Council President Betsy Wilkerson praises turnout at Connect for 2026, asks for volunteers

Council President Betsy Wilkerson opened the Connect for 2026 community event, identifying the gathering as a central hub for local service providers and praising the turnout as "amazing," saying "this place is just buzzing."

Wilkerson said the event, presented in partnership with local nonprofits, connects residents to a range of services and opportunities. "We are providing in partnership with nonprofits, connections to services, opportunities, legal clinics, medical, pet services," she said, listing the kinds of support available at the event.

An unidentified speaker representing the event emphasized its role as a coordination point for providers, saying it is where organizations "come to learn to work together, who has services, who has funding, what programs have changed," and highlighting the value of communication among agencies.

Speakers framed the event as a community effort and made an explicit volunteer appeal. "None of us can do this alone," Wilkerson said, and she invited people interested in helping to reach out: "If you'd like to volunteer, please reach out. We would love to have you."

The gathering focused on direct service connections and collaboration rather than formal decisions or policy actions. Details on volunteer sign-up procedures and specific nonprofit partners were not specified in the transcript.