NORWICH – The Chenango County United Way has teamed up with a human services class at the Morrisville State College Norwich campus to evaluate and update its community needs assessment.

Morrisville Professor Fred Weaver’s human services class has undertaken the task of surveying county residents to gain a better understanding of community needs and what local services they deem essential. The survey requests input and ideas for important societal issues including health, education and income and it’s a chance for community members make known the things that are most important to them, said United Way Director Elizabeth Monaco.

“When we’re done, the survey will be a good tool for non-profit agencies because they can refer to it for updated data,” Monaco explained, “and we’re excited about working with Morrisville because it gives (the survey) more credibility.”

Students in Weaver’s class have conducted focus groups throughout the area while also offering their help in organizing research, but a great deal of the initiative has been spearheaded by Morrisville student Amber Wright, who has been filling an internship at the Chenango County United Way for several months. The project has been an eye-opener in some aspects, said Wright, but the amount of work put into completing the survey has left her with a sense of unmatched pride in the community, she added.