELOP A PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MACEDONIA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COALITION.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO BE AT 8 2 3 BROTHERS AVENUE, WHICH WILL BE A FOOD FOREST DEMONSTRATION SITE.
WHERE'S ONE, WHERE'S ROBERTS PARK? BECAUSE I GET MIXED UP.
I EVEN GET MIXED UP SOMETIMES WITH THE PARKS AND ALL THAT.
SO WHERE'S ROBERTS PARKS AT? I DON'T KNOW WHERE ROBERT PARK.
SO IT'S, IF YOU CAN HELP ME, DR.
STON WITH THAT, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, IF YOU GO DOWN EAST RIVER DRIVE, ASK THE ENTRANCE TO, UM, FLORIDA TECH BUR CENTER, THE ROAD DEAD ENDS INTO ROBERTS PARK.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, DO YOU EVER DO ANYTHING WITH NEIGHBOR UP? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD RAISED BEDS AND THEY DO GARDENING OUT THERE IN, UH, THE NORTH FLOOR, NORTH FLOOR, NORTH MELBOURNE, NORTH MELBOURNE AREA.
THEY DO NEIGHBORS UP AND I'VE BEEN OVER THERE AND THEY HAVE THE RAISED GARDENS AND THEY DO A GARDENING THING.
HAVE YOU GUYS, RATHER THAN DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, DOING TWO THINGS, HAVE YOU EVER WORKED TOGETHER WITH THEM? I HAVE.
UM, I DID HELP WITH THE BEGINNING WHEN THEY, BEFORE THEY PLANTED THE GARDEN MM-HMM
I, WE KIND OF WALKED THE SITE TOGETHER AND TALKED ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE SET UP.
UM, BEYOND THAT, WE ARE REALLY, I LIKE TO CONSIDER LITTLE GROWERS AS A COMMUNITY COLLABORATOR.
THAT'S WHY THE PRESENTATION IS CALLED SEEDING SOLUTIONS.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TRY TO HELP COMMUNITY AND, AND RESIDENTS AND GROUPS GET STARTED AND THEN WE LEAVE THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD.
UH, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I KNOW WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS AND I THINK, I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOUR NEXT, UH, MAKE A GREEN NOISE IS, BUT I KNOW, UH, I ATTENDED THE LAST ONE AND, UH, THAT WAS THE CITY OF MELBOURNE PERSONNEL THAT WAS THERE IN SUPPORT.
SO CONTINUE UP, CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK AND, AND, UH, TO THE VICE MAYOR'S POINT, YOU KNOW, UM, SUBMIT A PROPOSAL OR SOMETHING.
UH, SO THAT WAY, UH, WE CAN MAYBE COME TO SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION OF, OF ACTION AND DECISION.
LET NEXT MAKE A GREEN NOISE IS GOING TO BE THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN OCTOBER.
IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN OCTOBER.
AND THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN MAY.
AND WE WILL BE SUBMITTING SOMETHING TO YOU ALL SOON AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET YOUR SUPPORT ON GETTING OUR PERMITTING AND ET CETERA FOR OUR BROTHERS AVENUE CRANE CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT.
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UM, WE GIVE THEM 15 MINUTES, BUT, UH, CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MR. MCKEWAN? COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER LARUSSO IS NOT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER BASSETT IS ALSO NOT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KENNEDY IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
AND MAYOR ALFRE IS ALSO ABSENT.
AND THEN, UH, NEXT STEP WILL BE VICE MAYOR.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BASSETT DID CONTACT ME.
SHE WAS HAVING SOME CAR ISSUES.
UM, NEXT UP WILL BE CHRISTIE STEWART FOR LOVE INC.
OF TALKING ABOUT ASSET MAPPING.
UM, BEFORE SHE GETS STARTED, I, UM, I PUT TOGETHER A, A LITTLE TREATIES ABOUT WHAT ASSET MAPPING IS, AT LEAST FROM MY STANDPOINT.
AND, UH, AND THEN AS THEY GO THROUGH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT REMEMBER WE HAD A WORKSHOP ON, ON HOMELESSNESS, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
SO, WE'LL, WHICH PAGE IS THAT? UH, SHOULD HAVE, OH, I ONLY HAVE THE COPIES HERE.
HERE, GIMME ONE MORE DOWN THIS WAY.
I'M CHRISTY STEWART WITH LOVE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST LOVE INC.
UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GIVE A BIT OF AN UPDATE COMING OUT OF THAT, UM, HOMELESS MEETING THAT WE HAD A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, I WANNA SHOW YOU A LITTLE VIDEO HERE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LOVE INC.
THAT'S NOT INCORPORATED, BUT RATHER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.
WE ARE A NON-DENOMINATIONAL MINISTRY ON A MISSION TO MOBILIZE LOCAL CHURCHES TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.
