WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE TOGETHER THAN WE CAN DO SEPARATELY.
Roane County Cooperative Ministries’ efforts are directed toward not only helping in a crisis but also on working together to build a more stable future for our neighbors and our county as a whole.
OUR WORK FOCUSES ON
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Preventing Homelessness
means addressing the times when things are overwhelming or beginning to spiral out of control. Unfortunately, these times are too frequent in our neighbors’ lives. Our assistance often comes in the form of help with rent/mortgage, utilities, getting needed medications or helping get families back into a better housing situation.
Feeding the hungry
is not only basic support. It also helps families ensure they are optimally functioning in their jobs or school. RCCM is not a food pantry but we assist in other ways. For years, we have provided “Garden Grants” to assist and encourage our neighbors in developing and maintaining gardening skills. This provides nutritious low-cost foods and helps prepare them for crisis situations such as the pandemic we are working through. In addition, we completed the Feed Roane campaign to package 40,000 meals for neighbors across the county. Finally, we are often called to deliver meals to an isolated neighbor.
Connections or “Social Capital
Connections or “Social Capital” is of critical importance to individuals wanting to move toward a better future and also for churches and our county as a whole. It helps protect us in times of disaster as well as equipping us to move ahead when we are ready. It does the same for churches, organizations, and our county as a whole when facing a disaster like the opioid epidemic, the Covid-19 pandemic or the ongoing struggle of so many neighbors. Together we can do so much more than we could ever do separately. To help build and exercise these connections, we sponsor or collaborate on Church Summits, Events, and an Employer Network.
Building Support Systems
Building support systems is also important in facilitating the cooperation and collaboration needed for progress. Together we have established a shared database to facilitate more effective neighbor support and to describe the needs of neighbors across the county. We secured a shared facility, developed a “Worker to job Connection” and a “Community Needs Listing”.
Awareness of Opportunities
We help provide Awareness of Opportunities through a variety of courses, public speaking and volunteer experiences. This helps neighbors identify where they are now, decide where they would like to be in the future and create a plan to get there. This material also helps us all better understand the perspectives of others so we can more effectively partner with those who are different from ourselves.