Article and pictures by Urban Alliance staff.
On Thursday, June 30, Urban Alliance held a Beyond the Basics workshop where representatives from local basic needs programs at organizations in the Urban Alliance network learned about commonly needed community resources and how to utilize them, as well as how to effectively engage with clients when offering a Beyond the Basics resource table at their program.
Equipped with new knowledge, attendees were also each given a rolling cart filled with printed materials about community resources (selected based on the location of their program), a folding table and a table cloth, as part of this impact opportunity offered through Urban Alliance’s Beyond the Basics initiative.
At the end of the training, attendees were able to practice operating their community resource table while Urban Alliance staff members role played as community members who were in need of assistance.
“We were taught how to direct folks we meet in Hartford to helpful resources, also about each resource, what you will expect when you call the number we will be giving out on the pamphlets or look up the websites, what kind of time it will take to get a response, who is eligible for what and even more places that can give more resources than we provide,” shared Dorathy Smolkis of Church Army USA. “It was a great time, with hands-on learning, supplies, and a table. My ‘cup runneth over’ with what the folks of Urban Alliance are doing to equip the people who are sent out in the field.”
A second Beyond the Basics community resource table training will be held in the fall. For more information, contact Angela Colantonio, Urban Alliance’s Director of Implementation, Health & Basic Needs Initiatives, at angela.colantonio@urbanalliance.com or 860.986.7328.
