Neighbors Helping Neighbors
By Julie Brown
Former System of Care Project Director at Family Resource Center
In the early ‘90s, while I was a mom volunteering in my children’s schools, I noticed how many children in Findlay weren’t having their basic needs met. Maybe they were missing a warm winter coat and mittens. Some had come to school without eating breakfast. Others had parents who were unable to help with homework the evening before because they had been so focused on sheer survival. Once I saw children facing these problems, I was unable to look away.
Launched on an unexpected journey, I took a leap of faith and became the director of CHOPIN Hall, rather than returning to work as an accountant as planned. For the rest of my career, I focused on the needs of marginalized populations – food insecurity, transitional housing, and community mental health.
Today - Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - is the first official day of my retirement.
And, this is what I learned about Hancock County: neighbors always help neighbors here.
Hancock County has a long tradition of strong nonprofits that create a strong safety net for our most at-risk neighbors. This is best exemplified by Associated Charities that is over 100 years old and Cancer Patient Services that was founded 62 years ago.
The community safety net is so strong because so many Hancock residents are able to help by making financial donations to support local nonprofits. We are especially blessed because some Hancock County residents were able to make legacy gifts – significant end-of-life gifts placed in endowment that will continue to support Hancock County forever. Included in our hometown legacy heroes are Dale Dorney, Madeleine Schneider, Bill Frack, and Mariann Younger.
Helping is part of our daily lives in Hancock County. Just a quick glance at my closest friends finds them spending some of their time every week delivering meals, doing chores for the elderly, teaching budgeting, walking shelter dogs, sorting donated clothes, and mentoring young people. And when Hancock County residents aren’t helping individually, we help as part of organizations such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Zonta, Scouting, and faith-based.
There are disasters that test the true mettle of a community. Many of us were here during the flood of 2007, the derecho of 2012, and the fire at the Argyle Apartments that displaced some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Each one of those emergencies quickly rallied our community into action – whether it was hands-on activities like feeding and housing or making a donation – the help poured in. No one was left behind.
In all of my years in the social sector, never once did I sit in a community meeting where every person attending didn’t care deeply about ALL of our neighbors. When a true need was communicated by one of our community members, someone always stepped up to help.
“No” is never an answer in Hancock County.
When you live in Hancock County, the answer is always the same: “How can I help?”