BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — With a location identified and an opening date on the calendar early next year, those involved in founding a community resource hub in Bradford County have turned their attention to drawing the public in.
Iana Patterson, the human services program specialist and minority health and health equity liaison for the Bradford County Health Department, said they decided to push the opening date for the resource hub to Jan. 24 to allow more time to advertise and get the word out.
Part of that is determining how the hub will be branded. People don’t necessarily know what a community resource hub is or what it can do for them, Patterson said.
In short it is a partnership of service agencies already operating in this and surrounding communities. It is a place where residents can take advantage of the many services available to them — including many they may not know about — at single location, close to home. It is a way of leveling the playing field and achieving equity by improving access to services that can change people’s lives for the better.
In addition to the health department, partners include Meridian Behavioral Health, UF/IFAS Extension Office, Civcom, Santa Fe Community College TRIO, the Hanley Foundation, Elder Options, Bradford County Coalition, CareerSource, Tobacco-Free Florida, the Center for Independent Living, the City of Starke, Bradford Schools, Healthy Families, Episcopal Children Services, Church of God by Faith and Concerned Citizens of Bradford County.
In fact, Concerned Citizens will be managing the program from the first hub location, the Bradford County Faith Community Center. The health department received startup funds for the program, but those involved will be seeking additional grant dollars to sustain the program. As time goes on, the goal is to open additional hubs around the county, including Lawtey, Hampton and Brooker.
Their efforts are backed by a needs survey of community members requesting additional access to services, including mental health, primary medical services, food and nutrition, legal assistance, employment and education.
Until the opening in January, the task force behind the hub in collaboration with the Bradford County Coalition will be making plans and working to spread the word. Concerned Citizens will feature the project during the annual MLK Ceremony, planned for Jan. 16.
A follow-up task force meeting has been scheduled for Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Bradford County Faith Community Center, 721 Old Lawtey Road in Starke. For more information, you may contact Patterson at 904-964-7723, ext. 1600.
