The Alliance: Voice of Community Nonprofits asked nonprofits across the state to participate in their #DontForgetUs social media campaign. The campaign was created as a way to remind policymakers of the work nonprofits do every day and while delivering services through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring nonprofits are prioritized in state policymaking and funding decisions.

Staff and program participants at Reliance Health were asked what they need from policymakers to be supported, and why community services are important. The answers are being posted on our social media pages, as well as here in this blog. A common theme emerged, highlighting the importance of increasing nonprofit funding. Community service providers are essential to the health and welfare of the community, especially during a pandemic. They continuously provide compassionate support, helping those who are most in need. The services are essential to those in recovery, especially those without insurance while connecting individuals and families to housing, food, and security. In fact, in the month of June alone, 72 individuals were housed by providers across Eastern Connecticut. Additionally, Reliance Health has distributed over 21,000 meals since the beginning of March. Community services provide “freedom, life, and friendship”, effectively saving lives because as we know, “people’s needs don’t stop for a virus”.

As a community nonprofit, Reliance Health needs "our work & workers to be appreciated, acknowledged, and valued by our state". Our staff wants to feel appreciated by policymakers for the work they are doing in the community. This acknowledgment should come in the form of hazard pay, continued access to COVID-19 testing, PPE, support, and appreciation. The bottom line is that nonprofits, like Reliance Health, cannot continue to do more with less. After years of flat funding and budget cuts, nonprofits need increased funding to continue to provide quality essential services.

Reliance Health remains future-focused and is committed to meeting the needs of the community by enhancing health through mental wellness, despite the barriers the pandemic has created. We ask that policymakers #DontForgetUs and the other nonprofits across the state when making policy and funding decisions.