How Community Action is Transforming Lives with Innovation | Thomas Dearmore, Community Action Agency of Butte County

0:01Hello everyone um and welcome to the forell podcast. I'm Rob SS and today I'm really privileged to be joined by uh Thomas Dearmore who is very involved in community action in B but county. So Thomas thanks so much for for coming on the podcast. >> Well thanks for having me. >> I'd just love to start with your journey and how do you get into community action and just talk a little bit about some of the services that you guys offer. >> Certainly. Uh about 10 years ago, I was living in San Jose, California. Uh a couple two or three hours from here, uh closer to the coast. And uh my wife was from this area and wanted to move back

0:43and uh I happened to know the the CEO at the time and there was an opening in the in a management position. I had been running a program in San Jose for um men and women getting out of prison uh helping them get employment and such. Uh so I came here as a manager at our uh Esplade House, transitional housing for homeless families with children and uh have worked my way up. Now I'm the chief operations officer. >> Yeah, that's fantastic. and just tell me a little bit about some of the work you do, some of the programs, what what do you guys mostly focus on? >> Absolutely. So, we we have uh the North

1:28State Food Bank. Uh it's a regional food bank that covers but Kousa, Glenn, Plumis, and Sierra counties about 8,000 square miles. And uh our our biggest year was about 2 million pounds of food distributed in that service area. We also have um a unique pantry built on site. Uh you know, food banks give food to pantries. Pantries give food to people. That's kind of how that works. So, uh we built a pantry on our uh food bank site where people can come in and shop by appointment and take what they need. and instead of here's your box of food, there's there's some dignity in that choice. And uh plus we hoped that,

2:19>> you know, if you have two jars of peanut butter in your cupboard, you don't need another jar of peanut butter. And so folks can get what they need in and uh instead of what they're given and they know what their family will eat. We try to have culturally appropriate foods in there. And this is a very uh popular program. Uh we call it the fresh choice pantry. >> [snorts] >> Uh then we have uh weatherization services uh lie heap and uh utility assistance, wood, propane and oil. Uh we we weatherize about 150 homes a year and and do about a million300,000 I believe uh in utility assistance a year. Uh help a lot of a lot of folks. a

3:04lot of wood, a lot of propane because we're in a rural area and we have um we have a lot of folks living off the grid and in uh areas where uh you know a wood stove is their only source of heat. Uh so we provide those services. Uh we also have the esplanade house which is transitional housing for uh homeless families with children. Um we have 60 units here. Uh we have uh you know anywhere between 65 and 100 children here at any one time. Uh it's a very special place. It was built specifically for that purpose. And we provide um life skills, parenting, um a lot of child work, a lot of we have a family resource center here with

4:01evidence-based activities for the kids and and for the parents. And then we have housing navigators that get them um out of this program and into safe and secure housing outside of this place. Uh then we have um a program we call 530 food rescue. Uh this is an appbased program in which uh we recover food from uh restaurants and schools and other uh places that have um you know a high level of of food waste. And uh we get it to folks that need it typically the shelters uh in the area. But the premise is uh we have dispatchers that uh will take a call from say Panera Bread and Panera Bread will say we have

4:5920 loaves of bread. Um can somebody pick it up? And the dispatchers will put it on the app and then any one of, you know, a couple of hundred volunteers can claim the rescue and we call them food rescue heroes and then they go over to Paninera Bread, pick up the bread, the app shows them, take it to the Torres shelter and gives them directions and and um it's it's very popular. We have um the only complaint we get from people is that um they sometimes don't get a chance to do a rescue because [clears throat] so people are so quick to to get them. Uh it's very very popular. And then we have uh a program

5:43we call CARES. I think CARES stands for community action resources and equitable solutions but cares is easier to say. Um these this team is mobile. They work with the homeless population uh where they're at >> um and uh works with them to uh to get them into stable housing, but in the meantime uh focuses on their medical needs, making sure they're getting to doctor appointments, not using the emergency room as a primary care physician. and uh it's it's fairly successful. They they house, you know, we're a we're a small community here, so these numbers won't be impressive for somebody in Los Angeles, say,

