Local service providers will soon have a new tool to help navigate service providers in the area.
Timmins.CARE is being relaunched, with the site going live on Tuesday, April 2. The site will offer people localized information about social service organizations in the city, what they do, and how they do it.
“About five or six years ago, one of the things that we were facing was no small amount of false information in the community related to addiction, crime, homelessness, you name it,” said Brian Marks, Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB)’s chief administrative officer. “We launched a platform where we thought we could gather enough community partners to tell their stories.”
Timmins.CARE is being powered by 211 and is an online platform with a local social services and organizations directory. The new site is focused on local service providers, whereas 211 covers all of Ontario.
CDSSAB plans to expand the Timmins.CARE platform to other communities in the Cochrane district in the future.
The first iteration of the platform was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the hope is that this relaunch will get more community buy-in and support.
“Eventually, you will see Kapuskasing.CARE and Cochrane.CARE,” said Marks.
The platform will also house information on organizations' work, funding, and services available.
“We don’t dedicate the attention that we probably should to telling the story about what we do so that people know the facts and the reasons why we do what we do,” said Marks.
Jennifer Gorman, regional manager for the United Way, said they use the 211 service regularly and that she’s looking forward to a local focus in the mix.
“We’re excited to see that directory that everybody can use,” she said.
