Dave’s Notes: June 2026
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
Happy almost summer, friends. Over the past several weeks, the directors and staff at Our Place have been working on a new strategic plan for our organization. We have been forging a roadmap for our next 10 years of service to this community. During the several meetings we have had, I have noticed that the word “community” comes up often in our conversations. While I have always been an advocate for the idea of community, its intrinsic power, and the fact that it is a fundamental need for a rich and fulfilling life, I am now experiencing the real power of our community specifically. That power is illustrated in the photograph I chose to accompany this message. Those happy folks remind us that there is joy, laughter, and caring here at Our Place. That positivity is shared every day, in spite of the difficulties many of us face. Laughter, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging are the fuel that drives us to work on behalf of our neighbors and strive to be even better year after year. This period of introspective work has reinvigorated the commitment we share for the mission of bringing food, support, and even joy to those in need. I want to thank you for being a part of this community and for supporting the work we love. Your generosity, care, and commitment are what make the laughter and joy possible.
Being a part of the community means “being there” when others are in need and experiencing trauma. There was a fire recently at a motel here in Rockingham frequently used as shelter for the unhoused. While still able to stay on the property, most of the guests were left without electricity for several days. That meant no food storage and no way to prepare food for themselves. Our Place prepared meals, snacks, and drinks and delivered them for everyone at the site until power was restored. This is just one of the many untold things Our Place does for the community because we are part of the community. Again, the staff was able to respond quickly because we have the support of people like you.
As I’ve mentioned in previous messages, we are planning for the future of Our Place. Part of that planning is acknowledging and understanding that we are doing critical work on behalf of the community. We are human beings serving other human beings – is there any better definition of community? While we feel we are meeting the goals of our mission, we acknowledge that there is always room for improvement in the how, the what, the where, and the for whom we do this work. Our vision is to make Our Place a model for how a small rural town handles the crisis of human services. I am excited to share our ideas, thoughts, and progress with you in more detail in the coming issues of Dave’s Notes.
I will close this issue with a request. I believe we have a strong and supportive community here. I am constantly amazed at the generosity of this community and its dedication to the safety and well-being of our neighbors and the guests among us. But there is always more to do. I must ask for your support for this work. We are all experiencing the effects of the increasing cost of nearly everything. We all are aware of how it's increasingly more expensive to pay for the necessities, and we are no different. As of last month, Our Place spent approximately 15% more to provide the same services as last year while also seeing a 12% increase in people turning to social services organizations here and elsewhere. To bridge this gap, I need your help. Please become a monthly giver to Our Place. This program allows us to better forecast what we can spend so we can help more folks.
Thank you again for your support and interest in Our Place. I look forward to sharing more progress and successes soon.
Dave
P.S. If there is someone you think may be interested in receiving Dave’s Notes and hearing about the good work we are doing here, please send them a link to this page and share their email address with us. We love spreading the word.