A few years ago, my dad approached me about golfing in a local charity event to help support Community 2000. I thought it would be fun to golf with dad some of my other relatives, so I said yes. To be honest, at that point I really didn’t know much about the organization. At the time, they were located in the town where I grew up and just a few blocks from where our business is located. I golfed in the event year after year, and as I did, I learned more about this organization and what they do.
We All Need a Little Help Sometime
Sharing success stories was something they did every year. We were able to hear, first hand, about the people we were helping in our local community. One of the stories that stands out in my memory is about a couple who had both been diagnosed with cancer. They had health insurance when they were diagnosed, but as their illnesses progressed they could no longer work, and thus lost their health insurance. In addition to trying to cover their normal living expenses, they now had mounting health bills on top of this. Community 2000 was able to help provide them assistance with finding a job and also connected them with other financial resources to help with their living expenses and medical bills.
The common theme in the stories they share is that people who are being helped have a really hard time asking for assistance. They have always been able to pay their bills and make their own way in life, but due to unfortunate circumstances they just can’t right now. They just need a little help to get back on their feet.
Recently I spoke with the director of Community 2000. I was trying to gain a better understanding of how their program worked and what their standards were. I discovered that there really were no standards, as every situation is so different. One person may just need help paying their bills as they are short of money and payday isn’t until the end of the month. Sometimes a person may be in a domestic abuse situation that requires helping them make a life-changing decision. The counselors work hard to gain trust so they can address the entire problem and help people more fully. The goal of Community 2000 is to give the short-term assistance needed, with the end result of helping people become self sustaining once again. A big part of what they do is networking with other area resources, such as domestic abuse and crisis centers, mental health organizations, and organizations that help provide financial assistance and/or job training programs.
They Need Help ~ Here's What You Can Do
With the stagnant economy over the last few years, two things have happened. First, the demand for their services is greater. Second, there are fewer people who can help with events such as the golf outing. If you are golfer and would like to participate in this event, you may still do so. If you are not a golfer and simply want to help, you could consider sponsoring a hole. You may also attend the after-golf dinner for small fee. Contact Juli at Community 2000 for more information. Their phone number is 920-833-0277.
