North Georgia Healthcare Center recognizes the difficulty some community members face in getting the services and help they need. That's why the business hosted the second annual block party in Ringgold's Hickory Grove community, bringing numerous health care and service organizations to residents through the Community of Hope program.
Community of Hope is a regional initiative led by the Northwest Georgia System of Care in partnership with Casey Family Programs, the nation's largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building "communities of hope" for children and families across America.
Marissa Camp, who organized the recent outreach event, estimated more than 100 people attended for food, fun for the kids and information on potentially life-altering services. Organizations such as the Christian Women's Job Corps, Catoosa County Prevention Initiative, Early Head Start and WellCare of Georgia were in attendance to distribute information about what they offer.
"Until I started working with the North Georgia Healthcare Center, even I was unaware of some of these services," Camp said.
She said transportation is a major concern in the Hickory Grove community, so being made aware of programs like Catoosa County Trans-Aid can make the difference between someone having access to health care or not.
"Many struggle to find work, and that's definitely related to the lack of transportation, so we're trying to work on that at the moment," she added.
Recognizing that transportation is an issue for many, the regular Community of Hope meetings have been moved to Young American Ministries on Karen Drive to be closer to the affected community so more people can attend, she said.
"They can join us and let us know what else they need," said Camp.
Also in attendance at the block party were members of the Catoosa Sheriff's Office. Camp said starting a dialogue between the sheriff's office and the community at large will go a long way toward building outreach and trust.
"I think it was a very positive experience for those that attended," she said. "I got to talk with a lot of the parents and kids. It's getting to the point where they know us and recognize us."
The next big item for the Community of Hope will be their annual Thanksgiving Dinner, for which Camp said they have already started planning.
For more information about the services, classes and health care options the Community of Hope program aims to raise awareness of, visit facebook.com/communityofhopenwga.