6:34>> but um you know, we're we're housing between Escalade House and But Cares, we're housing probably 50 people a year, right? >> Uh you know, up to 75. A lot of h you know, it depends on the size of the households. Cares works with single people. Uh, Escalade House works with families up to, you know, seven people. And so, um, a lot of work happening here and we're we're really proud of the the team we have and the work that they do and, uh, we make an impact on our community. It's awesome. >> Yeah. No, that's fantastic. And just out of interest like um just for you like we've been we've recently started

7:19working with a bunch of uh COC's so you know people focusing on on homelessness as well and one of the things that we're interested in is building on so you know we know what a great case manager does in those scenarios is kind of have a wraparound service we are trying to help people you know take certain steps you know it could it could be you know write your CV it could be go for an interview it could be you know is there anywhere else you can stay you know there's a diversion element to it. There's a bunch of different things that people talk about and and the in some of the places we're working, we're figuring out, can

7:52you add so great case manager has the initial meeting, can you add kind of an AI coach as like a check-in almost? So, it's like checking in, seeing how people are doing, but the bit we're worried about sometimes is like where's the people element of it? You know, we need people, great case manager, people focus, and then can you use technology alongside that to kind of help people and check in. So, I'd love to get your perspective on it because it's something we're literally building right now. >> Uh, I think that's uh entirely appropriate uh if used right and we encourage that here at this uh community

8:27action. Um, so most of the staff uh have built an agent in AI, >> right? and and they use it as a thought partner and as a coach and you know so that the manager isn't got a line of people outside their door asking these questions like run it by AI get some ideas you know >> and then and then share that with the rest of the team >> um so that everybody doesn't have to >> replicate that um it's really been successful I I know just in I uh in my position, it saves me hours, >> right? >> You know, hours. You mentioned the COC. I just wrote an application for a grant with our COC. And that usually would

9:21take me a week, >> right? >> You know, like every day a week >> and and I was done in three days. >> Yeah. >> That was magnificent. And you know, like I'm not I'm not having AI write it for me, but it I can write what I write and say, "Okay, I want it I want this done to it and I want this polish and I want this added." And it does it so much quicker than I could do. >> Yeah, that's amazing. And tell me about like if we just go back. So what are the things you know that are specific to where you are that you know you feel like what has changed in some of the challenges you're trying to fix? Have

10:03they mostly stayed the same or have you got some unique challenges that have changed postcoid for example where you're seeing folks in different ways or with different challenges than you saw before? Um I don't know that nothing here changed during co >> right >> we we continued to work we nothing here changed so the co my our co experience was very different than the general public >> um and so I don't know that much has changed there but uh we have um what has changed for us as far as AI goes is we have created a repository for um our policy and procedures and just all our our board minutes, all our

10:51information about our agency. And then we, you know, we've written policies on what how we use it and what to do, but it's all uh it's all there as a um a library for all of our staff. Um, so that AI is has that knowledge already. >> And that's incredible because frankly a lot of our staff don't know our fiscal policies inside and out. They have no need to. They know the parts that matter to them. Well, AI knows everything that we've given it. And so, uh, it's just it's really been great for us. >> Yeah. And stepping away from technology for a moment. So, you know, you've obviously built a good, you know,

11:39housing and preventative homelessness program and getting people back into housing. What do they what do you think makes a great case manager? >> Well, several things. Um, first of all, experience. You know, you you're just not going to be a good case manager for a while. you you need to to have that interaction and and build on your your failures and your successes and and um and that takes a little time. You know, we when our our folks first get here um you know, they they have the education, they have the motivation, and uh and they're they're sharp folks. But to be a good case manager, you you need to be at

12:28it for a little while. And um some of the characteristics I think are um empathy with boundaries. >> Mhm. >> You know, um you you have to be able to empathize with folks, but um Oh, it's just a terrible situation in social service work when when case managers don't have appropriate boundaries. >> Uh very important. And also um active listening. >> Mhm. >> Rather than waiting to talk. >> Yeah. >> Uh people people sense that especially the population we work with, you know, they've been in survival mode for some of them for quite some time. And they can tell when somebody's just going through the motions. They're they're

