By Judy Halone-The Courier-Herald
Julie Bevaart has been named the Community Resource Coordinator in Prairie Ridge, thanks to a grant provided by the Pierce County Violence Prevention Program. The pilot program offers Bevaart the opportunity to refer the public to public assistance agencies.
“I'm coming to the people,” Bevaart said. “It's a little more community-service based.”
Bevaart works between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays at Prairie Ridge Community Center while the Bread of Life Food Bank is open, she said.
Her service is timely; in the first two weeks on the job, she helped more than 30 families who otherwise may not have received the help they needed. Bevaart's work covers a wide scope of assistance from giving referrals for energy assistance and food stamps, to helping with transitional and emergency housing. Other resources include low-cost childcare, healthcare plans and referrals to case workers with the state's Department of Social and Health Services case workers.
The job isn't new to Bevaart. As a White River School District Family Support Center employee, she offers the same referrals and assistance at her job in Buckley.
“Julie will be able to take what she does and bring it here on Wednesdays,” Prairie Ridge Community Coalition Coordinator Monica Gaub said.
“I don't know of any other resource coordinators going out into the community where the need really is,” Bevaart said. “We've reached a whole group of people here we never thought of reaching and now we can refer them to other services.”
Bevaart sees her mission as parallel with other Prairie Ridge staff members who are striving to bring a sense of community into an area served by three school districts - Orting, Sumner and White River. Social events planned throughout the year help to strengthen the community's spirit, said Youth Activities Coordinator Mary Sorg. Other measures ensure bringing a sense of safety back into the community, like the recent addition of parking lots at the recreation center and basketball court.
“Now there are no drug deals and cars,” Prairie Ridge Maintenance Company Corporate Secretary Jodi Bentz said. “They're playing basketball rather than doing drug activity.”
Working together with Sorg, Gaub and Bentz, Bevaart is confident residents will soon see a transformation of their neighborhood take place.
“It's all part of changing the face of Prairie Ridge, of creating a strong sense of community, pride, and neighbors getting to know neighbors once again,” Bevaart said. “We've reached a whole group of people we never thought of reaching.”
Prairie Ridge Community Center is located at 14205 215th Ave. E. in Bonney Lake and is open to anyone. For more information, call 360-897-2645.
