Community Response is the collective actions a community takes to develop a coordinated system of resources and services to strengthen families and enhance family well-being.
Key Purposes
- Build trusted partnerships among community agencies.
- We grow the capacity of helping agencies to increase the number of families they serve when no other resources are available.
How We Do It
- Community Response is a coordinated system that connects families to Central Navigators, flexible funding and coaching supports.
- This coordination increases families’ self-support.
- Those served share their lived experience to inform data driven community decisions.
Why Community Partners Response
Community Response was started in 2020 with funding from Nebraska Children and Families Foundation. Many in our community are 1 or 2 setbacks or illnesses away from financial disaster. A single parent in Buffalo County works 73 hours per week at minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom home, leaving few precious hours for quality time with their children. When families are able to meet basic needs such as food, housing, and medical care, parents and other caregivers experience less stress, which allows them to provide the critical support that children need to grow into healthy, productive adults.
Community Stats
- 2.85% of Buffalo County has been served through Community Response.
- $347,000 provided to agencies to support families when no other service was available.
- 9 out of 10 families served by Community Response have not returned for services.
How It Works
Our Partners
On March 20, 2020, volunteers from these agencies met with Nebraska Children and Family to develop a Buffalo County Community Response Team:
United Way of the Kearney Area, Mid Nebraska Community Action Partners, Buffalo County schools, Educational Service Unit #10, Kearney Area Community Foundation, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Region 3 Behavioral Health Services, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney Works, City of Kearney, Villages of Buffalo County, Law Enforcement, South Central Area Agency on Aging, Kearney Area Community Foundation, SAFE Center, Community Volunteeers, Buffalo County Rooted in Relationships, HealthyMINDS Collaborative, Be Well Collaborative and Buffalo County Community Partners. Additional agencies and individuals are welcome to this planning table.
Contact us
For more information, or for any questions, please fill out the form below.