One month after launching the new community-building organization, Forsyth Strong, team leaders are working to meet their wide-ranging goals for the county.
Improved housing, education and mental health care were among the many issues addressed at the group’s inaugural meeting. Each came with specific targets, action plans, and commitments from the civic leaders in attendance. Education Team Co-chair Naijla Faizi says school officials have pledged to hire new exceptional children teachers and speech and behavioral therapists for the upcoming school year.
"Some of what we're doing right now is continuing to expand on those proposals and then following up with folks like the superintendent and school board officials to say how will these dollars be used so that we can have accountability measures for the public," she says.
In terms of expanding mental health care access, Faizi says behind-the-scenes conversations with the county’s largest providers are ongoing, with Novant recently pledging funds for housing stability.
Faizi says Forsyth Strong is poised to submit paperwork to become a formalized nonprofit organization, and they are actively recruiting new member institutions.