Community efforts

Months after the Community Caring Council and the United Way of Southeast Missouri identified the region's four greatest problems, the groups are ready to find solutions.

Through a three-year partnership, the two organizations have surveyed community stakeholders to see what residents think are the city's worst problems, and how they can be solved.

Earlier this year, the problems were identified as a need for transportation, affordable medical care, a means to address drug and alcohol abuse and family, parenting issues.

Now the goal is to create objectives that will help community agencies focus on these vital needs.

During a meeting last week, the United Way and Community Caring Council announced that part of its plan is to consolidate community efforts that already are devoted to resolving these problems, and make people more aware that help exists.

Consolidating the work of several agencies who already address the same problem makes each one more efficient, and could help more people find help who weren't getting it before.

It seems prudent not to reinvent the wheel and for us to find ways we can continue to work together to make our community better.