Community Outreach: Serving the needs of Vernon County residents for 25 years

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Volunteers, board members and community members gathered Dec. 11 at the Community Outreach office at 229 N. Cedar in Nevada to celebrate the organization's 25 years of service to the citizens of Vernon County.

Initially established in the basement of a local church, the organization has grown to be instrumental in helping many residents of Vernon County. With a stated mission of "Meeting the needs of economically disenfranchised, homeless families, and/or elderly persons of Vernon County," Community Outreach has many different outreach programs to fulfill their motto of "Giving a Hand-Up."

The agency has recognized a wide range of needs in the citizens of the county and has tried to meet them whether they are basic survival, educational, self-suffiency, employment or sociological needs. A variety of programs are designed to fill these needs throughout the year and approximately 5,000 families receive some sort of assistance during any given year.

A program of emergency food distribution is designed to help those, who due to financial hardship, cannot provide enough food for their family. This office is the distribution point for USDA commodity foods for the county, and emergency food is given to those in need as a balanced diet of food enough to last for four days, which is provided thanks to the donations of local churches, clubs schools, individuals and businesses. Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets are also provided with the cooperation of these and other state, local and national organizations.

In the fall, Community Outreach, along with other area groups gather donated school supplies and acts as the organizer and the distribution point of book bags, pencils, paper, crayons markers, notebooks, folders and several other school supplies which are given to more than 250 kindergartners each year.

Community Outreach also has a Family Assistance Day featuring a class that focuses on community members learning life skills. Informatioin is provided to help those attending with budgeting, grocery shopping, balancing a checkbook and employment assistance.

The work at Community Outreach is done by volunteers and the group is always happy to have someone new join them. The range of tasks needing done varies from answering the phones to filling commodities orders to cleaning and other jobs; everyone is welcome.

The organization is preparing to hand out its Christmas baskets on Dec. 18 at the National Guard Armory at 1400 W. Cherry. Those who have signed up for the baskets may pick them up with a photo ID between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and should bring a sturdy box. Community Outreach has a resource manual which can be accessed through their Web site at www.nevadafoodpantry.com or call the Community Outreach office at (417) 667-4339 to learn more about this community resource.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: