Maryland Task Force category: Current Members

Description of Congress Task Forces and Committees

Maryland Region
2011-2013

Volunteerism Task Force: This task force will study why people volunteer, why they don't, how to get more volunteers and how to keep volunteers motivated in the co-ops. This task force will make recommendations to congress on how we can improve our base of volunteers.

Co-op Public Relations Task Force: A liaison will work with this task force which will be made up of delegates interested in being trained to give presentations at different corporations, expos, health fairs and other events to promote cooperative living throughout the region. The group will report their progress and plans to congress.

Annual Luncheon Planning Committee: This committee meets monthly after the first of the year to prepare for this big event. The committee decides the location, décor, food and entertainment. They also organize ticket sales. All regions hold the annual meeting on the same day and are connected through a phone conference. This takes some special communication between all four regions.

Elections Committee: This committee oversees the entire election process for the board of directors. Congress delegates on this committee visit co-ops to encourage members to run for the board; review profiles and collect the necessary information to ensure the applicants qualify to be candidates; conduct the summer congress meeting nomination process; prepare and mail ballots to all Maryland-region and non-housing members; conduct board officer elections at their orientation and when there is a vacant officer position on the board midyear; and conduct congress officer elections. This committee will meet as a whole 3 or four times between spring and summer. The elections chairperson and one or two other people on the committee may be required to attend one or two additional meetings.

Legislative Action: We’ll need a small handful of dedicated volunteers on this committee. They will gather and relay information of concern regarding senior housing to all congress coordinators in their region. They will also receive national information alerts and work with the education department to provide co-ops with sample letters or petitions for members to send to legislators. They may want to meet once or twice to study how bills are passed and to brainstorm on how to distribute information in the fastest way. Mostly though, they will work from home.

Maryland Connector Editors: The Connector is the only newsletter written, edited and designed completely by members in our co-ops. It gives all of our members a chance each year to catch up on what is happening at their sister co-ops. Editors in each region are assigned to work with reporters in a few co-ops for the correction of grammar and spelling. They see to it that the articles and pictures are submitted to the CSI Education Department for publication. In 2013 the Michigan region was responsible for designing the cover, writing the forward and publishing the Connector. In 2014, the California region will have its turn and the Maryland region in 2015.

Rally Planning Committee: This committee assists the co-ops in planning their mini-rallies. They make sure the DVD of the candidates’ speeches and promotional flyers are sent to each co-op. They can also make recommendations regarding funding.

Massachusetts Task Force category: Current Members

Description of Congress Committees

Massachusetts Region
2011-2013

Annual Luncheon Planning Committee: This committee meets monthly after the first of the year to prepare for this big event. The committee decides the location, décor, food and entertainment. They also organize ticket sales. All regions hold the annual meeting on the same day and are connected through a phone conference. This takes some special communication between all four regions.

Elections Committee: This committee oversees the entire election process for the board of directors. Congress delegates on this committee visit co-ops to encourage members to run for the board; review profiles and collect the necessary information to ensure the applicants qualify to be candidates; conduct the summer congress meeting nomination process; prepare and mail ballots to all Massachusetts-region and non-housing members; conduct board officer elections at their orientation when there is a vacant officer position on the board midyear; and conduct congress officer elections. This committee will meet as a whole 3 or four times between spring and summer. The elections chairperson and one or two other people on the committee may be required to attend one or two additional meetings.

Legislative Action: We’ll need a small handful of dedicated volunteers on this committee (3-5 per region). They should be able to receive emails and do research in the paper and on the internet. They will gather and relay information of concern to senior housing to all congress coordinators in their region. They will also receive national information alerts from the Maryland region. They may want to provide buildings with sample letters for members to send to legislators. They may want to meet once or twice to study how bills are passed and to brainstorm on how to distribute information in the fastest way. Mostly though, they will work from home.

Massachusetts Connector Cover Designer & Forward writers: The Connector is the only newsletter written, edited and designed completely by members in our co-ops. It gives all of our members a chance each year to catch up on what is happening at their sister buildings. Editors in each region are assigned to work with reporters in a few co-ops for the correction of grammar and spelling. They see to it that the articles and pictures are submitted to the CSI Support Education Department for publication. In 2010, the California region was responsible for designing the cover, writing the forward and publishing the Connector. In 2011, it was Maryland’s turn. In 2012, it will be Massachusetts.

Rally Planning Committee: This committee plans and implements the annual rally/picnic. They decide on the location, food, and entertainment and prepare the agenda. They typically start meeting sometime in the late winter and may or may not have to meet monthly up until the rally.