SIMPLY PUT, WE HELP CHURCHES HELP PEOPLE.
WHY? BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THERE'S NOTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN CHURCHES WORKING TOGETHER AS THE BODY OF CHRIST, AS THE BODY OF CHRIST.
EVERY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION, IS CALLED TO SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS AND SHARE THEIR RESOURCES.
THEY'RE CALLED TO WALK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITHIN THEIR WALLS AND OUT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO, WHERE DO WE COME IN? LOVE INC.
CONNECTS THE CALLING OF LOCAL CHURCHES TO THE STRUGGLES OF THE COMMUNITY.
A COMMUNITY MEMBER WITH A NEED CALLS A LOCAL CHURCH.
THIS COULD BE A SIMPLE REQUEST LIKE DIAPERS FOR THEIR CHILD OR FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILY, OR SOMETHING BIGGER, LIKE A BED FOR THEIR DAUGHTER, A RIDE TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF SUPPORT.
AND THEY ASK, CAN YOU HELP ME? THE CHURCH CAN SAY, YES.
WE PARTNER WITH OTHER CHURCHES SO THAT WE CAN CALL LOVE INC TO LEARN MORE.
SO THEY CALL AND WE PICK UP, WE LISTEN TO THEM, WE GET TO KNOW THEM, THEIR STRENGTHS AND STRUGGLES, THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS. WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MORE THAN THEIR CURRENT CRISIS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST ABOUT MEETING NEEDS, WE'RE ABOUT MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT AND CARING FOR THEM HOLISTICALLY.
THEN THROUGH LOVE INC'S NETWORK OF CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, WE WORK TO HELP.
DIAPERS ARE PROVIDED BY ONE CHURCH, GROCERIES BY ANOTHER.
RIDES ARE ARRANGED WITH CARING CHURCH VOLUNTEERS WHILE CLASSES AND MENTORING ARE PROVIDED BY OTHERS.
AND IT'S ALL COORDINATED BY LOVING.
SO AT EVERY STEP, OUR NEIGHBORS ARE MET WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
WHILE OUR PARTNER CHURCHES ARE FREE TO FOCUS ON SERVING ACCORDING TO THEIR STRENGTHS, KNOWING THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE FULLY CARED FOR BY THE BODY OF CHRIST WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, THE RESULT TRANSFORMED LIVES, TRANSFORMED CHURCHES AND TRANSFORMED COMMUNITIES.
WILL YOU JOIN US IN THIS WORK? VISIT LOVE INC.ORG TO FIND OUT MORE OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LOVE INC TO GET CONNECTED IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND MR. MCCUEN, WILL YOU, UH, ADD TO THE RECORD THAT COUNCILWOMAN BASSETT'S HERE AT SIX 17? THANK YOU.
UM, SO WE WALK WITH PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND RELATIONALLY.
AND, UM, WE DO THAT THROUGH THIS NEED MEETING NETWORK.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT MARCUS AND BREVARD HOMOS COALITION HAS ASKED US TO PARTNER TOGETHER, UM, HERE IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE TO PUT TOGETHER WORK GROUPS.
UM, AND A PART OF THAT WILL BE ASSET MAPPING.
SO WE, WE WANNA BRING THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND CONSTITUENTS TOGETHER HERE IN THE CITY, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS DO, WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER, AND THEN BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S MISSING IN THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO PROVIDE THAT FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.
AND PART OF THAT WILL BE ASSET MAPPING.
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WITH ME.SHE'S GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THAT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT LOVE INC? WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY RESOURCE GUIDE.
SO WE'RE REALLY A PERFECT ORGANIZATION TO HELP LEAD THIS FORWARD HERE IN THE CITY.
IF WE HAVEN'T MET, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY PROMISE OF BREVARD, BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT IN MY ROLE AS THE DIRECT SERVICES CHAIR FOR OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO KIND OF FILL IN THE, UM, THE, THE HOLES, UH, TO, TO KIND OF TELL THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY AROUND, UM, ASSET MAPPING AND HOW IT'S GOING TO HELP US MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
UM, THIS IS, UH, YOU JUST HEARD FROM LOVE INC.
UH, ABOUT THEIR WORK IN MELBOURNE.
UM, AND I HAD SAID THAT, UH, THEY ARE GONNA BE PART OF, UH, ALIGNING EFFORTS HERE IN MELBOURNE, BUT IT'S PART OF A BIGGER APPROACH FOR THE WHOLE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE IS, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO EXPLAIN IT.
IT IS LED BY THE BREVARD HOMELESS COALITION, AND IT'S MADE UP OF GOVERNMENT.
IT'S MADE UP OF EDUCATION, UH, LEADERS, UH, OUR MUNICIPALITIES, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, UH, OUR FAITH PARTNERS, ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE HOUSED AND HEALTHY.
AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE CAN ALIGN OUR EFFORTS TOGETHER, THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE OUR RESOURCES, AVOID DUPLICATING EACH OTHER'S EFFORTS, AND WE JUST DO A BETTER JOB ALL AROUND OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
WE BEGAN ASSET MASS, UH, UH, BEGAN ASSET MAPPING, UH, IN THE FALL OF 2023 THROUGH SOMETHING CALLED A, A LEAD BREVARD, UH, COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE EXPLORING IS LIKE, UH, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE HAVE? AND SO WE ASKED THAT QUESTION BACK IN THE FALL AND LEAD BREVARD ACTUALLY SPEARHEADED THIS EFFORT.
BUT TO START, WE ACTUALLY MET WITH 2 1 1 AND, UM, THE BREVARD HOMELESS COALITION.
ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO TO KNOW, UH, KIND OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THE 2 1 1 DATABASE.
THERE'S SO MUCH FRUSTRATION OVER KIND OF A, A STATIC, UH, DA DATABASE THAT IS UPDATED ON A YEARLY BASIS WHEN PEOPLE CALL RESOURCES AREN'T ALWAYS, UM, REALLY CLEARLY UPDATED OR, UH, COMMUNICATED.
AND SO WE MET CAME AWAY FROM THAT PROJECT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT INSTEAD OF TAKING THIS TOP DOWN APPROACH WITH 2 1 1 FLOWING INFORMATION DOWN TO US, THAT WE ACTUALLY NEEDED TO TAKE A GEOGRAPHIC APPROACH TO, UH, GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES AND ACTUALLY FLOWING IT UP TO 2 1 1.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE COULD DO THAT WAS THROUGH GEOGRAPHIC WORK GROUPS.
AND SO THE FIRST GEOGRAPHIC WORK GROUP, UM, THAT WE'VE TRULY ESTABLISHED, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE ONE THAT WE ESTABLISHED, UM, ON RECORD WAS CALLED THE 9 2 2 CREW FOR ZIP CODE 3 2 9 2 2, THE MOST DISTRESSED ZIP CODE IN BREVARD COUNTY.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE CREW AND IT REPRESENTS EVERY SECTOR LEADER IN THAT ZIP CODE, UH, THAT COMES TOGETHER.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED THAT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND WE CONSISTENTLY SEE EACH OTHER, WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER'S RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GONNA BETTER USE THEM AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE BETTER REFERRALS TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT OUR WORK TOGETHER WAS TRULY THAT, UM, THE, WHAT'S LISTED HERE IS THAT WE DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S RESOURCES.
UH, WE WERE MAKING POOR RESOURCES TO EACH OTHER, OR REFERRALS TO EACH OTHER.
AND WE WERE ALSO DUPLICATING OFTEN EACH OTHER'S EFFORTS, NOT KNOWINGLY, UH, BUT THAT SOMEONE WOULD SAY WE NEEDED SOMETHING AND SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD SAY, WE ACTUALLY DO THAT, OR WE HAVE THAT RESOURCE.
AND SO IT WAS JUST A BETTER WAY OF BRINGING OUR, UH, SHARED RESOURCES TOGETHER TO BETTER, UH, MEET THE NEEDS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARTS IS WE WERE ALL WORKING OFF OF DIFFERENT RESOURCE LISTS.
WE HEARD, UM, UH, CHRISSY MENTION THAT LOVE INC HAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, THEY HAVE PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE LIST IN THE, IN THE WHOLE COUNTY.
UM, BUT EACH OF US IN OUR OWN AGENCIES HAD DIFFERENT WORKING RESOURCE LISTS.
WE ALL DIFFERENT NAMES, DIFFERENT NUMBERS, DIFFERENT RE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WERE OFFERED.
NO ONE CLEAR WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
AND SO AS WE BEGAN WORKING THROUGH THIS, UM, AND WE, UH, CAME TO PRESENT LEAD BREVARD, UM, OUR PROJECT AROUND ASSET MAPPING IN THE SPRING OF 2024, WE LEARNED THAT PARISH, UH, ALREADY HAD AN ESTABLISHED WORK GROUP UP IN THE NORTH
[00:25:01]
END OF THE COUNTY.AND THEY ACTUALLY ASKED IF THEY COULD TAKE WHAT WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT ASSET MAPPING AND, AND EXPAND IT INTO THE NORTH AREA.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT FROM AN EQUITY LENS.
AND SO THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND THAT REALLY DROVE THEIR, UH, WAY OF WORKING, THEIR WAY OF, UM, COLLECTING DATA.
THEY REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE, SURE DISCHARGE PLANNING, UM, WAS EFFECTIVE SO THAT PEOPLE AGAIN, REMAINED HOUSED AND HEALTHY.
