McHenry County College's People in Need Forum returns in virtual format
The 21st annual People in Need Forum is set to take place in a remote format from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 29 at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.
More than 100 exhibitors will virtually attend the Forum to showcase important community resources available to help those in need.
Preregistration is encouraged and can be done by visiting www.mchenry.edu/pin. Once registered, attendees will receive a confirmation email with the link to join the event on Jan. 29. Participants can drop into and out of the virtual forum as they wish. All exhibitors will be online from 8:30 a.m. to noon to chat and answer messages, and a community board will be available to ask questions and interact with other attendees.
"As our time in the COVID-19 pandemic continues, more people are facing concerns regarding mental health, social isolation, and community connection," said Jessica Rizza, development coordinator for the Friends of MCC Foundation. "While we wish we could gather in person, this virtual format continues to provide a wonderful and personalized way to match resources with needs in the community. We're always honored to help facilitate those connections with this event."
Two breakout sessions will be held from 9:15-10:15 a.m. and 10:30-11:30 a.m. respectively. Topics to be addressed in the sessions include caregiver resources, mental health, developmental disabilities, human trafficking, food insecurity, employment, housing, veteran resources, youth resources, LatinX topics, and more. Speakers will present for 45 minutes and leave time for a 15-minute Q&A at the end of each session. The attendees will view the session as a livestream.
The Forum is an excellent resource for human service agencies, faith-based organizations, civic group members, law enforcement, elected officials, school personnel, individuals interested in volunteer opportunities, or those seeking assistance.
Attendees can also download a PDF of the newly expanded community resource directory, which is the only one of its kind in the Chicago area.
The event is open to the public and free to attend. Interested exhibitors can also register at www.mchenry.edu/pin.
For information, visit www.mchenry.edu/pin or contact Jessica Rizza at (815) 455-8556 or jrizza@mchenry.edu.