CHNA 20 BLOG
Vinny Harte, President & CEO at Wellspring. Of and on, we have partnered with CHNA 20 for 10 - 12 years.
Tell us how partnering with CHNA 20 has changed your work for the better.
The partnership allows for much greater and broader networking. The flow of information puts Wellspring in a position of knowledge.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been sharing the stories of our partner agencies in the Quincy Metro Area who have stepped up in unique ways to provide needed services during the crisis. We’ve been inspired by their efforts and honored to have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the great work that can be done when dedicated organizations engage in collaboration and innovation. However, what we haven’t yet shared is the work that CHNA 20 has done to provide assistance and relief to the community. We have had our own role in caring for public health during this time, and have taken an active part in caring for our community.
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, CHNA 20 has been highlighting the stories of our community partners and their heroic efforts to continue serving their clients despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic. As an organization that strives to make meaningful connections between agencies to improve public health outcomes in the long term, we feel it’s vitally important for us to take some time to step back and examine the lessons that have been learned during this time. What has worked well? What surprising insights have agencies had due to changing their models? What do community partners want to take forward with them into a “new normal” that will hopefully change public health for the better?
“Working at the hospital was really eye-opening for me,” says Karen Peterson, Community Benefits Coordinator for South Shore Health. “When things happen, you see the best and worst of people...I was fortunate to see the best of people. From the many donations we received to the appreciation from patients and visitors, there has been so much positive.”
“Our model has completely changed,” says Vinny Harte, President and CEO of the Wellspring Multi-Service Center, a Hull organization providing wraparound services designed to address all of the factors contributing to and/or hindering individuals’ paths to independence. In the face of COVID-19 restrictions, the center has had to totally redesign its service delivery models. In-person activities such as counseling and adult education have been re-imagined as online events; the food pantry has become a food delivery service to minimize the need for clients to leave their homes.
