Powering Hope: A legacy of neighbors helping neighbors in Manchester

Written by Carol Wotring, CRC Executive Director

Every day, I witness how volunteer power transforms our community here in Manchester and our surrounding townships. As Executive Director of the Community Resource Center (CRC), I've seen firsthand how our organization, which began during a local economic crisis in the late 1980s, has evolved into a vital lifeline for residents facing food and financial insecurity.

With just two full-time staff members, including myself, we rely on our dedicated team of volunteers to make possible a comprehensive array of services that touch hundreds of lives annually. From our food pantry to our presence at the Manchester Farmers Market, volunteers are the heartbeat of everything we do. Our diverse team includes retirees sharing their lifetime of skills, students with energy and fresh perspectives, working professionals giving their precious time, and countless others. Together, these community champions wear many hats – staffing our food pantry, managing office operations, packing weekend meal kits for schoolchildren, and even delivering groceries to our homebound neighbors.

Our impact extends far beyond traditional food assistance. Our volunteers help coordinate free tax preparation, manage our "Wooden Nickels" produce program, and connect residents with vital community resources. Our 12person volunteer Board of Directors provides strategic guidance while maintaining the grassroots spirit that has defined us for over three decades.

At CRC, we believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Our volunteers understand that kindness and compassion are as important as the services we provide. We work hard to accommodate individual unique circumstances, whether that means offering delivery services to those who can't reach our food pantry, providing evening hours for working families, or ensuring our space is welcoming and accessible to all. This commitment to treating each person with warmth and understanding is woven into everything we do.

Working alongside our 20 regular volunteers and board members, we continue to expand our programming while maintaining the personal touch that makes our services so impactful. Our belief in the power of the volunteer spirit to address our community needs and to improve quality of life drives every aspect of our work.

As I look toward CRC's future, I'm inspired by how our volunteerdriven model shows the incredible things that can happen when communities come together to support their neighbors while fostering dignity, connection, and hope.