HOH RIVER
COMMUNITY NETWORK WEAVING
Work together with community members to spark new ideas and take action.
Community Network Building is an approach to growing locally based networks of people to work together to create positive social, economic, environmental and civic momentum. We do this by creating opportunities to foster mutual trust among otherwise disconnected residents so that they can share their aspirations, resources, skills, and actions to build an inclusive and vibrant community. Network Builders work to eliminate barriers to engaging in public life by building an environment that invites new interactions, encourages self-permission to engage, and maximizes the ability to establish new connections that are mutually beneficial. That environment is intentionally built and is guided so that people feel safe to take risks, speak their truth and reach across prevalent divides of class, sector, ethnicity, age, race, geography, generation, and dominant traditions. This leads to increased cooperation and, ultimately, coordinated actions by those who would otherwise be disconnected.
Jefferson Community Foundation regularly convenes leaders and organizations working on similar issues to facilitate information sharing, build relational strength, stimulate collaboration, and conduct analysis of service gaps and possibilities so all can better work together to serve the communities of Jefferson County.
The following networks invite changemakers working in these sectors to monthly or quarterly convenings:
- Financial Assistance Network
- Peninsula Food Coalition
- Human Services Collaborative
If you are interested in an issue area that is not described below, reach out to Crystie@jcfgives.org and we can talk about how to get connected.
JCF Community Networks
HOUSING SOLUTIONS NETWORK
In 2018, JCF incubated the Housing Solutions Network (HSN) to educate and engage the public in the co-creation of new strategies to increase the availability of affordable and attainable workforce housing in our region. People who initially connected through HSN went on to found the Community Build project and provide funding to purchase property in Port Hadlock that will be home to over 100 new units of permanently affordable workforce housing.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE NETWORK
Individuals and organizations involved in emergency financial assistance in Jefferson County meet monthly to update and coordinate immediate needs with one another. Individuals share resources and inform each other about different up-and-coming programs in order to best serve Jefferson County residents.
These organizations participate in the Financial Assistance Network:
Saint Vincent de Paul, OlyCAP, YMCA, Dove House, JCIRA (Jefferson County Immigrants’ Rights Advocates), Bayside, Jefferson Interfaith Action Coalition, First Step Family Support Center, New Image, OWL 360, Roots of Resilience Project, Jefferson County Public Health
To join, email Crystie at crystie@jcfgives.org.
Peninsula Food Coalition
As a response to the covid pandemic in 2020, JCF helped to convene a monthly food security network that brought individuals and organizations involved in emergency food assistance in Jefferson County together to update and coordinate with one another. Members– including food banks, school meals, prepared meals, congregate meals, and farm and garden programs– worked on more efficient ways of getting local food into emergency food assistance programs. In 2026, this network was invited to merge with the Peninsula Food Coalition in order to promote regional continuity and collaboration. JCF will continue to serve as a co-convener for this network and encourage participation from Jefferson county food system organizations and programs.
The Peninsula Food Coalition was founded in 2015 from a need for food access organizations to come together and support one another
in pursuit of common goals. Because we face unique geographic challenges in addressing hunger on the Olympic Peninsula, our
Coalition works to collaboratively develop solutions for recovering, storing, and sharing our local abundance to build resiliency in our
food system. Meetings take place on the second Thursday of the month.
View the Peninsula Food Coalition Mission & Nutrition statement here.
To learn more or to join, email: peninsulafoodcoalition@gmail.com or call Danielle Carson at (360) 406-1581.
WHAT IS COMMUNITY NETWORK BUILDING?
Community Network Building is an approach to growing locally based networks of people to work together to create positive social, economic, and civic momentum. We do this by creating opportunities to foster mutual trust among otherwise disconnected residents so that they can share their aspirations, resources, skills, and actions to build an inclusive and vibrant community. Network Builders work to eliminate barriers to “and fear of” engaging in public life by building an environment that invites new interactions, encourages self-permission to engage, and maximizes the ability to establish new connections that are mutually beneficial. That environment is intentionally built and is guided so people feel safe to take risks, speak their truth and reach across prevalent divides of class, sector, ethnicity, age, race, geography, generation, and dominant traditions. This leads to increased cooperation and, ultimately, coordinated actions by those who would otherwise be disconnected.
Click here to learn more about community network building.
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