California Task Force category: Current Members

Description of Congress Task Forces and Committees

California Region
2011-2013

Education Task Force

• The education task force will promote continuing education through informative workshops that will be offered to all co-ops that submit requests.
• National poster contest-The education task force promotes the national poster contest, will judge all poster submittals and will vote on the top three poster submittals to share with all regions.
• These educational workshops can involve different aspects of learning, such as:
  • Team building
  • Provide any additional training that co-ops are interested in receiving.

Legislative Action Task Force

• Will gather and relay information of concern to senior housing to all congress coordinators in their region. They will also receive national information alerts from other regions.
• Will provide buildings with sample letters for members to send to legislators.

Volunteerism Task Force

• Will prepare articles for the volunteerism newsletter.
• Articles will address highlighting a volunteer for the quarter.
• Articles will also introduce informative issues, fun crossword puzzles, trivia about co-ops or members, and incorporate other pertinent information that will continue to motivate volunteers in our co-ops.

Annual Meeting Committee:

The annual meeting committee works together to find a location, select food, entertainment, ticket sales, transportation and promote the event. During the annual meeting, members have the opportunity to learn the results of the board elections.

Rally Picnic Committee:

The rally picnic committee plans the rally and decides on the following: date, location, food catering, entertainment, transportation and promote the event. It is one of the most important events where board candidates can provide a speech and answer our members’ most valuable questions.

Michigan Task Force category: Current Members

Description of Congress Task Forces and Committees

Michigan Region
2013

Volunteerism Task Force: This task force will study why people volunteer, why they don't, how to get more volunteers and how to keep volunteers motivated in the co-ops. This task force will make recommendations to congress on how we can improve our base of volunteers.

Co-op Public Relations Task Force: A liaison will work with this task force which will be made up of delegates interested in being trained to give presentations at different corporations, expos, health fairs and other events to promote cooperative living throughout the region. The group will report their progress and plans to congress.

Security Task Force: Delegates on this task force will work together along with a liaison to study ways to improve the safety of the co-ops. The members of this task force will build a relationship with the local or state police; perform threat assessments; study crime trends in the community and how it affects our co-ops; develop a written protocol for co-op security committees; assist co-ops in starting up a security committee and keep members informed on ways to be safe.

Annual Luncheon Planning Committee: This committee meets monthly after the first of the year to prepare for this big event. The committee decides the location, décor, food and entertainment. They also organize ticket sales. All regions hold the annual meeting on the same day and are connected through a phone conference. This takes some special communication between all four regions.

Elections Committee: This committee oversees the entire election process for the board of directors. Congress delegates on this committee visit co-ops to encourage members to run for the board; review profiles and collect the necessary information to ensure the applicants qualify to be candidates; conduct the summer congress meeting nomination process; prepare and mail ballots to all Michigan-region and non-housing members; conduct board officer elections at their orientation and when there is a vacant officer position on the board midyear; and conduct congress officer elections. This committee will meet as a whole 3 or four times between spring and summer. The elections chairperson and one or two other people on the committee may be required to attend one or two additional meetings.

Legislative Action: We’ll need a small handful of dedicated volunteers on this committee. They will gather and relay information of concern regarding senior housing to all congress coordinators in their region. They will also receive national information alerts and work with the education department to provide co-ops with sample letters or petitions for members to send to legislators. They may want to meet once or twice to study how bills are passed and to brainstorm on how to distribute information in the fastest way. Mostly though, they will work from home.

Michigan Connector Editors: The Connector is the only newsletter written, edited and designed completely by members in our co-ops. It gives all of our members a chance each year to catch up on what is happening at their sister co-ops. Editors in each region are assigned to work with reporters in a few co-ops for the correction of grammar and spelling. They see to it that the articles and pictures are submitted to the CSI Education Department for publication. In 2013 the Michigan region was responsible for designing the cover, writing the forward and publishing the Connector. In 2014, the California region will have its turn and the Maryland region in 2015.

Rally Planning Committee: This committee assists the co-ops in planning their mini-rallies. They make sure the DVD of the candidates’ speeches and promotional flyers are sent to each co-op. They can also make recommendations regarding funding.

Workshop Facilitator Committee: Workshop leaders facilitate the workshops held during the congress meetings. This rewarding position is for the congress term and it requires very little time. They receive training before each congress meeting where a workshop is presented. Members on this committee are welcome to attend all congress planning sessions—even if they are not the congress coordinator in their co-op. In addition, the workshop facilitator will be matched up with a liaison that will support them during the workshop.