November 2011 � Vol.1, No. 12

 
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PRESIDENT'S REPORT

By Kaye Schmitz

 

FPP team photo
The Florida Team at the NDI Conference: Back row from left - Maureen Quinlan, Katie Metz, Michael Roush; Horizontal - Award winner Janet Hamer; Bottom row from left - Krista Martin, Kaye Schmitz; not pictured - Ellen Stoffer
Kaye Schmitz
Kaye Schmitz

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dear FPP Members and Friends,

 

Who says that work can't be fun? Take a look at the picture above that includes part of the FPP team at the National Disability Institute's Real Economic Impact Tour Mayor's Conference held last month in Boston. We were celebrating the fact that the FPP Board Chair, Janet Hamer, received NDIs Real Economic Impact Tour Ron Smith Award because of her work on building a better economic future for persons with disabilities. Janet was recognized as a tireless advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in financial education programs, Bank On initiatives, and including disability programs as a key component in the strategy for statewide asset building. Congratulations to Janet on a job well done!! Also, congratulations to Michael Roush, Katie Metz, Johnette Hartnett, and Michael Morris on hosting another terrific conference. Please make sure to read FPP Board Member Michael Roush's article in the Member News section. 

 

National Community Tax Coalition's Capitol Hill Day

I was fortunate to take part in The National Community Tax Coalition's Capitol Hill Day held in WashingtonNCTC logo, D.C. on October 13 and was able to meet with staff members from both Florida Senatorial Offices and from the Congressional offices of Representative Alcee Hastings, 23rd District, and Representative John Mica, 7th District. There were two asks I left them with: (1) codifying the IRS VITA grant funds and expanding it to $30,000,000 and (2) that as they engage in deficit reduction legislation to refrain from eliminating program benefits that would plunge our low income citizens even deeper into poverty. While my one voice probably didn't make that much difference, the collective voices of participants from all over the country made our case a lot stronger.  

 

New FPP Board Members To Take Office in January

The FPP Board is pleased to announce the addition of new Board of Directors members who will take office in January 2012. This is a very strong group of people who will complement the remaining Board of Directors members wonderfully.

 

The new members include:

  • Roger Mercado, Southwest Florida, United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties
  • Katie Metz, nationwide, National Disability Institute
  • Joan Nelson, Central Florida, Heart of Florida United Way
  • Ron Sharpe, Florida Panhandle, United Way of Northwest Florida
  • Amber Tynan, statewide, League of Southeast Credit Unions
  • Jeff Winkler, Northeast Florida, Real$ense Prosperity Campaign (an initiative of United Way of Northeast Florida)

These new members will join the current presiding members that include:

  • Janet Hamer, Board Chair, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Jacksonville Branch
  • Daniella Levine, Vice-Chair, Catalyst Miami
  • Sandra Bernard-Bastien, Secretary, Children's Services Council of Broward County
  • Ted Granger, Treasurer, United Way of Florida
  • Evan Goldman, Executive Committee, Children's Services Council of Broward County
  • George Owen, Executive Committee, Regions Bank
  • Maureen Quinlan, Executive Committee, United Way of Marion County
  • Mike Smith, Executive Committee, TD Bank
  • Amanda Clements, Board Member, United Way of the Big Bend
  • Anika Coney, Board Member, Hillsborough County Department of HHS
  • Michael Gutter, Board Member, University of Florida
  • Valerie Hendriex, Board Member, Wells Fargo Bank
  • Dorothy Inman-Johnson, Board Member, Capital Area Community Action Agency
  • Iris Jones, Board Member, BB&T Bank
  • Rosa Morgan, Board Member, Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • Kasha Owers, Board Member, United Way of Palm Beach County
  • Felipe Pinzon, Board Member, Hispanic Unity of Florida
  • Ellen Stoffer, Board Member, United Way of Tampa Bay
  • Barbara Travis, Board Member, Internal Revenue Service

Sadly, some of our current Board members are retiring. These members include:

  • Erbi Blanco-True, Great Florida Bank
  • Sokoya Finch, Florida Family Network
  • Karen Landry, War on Poverty
  • Michael Roush, National Disability Institute

Please thank all of the FPP Board Members when you see them-current, new, and past-for a job well done. The FPP Board is very involved and extremely "hands on." It is by far the best Board I've ever had the pleasure to work with and we wouldn't be nearly as far along as we are without them.

