Help Directory for Baxter and Marion Counties Will Be on the Web Soon

Approximately 100 county, state and national service organizations, in addition to other local organizations serving Baxter and Marion Counties, will soon be listed and their services detailed on a new Web site. This is a project of the UCRC (United Community Resource Council) of Baxter County, which is a cooperative effort of 24 local service organizations. The Web site is funded with grants from the South Shore Foundation at Flippin ($12,350) and the Baxter County TEA Coalition ($5,000). The Web site is now being developed and will be online in about 60 days, according to Susan Partney, coordinator for the UCRC project.

"Our main goal is to create a resource that is comprehensive, accurate and linked to other area, state, or federal resources," Ms. Partney stated. The Web site will list up to 100 organizations and the services they furnish. Area organizations have already been invited to participate, and the first 100 to respond to the invitation will be included in the original Web site as funded. Sixty responses have been filed to date. Organizations that have been invited and have not yet responded are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Other service organizations that are interested in participating may contact Ms. Partney at 425-7974.

Ms. Partney explained that because there are so many organizations and government agencies providing services, counselors or information providers often find it difficult to know precisely what resources and programs are available to help people needing assistance.

South Shore Foundation President Steven Sanders Sr. said the project will benefit all residents of Marion and Baxter Counties, but lower income adults and children will stand to benefit most from it. "We are glad to be a part of the work of these fine organizations which exist to help others." Dr. Sanders added, "Through their grant application, the trustees learned of all the categories of assistance this Web site covers, such as job training, substance abuse, childcare or elder care, and much more."

The Web site will be easy to use, searchable by category and name of organization. It will be accessible to all, not only those who have home or office computers. "Public access is available at Internet-equipped computers in public libraries, schools, and chambers of commerce," Mrs. Partney said. She said the grant from South Shore Foundation does provide for counter top signs with the Web address to be placed in public places with Internet-equipped computers for public use. The Web address will be www.twinlakescommunity.org.

Current member organizations of the United Community Resource Council are PACT, Helping Hands, Mountain Home Food Basket, Love's Circle, Serenity, ASUMH Adult Education, OMART, Twin Lakes Literacy Council, Open Arms Learning Council, Ozark Community Home, Salvation Army, North Arkansas Youth Center, Baxter County Juvenile Services, SPARKS, Baxter County Health Unit, Advocates for the Elderly, NATS, Hospice of the Ozarks, Ozark Counseling Services, Employment Security, Department of Human Services, L.C. Sammons Youth Center, and American Association of Retired Persons.

Shown looking over sample UCRC listings are (from left) Jackie L. Edmonds of the Department of Human Services, Betty Barker Smith, a trustee of South Shore Foundation, and Richard Taffner, administrator for the Baxter County Health Unit. Susan Partney is coordinator of the project for the United Community Resource Council of Baxter County.

For more information about the UCRC, call Jeff Crawford, president, at (870) 425-9811 or Susan Partney at (870) 425-7974.

To obtain more information about the South Shore Foundation, the charitable foundation of the Northern Arkansas Telephone Company at Flippin, call (870) 453-3333.