PORCH, Healthy Blue partner to connect people with reduced-cost social services

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Healthy Blue and the People Organized to Revitalize Community Healing (PORCH) are coming together in Cape Girardeau to try and connect individuals and families with healthy food access, housing, education, employment, clothing, and utility assistance.

To make it easy for people to find important social services, PORCH community members will now have access to Community Resource Link, a leading social care network through Healthy Blue Missouri, which helps connect individuals and families to free and reduced-cost social services in their communities.

“All too often, individuals who truly need assistance do not know where to go,” said Dr. Tamara Zellars Buck, Chairman of the Board of PORCH “This partnership with Healthy Blue will help connect needy individuals with assistance that is readily available in the community. Providing this type of support is the essence of why PORCH was founded. Half the battle in working towards self-sufficiency and healthy living is getting the resources to those who truly need it.”

“We continue to shine the spotlight on social factors that improve health outcomes and equip our members, community and partner organizations with information, understanding and investments to collectively address health in all its forms,” said Jeff Davis, Healthy Blue Missouri President. “By providing PORCH with this social care network tool, we will be able to provide a customized list of resources based on the communities input and direct needs creating positive, lasting and meaningful change.”

PORCH says it will utilize the social care network to connect individuals with local resources and services through community events as well as direct communication with residents.

Healthy Blue will provide financial resources, training, and access to Community Resource Link to ensure the community can take advantage of the available resources.

For more information about PORCH and how to find resources available in your community, please contact Tameka Randle at 573-339-6346 or capeporch@gmail.com