Member Spotlight – STEPMC
Attendees at the April 25th Chamber Connection hosted by Steps to End Poverty of McPherson County (STEPMC) not only learned more about the important local organization but also had the opportunity to meet the newly named executive director, Angela Brunk.
Brunk is currently a teacher in USD 418 and is head coach for the USD 418 girls high school swim team. When introducing her, STEPMC board president Monica Frye said, “Angela has also been involved with STEPMC in multiple ways already. She’s not a brand new face. She brings her class to help with Taco Tuesday, to help clean up, and to help greet people. She’s been involved in so many ways. Angela will officially start in early June. So today we are just welcoming her!”
The STEPMC approach involves mobilizing volunteers, community leaders, and organizations to partner with families in poverty. People in poverty join the 24-week Getting Ahead class and upon graduating become Team Leaders. Team Leaders are then paired with Team Partners, community members not in poverty who commit to being an intentional friend to someone in poverty for 18 months. Team Leaders overcome poverty by reaching 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Since it was founded in 2010, STEPMC has helped 81 adults and 68 kids overcome poverty with over 645 people in poverty being served and an average increase in household income of 159%. This has resulted in projected local savings of $134M.
One way you can support STEPMC is to support their Taco Tuesday fundraiser tomorrow, April 30th, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 119 N. Elm St. Lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for free will donations.
“The proceeds from Taco Tuesday go to support STEPMC as a whole and for the Team Leaders Emergency Fund,” said Jessica Smith, STEPMC’s McPherson coach. “That emergency fund is used for Team Leaders that are working hard to get out of poverty, and it’s for any barriers they are facing – car repairs, light bills, things like that.”
STEPMC is headquartered at 1200 E. Kansas Ave, in the First United Methodist Church. To learn more about the organization and how you might get involved, visit their website and Facebook page. And click here to see photos from the April 25th Chamber Connection.
