June 2025 marked the one-year anniversary of The Connector, an innovative project launched by the Community Foundation of West Georgia to bridge the gap between nonprofits and the people they serve.
What began as an ambitious idea to streamline access to critical resources has grown into a living, evolving tool grounded in real-time learning and collaboration. Like many bold efforts built from the ground up, it has come with both achievements and growing pains.
“We knew from the beginning that creating a custom-built software solution wasn’t going to be simple,” said Kim Jones, President of the Community Foundation. “But we believed then and still believe now that this kind of meaningful investment in long-term solutions can change the way our community works together.”
Over the past year, the team behind The Connector has listened to feedback, hosted training sessions, made adjustments and continued to refine both the platform and the process. In doing so, the Foundation has gained valuable insight not just about software development but about what true collaboration looks like in practice.
Success in The Connector’s first year isn’t measured solely by data points or user counts. It is reflected in the willingness to test new ideas, the commitment to show up for the work, and the determination to build something that can weather the early bumps in the road and keep moving forward. Beyond connecting people to resources, The Connector helps us identify gaps in service and shift from a transactional model—where assistance
is simply given—to a transformational one, focused on building relationships, addressing root causes, and creating meaningful, long-term change in our community.
For Denise Swanson, Executive Director of The Holy Spirit: A Resource Bridge (THS), the platform has already made a life-changing impact.
“One man came to us through The Connector after losing his job and housing. We connected, prayed with him, helped with temporary shelter and eventually watched him find a job, an apartment and a recovery program. His life was transformed. That’s the kind of quiet success that matters.”
As the project enters its second year, the Community Foundation remains committed to the vision: helping people in need access vital resources while enabling nonprofits to extend their reach and impact.
“We’re proud of what’s been accomplished so far,” Kim added. “And we’re just getting started.”
