Strong communities depend on access to information, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to participate.
SSA's Communications & Community Engagement pillar helps connect
people with resources, opportunities, organizations, businesses, events, and one another.
Through multilingual communication, community outreach, storytelling, publications, events, and partnerships, we work to make useful information easier to find while creating more opportunities for people and organizations to engage with the community.
Connecting Community Through Communication
SSA works with a diverse and multilingual community where information does not always reach everyone through traditional channels.
Our role is not simply to promote SSA.
We help create connections between:
Community members
Nonprofits
Government agencies
Businesses and professionals
Employers
Schools and educational organizations
Healthcare organizations
Community groups
Volunteers
Sponsors and partners
Sometimes the connection begins with an announcement. Sometimes with a story. Sometimes with an event. Sometimes with a conversation.
The goal is the same: help people become more informed, connected, and engaged.
Four ways we connect the community
Four Ways We Connect the Community
Community Information & Outreach
Helping People Find Information, Resources & Opportunities.
SSA shares useful information about community resources, programs, events, employment,
education, businesses, health initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and other topics
relevant to the community — including for organizations that need help reaching
multilingual and immigrant communities.
Behind businesses, organizations, programs, and community initiatives are people whose
experiences can inform, inspire, and connect others — community members, entrepreneurs,
professionals, volunteers, and partner organizations.
In Development — Community Information in One Place.
SSA is developing a community publication that will bring together useful information,
community stories, businesses, employment opportunities, events, resources, education,
healthcare information, culture, and community announcements.
SSA creates opportunities for community members, organizations, businesses, professionals,
volunteers, and leaders to meet, exchange information, discuss community issues, and
build relationships — including the Slavic Leaders Town Hall and larger organization-wide
community events.
SSA's communication platforms are designed to work together rather than operate independently.
A community organization can submit an event to the Community Calendar.
A business can join the Business Directory.
A professional can participate in an interview.
An employer can share an opportunity.
A government agency can partner with SSA on multilingual outreach.
A community member can discover a resource through social media.
A volunteer can learn about an event and decide to participate.
A story can introduce someone to an organization they did not know existed.
Each connection strengthens the broader community information network.
Discover what's happening
Community Calendar
SSA's Community Calendar provides a central place to discover events, workshops, activities, programs, and other opportunities throughout the community.
It can include both SSA activities and relevant events organized by other organizations. This allows SSA to connect people with opportunities across the community—not only those provided directly by SSA.
Language should not unnecessarily prevent someone from accessing useful community information.
Depending on the initiative and available resources, SSA may communicate in:
English
Russian
Ukrainian
Other languages when appropriate and available
Our goal is to make important information not only available, but understandable and relevant to the people receiving it.
Connecting organizations with the community
Connecting Organizations With the Community
SSA's community relationships and communication channels also create opportunities for organizations that need to reach the populations we serve.
We may collaborate with:
Government agencies
Nonprofits
Healthcare organizations
Schools
Employers
Businesses
Foundations
Cultural organizations
Community groups
Partnerships may involve multilingual outreach, public information campaigns, events, educational initiatives, community feedback, content distribution, or other forms of engagement.
Community engagement is not only about distributing information.
It is also about listening.
SSA may gather community input through surveys, feedback forms, community meetings, events, social media, conversations with participants, partner feedback, and community listening activities.
This helps us better understand community interests, emerging needs, opportunities, and gaps.
What we learn can help shape future programs, partnerships, communications, and organizational priorities.
Opportunities for businesses
Opportunities for Businesses
Businesses and professionals are also an important part of community engagement. Depending on the opportunity, businesses may:
Join the SSA Business Directory
Participate in Stories & Interviews
Share employment opportunities
Sponsor programs or events
Advertise through future SSA publications
Participate in community events
Provide professional expertise
Become community partners
These relationships can create value for businesses while helping sustain community programs and expand opportunities available through SSA.
The purpose of communication is not simply to generate views, followers, or impressions.
We want communication to lead somewhere.
InformConnectParticipateCollaborateStrengthen Community
Someone discovers an opportunity. They participate. They meet another person or organization. They build a relationship. They volunteer, collaborate, start a business, find employment, share knowledge, or help someone else.
That is how communication becomes community engagement.
Get connected
Get Connected
Looking for community information?
Explore resources, announcements, and opportunities.
SSA's other pillars create resources, services, education, employment pathways, business
opportunities, and activities. Communications & Community Engagement helps people discover
those opportunities—and helps connect SSA with the broader network of organizations, businesses,
professionals, volunteers, and community members around us. Because creating an opportunity is
only the beginning. People also need to know it exists, understand how to access it, and have a
way to participate.
