MARTINSBURG Leaders from various nonprofit organizations and boards came together during a community forum Tuesday evening to discuss diversity and personal empowerment in the Eastern Panhandle.

Damien Wright, chairman of the Berkeley County Diversity Council, said the council invited several representatives from different organizations to share what they are doing in the community to bring about change. He added a main goal of the meeting was to show the community which resources are available and how they can get involved.

Zakeem McGill, president of the local NAACP, said the most important thing the community should take away from the panelists at the event was the importance of volunteering what time they have big or small to ensure their neighbors are being treated with the respect they deserve.

I feel like Im preaching to the choir, because I think everyone here (Tuesday) can agree our climate is hostile to people of color, LGBTQ, women, people with disabilities, and its very disturbing, McGill said. The only thing that could benefit all of these organizations is if more people get involved. There is a role you can play, small or large, theres something you can do to directly address the distress that many in our community face everyday. You could be that one person in someones day that makes them feel like theyre not alone, that theres someone who understands the pain and stress theyre feeling.

The panel also discussed the growing homeless population, which Wright described as a huge issue in Berkeley County, and how Luci Hernandez, of Catholic Charities of West Virginia, and her organization are working to help these individuals find their footing again.

Hernandez said the group offers case management services, a personal care closet, which the community can help keep stocked through donations, and a refugee and immigration department to help those who are vulnerable, but said even when people are stabilized, the groups efforts dont stop there.

Even if these people are stabilized and they are safe, we just let them know we are still here if they need us, Hernandez said. We step back and let them do their thing, and we will assist in any way we can. We want to make sure our clients have access to the needs, but we also try to see where we can fill in gaps no matter how many times they come back to us.

Nancy White, who is with the Martinsburg Initiative, said the groups goal is to provide support and information for all areas of the Eastern Panhandle, including fields such as the police, schools, public health and community partnership. White added the group is working specifically with the unintended victims of the opioid crisis in our area through trainings offered free to school officials and the public, to help children of those abusing drugs to create a stronger generation.

The panel also featured Jodi Westrope, of the Parent Educator Resource Center, and Brandy Beery, of Peoples First of the Eastern Panhandle, who shared their individual organizations goals of empowerment to children, parents and individuals with disabilities.

Visit the Berkeley County Diversity Council Facebook page for more information on the group, meeting schedules and the organizations featured at Tuesdays forum.

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Diversity Council forum calls public to action when it comes to volunteering - Martinsburg Journal