By Spotlight PA Berks Bureau
The community forum is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Data from a 2022 report by the United Way (ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) indicated that 41% of Berks County households were one paycheck away from a financial crisis. The study noted that even more households in rural parts of the county were on the border of a financial crisis. And they lacked access to the social service programs that could offer them support.
Another study, commissioned by Berks County, found that many residents in these rural areas lacked access to reliable, affordable Internet service, and that a significant portion of them lacked the technology and the skills required. And the COVID-19 pandemic caused more people to need access to more health care services, at the same time restricting their access to those services.
The Berks County Community Foundation hired a consultant to hold conversations with leaders in rural communities to identify ways in which access to these essential services could be enhanced. Friend Inc. in Kutztown offered a proven model for how a community organization could address these challenges. Serving as a food pantry, Friend provided access to much-needed food resources. But they also provided access to essential social services.
The community leaders in the underserved rural areas of the county suggested that the local public libraries could serve as an access point for social services.
Co-County Wellness is engaged with the libraries in Bernville and Hamburg to offer access to needed social services. The Salvation Army is providing support to the Bethel-Tulpehocken Library. And that’s just the beginning.
The community forum will focus on the challenges facing residents in rural areas of the county in securing the services that they need, and the work being done to address these challenges. The discussion will include the Berks County Medical Society, Friend Inc., and the leaders of two local libraries working to address these challenges.
Join Spotlight PA Berks Bureau for this important community forum on Thursday, May 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., via Zoom. Register here: eventbrite.com/e/community-forum-accessing-social-services-in-rural-communities-tickets-1985726701017?aff=oddtdtcreator.
