Parker bids fond farewell to Rapp Social Services
Jennifer “Jen” Parker will step down Jan. 8 as director of Social Services in Rappahannock County, which she joined more than 10 years as a comprehensive services coordinator and family services specialist until taking the helm in 2017.
“While I am excited for a new opportunity to be closer to home and my family, there is a big part of me saddened to leave the community I have called home for the last 10 years,” Parker told the News.
Rappahannock County Administrator Garrey W. Curry said he is sorry to see her go.
“I was fortunate to have a good working relationship with Jennifer Parker and I think during our time working together we improved coordination between DSS and county government,” Curry said. “While I am sorry to see her move on, I recognize that family is one of the most important factors for each of us in selecting our workplace, and to that extent, I am glad that Jennifer will have a much shorter commute to her new [Clarke County] office that should afford the opportunity for a better work-life balance.”
Among her duties, Parker planned, organized and directed social services programs, developed the department’s budget, researched and developed agency resources that included grants, and collaborated with community partners.
“It does truly take a village,” Parker stressed. “To improve communities and make a community where people are safe, healthy, and cared for takes an immense amount of work. Rappahannock may be a small, rural county, but its heart and people are strong and passionate. Over the past three years, I have seen a great effort to bring together fragmented systems, programs, and services to improve the well-being of all the citizens in Rappahannock.
“Everyone is working together and feverishly toward better outcomes and building a better, healthier, and sustainable community. There is an African proverb that best sums the need for strong community partnerships, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’
“Rappahannock has brought together partners and has built strong partnerships, built a strong framework, and has created a strong culture of helping. For this, I will forever be grateful to have been part of this growth, creativity, and passion of service to the community,” she said.
“I am so thankful for all those who helped with growing our foster home base, for those who showed up with PPE needs during COVID, who met the needs of our foster care children at various stages and those partners who work tirelessly to bring services to our community. If I could create a name list I am certain the newspaper would require me to purchase a section as there are so many.
For almost 16 years, beginning in August 1995, Parker was a human services worker for the Culpeper County Department of Human Services.