Agency asks for help identifying Merced County’s top concerns

The Merced County Community Action Agency is calling for county residents and agencies to fill out its survey on public needs.

The Community Needs Assessment Survey, which is available at the agency’s Facebook page, is eight questions long and asks the reader to pick what services are needed in Merced County. It also asks about the obstacles county families face.

The survey lists everything from youth services and education to drought assistance and employment.

Jackie Martinez-Juarez, a community block grant service coordinator with the agency, said the survey helps inform the nonprofit before it draws up its “community action plan,” the agency’s governing document on how it will provide those services.

“It’s important to have community input to make us more aware what those needs are,” she said.

The agency is a nonprofit that has offered services – food programs, homeless services, utility assistance and AIDS programs, to name a few – in Merced and surrounding counties since 1965.

The agency also plans town hall-style meetings next month to get further input from people and other agencies that provide services.

▪  From 5 to 7 p.m. on May 6 in the Miller & Lux building, 830 Sixth St. in Los Banos.

▪  From 5 to 7 p.m. on May 13 in Livingston City Hall, 1416 C St.

▪  The Merced meeting’s time and date are to be determined.

For more, call Martinez-Juarez at (209) 381-5221 or send an email to jjuarez@mercedcaa.org.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Agency asks for help identifying Merced County’s top concerns."