13:20very good at reading people. They've had to to get by. [snorts] >> Yeah. So um also um someone who is uh open to other perspectives. You know if you're really rigid in your thinking, if you're black and white about, you know, everything's either right or wrong. You know, there's some gray areas in in life. And you got to fight your battles uh with folks, you know, like get get the most important things going, you know. help him get sober, help him get housing, help him be a good parent. You know, the the other things will come with that. Um, anyway, I hope that was a >> No, it's useful. It's useful. I mean,

14:08you know, given like, you know, because you were you worked your way up, right? So just talking about kind of when you were doing those jobs, how did you figure out how to, you know, be there for that person who's going through a tough time but not, you know, take on all of their emotions and all because that's the that's one of the big reasons for burnout, right? Like how you talk about boundaries. How do you actually do that? >> Well, I'm personally I'm pretty good at compartmentalizing things, you know? Um, but I I I just think that you need to keep in mind you're you're a professional and that uh you know, not to say

14:47anything bad about someone serving hamburgers at McDonald's, but you know, you're you're a a professional. You've gone to school. You've you've [clears throat] uh got this this person's future in your hands a little bit. You know, you need to take it serious. and and taking it serious is understanding like this is not my problem. This is this is my work. It's not my problem. Um, also, uh, I I just think that if you go into it trying to empower people to better their lives instead of you trying to better their lives, that will help with that separation as well because you can't do the work for them.

15:35>> Mhm. >> People have to to change their own lives. You're just giving them tools, showing them a path, giving them encouragement. Uh you're not doing it for them, >> right? I see that. I see that. Cuz there's like So would you say like when you've got people who are maybe struggling with that? Like how can you, you know, you say you're good at compartmentalizing. How do you say, how do you coach someone to not take that home with them or to be able to, you know, have eight meetings a day, right? because they have a lot of backto-back meetings a day and not go out of the office, you know, feeling like they're

16:11going to fall over. >> Well, I think uh I think there's tools for that. >> Yeah. >> You know, if if I was um if I was supervising someone who was struggling with that, um I'd personally I'd do some research and find there's there's so many resources. Um, I I'd find an expert to to help me with that. >> Um, but just I think I would coach them about professionalism and about how important they are and and keeping their job is is part of >> Yeah. >> having boundaries, you know, like uh we don't want to let people go. That that's the worst part of my job. and uh and people don't want to lose their job and

17:03you just have to kind of let them know like look this is >> this is important enough that you you won't continue to work here so that'll usually get people's attention. >> I got you and tell me because obviously that we're in a different you know funding environment there are challenges with that but what do you find is like the most like frustrating part of your job? Um probably probably the government. >> Yeah. >> Um you know we get a lot of mixed signals. We get things given and taken back. There's you know I understand that um you know running a country is a lot bigger than helping a CIA. But uh uh for

17:49instance um we were doing an expansion project at our food bank and we got a large grant and we thought it was enough to do the entire project. Uh afterward we found out that uh this Davis Bacon Act uh requires us to pay prevailing wage on the job which meant our costs went up 30%. Uh, so I had to interview all of the workers because of this Davis Bacon Act and make sure they were getting paid the prevailing wage and a kid sweeping up picking up trash after the construction workers was making $65 an hour. >> Mhm. [clears throat] >> And so it's frustrating to me that because it's public money, I I have to

18:45waste it, >> right? It doesn't make sense. You can't take the lowest bid. You have to start at a higher level. >> Mhm. >> Which isn't necessary >> for sure. >> But I guess that allows certain people to compete. >> Yeah, I get it. I see that. And then tell me like because one of the great things about you know what you guys do in community action is you actually find you know these positive transformations. So, have you got a personal story or you know someone that you guys helped recently where you took them from one place to another or one thing you remember back in your career where you think wow that that if if this community

19:20action didn't exist this wouldn't this wouldn't have happened. >> Oh certainly. Um you know one example is uh at our Esplanade house we had a family stayed here quite a while. Typically the stay is about a year to two years tops in [clears throat] unusual circumstances. Well, this family stayed here just a little bit longer than that and they were able to leave here and purchase a home. >> Wow. >> And uh it's it's quite amazing. We um we have them uh back here often. Uh they they really uh are inspiring to the folks here. Um, and they were living in a car at one time with kids. Uh, now they're homeowners and moving forward.