 

FPP Regional Meetings are Under Way

Please be certain to attend an FPP Regional Meeting near you (check sidebar for dates, times, and locations). It is exciting to assemble FPP members and see the interaction and enthusiasm that occurs when we all get together in a room and discuss what the members are working on. In the Tampa meeting, for example, Marvin Socha, a certified Florida Master Money Mentor (the program originated by FPP Board Member Dr. Michael Gutter from the University of Florida) talked about how rewarding it is to be a mentor. He also told us about his surprise in finding out how many programs are available for our clients, but how few programs the clients actually know about. Thanks so much, Marvin, for sharing your thoughts with us.

 

And at the FPP Regional Meeting in Ft. Myers, new FPP Board Member Roger Mercado officially launched "Bank On Southwest Florida." You can read more about this in Bill Mills' Bank On Florida column.

 

In the upcoming Regional Meetings, attendees will hear about Virtual VITA using Skype in Tallahassee, the Catholic Charities' program, "Bridges to Circles," in Crestview, "MyMoneyCheckUp" in Jacksonville, Ways to Work in Miami, and Second Harvest Food Bank programs in Orlando. All of the meetings will also have an update about the Florida KidCare program and an overview of Florida DCF Secretary David Wilkins' Strategic Vision. If you haven't already done so, please RSVP right away (click on the meeting of your choice in the newsletter sidebar).

 

Sponsorships are now available for The Fourth Annual FPP Statewide Conference

Make sure you save the date for the Fourth Annual Florida Prosperity Partnership Statewide Conference to be held at Universal's Portofino Hotel, in Orlando, FL from May 30-June 1, 2012. Room rate is $109 per night, with a reduced self-parking rate of $6 and free in-room Internet. Please click here for a sponsorship form.  

 

Client Stories

The FPP will be publishing our first Annual Report/Report to the Community at the end of this year. We would love to feature your organization and one of your successful clients in the Report. Please send stories and pictures to me at [email protected] as soon as possible.

 

We are also collecting stories to go in the client section on the FPP website. Please send us whatever you may already have and then collect additional stories throughout the year so we can build a Florida client story showcase.   

 

Check out these stories in the Member News section

Please check out the first story under the "Member News" section about the wonderful Bank of America Customer Outreach Event being held in Tampa Bay on November 3 through November 5 at the Tampa Convention Center.  Bank of America employees will be at the Convention Center to work one-on-one with their mortgage customers who need help due to financial difficulty. Please let your clients know!!

 

Also, make sure you read the article from Brian Kirk of Florida KidCare. Brian has agreed to make materials available to hand out at VITA sites so you can let your clients know about how they can insure their children. As you may remember from one of the recent CFED Assets and Opportunities Scorecards, Florida ranked near the bottom for having the highest number of uninsured children. Let's all see what we can do to change that.

 

Capitol Day in Tallahassee Postponed
We have had another glitch with the date of December 7 for the Capitol Day in Tallahassee, so as much as we hate doing it, we have to postpone it again. Stay tuned for a rescheduled date during Session. We are sorry for any inconvenience, but we thank you for your patience.  

Kaye's signature
Kaye D. Schmitz

President /CEO

Bill Mills BANK ON FLORIDA  

By Bill Mills

Director of Strategic Initiatives 

 

Bank On Florida

I am so excited to announce that Bank On Southwest Florida launched on October 27th!  United Way of Lee Hendry and Glades and Lee County Department of Human Services serve as the coordinating agents for this initiative bringing together financial institutions and community organizations.  

