The library and United Way are teaming up to offer social services, workshops, and digital skills support for housing, jobs, health, and finances.

FOSTORIA, Ohio — The Fostoria Public Library is teaming up with the United Way to create a new resource center with a goal of connecting people to housing, food, job, and health services.

Libra Tedrow, director of the United Way of Fostoria, says the library has become a go-to place for people seeking help and information, and the new resource center will streamline that need. 

“We see more and more people coming in looking for assistance. So yes, the library has always been a great place for people to come find information with the books and computer access. So it made a great fit that way,” said Scott Scherf, Director of the Kaubish Memorial Library.

A $30,000 state grant will help expand services and support into one centralized space.

“Our main purpose is to make sure we connect people with the needs that they have,” said Tedrow,

Those needs include social services and monthly workshops on housing, health, and finances.

“We looked at the kind of the needs in the community, and we know some of the needs are housing. We have some food scarcity as well. We have individuals that are still looking for jobs,” said Tedrow.

A digital skills center for resume help and job support will help fill that need.

“A lot of applications are online now and we see more and more people that don’t know how to apply for a job online,” said Scherf.

And that’s the hope: to give community members the start they need in a spot that makes sense.

“It’s going to be a great partnership to help our community, and that’s basically the goal – to help the community,” said Tedrow.

Workshops and services are planned through April and May, with more information and dates coming from the library and United Way Facebook pages.

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