Several years ago, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Director of Tuolumne County Health and Human Services came to Sonora Area Foundation with a concern.
Her office was seeing something unusual: a growing number of people were asking for assistance for the very first time.
These weren’t necessarily individuals or families who had historically relied upon public assistance or nonprofit services. They were people who had always managed on their own—our neighbors, coworkers, friends and families—who suddenly found themselves in circumstances they had never anticipated.
That conversation stayed with us, and it helped lead to the creation of the Community Roots Resource and Health Fair.
On Wednesday, September 23, Sonora Area Foundation is proud to once again sponsor Community Roots at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.
Unfortunately, the circumstances that make this event important did not disappear when the pandemic ended.
Today, families throughout Tuolumne County are facing a different kind of financial pressure.
We hear regularly about the increasing cost of homeowners insurance, particularly in our rural communities. Families are paying more for food, gasoline, health care, utilities, housing and many of the other necessities of everyday life.
For a household already stretching its monthly income, it doesn’t take much to upset the balance. A major increase in an insurance premium, an unexpected medical expense, a car repair or a reduction in work hours can suddenly put someone in a position they never expected to be in:
They need help.
For someone who has never asked for assistance before, knowing where to begin can be difficult.
That is one of the reasons Community Roots exists.
On Wednesday, representatives from more than 50 organizations serving Tuolumne County will gather at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Instead of someone trying to figure out which
organization to call, which website to visit or which office might be able to help, Community Roots brings many of those resources together under one roof.
Residents can talk directly with people representing organizations that provide health care, food assistance, family services, senior services and many other forms of support.
But Community Roots provides something beyond information.
It provides a personal connection.
There is a big difference between finding a telephone number on a website and sitting across from another person who can listen to your situation and say, “Here’s how we may be able to help.”
That human connection is especially important in a community like ours.
Tuolumne County has always had an extraordinary network of nonprofit organizations, public agencies, churches, service clubs, volunteers and individuals willing to help their neighbors. One of our challenges isn’t necessarily a lack of resources. Sometimes it is simply making sure people know those resources exist and helping them find the right door to walk through.
Community Roots helps open those doors.
There is another message I hope people take from this event.
There should be no embarrassment in asking for help when circumstances change.
Throughout our lives, most of us will experience times when we are able to help others and times when we may need a little help ourselves. That is not a weakness. It is one of the reasons communities exist.
At Sonora Area Foundation, we have spent decades bringing together people who want to help with organizations doing important work throughout Tuolumne County. Community Roots is another expression of that mission.
So I encourage residents to come to the Mother Lode Fairgrounds on Wednesday, September 23.
Come if you need assistance.
Come if you’re caring for a parent or family member and want to know what resources are available.
Come if you’re concerned about a friend or neighbor.
Or simply come to learn more about the remarkable network of organizations serving our county. You may discover a resource that you or someone you care about will need someday.
Community Roots began because we saw people in our community facing circumstances they had never faced before.
The circumstances may have changed since COVID, but the principle behind Community Roots has not:
When our neighbors need help, our community should make it as easy as possible for them to find it.
That is what Community Roots is all about.
Darrell Slocum CEO Sonora Area Foundation