 

The initial group of banks includes:  

  • Bank of America
  • BB&T
  • CNL Bank
  • EverBank
  • FineMark National Bank & Trust
  • Florida Gulf bank
  • Iberia Bank
  • IronStone Bank
  • Stonegate Bank
  • SunTrust Bank
  • Wells Fargo

 

Included in the group of community partners:

  • CredAbility
  • Lee County Extension Services

 

A large group of organizations within the United Way Network are also included:

  •  Bonita Springs United Way House
  • Cape Coral United Way House
  • Charleston Park Community Center
  • Clewiston United Way House
  • Dunbar United Way House
  • East Fort Myers United Way House
  • LaBelle United Way House
  • Lehigh Acres United Way House
  • Moore Haven United Way House
  • Page Park Community Center
  • Pine Island United Way House
  • Pine Manor United Way House
  • San Carlos/Estero United Way House
  • Sanibel United Way House
  • Suncoast Outreach Center.

 

They decided to launch their initiative in conjunction with the FPP Southwest Florida Regional Meeting. Director of Allocations and Community Planning for United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades, Roger Mercado was thrilled to see all of his hard work organizing the project finally come together. He was proud to announce, "Whether you need a fresh start or just want to learn how to make the most of your money, Bank On Southwest Florida partners are here for you".

 

FPP MEMBER NEWS

 

Bank of America Hosts One-On-One Mortgage Event in Tampa

By Denise Freedman

Sr. Vice President

Florida Community Relations Manager 

 

 Bank of America logo

 

 

   

As the largest mortgage servicer in the U.S., providing solutions to distressed customers has been and remains a central focus for Bank of America. The economic downturn has made it challenging for some of our customers to keep up with their mortgage payments, and as part of our ongoing efforts to personally reach out to them we are holding a customer outreach event in early November in Tampa. Customers seeking assistance will be able to meet face-to-face with Bank of America specialists to review options for modifications or other alternatives to foreclosure. We have identified more than 30,000 distressed customers within 120 miles of the event location and are actively contacting them - through direct mail, phone calls, emails and text messages - to encourage their attendance at the event.  

 

If you are aware of any of your constituents who are Bank of America mortgage customers and who would benefit from speaking to one of our specialists, please encourage them to attend the event by scheduling an arrival time at www.bankofamerica.com/homeownerevent or calling 1.855.201.7426. We will have specialists on site to serve customers speaking English and Spanish. Event details are as follows and are also included in the attached event flyer (available in Spanish and/or English).   

 

Bank of America Customer Outreach Event  

Tampa Convention Center,  

Central Hall, 3rd Floor,  

333 South Franklin St., Tampa, FL 33602

Thursday, November 3rd - Saturday, November 5th

8AM - 8PM      

 

Nearly nine of ten of our customers are current on their mortgage payments. For those who are not, it is our priority to help them avoid foreclosure. We are committed to working with community leaders to help homeowners in distress.  

  

Florida KidCare 

By Brian Kirk, Outreach Coordinator

 

Florida KidCare provides free to low-cost comprehensive health coverage for children from birth through age 18.  Florida KidCare covers everything from basic check-ups to hospitalizations, in addition to vision, dental and prescription coverage.  Most families pay $15 or $20 a month in premiums to cover all of their children.  Many pay nothing at all.  Families may apply online through the website listed below or call to receive a paper application.

 

1-888-540-KIDS (5437)

TTY Line: 1-877-316-8748

Fax: 1-866-867-0054

Website: www.floridakidcare.org 

 

If you are interested in providing Florida KidCare resources to clients or employees, please contact Brian Kirk, Outreach Coordinator with Florida Covering Kids & Families. Florida Covering Kids & Families works statewide with community-based organizations and businesses to increase enrollment and retention in the Florida KidCare program. The Florida Covering Kids & Families' staff is available to present on the Florida KidCare program and conduct application assistance training to interested organizations.

