In far West Texas, good things are happening for residents in Jeff Davis County. Local leaders of the Jeff Davis County Library, the Friends of the Library and the local food pantry have formed a unique partnership to serve their community by meeting them where they are with a mobile unit dubbed Mobile Comunidad. The new van will deliver food, check-out of books, computers and iPads along with free Wi-Fi but the list does not stop there. With a focus on the bigger picture, future expansion of services includes trained staff to help with things like signing up for insurance in the healthcare marketplace or SNAP benefits, voter registration, digital literacy training, access to social services and even telemedicine.
Mobile Comunidad will bring services to isolated residents who need them the most, establishing a regular route. Hitting the road just in time for summer reading, participation is sure to get a boost when kids can have books dropped at their door and residents can take advantage of other services at the same time. A thoughtful combination from thoughtful leaders.