Finding your way around a new city can be scary and stressful. Even more scary and stressful is finding your way through the maze of social services during a time of crisis, especially for families and individuals who have never had to ask for help before. That’s why Community Services staff are available to provide information about what help is out there, basic program guidelines to understand those resources, and referrals and advocacy to get people linked to the help they need. We can also provide assessment services to determine where a household is vulnerable and help to develop a plan to move toward self-sufficiency. Along the way, we’ll provide follow-up, more resources and assistance as households work to achieve their family development goals.

We also provide low-income community members with a “stake in the community” and a chance to tell the story about the barriers they face as they work to achieve self-sufficiency. Whether it is working with Community Services staff to complete a needs assessment or volunteering as a community resource provider in the Poverty Simulation, the insights of our families are important to us.