FAQS from CORE's Board of Directors
April 9th, 2024
We know that change and uncertainty are challenging for any community. Since our announcement in February 2024, we have heard from many of you and have had genuinely insightful conversations. Below are frequently asked questions and answers from discussions with our community members over the last six weeks. If you want to add your voice to the conversation, we invite you to email our Board of Directors at board@corecr.org. We’d love to hear from you.
The period following the COVID-19 pandemic was one of significant expansion for CORE. We saw increased needs in our community and rose to meet those needs in various ways, including adding the Senior Weekly Home Meal program. Initially, there was additional funding we were able to access due to COVID-19 to support these new programs.
In hindsight, the organization couldn’t support this growth in the long term. In the fall of 2023, potential shortfalls were identified by the Board of Directors. This was followed by a major transition to a new CORE Board of Directors, along with other changes in staffing. The new Board began to determine the specifics of these shortfalls, better understand our programs, and review numerous ways forward. The priority of this Board has been, and continues to be, setting the stage for the long-term health of this organization.
This has led to difficult decisions, including the sale of the Broad St. building where ENCORE is located. Four staff members have also been laid off, and an additional position has been downsized. These departing employees have gracefully provided skill, knowledge, and compassion in their work, and we are grateful for all they have contributed to this organization over their years of service. We also recognize the significant effort by these employees to maintain our services despite this uncertainty over the past six months. Jenise Swartley, Dustin Thompson, Kaitlyn Bruno, Janelle Ulysses, and Shala Basina — thank you.
Q & A
If CORE has financial problems, why are you adding a new building?
In 2023, major donors and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation fully funded the addition of the Food Pantry building. They recognized the need to move the Food Pantry operations out of the former Maggie’s building to accommodate our Community Center operations and events. Additionally, a large walk-in cooler is part of the food pantry expansion, providing added storage capacity and greater flexibility to receive, store, and distribute food. This additional storage space enables us to respond to the farmers’/producers’ harvest schedules and product availability.
How does selling ENCORE help your financial shortfall? I thought ENCORE provided funds for CORE.
ENCORE was opened in 2007 as a revenue source for CORE operations and operated with all volunteer workers. At that time, the overall CORE budget was significantly less than in recent years. In more recent years, a full-time ENCORE manager was added with volunteer support, and at the same time, the ENCORE net income has been decreasing. CORE’s overall operations expense budget also increased, primarily due to additional payroll and food expenses associated with new programming. Although we had the best intentions, our organizational growth was too much, too fast. The current CORE Board recognized that we needed to take action to remain solvent. The decision to put the ENCORE building up for sale was difficult but necessary.
What is the immediate future for ENCORE?
The recent decision to close ENCORE has been difficult but necessary. The building is now listed for sale. In the meantime, a group of dedicated volunteers who have worked at ENCORE for years has stepped forward and will open the store on a limited number of days until the building is sold.
Over the next few weeks, they will work to reorganize the space, renew the inventory, and prepare for lots of sales. They anticipate re-opening in mid-April. Please stay tuned for more details as they emerge. We are so grateful for this great group of folks!
What is the future for CORE?
“Improve the quality of life for seniors and reduce hunger for all in Northern Bayfield County.”
With this mission as our guide, CORE Staff and Board will spend the next few months creating a detailed strategic business plan that focuses on the following Program Priorities:
What were the services and programs offered in 2023?
In 2023, 94 volunteers contributed 2,664 hours to help make this possible.
We are pleased to offer an overview of the year’s services and programs:
FOOD PANTRY
In 2023, we hosted:
We know that change and uncertainty are challenging for any community. Since our announcement in February 2024, we have heard from many of you and have had genuinely insightful conversations. Below are frequently asked questions and answers from discussions with our community members over the last six weeks. If you want to add your voice to the conversation, we invite you to email our Board of Directors at board@corecr.org. We’d love to hear from you.
