About Stratford Cares
Organizational Position & Community Partnerships
How Stratford Cares approaches partnerships with local organizations, agencies and businesses across Stratford and Perth County, Ontario.
Organizational Position & Community Partnership Statement
Who We Are
Stratford Cares is a grassroots, community-driven initiative built on a simple belief:
Neighbours, caring for neighbours.
Our purpose is to bring residents, community organizations, businesses and volunteers together to help strengthen the network of support available to people in Stratford.
We believe meaningful community change does not always require creating another program or service. Sometimes it begins by connecting people to resources that already exist, identifying where people are falling through the gaps, and mobilizing community support where it can make a practical difference.
Our guiding message is:
Kindness Changes Lives.
Our Approach
Stratford Cares is committed to approaching community needs through dignity, collaboration, inclusion and practical action.
When discussing homelessness, mental health, food insecurity, poverty, youth, marginalized communities or other difficult circumstances, we believe people should never be defined solely by the challenges they are experiencing.
Our communications, programs and partnerships will strive to preserve individual dignity while focusing on hope, connection, opportunity and meaningful support.
Collaboration, Not Duplication
Stratford Cares recognizes and respects the expertise of the organizations and professionals already serving our community.
Our intention is not to duplicate established services, compete with existing organizations or position Stratford Cares as the solution to every community need.
Instead, we seek to:
- Build constructive relationships with existing community organizations and service providers.
- Learn from organizations with professional and lived expertise.
- Help residents understand and connect with resources that are already available.
- Identify needs that may fall outside existing programs, mandates or funding.
- Mobilize volunteers, fundraising and community resources where Stratford Cares can appropriately help address those gaps.
- Support and amplify the work already being done throughout our community.
Where another organization has the appropriate expertise or mandate to provide a service, our preference is to help connect people with that organization rather than recreate the service ourselves.
Filling the Gaps
We recognize that even within strong community-service systems, practical needs can sometimes fall between programs or outside traditional funding models.
A transportation barrier, a meal, an essential item, an unexpected emergency expense or another relatively small need can sometimes determine whether someone is able to access a larger service or opportunity.
Stratford Cares wants to work collaboratively with community organizations to better understand these gaps and determine where grassroots fundraising, volunteers, community partnerships or other resources may provide meaningful assistance.
Any significant allocation of Stratford Cares funds or organizational resources will be subject to appropriate Council review and approval.
Making Community Resources Easier to Find
People experiencing difficult circumstances should not have to understand a complicated network of agencies, programs and eligibility requirements simply to begin looking for help.
Through initiatives such as Stratford Cares Community Connect — One place to find help in Stratford — we hope to make community resources easier to discover and understand while directing residents toward the organizations best equipped to assist them.
Community Connect is intended to strengthen connections to existing services, not replace them.
Inclusion & Belonging
Stratford Cares is committed to creating a community in which people feel welcomed, respected and able to seek assistance without judgment.
Our initiatives are intended to be inclusive of people from different backgrounds, identities, abilities, ages and circumstances, including people experiencing homelessness, youth, seniors, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ community members and others who may experience barriers or marginalization.
Inclusion should be reflected not only in policies, but also in the language we use, the images we choose, the programs we develop and the way people experience our organization.
Responsible Storytelling & Communications
We believe community awareness and fundraising should never come at the expense of someone's dignity.
Stratford Cares will strive to communicate difficult community issues responsibly and avoid imagery or messaging that unnecessarily exploits hardship, reinforces stereotypes or portrays people primarily as recipients of charity.
Our goal is to communicate hope, humanity, connection and possibility while still speaking openly about the challenges facing our community.
Community Partnerships
We welcome relationships with charities, non-profits, social-service organizations, community groups, businesses, government, volunteers and residents.
A relationship with Stratford Cares does not necessarily need to begin as a formal partnership.
Collaboration may include sharing information, improving awareness of services, identifying community gaps, participating in Community Connect, coordinating appropriate referrals, supporting specific initiatives or simply maintaining an open line of communication between organizations.
We believe strong communities are built when organizations communicate rather than operate in isolation.
Organizational Accountability
Stratford Cares is guided by its Citizens Council and is continuing to develop formal governance practices as the organization grows.
Council members bring different experiences, perspectives and areas of responsibility to Stratford Cares. Individual Council members may also hold personal opinions or have independent relationships within the community.
The personal views, statements or experiences of an individual Council member should not automatically be interpreted as the official position of Stratford Cares.
Organizational positions, significant commitments, partnerships and the allocation of Stratford Cares resources should be established through the appropriate Council decision-making process.
This distinction allows Council members to contribute their individual perspectives while ensuring that organizations working with Stratford Cares can rely upon clear and accountable organizational decisions.
Our Commitment to Community Partners
When Stratford Cares approaches another organization, our starting question is not:
“How can Stratford Cares replace what you are doing?”
It is:
“What are you already doing well, where are people still falling through the gaps, and is there an appropriate way our community can help?”
We believe this approach creates stronger partnerships, makes better use of community resources and keeps the focus where it belongs — on improving outcomes for the people we collectively serve.
Moving Forward Together
Stratford Cares is still growing, learning and developing.
We welcome constructive conversations with organizations throughout Stratford and recognize that strong partnerships require communication, professional respect, transparency and a willingness to learn from one another.
We do not expect every organization or individual to agree on every issue.
We do believe we can work together around shared goals.
Read more about how we approach collaboration on our Mission & Values page, or reach out to us directly with any questions.