Current Operations
With the assistance of grants and community donations, the FRN has been able to develop and sustain several programs to help meet the needs of citizens in Monroe County. Some of these programs include:
1- FCOC Flex Fund- The FCOC Flex Fund was developed to be flexible yet accountable. For over 15 years, the FCOC Flex Fund has been identifying unmet needs of Monroe County residents. The unmet needs are considered emergency needs with no identifiable resources available to seek assistance from.The FCOC Flex Fund is open to all residents of Monroe County; there are no income guidelines. However, the majority of the applicants have little to no income available to them. The fund is limited to a $200 per year per family/individual. A one page application, that includes income and expense information, is completed and submitted to the members of the FCOC committee. The applicant must also bring in supporting documentation that verifies the termination, eviction, etc. FCOC committee members include staff from the FRN, DHHR, Head Start/Early Head Start, and a community member.
2- Acute Dental Assistance- Like the FCOC Flex Fund, the Acute Dental Assistance Program was designed to be flexible yet accountable to help citizens in Monroe County receive emergency dental care.
3- Food Assistance- The local DHHR refers individuals who are seeking food stamps. This program is funded by generous donors throughout the County and employee’s of The Greenbrier. This program would not be operational without the partnership with Ashley’s Food Pride.
4- Community Baby Showers- Funded through local grants and donations by community members, community baby showers are held once per year. These are open to families with an infant under one year of age. This event is designed to help relieve families of the financial burden of a new child while providing an outlet for them to learn about information, services, and programs that are available to them and the new child.
5- Family Fun Nights- This is a new program that will provide families a safe and positive atmosphere to participate in fun-filled activities, learn about different programs and services in the community and connect with fellow families.
6- Christmas Giving- This is a county-wide collaborative that works with local faith-based groups, schools, and community services. Together, we provide local families with much needed food and gifts for the Christmas season.
7- Greenbrier Connections Collaborative- This group is comprised of multiple agencies and local groups that works to meet the needs of the surrounding four counties: Monroe, Summers, Greenbrier, and Pocahontas. Currently, we are focusing on the need to find foster homes within our communities.
8- STOP Domestic Violence Team- In collaboration with the Family Refuge Center, local law enforcement and legal services, our MDT seeks to work together to link families to current services and programs available to them.
9- Community Assessment & Resource Directory- there is a recent copy of the Community Assessment and Resource Directory available at the FRN office.