FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - Despite the closing of many of the physical offices of nonprofits throughout Marion County amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them continued to operate by appointment or remote basis.
Likewise, the Marion County Family Resource Network continues to provide resource information to people in need. Frank Jarman, executive director of the Family Resource Network, said this mission became a little more difficult because of all the changes in policy. However, the organization is now using another method of communication for this mission, that being Facebook Live video.
“When COVID-19 hit… we wanted people to get information they needed during this time when everybody was isolated,” Jarman said. “We work with some great organizations and to say, ‘How are we going to get their message out?’ Let’s put them in front of a camera.”
On Aug. 5, the FRN broadcast its first live video interview, in which its Community Engagement Specialist, Melissa Lehman, interviewed Legal Aid representative Richard Morris, who shared information on his organization’s purpose with viewers.
Lehman said she mostly just keeps the interview on track, while the guest discusses their work and their organization. This has been the format for her interview with Morris, as well as for her talk with Jone Webb, executive director of the Connecting Link.
“I kind of let them focus on what they really want to say and get the message across,” Lehman said. “They know better than anybody what services people really come to them for… For the most part I let them talk about what they want to talk about.”
Jarman said he believes this method of communication will help the FRN be more efficient, because many people can get the information they may need from one video.
“We get calls every day, usually for resources,” Jarman said. “People need resources right now, probably more than they have.”
This efficiency has been evident by the number of viewers the streams have gotten, with more than 700 people tuning in to watch the two videos that have so far been broadcast. This result surprised Jarman.
“I was blown away by the viewers,” Jarman said. “For 700 folks to watch that contact makes me think there are people that need that information. We are continually trying to find ways to get people help.”
Like Jarman, Lehman said she is surprised by the number of views this series has received. While she and Jarman are only planning to stream these videos the first and second Wednesday of each month, going live at noon each time, she believes it can be a good informational resource for people in need of certain aid, especially during the pandemic.
“We want to hit everybody that we can,” Lehman said. “Especially with limited access and a lot of hours being limited in a lot of organizations in the community, I think it’s hurting people out there and they can’t access those resources. To know that those resources are still there and still available, they just have to do some footwork to get to those organizations, I think that’s the ultimate goal of this programming.”
According to Jarman, upcoming guests on the Facebook Live stream include representation from the Family Service and On Eagles Wings, which will give more information on their organizations to viewers. For Jarman, having another outlet to serve the FRN’s mission of connection is a good thing, and he said he hopes the streams reach even more people as time goes on.
“That’s what Family Resource is supposed to be doing; we’re supposed to be connecting resources to the families,” Jarman said. “This is just one more tool in our bat belt.”
To watch the previous interviews conducted by Lehman, visit the Family Resource Network’s Facebook page.
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