The Ithaca Tompkins County Community Justice Center, a collaborative between the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County to implement joint Reimagining Public Safety plans, is reminding the community of its six Resource Hubs located across the County. The hubs provide residents with access to information and the internet, forms to access services and benefits, transportation and housing resources, and more. Hubs are staffed by the Community Justice Center and are free for anyone in the community to access.
Тhe schedule for community members to access the Community Resource Hubs are:
- Lansing Library, 27 Auburn Road, Lansing, NY 14882
- Open Second and Fourth Mondays of each month 12:00 – 2:00p.m.
- YMCA (The Y), 50 Graham Rd W, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Open First and Third Mondays of each month 11:00 – 1:00p.m.
- Groton Public Library, 122 East Cortland St., Groton, NY 13073
- Open Tuesdays 12:00 – 2:00p.m.
- City of Ithaca West Hill Neighborhood (New), 150 West Village Place, Room 328, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Open Tuesdays 2:30 – 4:30p.m.
- Slaterville Fire Hall (New), 2681 Slaterville Road, Slaterville Springs, NY 14881
- Open Wednesdays 9:00 – 11:00a.m.
- Enfield Community Center, 162 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Open First and Third Wednesdays of Each Month 12:00 – 2:00p.m.
The hubs have been accessed for over 100 sessions since they first opened in September 2023. The Community Justice Center has published data on hub usage on its Community Dashboard. The dashboard shows the number of times hubs have been used, types of resources accessed, and self-reported demographic information.
Several community partners have joined the CJC at its hubs to distribute information and engage residents with their services. Partners include TCAT, Tompkins County Whole Health, the Cornell Cooperative Extension Energy Program, the Advocacy Center, and the League of Women Voters
Project Director of the Community Justice Center Monalita Smiley stated, “I’m proud of how the CJC is getting resources out to different communities. We set consistent schedules in places where community members have expressed wanting more resources and access to information – meaning that we’re meeting people where they are. Of the 100+ interactions I’ve had, there have been folks looking for resources across the spectrum, from housing to transportation to food and more. It’s something that’s easy and free to access, and I make sure that everyone leaves with opportunities to have their needs met and move forward in the way they hope to. This model is referenced in the Tompkins County Strategic Plan so that other departments can build on the CJC’s successes.”
Smiley added, “The CJC is committed to making our data public, please explore the dashboard to learn more about the people we’re helping and what resources we’re able to provide them with. You’ll see that there’s a high number of people receiving “other” resources, this is showing that we need to be flexible and ready to adapt when people come in the door. I hope that we can grow access to the hubs in 2025 and offer even more resources directly to people who show up and reach out.”
Sara Knobel, Director of the Groton Public Library commended the CJC and encouraged Groton residents to visit, “This has been amazing, to see how bringing information directly to rural communities can increase access to services. Our library has always served as a hub, but formalizing office hours and having incredibly knowledgeable CJC staff on hand helps people in really effective and meaningful ways.”
Smiley tied the work to the Reimagining Public Safety collaborative, “We’re helping people get what they need and stabilize their situations. We’re trying to go as far upstream as we can to help avoid contact with the criminal justice system. Part of Reimagining is about serving the community in the best and most equitable ways we can, so this is a key initiative. If you have needs or just questions about what resources are out there, reach out to us or visit a hub when you’re ready.”