AND SO WHAT WE BEGAN IN COCOA, THEY EXPANDED UP INTO THE NORTH END.
UM, THESE ARE REGIONAL WORK GROUPS AND THESE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE WORK GROUPS IS THAT, UM, THEY ARE, UH, CRITICAL TO INITIATIVES LIKE ASSET MAPPING.
YOU NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TOGE TOGETHER AT THE TABLE FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS WHO ARE TRULY, UM, GROUNDED AND, UH, SHARED OWNERSHIP OF THEIR GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS AND THAT THEY'RE MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE CAN BEST USE THEM, BUT THAT THEY ARE TRULY THE, UH, FOUNDATION FOR ANY INITIATIVE LIKE ASSET MAPPING OR ANY OTHER INITIATIVE.
LIKE HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT OR ROLL OUT HOUSE BILL 1365.
WHEN YOU HAVE A GEOGRAPHIC WORK GROUP OF TRUSTED PARTNERS, LEADERS THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER EVERY MONTH, YOU CAN PROBLEM SOLVE RATHER THAN TAKING THAT LARGE GEOGRAPHIC APPROACH.
I'M GONNA BE A, A MINUTE OR TWO OVER, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, BUT WE STARTED TO MAP THESE ASSETS, UH, TO TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAD.
AND WE BASE THESE ASSETS ON THE FLORIDA PROSPERITY, UM, INITIATIVE OF THE 10 ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY.
AND THEY'RE ON YOUR SCREEN HERE.
AND IT WAS OUR WAY OF TRYING TO ALIGN IN THE EARLY DAYS WITH, UH, BASIC CATEGORIES THAT WOULD HELP US INCORPORATE THE CHAMBERS, UH, INTO THE WORK BECAUSE THEY WERE BEGINNING THAT WORK.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE PICKED A FREE PLATFORM CALLED SAMARA.
UM, AND WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT IN OUR WORK GROUPS, WE CAN ADD ASSETS INTO OUR MAPS FROM A GEOGRAPHIC, UH, PLACE RATHER THAN FROM A COUNTYWIDE.
AND WE EITHER DID IT, UM, IN COCOA, OUR STAKEHOLDERS ADD THEIR ASSETS DIRECTLY TO THE MAP UP IN THE NORTH AREA.
UM, THEIR WHOLE GROUP ACTUALLY GOES OUT AND DOES A WALKING AUDIT OF THEIR ASSETS AND THEY BRING THE INFORMATION TOGETHER TO ADD THEIR ASSETS INTO THEIR MAPS.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY KEY ABOUT IT IS THAT WE SHARE THE 10 TAGS THAT THE FLORIDA PROSPERITY INITIATIVE, UM, HAD ESTABLISHED.
BUT WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL TAGS ON TOP OF IT.
BUT WE, IT'S SO IMPORTANT AS WE BUILD OUT ASSET MAPPING THAT WE HAVE A SHARED LANGUAGE SO THAT EVERYONE ISN'T DOING THEIR OWN THING.
UM, WHAT'S REALLY KEY HERE IS THAT THIS, UM, IS ALIGNING WITH WHAT CAME FROM YOUR MEETING, YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MEETING.
UM, WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT CHRISTIE HAS AGREED TO LEAD THE FORMATION OF A WORK GROUP IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE WITH THOSE SECTOR AREA LEADERS, AGAIN FROM GOVERNMENT EDUCATION, UH, FROM, FROM, UM, UH, THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, FROM YOUR, UM, UH, FAITH SECTOR ALL COMING TOGETHER AT THE TABLE TO, UH, DISCOVER AND MAP WHAT YOUR ASSETS TRULY ARE.
THESE INDIVIDUAL GEOGRAPHIC MAPS CAN BE THREADED TOGETHER TO CREATE A SUPER MAP.
AND THE SUPER MAP CAN SHOW THE BIG PICTURE OF WHAT THESE GEOGRAPHIC WORK GROUPS ACTUALLY CAN CREATE AND, UH, SHOW, UH, EACH OF THESE GEOGRAPHIC COMMUNITIES WHAT THEIR COMMUNITIES CAN OFFER, UM, THEIR RESIDENTS AND HELP OUR, UM, AGENCIES WORK MORE COLLECTIVELY AND COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER.
AND I'M OVER SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU KIND OF THAT BIG PICTURE OF HOW, UH, CITY OF MELBOURNE FITS INTO THE BIG ASSET MAPPING QUESTION REAL QUICK.
WE GOT TWO, UH, HOUSEKEEPING THINGS WE HAVE TO DO.
ONE, KEVIN, COULD YOU HAVE THAT COUNCILMAN LARUSSO JOINED US AT 6 27 FOR THE RECORD.
