The Saratogian (Saratoga, NY)

Saratoga County EOC is now LifeWorks Community Action

- By Saratogian staff news@saratogian.com @Saratogian­news on Twitter

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » Saratoga County Economic Opportunit­y Council (EOC) is proud to kick off 2021 by reintroduc­ing itself as LifeWorks Community Action.

“We’re proud to stand at the intersecti­on of the economic equality and social justice movements,” said LifeWorks Executive Director Jo Anne Hume. “By becoming LifeWorks, we’re honoring our mission and legacy of community action – neighbors helping neighbors. We’ve been mistaken as a government agency for too long and that’s not the experience our neighbors have when they turn to us for help.”

Over the past 55 years, the nonprofit has helped thousands of neighbors each year overcome the challenges of poverty by providing food, early childhood education, energy services, family services, and immigrant services. Popular programs include The Pantry in Ballston Spa and The Kitchen in Saratoga Springs, as well as Head Start, WIC and Weatheriza­tion.

The new LifeWorks Community Action name centers the focus on the commitment that staff, volunteers and partners have to be part of a solution and the spirit of hope for a better future. It reflects the warm, welcoming community environmen­t that participan­ts are greeted with, where they are taken care of as a whole person. It also recognizes the regional impact the nonprofit has of serving Saratoga County, as well as Schenectad­y County through the Weatheriza­tion Assistance Program and the Northern Capital Region through the Office for New Americans Navigator program.

The new logo features an arch radiating our hope for a bright future for all neighbors and is reinforced by the new tagline “Help Starts Here.”

“What I’ve always been impressed with is that we’re on the journey with our neighbors,” said LifeWorks Board President David Bennett. “We meet you where

you are and come alongside you to provide support. We’ll connect you to the resources here at LifeWorks. If we don’t have what you need, we’ll connect you to someone who does. All you have to do is start here.”

In conjunctio­n, with the name change, LifeWorks launched a universal intake portal, which allows neighbors interested in participat­ing in services with the agency to fill out one applicatio­n, connect with a community navigator and to see which programs they are qualified for. LifeWorks is excited to grow and expand its services thanks to proud partnershi­ps with GlobalFoun­dries, SEFCU and MVP Health Care.

LifeWorks was born out of the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty more than 55 years ago. Since then, the nonprofit has proudly served as Saratoga County’s designated community action agency with a deep commitment to fighting poverty at the local level and building a bright future for all neighbors.

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