Navigator Notes: A Reunion in Baldwin City
Hannah Swartz-Brown is our new Community Resource Navigator serving rural Douglas County, especially the communities of Eudora, Baldwin and Lecompton. Hannah, a native of Baldwin, jumped right into the job, getting to know the landscape of resources, visiting schools and food pantries, being present in the libraries.
When she went to visit and learn about the Saturday morning food pantry, housed at Baldwin First United Methodist Church, she was excited to see one of her middle school teachers, Susan Butell. Susan has served as co-chair of the pantry for 20 years. The two have now worked side-by-side for several Saturdays.
The Baldwin pantry is small space, supported by local businesses, townspeople, churches and schools. Susan said it’s not big enough to take care of all the food needs in town, but it is a space for people who find themselves, often unexpectedly, in need. Most people come for a season, until they get back on their feet. Right now, mostly older adults are visiting, many because they are having to choose between medical care and other needs.
On Hannah’s first day, Susan introduced her around at the pantry, and she said that Hannah jumped right in. She spoke to everyone, telling them about the Resource Navigation program and asking them what they knew about the local resources. As Susan watched Hannah interact with the people, she saw the same Hannah she knew in middle school – sweet and friendly, with a smile for everyone.
When Susan started handing out information with the hours of the other pantries in the area, Hannah actually spotted out-of-date information. One of the pantries had recently changed their time. Susan was impressed at how Hannah had done her homework and so quickly gotten to know the local food resources.
When asked what it was like working with her former student, Susan said she too was pleasantly surprised, and she was glad to hear about the work Hannah was doing. She shared that as one of the small towns in Douglas County, they certainly have people in need, but they have never had knowledge or easy access to the resources the county offers. They have long needed a centralized way to get this information out to people. She sees Hannah’s navigation work as an answer to this challenge.
To connect with Hannah or members of our Community Resource Navigation Team, fill out the form on our website at https://www.uwkawvalley.org/GetHelp.