UH, SECONDLY WE'RE HITTING THAT SIX 30.
WE HAD PART OF OUR RULES THAT WE WERE ONLY GOING FOR 30 MINUTES.
I WOULD NEED A MOTION FOR US TO CONTINUE ON TO ALLOW THE DISCUSSION AND FOR WE VENTURE, UM, AND FOR A TIME LIMIT.
OR DO YOU GUYS WANT IT TO BE PUNTED? THAT'S DECISION FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE.
I, I WOULD MOTION FOR CONTINUE SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM REVETURE.
P NEED DISCUSSION? ANYBODY DO OR DO YOU GUYS GUYS WANNA 15 MINUTES AND WE CUT OFF? 15 MINUTE WE CUT.
WOULD THAT BE A SECOND? I DON'T VICE MAYOR.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED A FORMAL MOTION ON IT, RIGHT? WE MEAN IT YEAH, I THINK, I THINK A CONSENSUS ON RIGHT.
AS A WORKSHOP IT'S MORE OF AN INFORMAL, UH, INFORMAL PROCESS.
[00:30:01]
AND DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS? UH, NOT, NOT AT THIS MOMENT.I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M NOT AT JOHNNY COME LATELY INTO THIS AREA.
BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, THE LATE MID TO LATE SEVENTIES WE HAD THE SHARING CENTER.
AND DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT STARTED? IT WAS CHURCHES COMING TOGETHER.
SO I'M WONDERING WHEN, TELL ME WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHARING CENTER, WHICH HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE SEVENTIES AND HAS A DEEP ROOT, WHICH WAS HOLY TRINITY.
OUR LADY LORDS THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
AND I KNOW THERE'S TWO OTHER CHURCHES THAT I CANNOT, THEY WERE THE BIG CHURCHES IN HERE AT THE TIME.
AND THEY CAME TOGETHER AND PUT ALL THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER.
SO WHY ARE YOU, WHY ARE YOU NOT WORKING WITH THEM? WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FAITH COMMUNITIES IN OUR GEOGRAPHIC REGION.
SO A GREAT EXAMPLE IS IN COCOA.
WE'RE WORKING WITH METROPOLITAN BAPTIST, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SHARING CENTER UP IN COCOA.
WE'RE PROPOSING GEOGRAPHIC WORK GROUPS THAT PULL IN THOSE PARTNERS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHY ARE WE REINVENTING THE WHEEL? WE, WE ARE, UH, THE SHARING CENTER'S BEEN HERE.
THEY'VE RUN THEY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE YEAH.
I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER AND PUT ALL THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE SEVENTIES.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TALKING THAT WE'RE DOING A SECOND THING.
WE'RE HAVING TWO COMPETING GROUPS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE EXISTING ENTITIES, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MM-HMM
AND BRINGING THEM TOGETHER ON A REGULAR BASIS TO TALK ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT EXIST.
'CAUSE THEY CHANGE PRETTY FREQUENTLY.
AND IN, IN GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS THERE'S DIFFERENT PARTNERS DOING DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'RE TACKLING THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE FACING IN THEIR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
AND THEN FROM THAT, BEING ABLE TO MAP IT TO SHOW GEOGRAPHICALLY WHERE IT IS.
BUT IT'S NOT INTENDED TO TAKE THE PLACE OF A RESOURCE LIST OR SOMEBODY THAT'S, IF THERE'S ONE AGENCY THAT'S THE KEEPER OF THE INFORMATION.
THIS IS MEANT TO HELP OUR AGENCIES WORK BETTER BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER, NOT LOOKING AT A LIST THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS LOOKING EACH OTHER IN THE EYES AND SAYING LIKE, HEY, WE'RE REALLY STRUGGLING 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS.
HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE THAT? AND SO THIS WORK GROUP IS ACTUALLY WORKING REGULARLY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES IN COCOA.
WE DID THINGS LIKE GET A CROSSWALK PUT IN SO KIDS COULD GO FROM ENDEAVOR ELEMENTARY TO GOING TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT ALSO FROM OUR SHARED CONVERSATIONS, WE LEARNED ABOUT RESOURCES WE DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED.
AND WE MAPPED THEM SO THAT WE COULD BETTER UTILIZE THEM RATHER THAN, UM, JUST EACH OF US WORKING IN A SILO.
SO IT'S BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS THAT EXIST WITHIN OUR SERVICE SECTORS WHERE WE'RE ALL SERVING THE LIBRARY, THE, THE POLICE, UH, OUR NONPROFITS.
WE'RE ALL SERVING THE SAME POPULATION, BUT WE'RE ALL COMING ABOUT IT DIFFERENTLY.
BUT FROM SILOED APPROACHES, OUR FAITH SECTOR DOES A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING RESOURCES TOGETHER.
