Helping Those Who Help Our Neighbors

June 2024 - Published in: 2023 Annual Report - The social and community service departments in towns and cities are tasked with supporting the basic needs of all of their residents. This includes assisting those individuals and families that are experiencing financial, physical and psycho-social hardships. It is a difficult job that can be isolating at times, yet it is critical that social service directors are apprised of and have access to all possible resources for their residents.

The social service directors in the Foundation’s service area identified that they wanted and needed a peer group in early 2023 to gather and learn from each other. Main Street Community Foundation helped to organize and host it. The peer group, which now meets quarterly, shares resources and discusses the emerging needs in all communities, facilitating collaboration and ensuring that each town and city’s residents’ needs are being met. Each meeting not only consists of open discussion, but educational opportunities. Speakers and experts on various topics, such as fraud and scams, have presented on topics of interest and importance.

Outside of the meetings, the group has continued to share resources to keep abreast of changes, new services available to residents. This effort also provided an opportunity for the Foundation to further connect other nonprofit organizations and funders to identified needs.