Implementation Phase - Our Goals

We Have Moved from Planning to Implementation.

               Our Goals

    2019-2024 IMPACT REPORT

The Morris County Collaborative extends its deepest gratitude to the Hogg Foundation for awarding the Approaches to Well-Being in Rural Communities grant. As of July 1, 2021, the Planning Phase concluded, and we have now entered the Implementation Phase of our Strategic Plan. All Committee Chairs have been appointed, priorities established, and programs initiated.

Throughout the Planning and Implementation Phases, we encountered numerous challenges in achieving our goals. One significant obstacle was the lack of a dedicated space for training, community activities, meetings, and other events. However, thanks to the generosity of Attorney Nelson Roach and The Roach Law Firm, we achieved our initial goal of securing a permanent location. In 2023, we were gifted an 8,000-square-foot building. This facility enables us to execute the myriad activities outlined in our Strategic Plan.

We are now poised to establish a Community Center, which will include spaces for Board and community meetings, job fairs, job training, fundraisers, holiday gatherings for staff, volunteers, and donors. Additionally, with the inclusion of a kitchen, we have future plans to offer Nutrition classes to address the high incidences of diabetes and heart disease within our community.

As a newly established organization comprised of community volunteers, we sought to engage individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. For the first time in the history of Morris County, we formed an organization inclusive of different races and ethnicities, embracing various viewpoints and ideas. This was a significant change for Morris County, and we faced numerous challenges in adapting to this new approach. However, our goal remains steadfast—to maintain a diverse board representing all races residing in Morris County, Texas.

Although progress was gradual, in September 2024, Dr. Jean Latortue, an MCC Partner, spearheaded the inaugural National Hispanic Celebration Health Fair in Northeast Texas, titled La Buena Vida. This event significantly raised awareness of healthcare resources, attracting over 700 Hispanic attendees, with more than 300 receiving health services. This initiative also led to MCC securing its first Latina Speaker for the Women’s & Teen Retreat.

A notable achievement following the acquisition of our permanent location was the establishment of a Resource Center. In 2023, we hired a part-time Office Manager to oversee operations. The Resource Center provides materials in both Spanish and English and offers information on various topics, including teen smoking, substance and opioid use, shelters, safety, resources for women and children, food banks, Medicaid and Medicare, immunizations, and other health and wellness services. When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the Hogg Foundation provided emergency funding to support those who lost jobs and homes during the pandemic. The MCC formed a Benevolence Committee, which has to date distributed over $22,000 to assist residents with utilities and rent, preventing shut-offs and homelessness.

Our second goal was to establish both online and in-person classes. Our partner and fiscal sponsor, Northeast Texas Community College, will also assist in training community members through basic computer training classes. Since securing our permanent location, we have set up a Computer Lab to support community needs and facilitate computer training.

Our third goal was to conduct a Feasibility Study to build a community/health center in Morris County. However, since acquiring our permanent building, the MCC Board has opted to utilize the space to achieve its Strategic Planning goals. Consequently, MCC has established Memoranda of Understanding and Partnership Agreements with five agencies, including healthcare providers, who visit the building on a weekly and monthly basis to offer local access to healthcare and employment opportunities.

These agencies provide resources for Medicare/Medicaid, insurance, safety counseling for battered women and children, housing assistance, substance and opioid use counseling and screening, smoking cessation programs, and blood pressure and diabetes screenings. Dr. Jean Latortue, a visiting physician from the Franklin County Rural Health Clinic, holds appointments on Thursdays and offers follow-up visits at his clinic in Mt. Vernon, with free transportation provided. Additionally, Dr. Latortue is organizing a screening clinic for uninsured males to address their specific healthcare needs. With the addition of the Franklin County Rural Health Clinic, Morris County residents now have access to three local clinics.

The Franklin County Rural Health Clinic also provides Narcan training and supplies and to date has trained over 112 law enforcement and fire personnel.

The Franklin County Rural Health Clinic has entered into a Partnership with East Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ETCADA) and the Morris County Jail to visit inmates for counseling for pre-release purposes. Once released, the inmates may visit the clinic for free check-ups and medical care and be provided with other social services that enable them to function, get counseling, jobs or job training, housing, clothing, food and other resources that improve their well-being.

                                          IMPACT

Since 2023, over 1366 visitors to the MCC Building for services.