20:10It's It's pretty awesome. >> That's pretty awesome. And what why how were they able to do that? >> Well, they were both working and just saving every penny they could. [clears throat] And u because uh because we report um in our phase 2 part when they get a lease, we report that to credit unions. they were able to build up their credit here. Um, and so that makes a huge difference. That's one of the biggest barriers we have to people moving out is they many of them have such a bad credit score that nobody wants to rent to them. So, we give them a lease in our phase 2 side so that they can um build that

20:54credit up and get some experience, you know, paying their own utilities and that kind of thing. And so that's an extended part of our program. And usually when they they leave there, they're really on their feet. >> Well, that's fantastic. It's such a great story, right? Because you've given them a place to be, a safe place to be so that they can reorientate their lives and then get and you know, be be then have their own house, right? >> Well, one of the things that separates us from other shelters is we require sobriety, >> right? Um many years ago when housing first came out, we lost a lot of money

21:33because we didn't uh go with the housing first model. Um and it we really struggled because of it for a long time. Um now we have uh other revenue streams. We do fee for service work through medical >> and um that's helping quite a bit. Um but uh the latest um administration has done a 180 on those um uh on those requirements. And so now suddenly we find ourselves eligible again uh for a COC grant. >> Mhm. [clears throat] >> Um because uh we require programming and all the things. But, you know, that's one of my frustrations is, okay, so we set we get this going and we count on it and then the next

22:25administration takes it away. You know, you just it es and flows. So, >> Right. Right. And do you uh like how many people do you have at your agency right now >> in staff? >> Yeah, >> about 45. And do you see, you know, is there because I'm in Tennessee right now and I was talking with a couple of the executive directors and, you know, they're now starting to bring some of the, you know, younger generation through, right? In terms of and they've just got a slightly different perspective on how they can help people, you know, so maybe a little bit better with technology, but haven't, you know, maybe not so good at picking up a phone,

22:59right? You know, to to call someone. Like, how how are you seeing that? Because, you know, Community Action has been around, you know, since the 1960s or whatever, and, you know, we're going to have a new generation. How do you how do you see you know how kind of community action is going to evolve for you know in the next 10 years? >> Well, we encourage um our staff to uh become CCAPS, community action professionals. Um and I think that uh establishes um like a foundation to build on >> and and then they can bring in like the new the new generation of thinking. You know, if you if you put it on that solid

23:42base um and and understand what our mission is, uh then from there, hey, new thinking and innovation is great. I I think young people bring a lot of energy and uh we try to make uh paths upward for folks so that you know if they stick around there's a way for them to to uh promote and grow in their uh career here. Um you know a lot of young people move on from us. They kind of get some experience with us and then go for you know cuz we're not the highest paying >> Yeah. agency in the in the county for sure, right? >> But, uh, we try to make up for it in other ways and, um, keeping the the young folks on for, uh, a long period of

24:32time will kind of keep what we're doing going for the future. >> Yeah. And I tell you what, I'll I'll finish with this question, Thomas. What if you could wave a magic wand in your agency and do one thing, what would you what would you do? I'd find a grant I could apply for to finish our food bank uh expansion. I we got about 2.2 million into it and need another million and a half, >> right? >> And um I'm just looking under rocks trying to find a funding source for that. Well, let's hope that, you know, we can get the message out there on this podcast and hopefully someone's fairy godmother will see it.

25:16>> Yeah. >> And we'll take that. >> Yeah. But, uh, Thomas, just want to say thanks so much. Really appreciate you coming on and it's great all the work that you you guys are doing. >> Thanks for having me.