Dorchester Social Services Hosts Resource Fair

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – Getting the resources you need can be difficult as is, but in Dorchester County they’re partnering with other agencies to make it happen.

Edith Ramirez with Shore Legal Access met with a few people in Cambridge Wednesday. Something she tells us wouldn’t have been easy for her group to do otherwise.

Ramirez tells us, “We only have two physical offices, one in Easton and one in Salisbury. So it’s important to meet people where they’re at. So to come out here to promote, let them know about what’s available to them. Like I mentioned also and said, a lot of people feel more comfortable to do things in person.”

It’s all a part of Dorchester County’s Social Services Department’s annual Resource and Expungement Fair.

With the goal of breaking down any barriers that people may have when getting in touch with Social Services for the resources they may need.

Myra Davis with the Child Support Administration tells us, “And this event is about supporting families across the Eastern shore as we mark the 50th anniversary of the federal child Support program. And we’re focused on proactive and tangible ways to help parents succeed.”

For some, the only option to get this kind of help is to travel to Salisbury.

“For me to be able to come to Cambridge is a really big deal. I’m able to have people come out. We even met with some clients, previous clients today to see if they are eligible to have their petition signed, which is great to be able to to come out instead of having them drive all the way to our office,” says Ramirez.

Organizers say Wednesday’s event was a good chance for the people providing these resources to meet people in the middle.

Myra says, “We want to show the community that we’re not here to hinder anyone or to hurt anyone in any way financially or making it creating more barriers than they probably are already facing. So the program is basically to bring them together and show them that we’re all here to assist and help in any way possible.”

For those who we spoke to off camera, they’re thankful to get the help they needed and the setting helped put them at ease.