 

Janet Hamer Recognized by National Disability Institute  

By Michael R. Roush, MA

National Program Director,  

Real Economic Impact Tour,  

National Disability Institute

 

Michael Roush and Janet Hamer 
Michael Roush and Janet Hamer

 The National Disability Institute (NDI) recently recognized Janet Hamer with the Ron Smith Award at NDI's 6th Annual national conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The Ron Smith Award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to building a better economic future for persons with disabilities.  Janet was recognized for her work on training disability and non-disability providers on how to deliver FDICs Money Smart Curriculum to persons with disabilities.  Janet's contribution has been to assure financial education is offered to all citizens regardless of their abilities.  In addition to her work on FDIC's Money Smart Curriculum, Janet has worked to increase the inclusion of the disability community in the Bank On  initiatives and has worked to increase the number of persons with disabilities who are banked.  Not only has her work increased awareness across the country on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Bank On programs but it has also encouraged local communities to include disability awareness into their initiatives.  Janet's disability awareness materials for the Bank On program are being used in projects across the country.  Janet Hamer has been and continues to be an amazing advocate for advancing the economic self-sufficiency of persons with disabilities.  The National Disability Institute is fortunate to have such an exceptional advocate from the financial services community who is truly making a Real Economic Impact for persons with disabilities.  

Newsletter Highlights
Bank on Florida
FPP Member News

SAVE THE DATE  FOR FPP EVENTS

(Click on date for more information)


  • November 9, 2011
    9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
    Real$ense Prosperity Campaign
    United Way Of Northeast Florida
    1301 Riverplace Boulevard, Suite 400
    Jacksonville, FL 32207
    RSVP To: [email protected] or 904-390-3200 

  •  December 7, 2011
    ***POSTPONED*** Capitol Day in Tallahassee; Stay tuned for a rescheduled date.  

 

SAVE THE DATE FOR MEMBER AGENCY EVENTS
  • November 3-5, 2011 - Bank of America Customer Outreach Event - 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Tampa Convention Center, Central Hall, 3rd Floor, 333 South Franklin St., Tampa, FL 33602
  • November 4, 2011 - NANAY's 17th Anniversary Gala - 6:30 to 11:30 p.m., Signature Grand, 6900 State Road 84, Davie, FL 33317

 

THE FLORIDA PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP (FPP)

 

The Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP), was formally established in March 2009, evolving from a number of parallel and earlier efforts to create a statewide coalition dedicated to improving the financial stability and capability for low-to-moderate income Floridians.

FPP PURPOSE:  To convene individuals and organizations with the desire to leverage their talent, resources, and passion to improve the prosperity of Florida's families.


FPP VISION:  All Floridians have equal opportunities to attain financial stability.


FPP MISSION: Establish a statewide collaboration holistically focused on providing life-enhancing services to Floridians.


FPP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

 

Janet Hamer, Chair  

Sr. Community Development Manager

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

 

Daniella Levine, Vice-Chair  

President and CEO

Catalyst Miami

(Formerly Human Services Coalition)

 

Sandra Bernard-Bastien, Secretary  

Dir. Of Public Affairs/Org. Dev.

Children's Services Council of Broward

 

Ted Granger, Treasurer  

President

United Way of Florida

 

Evan Goldman
CSC of Broward County

 

George Owen
Regions Bank

 

Maureen Quinlan
United Way of Marion County

 

Mike Smith
TD Bank

 

 

FPP BOARD MEMBERS

 

Erbi Blanco-True
Great Florida Bank

Amanda Clements

United Way of the Big Bend

Anika Coney
Hillsborough County

Sokoya Finch
Florida Family Network

Michael Gutter
University of Florida

Valerie Hendriex
Wells Fargo

Dorothy Inman-Johnson
Capital Area Community Action Agency

Iris Jones
BB&T Bank

Karen Landry
War on Poverty

Rosa Morgan
Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Kasha Owers
United Way of Palm Beach County

Felipe Pinzon
Hispanic Unity of Florida

Michael Roush
National Disability Institute

Ellen Stoffer
United Way of Tampa Bay

Barbara Travis
Internal Revenue Service   

 

 

FPP STAFF 

 

Kaye Schmitz
President and CEO


Bill Mills
Director of Strategic Initiatives


Penny Zaphel
Coordinator of Special Projects

 

Jennifer Cooper

Graphics Designer

 

Lynn Gill

Bookkeeper

 


FPP FUNDERS 
 

Funders as of 0811   
 

To become a member of the FPP or submit articles for this newsletter, please contact Penny Zaphel at

[email protected]