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Each year we look forward to autumn in Western North Carolina, anticipating the brilliant display of color across the mountains. This year, the arrival of fall found us in a period of deep reflection as we observed the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene. The marks of the storm are still present across Western North Carolina, but I see signs of healing and progress, too. Helene was a reminder that we do not know what the future holds, yet it revealed how we can come together to help each other in the face of extreme circumstances. For CareReach, that reflection is combined with a sense of anticipation as we focus on the forward momentum of our organization and its efforts to serve our neighbors in Western North Carolina.
Mission, Vision and Values
Over the first half of the year, we worked to reevaluate our Mission, Vision, and Values, and spent time identifying the areas in which CareReach excels in serving individuals and communities. We’ve sharpened our focus to clarify the vision we’re working toward and how we will get there. As a result of these efforts, we have re-centered our mission and vision to reflect a broader, more whole-person approach to health and wellbeing.
CareReach has evolved into an organization that is about front-line, community-based work with heart, and I’m glad to see that new identity represented in our Mission, Vision, and Values—even while we build on our early legacy as Community Care of Western North Carolina. I am proud to present our renewed purpose, a result of close collaboration between our board and staff.
Our Vision
Communities working together for the wellbeing of everyone.
Our Mission
Ensuring communities have access to the care and resources
they need to be healthy.
Our Values
Community – We are rooted in the places we serve—living, working, and building trust alongside each other. We meet people where they are while honoring their experiences.
Collaboration – We know that individual and community needs are best met through partnerships.
Compassion – We believe that everyone deserves access to resources with dignity, integrity, and respect.
Commitment – We are unwavering in our dedication to support what is needed for a healthy community.
These statements have been our touchstone as we completed the rewarding work of strategic planning, aided by the input of valued CareReach stakeholders, including our program staff, community partners, and board of directors. From growing recovery resources to expanding our staff and board capacity, from increasing awareness of our work in community to ensuring the financial stability that makes it sustainable, we are evaluating every area and determining ways to better steward this mission and broaden its impact.
In the process, we’ve been reminded that the core of CareReach remains rooted in the people we call neighbors and the place we call home. Those roots go deep and will remain, as evidenced by our decision to relocate the Impact Recovery Community Center to a more accessible site in downtown Marion. Read on to learn more about our efforts to meet people where they are in their recovery journey, in a tangible way.
Finally, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, whose support made our strategic planning process a success. Thank you!
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