BUT A LOT OF THOSE AGENCIES ARE KIND OF DOING THEIR OWN THING ON THEIR OWN TERMS AND THEY'RE NOT COORDINATING EFFORTS.
THESE WORK GROUPS COORDINATE THE EFFORTS AND THE RESPONSE AND A BYPRODUCT OF THAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE ASSET MAP OF REAL TIME INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED UP.
2 1 1, FOR EXAMPLE, UPDATES INFORMATION YEARLY.
THIS IS A MONTHLY UPDATED, UM, ASSET MAP OF INFORMATION.
SORRY, IF I MAY, I MEAN THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A DUPLICATION.
IT'S A, A COORDINATION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
WELL, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT DO YOU HAVE A CALL TO ACTION BEFORE WE WRAP UP SO THAT WE VENTURE CAN HAVE 10 MINUTES? CALL TO ACTION IS, UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF MELBOURNE PARTICIPATING IN THIS LARGER EFFORT TO ALIGN AND COORDINATE SERVICES FOR BREVARD COUNTY.
NEXT IS CATHERINE RED WITH WE VENTURE.
AND I AP APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE STUCK AT A VERY STRICT 10 MINUTES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING AND SPEAK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I HOPE MANY OF YOU MIGHT ALREADY KNOW IS A TRUSTED LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE INFORM YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN COLLABORATE GOING FORWARD.
UM, ON BEHALF OF FLORIDA TECH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALWAYS STRENGTHEN THE CIVIC AND BUSINESS TIES
[00:35:01]
THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY, UM, AND THE CITY.SO LET'S SEE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT BUTTON THAT IS.
SO WE, VENTURE WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2007 IN THE BIS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT FLORIDA TECH.
WE ARE FUNDED IN PART BY A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
THEY ACTUALLY FUND WBCS LIKE OURS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE IN EVERY STATE FROM PUERTO RICO TO ALASKA.
OUR MISSION IS TO IGNITE THE ECONOMIC POWER OF WOMEN AND WE SET OUT TO BE A LEADING REGIONAL VOICE AND RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN.
WE SERVE ALL OF THE SPACE AND TREASURE COAST BREVARD, INDIAN RIVER ST.
LUCIE, AND DOWN INTO MARTIN COUNTY.
UM, WE OFFER SUPPORT AND PROGRAMMING FOR EVERY STAGE OF A BUSINESS LIFE CYCLE.
AND WE, AND ALSO OFFER MENTORING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, PURPOSEFUL NETWORKING.
AND WHILE OUR PROGRAMS DO MARKET TO WOMEN, BECAUSE WE ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED, WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE OR GENDER.
AND EVERY YEAR ABOUT 20 TO 30% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE EITHER MALE OWNED OR FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS.
SO HOW DO WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES? WELL, WE PROVIDE FREE BUSINESS COACHING.
LET ME UNDERLINE THAT EXCLAMATION POINT.
FREE BUSINESS COACHING IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO OFFER LOW AND NO COST BUSINESS EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS WORKSHOP SEMINARS, UM, COURSES, CLASSES THAT THEY CAN TAKE.
OUR FEE FOR SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE BRANDED UNDER OUR IGNITE 360 SUITE OF SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, OUR PATHWAYS BUSINESS LAUNCH CLASS, WHICH WE HOST TWICE A YEAR IN ENGLISH, TWICE A YEAR IN SPANISH.
WE ALSO DO A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COURSE FOR EXECUTIVES AND FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN.
OUR ATHENA LEADERSHIP CLASS AND THEN AGAIN THE PURPOSEFUL NETWORKING.
AND SINCE 2023, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RAISING ENOUGH FUNDING FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE GIVE AWAY GRANTS EACH YEAR.
SO WE'VE GIVEN AWAY $30,000 IN DIRECT GRANTS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GET ACCESS TO THE CAPITAL THEY NEED.
UM, IT IS A SMALL POT OF MONEY, BUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE THAT MOST SMALL BUSINESSES SAY IS HINDERING THEIR BUSINESS GROWTH.
SO IT IS US NOT JUST COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, BUT PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND DOING THE WORK TO DRAW ATTENTION AND PROVIDE ACTUAL FUNDING TO OUR CLIENTS.
AND THAT'S OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH OUR BANKING PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WE HAVE OVER 15 BANKS THAT INVEST IN OUR PROGRAM, THAT VOLUNTEER WITH OUR PROGRAM, AND THAT WE WORK WITH TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET BUSINESSES THE CAPITAL THEY NEED TO GROW.
THIS IS JUST MY FUN PICTORIAL THAT YOU CAN USE TO KIND OF GET AN EXAMPLE WHEN I SAY THAT WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES AT EVERY PHASE OF THE BUSINESS LIFE CYCLE.
