"There is not enough people working in jobs that are allowing them to be self-sufficient," says Nancy Jernigan, Executive Director of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. She sat down with KRCU's Dan Woods and said that jobs is the biggest challenge facing the Southeast Missouri community. She noted that things cost more than they used to and many people are struggling to make ends meet. To combat this, education and training to acquire employment for those that want it are critical. That will allow people to stand on their own and not be dependent on government programs.
Jernigan says the vast majority of people receiving government services don't want to be receiving it. They would rather make it on their own. The first big step for people is to want to be self-sufficient and as a community, we should make opportunities available to those that are searching for advancement and education.
Another challenge, according to Jernigan, is letting people know what services are available to them and connecting them with those resources. Our community has a variety of services but they are scattered and if you don't know where to go and who to talk to, it can be very frustrating.
There were some success stories in 2014 to report, too. Jernigan noted the Navigator Neighbor program where around 20 people that were going through the GED program were paired up with local community members that helped them navigate through the many services in the community. One woman was paired with a retired educator who helped her pass the GED test after failing it three times. The navigator helped her study and worked with her to prepare for the test. On her fourth attempt, she passed. The Navigator Neighbor has been a very successful program.
Jernigan noted that when community members volunteer in the programs offered by United Way, they often come away with a sense of appreciation for what they have along with an understanding of why others are struggling. She said, "The more people we can connect that way, the healthier of a community that we will have." The United Way is always looking for more volunteers to help implement the many programs that are offered and encourages those interested to contact them.
For 2015, the United Way of Southeast Missouri is working to put together an integrated service delivery center. It will help pull all the scattered services available to those in need into one easy to navigate center. Instead of sending people to 15 different places to get the things they need to feed, clothe and care for their families, there will be one place to go where they can develop relationships with people and get a personalized service plan just for them.
To find out more about the United Way of Southeast Missouri, visit www.unitedwayofsemo.org
