The economy today puts a wide array of pressures on people, as rising costs of living adds tremendous stress on working families and older residents. The town government of Richmond recently emphasized that an important part of its responsibility is to help make sure that folks in Richmond are able to get help if they need it. To this end, they’ve stood up the Human Services Department in Richmond, and hired Kate Schimmel as the Human Services Director. Her job is to work with you, the residents of Richmond, to help find the right kind of help for any problem!
Obviously, everyone has a different set of challenges. It could be about finding affordable health care in the region. It might be a need for help with additional food resources. One might just need help with an unexpected large repair or storm damage. There are even options for discount options on internet service, since internet availability is a necessity for work and school! And there’s a wide variety of crisis support, veteran support, and behavior support for kids.
Their website posts a resource directory – it’s a great starting point for the kinds of programs that are available to help. However, the Human Services department is really there to provide a person you can talk with and ask questions!
Kate Schimmel and her department are available as a community resource for support. They’re able to provide connections and to help the townspeople get help from a variety of community and state programs. They’re open to any questions, and can help find you the right help based on your particular circumstances. They can help you navigate the huge list of possible resources to find the best ones for your circumstance, and may point out additional options that are useful!
Office hours for the Human Services Department are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am-2:30 pm at Richmond Town Hall. You can also reach them at (401) 491-9824 or humanservices@richmondri.com.
They also run a Facebook page, which is a great way to stay up to date on opportunities and events that they are hosting. In addition to updates on various opportunities, they also highlight upcoming community events around the town!
-- Chris Kona