About Us

How RutherfordConnect Works

RutherfordConnect is a grassroots outreach and coordination system designed to connect organizations, share community resources, and identify local needs. Here’s how the system works:

1. Local Leadership

A Community Coordinator is identified from each community — a trusted individual such as a pastor, nonprofit director, community advocate, or retiree.

2. Network Council Formation

All Community Coordinatorss form the RutherfordConnect Network Council, which oversees the strategy, operations, and growth of the network.

3. Volunteer Criteria

The Council defines criteria for selecting outreach volunteers and future leaders, which may include:

• Flexible schedule and reliable availability
• Strong communication skills
• Access to transportation
• Community Health Worker certification
• Familiarity with NCCare360 or willingness to be trained

4. Building Outreach Teams

RutherfordConnect helps each Community Coordinator recruit and organize a local team of outreach volunteers within their designated community.

5. Community Organization Outreach

The Council creates a unified outreach strategy and messaging plan to engage local organizations. These may include:

• Churches and faith-based groups
• Nonprofits and mutual aid groups
• Social clubs and civic organizations
• Public agencies and service providers

Volunteers use tools like resource guides, web searches, and word-of-mouth referrals to identify organizations.

6. Centralized Organization Directory

Volunteers log in to our central database to register community organizations, making them discoverable by others.
Community Coordinators may divide registration tasks among volunteers for efficiency.

7. Relationship Building

Volunteers establish an ongoing point of contact at each organization and:

• Support organizations in registering for and utilizing NCCare360 when appropriate
• Schedule regular check-ins (weekly, monthly, etc.)
• Collect information about new events, services, and offerings

8. Event & Resource Logging

When a new offering or event is identified, volunteers log it into the central database (login required) to share with the wider community.

9. Identifying Needs and Gaps

Volunteers also document community needs, requests, or gaps as they emerge through conversations and outreach.

10. Monthly Council Meetings

The RutherfordConnect Council meets monthly to:

Guide system improvements and volunteer development

Review logged community needs

Coordinate collaborative solutions between organizations

Network Council

How to get involved – interested in volunteering with RutherfordConnect?