The period following the COVID-19 pandemic was one of significant expansion for CORE. We saw increased needs in our community and rose to meet those needs in various ways, including adding the Senior Weekly Home Meal program. Initially, there was additional funding we were able to access due to COVID-19 to support these new programs.
In hindsight, the organization couldn’t support this growth in the long term. In the fall of 2023, potential shortfalls were identified by the Board of Directors. This was followed by a major transition to a new CORE Board of Directors, along with other changes in staffing. The new Board began to determine the specifics of these shortfalls, better understand our programs, and review numerous ways forward. The priority of this Board has been, and continues to be, setting the stage for the long-term health of this organization.
This has led to difficult decisions, including the sale of the Broad St. building where ENCORE is located. Four staff members have also been laid off, and an additional position has been downsized. These departing employees have gracefully provided skill, knowledge, and compassion in their work, and we are grateful for all they have contributed to this organization over their years of service. We also recognize the significant effort by these employees to maintain our services despite this uncertainty over the past six months. Jenise Swartley, Dustin Thompson, Kaitlyn Bruno, Janelle Ulysses, and Shala Basina — thank you.
Q & A
If CORE has financial problems, why are you adding a new building?
In 2023, major donors and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation fully funded the addition of the Food Pantry building. They recognized the need to move the Food Pantry operations out of the former Maggie’s building to accommodate our Community Center operations and events. Additionally, a large walk-in cooler is part of the food pantry expansion, providing added storage capacity and greater flexibility to receive, store, and distribute food. This additional storage space enables us to respond to the farmers’/producers’ harvest schedules and product availability.
How does selling ENCORE help your financial shortfall? I thought ENCORE provided funds for CORE.
ENCORE was opened in 2007 as a revenue source for CORE operations and operated with all volunteer workers. At that time, the overall CORE budget was significantly less than in recent years. In more recent years, a full-time ENCORE manager was added with volunteer support, and at the same time, the ENCORE net income has been decreasing. CORE’s overall operations expense budget also increased, primarily due to additional payroll and food expenses associated with new programming. Although we had the best intentions, our organizational growth was too much, too fast. The current CORE Board recognized that we needed to take action to remain solvent. The decision to put the ENCORE building up for sale was difficult but necessary.
What is the immediate future for ENCORE?
The recent decision to close ENCORE has been difficult but necessary. The building is now listed for sale. In the meantime, a group of dedicated volunteers who have worked at ENCORE for years has stepped forward and will open the store on a limited number of days until the building is sold.
Over the next few weeks, they will work to reorganize the space, renew the inventory, and prepare for lots of sales. They anticipate re-opening in mid-April. Please stay tuned for more details as they emerge. We are so grateful for this great group of folks!
What is the future for CORE?
“Improve the quality of life for seniors and reduce hunger for all in Northern Bayfield County.”
With this mission as our guide, CORE Staff and Board will spend the next few months creating a detailed strategic business plan that focuses on the following Program Priorities:
- Senior Services & Connections — including, but not limited to:
- Social and Educational Programming
- Nutritional Needs
- Friendly Home Visits
- Durable Medical Supplies Lending Closet
- Food Insecurity Support — including, but not limited to:
- Expanded Food Pantry (more coming soon on this!)
- Additional distribution services to support our regional agricultural community
- Reimagine the Future of our Community Center
- Volunteer Recruitment and Training
What were the services and programs offered in 2023?
In 2023, 94 volunteers contributed 2,664 hours to help make this possible.
We are pleased to offer an overview of the year’s services and programs:
FOOD PANTRY
- In 2023, 4,796 pantry boxes were distributed, compared to 3,562 in 2022.
- We saw an 81% increase in Home Visits & Food Deliveries between 2022 & 2023 (2023 had 422)
- 4,483 lb. of food received from WI farmers for distribution under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program administered by the USDA. This will continue into 2024.
