We welcome the New Year with enthusiasm and renewed commitment as we close the current year in our service to the community. We wish you, your family, and organization prosperity, blessings, and joy in the New Year. In 2024, ELM is committed to providing continued opportunities for growth and change for our ELM Foundation program participants as well as opportunities for accurate charity, collaboration, and accountability for our community.
In 2024, the ELM Foundation will provide a new and exciting resource to Madison County which will benefit both community resource consumers as well as the local agencies. It will be another free resource that is a companion to the local CharityTracker network. More details and an official rollout soon!In late January, a new Leadership Social Services class will begin. LSS is a community leadership development program for health and human services agency staff and board members. It is designed to identify leaders at agencies who can guide change within their organization and in the community.
The ELM Foundation will continue to provide paid case management training to local nonprofits through the Pathway to Sustainability program with a new cohort beginning in April. Local nonprofits are urged to apply through The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville for this grant opportunity, in fact, applications open January 3rd! We focus on providing accurate and effort-based charity resulting in self-sufficiency in those that we serve. We help agencies identify and focus their strengths so that they can stop asking “what can we do to help you today” and start asking “what can we do to help you today so that you don’t need us anymore?” We utilize and provide training through this cohort as well as to the community at large in the CharityTracker software.
Providing opportunities for collaboration will remain a focus in 2024. We know that we cannot effectively do this work alone and that we are better together. We will continue to host the monthly Community Connections meetings. 2024 topics have been identified so we may identify community needs, existing resources, build relationships with one another, and more effectively serve.
The Little Miracles direct services program will carry on to assist individuals who are willing and capable of working to become self-sufficient and no longer reliant on government or nonprofit resources. In April of 2024, we will host a Pickleball Palooza fundraiser event at the Sandra Moon Community Complex to benefit our Little Miracles grants. Save the date and check out the information below for registration and sponsorship opportunities. It is going to be so much fun!
We are excited to continue our work for change in 2024 through accurate charity, community collaboration, accountability, and effort. We hope that you will join us!
by Missy Hanks, Executive Director