WE DON'T JUST WANNA SUPPORT STARTUP BUSINESSES.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP E ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES GROW.
GETTING FROM EMPLOYEE FIVE TO 10 IS HARD.
GETTING FROM 10 TO 50 IS EXTREMELY HARD.
SO WE LOVE TO BE WITH THEM AT EVERY PHASE IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
YOU CAN LOOK A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS FROM OUR MOST RECENT PROGRAM YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SAY WE WORKED WITH JUST UNDER A THOUSAND CLIENTS.
WE WORK WITH ABOUT A THOUSAND UNIQUE CLIENTS A YEAR.
UM, AND AGAIN, ABOUT 29% OF THOSE WERE MALE OR FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, UH, THE OTHER KEY THING THAT I'LL PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE LIKE TO DO HERE, THAT 1,261 HOURS OF FREE BUSINESS COACHING.
UM, WE HOPE THEY'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND THAT YOU'LL REFER FOLKS THAT MIGHT COME KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR TO SAY, HEY, HAVE YOU CALLED WE VENTURE, IT'S FREE BUSINESS COACHING.
UM, WE HELPED 126 NEW JOBS GET CREATED AND OUR CLIENTS RETAINED OVER 4,000 UNIQUE JOBS AND GENERATED OVER 21 MILLION IN SALES REVENUE.
THIS IS SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH THESE BUSINESSES AND HELP THEM GROW LOCALLY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE A PART OF A LARGER NETWORK, THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS.
IT'S OVER 150 CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE, UM, WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OTHER SBA RESOURCE PARTNERS LIKE SCORE SBDC THAT YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH.
THE SBA, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN SBDC HERE WE HAVE OUR SCORE VOLUNTEERS, THE CLOSEST MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN ORLANDO.
I PROMISE YOU THERE ARE MORE BUSINESSES THAN WHAT EACH OF US CAN TAKE CARE OF SOMETIMES.
OUR COACHES ARE BOOKING TWO TO THREE WEEKS OUT.
THE SBDC CAN BOOK OUT THREE, FOUR WEEKS.
UM, THERE ARE MORE BUSINESSES THAN WHAT WE CAN CARE AND SUPPORT FOR.
SO WE DO ALL WORK TOGETHER AND LEARN TO REFER TO EACH OTHER WHEN THEY HAVE COACHES THAT SPECIALIZE IN ONE THING.
WE TRY NOT TO DUPLICATE SERVICES AND WE TRY TO KIND OF LEVERAGE THE NETWORK TOGETHER.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR PROGRAM AND ALL OF THE OTHERS THAT YOU SEE ON THE BOARD.
WE ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT CONGRESS MANDATED HAS A MATCH REQUIREMENT.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO MATCH OUR FEDERAL GRANT WITH INVESTMENT FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DOLLAR
[00:40:01]
FOR DOLLAR.AND I AM VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH GREAT OUTCOMES AND WE'VE GROWN COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THAT THE FEDERAL GRANT IS A MINORITY OF OUR BUDGET.
MY BUDGET LAST YEAR EXCEEDED $800,000 AND THAT $150,000 FEDERAL GRANT IS QUITE THE MINORITY NOW.
RIGHT? THE REST OF IT COMES FROM INVESTMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND OUR WONDERFUL PARTNERS.
AND WE DO GENERATE SOME PROGRAM INCOME WITH THOSE FEE FOR SERVICE AND EVENTS THAT WE HOST.
I JUST WANNA QUICKLY AND MORE OF IT IS IN THE, THE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW, THAT SMALL BUSINESS IS WHAT THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, RIGHT? EVERYBODY SAYS THAT.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ACTUALLY EITHER WORK FOR OR OWN A SMALL BUSINESS BECAUSE WE'RE AT 47% ARE EMPLOYED BY, AND THERE ARE LITERALLY MILLIONS MORE THAT OWN THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
UM, SO WHEN WE SAY THAT THIS IS AFFECTING THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, IT IS NEXT TIME A CONSTITUENT COMES IN, ASK IF THEY WORK FOR ONE OF THE BIG CORPORATIONS OR DO THEY WORK FOR A BUSINESS WITH FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES? THE MAJORITY, LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN, OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS EITHER OWN OR WORK FOR A SMALL BUSINESS.
SO SUPPORTING AND PARTNERING WITH OUR PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT CONSTITUENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.
AND WE ARE CREATING MORE JOBS IN BIG CORPORATIONS.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE POLITICS OF OFFSHORING AND ALL THAT.
YOU SEE IT, YOU KNOW IT, YOU FEEL IT.
BIG CORPORATIONS ENTIRELY ARE LAYING OFF AND SCALING DOWN.
WE CONTINUE TO EMPLOY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR.
