The Heitshusens

(03) CAN Team

Community Assessment of Needs

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

Evaluating the needs of the community so we can best meet those needs.

Team Purpose

This team will work together to assess the needs of the community wherein God has placed St. Mark. They will work to get to know these needs by working with our neighbors – both individuals as well as community leaders and agencies. Without knowing our community, most of the rest of our work will be, at the least, ineffective and at worst, counterproductive.

Team Tasks

Community Needs:

We do not know the needs of our community. We have done many outreach and service opportunities without first meeting with community leaders and those leading other ministries and asking them;

  1. “what does Spring Branch actually need?” and
  2. “What good can we do here?”

Define our Target Audience/Clients

With the M.O.S.T. group, wrestle with the question, “who is our community?” Spring Branch? The regional area of all of Houston?

Utilize Community Assessment Tools to Find the Needs of the Community

  • Answer the questions:
  1. What does our community need?
  2. What good can we do here?
  • Utilize Community Assessment Tools
  1. “A Community Needs Assessment Guide” (found here: goo.gl/623m0F) from Loyola University or another suitable assessment to carry out their task.)
  2. Use the “2012 United Way Community Assessment” (found here: goo.gl/Agj6xd). [In the Appendices. Also in the Appendices is a “United Way Community Resource Directory” order form, should this be helpful to the team and what the United Way’s online resource database search form/page looks like. {It’s URL is on the bottom of the page: referral.unitedwayhouston.org.}])

Seek Out and Discuss the Needs with Community Neighbors and Leaders

  1. HPD neighborhood storefront at 8400 Long Point
  2. SBISD leaders, including Valley Oaks

Canvass Individuals and Businesses in the Community

Get their input regarding ways to positively impact our community.

Work Closely with the B.O.D.Y. Team

Maximize input and get the clearest picture of our community and its needs by working with other teams, mainly, the B.O.D.Y. team.

Ensure that Information is Shared

With the D.A.T.A. team and others to ensure everything is properly utilized.

Some Initial (Non-Comprehensive) Resources

  1. Urban Outreach, Inc. – Houston (urbanoutreachinc.org)
  2. Houston Food Bank
  3. Houston Food Pantry
  4. Turning Point Ministry (www.turningpointcenter.org)
  5. Kids Against Hunger