- Weekly Home Meals — we operated at capacity throughout the year with 100-105 meal recipients each week. Additionally, we used these volunteer delivery routes to provide birthday cupcakes and seasonal gifts to our senior recipients.
- Lending Closet — 44 items in 2023 (durable medical equipment)
- Senior assistance: technology, shopping, friendly visits, pet care, snow removal — 165 services
In 2023, we hosted:
- 8 Friday Friends Senior Lunches, with a total of 243 attendees
- 73 Open Community Center days, with a total of 555 attendees, including a weekly Senior Women’s Mahjong group
- 6 Intergenerational Community Potlucks, with a total of 198 attendees
- 5 Intergenerational Spirit-Free Community Events, with a total of 386 attendees
- 3 Superior Lifelong Learning Events, with a total of 34 attendees
An Important Update from CORE
The CORE Board of Directors, after thorough review and deliberation, has announced the decision to close their downtown resale shop, ENCORE. In addition, the Weekly Home Meal program, launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be phased out over the next 5 weeks.
Inspired by Mary H. Rice’s vision and legacy, CORE is bringing a renewed focus to its primary services, providing support to seniors residing in the communities of northern Bayfield County. The Community Center at 257 Manypenny Avenue will continue to serve as the location for ongoing programs such as Friday Friends, Potlucks and other events. Senior Services will continue including the Lending Closet, Friendly Visits and more.
We will continue our Food Pantry program. Bayfield's original Food Pantry was brought under the fiscal umbrella of CORE in 2007, and its new home on Manypenny will provide exciting opportunities for improved management of the programs, along with space to eventually add additional services or events.
CORE has always relied on a committed group of volunteers driving our programs. We look forward to continued work with these caring people and are deeply appreciative when new faces come through our door asking how they can help. Working together we can continue to provide needed services to our seniors within the communities of Northern Bayfield County.
We are grateful for your support and understanding during these transitions. Thanks to you, CORE's future is bright!
Inspired by Mary H. Rice’s vision and legacy, CORE is bringing a renewed focus to its primary services, providing support to seniors residing in the communities of northern Bayfield County. The Community Center at 257 Manypenny Avenue will continue to serve as the location for ongoing programs such as Friday Friends, Potlucks and other events. Senior Services will continue including the Lending Closet, Friendly Visits and more.
We will continue our Food Pantry program. Bayfield's original Food Pantry was brought under the fiscal umbrella of CORE in 2007, and its new home on Manypenny will provide exciting opportunities for improved management of the programs, along with space to eventually add additional services or events.
CORE has always relied on a committed group of volunteers driving our programs. We look forward to continued work with these caring people and are deeply appreciative when new faces come through our door asking how they can help. Working together we can continue to provide needed services to our seniors within the communities of Northern Bayfield County.
We are grateful for your support and understanding during these transitions. Thanks to you, CORE's future is bright!
CORE is Building a New Food Pantry & Increasing Accessibility at the CORE Center on Manypenny Avenue!
Our building project is underway and we're excited to welcome you into our new food pantry, handicap accessible staff offices, and a handicap accessible community center on Manypenny Avenue in 2024! The food pantry will be built behind the existing building and the staff offices will be on the second floor of the food pantry addition. This new addition is funded by Kim & Quito Rymer, a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Community Development Investment grant, the Otto Bremer Foundation, and the Flanagan Foundation.
Wondering what happens at CORE?
CORE Community Resources is a nonprofit with a mission to improve quality of life for seniors and reduce hunger for all in northern Bayfield County. It was founded in 2006 by local philanthropist Mary H. Rice to address the needs of area seniors and to identify programs and services to make aging in a small, rural town easier. CORE’s first program, Friends in Deed, focused on meeting seniors' social needs and then expanded to include services that supported seniors' desire to age in place – including friendly visits and meal prep. Since then, CORE has added a food pantry and a community center to its list of programs, while continuing to evolve its programs and services that support older adults. CORE serves all of northern Bayfield County, including the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.