People living in poverty in the Tri-Cities need more than just food handouts twice a month, argues the CEO of Share Family and Community Services, they need support and new skills to help them move forward.
But what skills do they need, what does support look like?
Share's Martin Wyant wants the community to answer those questions.
The organization that runs the region's food banks which collectively feed more than 900 people a week with more than $1 million worth of food distributed annually, according to Share's website, and also provides a multitude of other services to seniors, children and families, is looking at a new model of service delivery. But first it needs the community to weigh in.
This month Share launched its community consultation via an online survey, and is also talking to staff, clients, and board members. "We want to get as many people from the Tri-Cities in this as we can."
The survey asks people to rank services that Share should offer, along with other questions about the social service agency, which will form part of a business plan that will be developed in the spring for a proposed Catalyst Centre.
With the so-called Catalyst Centre, Share is looking at assigning a case manager to people who are struggling with meeting their basic needs. The manager would help them develop a realistic plan for moving forward which could include support such as finding affordable day care or dealing with addiction.
There would also be follow up feedback and monitoring and the clients could be asked to give back as a way to develop their own strengths, skills and connection to the community.
Wyant said Share isn't looking program costs or funding sources yet but will address those issues in a business plan being developed by consultants Realize Co-op.
"First of all we want to figure out what this service might look like," Wyant said,.
Wyant said so far people are "cautiously optimistic" about the idea and intrigued with the notion of people "giving back" to improve their own lives.
The community survey will be available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sharesociety until Dec. 11.
