The COVID-19 pandemic presented organizations with a challenge when it came to holding meetings. As a convener, much of Centralina Regional Council’s work involves bringing people together. During the nearly two years that we were unable to hold in-person meetings and events, Zoom and other virtual platforms provided a suitable alternative for engaging with our members, partners, and other stakeholders. Keep reading to learn what’s changed, how to choose a meeting format and the impact of different approaches.

In 2020, Centralina helped the City of Albemarle administer a community survey to gather public feedback on the current state of the community and a vision for the future to help them development the FY23-26 strategic plan. With year two of Albemarle’s strategic plan implementation process under way, city officials were interested in gaining further input from the community to help measure the progress of strategic plan implementation. In need of guidance, city officials again reach out to Centralina to assist with administering a 2023 community survey.

Child care is one of the biggest expenses families face, spending nearly $11,467 on infant care yearly in North Carolina. Not only do families with young children encounter higher costs, but they also face them when they are in their earliest income-earning years. These obstacles create limitations on our workforce and in turn, negatively impact the economy. Recognizing this challenge confronting many families in our region, the Centralina EDD decided to host a moderated discussion to develop actionable solutions.

Did you know that more than 12% of adults in the United States have a mobility disability including serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? And, closer to home, based on the 2022 state aging profile, 21% of North Carolinians who are 65 and over live with a disability that affects their ability to ambulate. In response, Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) used ARPA funding to develop the Housing & Home Improvement program, which provides a variety of home modifications to older adults, including wheelchair-accessible ramps.

For most people, falls aren’t something they think about preventing until they themselves or someone they know experiences a fall. For some older adults, making necessary modifications to increase accessibility in the home are great ways to prevent falls and promote mobility, but are often financially inaccessible. Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) recently participated as a pilot provider for the NC Fall Prevention Program, which helped to provide applicable participants in the greater Charlotte area with low-level fall prevention home modifications and education. 

As job seekers enter the workforce for the first time, or re-enter after losing an opportunity, they often find it can be tough to navigate the steps of the job search process and find the right position for their needs and skillsets. Veterans in particular may struggle transitioning from service or deployment into a different field in the workforce. Learn how one local NCWorks Career Center helped a local veteran who lost his job get his name in front of reputable employers for competitive opportunities in his preferred field.

When the City of Mount Holly found themselves needing to hire a new city manager, they turned to Centralina for assistance in the recruitment process. The city faced the common challenge of finding a candidate with the right mix of skills for effective leadership, adept management and community engagement. In response, Centralina devised a precise recruitment process aimed at ensuring the city’s continued administrative success, a smooth transition and overall community well-being.

Centralina Community Economic Development team recently collaborated with the Town of Matthews on a sidewalk extension project near their popular downtown district. Allocated funding provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program, allowed Centralina to work with the town to improve sidewalk infrastructure in order to provide a safe and accessible pathway for residents to access nearby local services.

For years, self-driving vehicles have been touted as a potentially revolutionary transportation technology. For most of the general public, however, the concept of self-driving vehicles has either seemed impossible or possible in the far-distant future. Public and private sector agencies have already been investing resources into developing “‘Connected & Autonomous Vehicles” (CAV), and momentum around the emerging technology is building rapidly. As research continues and public embrace grows, communities must be prepared to adapt to the changing transportation ecosystem. Through the established Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Task Force, Centralina Regional Council is bringing together stakeholders from across the region in order to best prepare for this wave of change in transportation.

In 2022, Centralina Area Agency on Aging (AAA) was awarded grant funding from the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness to pilot the Program to Encourage Rewarding, Active Lives (PEARLS). This unique evidence-based program is implemented to combat depression and social isolation in older adults throughout North Carolina. Centralina AAA staff began accepting participants in designated regional areas in December of 2022. Of those who have enrolled in PEARLS, three participants have completed the program in its entirety. Their success exceeded expectations and helped them become more confident in combatting problems using their own abilities.