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH.
PARTNERING FOR US MEANS A MUTUAL AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE EITHER GOING TO HOST EVENTS TOGETHER, WE'RE TRYING TO REACH YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, OR THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER ON EVENTS THAT, THAT LEVERAGE BOTH OF THE EXPERTISE THAT WE MIGHT BRING TOGETHER.
AND I WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE DO.
UM, AND WE HAVE HAD SUCCESS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF COCOA ON THEIR UPSTART COCOA PROGRAM.
THEY WANTED TO DELIVER, UM, FORGIVABLE LOANS TO BUSINESSES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
THEY CONTRACT WITH US TO WORK WITH THE CLIENTS FIRST.
SO WE MAKE SURE THEY'VE GOT A SOLID BUSINESS PLAN THAT THE CEO UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
SO BY THE TIME IT GOES BEFORE THE CITY OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD GIVE A LOAN OR A GRANT TO THAT BUSINESS, WE'RE LIKE THEIR INSURANCE POLICY.
WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM AND WE'VE SAID THIS IS A GREAT PLAN.
THE BUSINESS KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A GREAT, UH, UH, CONFIDENCE THAT THEY'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND YES, THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT HAVEN'T GOTTEN FUNDED.
THE VAST MAJORITY DO GET TO GRADUATE OUT AND THEY'RE READY FOR FUNDING.
'CAUSE WE VET ON THE FRONT END.
WE ALSO HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH PORT ST.
AND THAT BECAUSE IT'S IN THE FARTHER REGIONS OF OUR DISTRICT, WAS KIND OF A WAY FOR US TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WANT OUR SERVICES THERE.
THEY'RE OPENING THE DOOR TO CITY RESOURCES THAT THE CITY'S GONNA PROMOTE OUR SERVICES.
SO THEY HELP US MARKET OUR EVENTS.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO SO MANY EVENTS PER YEAR WITHIN CITY FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN THAT DOES OPEN THE DOOR THAT WE'RE PURSUING FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FROM THE CITY SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF COCOA AS THEY'RE STARTING TO ROLL OUT PROGRAMS. SO EVEN THOUGH, UM, YES WE WORK WITH OTHER CHAMBERS AND GROUPS LIKE A A RP AND CAREER SOURCE OR GROUNDSWELL, UM, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING, WHAT DOES THE CITY WANT TO DO TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR YOU TO AGAIN, CONSIDER WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSITY, UM, AND WITH THE WE VENTURE PROGRAM ON HOW WE CAN HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I'M GONNA SKIP OVER SOME OF THESE, BUT I DID INCLUDE DATA AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE IT'S VERY INSIGHTFUL OF WHAT THE REALLY THE FACE OF SMALL BUSINESS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, JUST REALLY QUICKLY NOTICE IN FLORIDA THERE'S OVER 3 MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES.
2.7 OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY NON EMPLOYER FIRMS. THEY'RE WHAT WE REFER TO AS SOLOPRENEURS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN AMERICA TODAY ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LEVERAGING THEIR TIME AND TALENT IN A CONSULTANT.
WHETHER THEY'RE WORKING OUT OF THEIR HOME OFFICE OR WHETHER THEY ARE HIRED, WORKING OUT, YOU KNOW, JOB TO JOB.
UM, THAT IS REALLY THE NEW FACE OF BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT JUST BRICK AND MORTAR.
IT'S NOT JUST THE SMALL MANUFACTURING.
AND SO AS YOU CREATE POLICY AND AS YOU START TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS OR GROWING WALKABLE COMMUNITIES AND ALL THESE THINGS, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE MAJORITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES TODAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN THAT IMAGE OF THE MOM AND POP ACE HARDWARE THAT POPS INTO MIND USUALLY.
SO THAT'S MY LITTLE, LITTLE ADVOCACY PLATFORM THAT I'LL POP OFF OF NOW.
AND THEN THIS SECOND SLIDE JUST LETS YOU SEE THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP IN FLORIDA.
UM, I WILL END WITH, I'M GONNA GO TO MY LAST SLIDE.
ALL OF THESE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.
OUR GOAL IS TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESS NO MATTER WHAT THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS ARE.
WHETHER YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO HAVE A SIDE HUSTLE AND SUPPLEMENT YOUR INCOME, WHETHER YOU ARE TRYING TO PUT THE KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE, WHETHER YOU ARE TRYING TO FRANCHISE AND GROW AND BE
[00:45:01]
A NATIONAL BRAND, WHATEVER IT IS, WE VENTURE IS HERE.WE HAVE EXPERIENCE ACROSS DIVERSE INDUSTRIES AND WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY AND YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO FURTHER TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.
UM, IF IT PLEASES, COUNSEL, ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR MEETING OR YEAH, SORRY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.