Do You Need to Start Something New to Solve the Problem?

By Dr. Teresa A. Smith and Rev. Dr. Terence K. Leathers

When people care deeply about a community problem, their first response may be to create a new program, organization, or event. Starting something can feel like the clearest way to take action. However, a new effort isn’t always what the community needs.

Suppose older adults in a neighborhood are having trouble getting groceries. A concerned group might decide to start a food delivery program. Before moving forward, they learn that a nearby church already delivers groceries, but many residents don’t know about the service, and the church needs more volunteers to reach additional homes.

In this case, the community may not need another program. It may need better communication, stronger partnerships, more volunteers, or help expanding what already exists. Creating a second service could divide limited volunteers and donations without solving the access problem.

Before starting anything new, clearly describe the problem you’re trying to solve. Be specific about who is affected, what they’re experiencing, and what appears to be missing. “Families need help” is too broad, but “parents working evening shifts can’t find affordable care for their school-age children” gives you a clearer place to begin.

Next, find out what is already being done. Look beyond the most visible organizations and ask residents, schools, churches, libraries, local businesses, neighborhood groups, and service providers what support currently exists. A program may be available but difficult to find, located too far away, offered at inconvenient times, or unable to serve everyone who needs it.

Listening matters because a service can exist on paper and still be out of reach in daily life. Someone may know that a program is available but lack transportation to get there. Another person may hesitate to seek help because they don’t understand the process or don’t feel comfortable entering the space where the service is offered.

Once you understand the problem and the current resources, ask a few practical questions. Can an existing organization add the service? Could two groups work together? Would better outreach, transportation, staffing, training, or scheduling close the gap? Could a small change make current support easier to use?

Sometimes the best response is to strengthen what is already working. Your contribution might be connecting residents to available services, helping an organization reach a group it has missed, recruiting volunteers, improving a process, or bringing partners together. That work may receive less attention than launching something with a new name, but it may address the problem more effectively while making better use of resources the community already has.

There are also times when something new is needed. You may discover that no organization addresses the problem, current services exclude part of the community, or existing groups don’t have the ability to expand. Even then, you don’t have to begin with a full program or nonprofit organization.

Start with a manageable response that allows you to learn. A short trial, listening session, referral partnership, or focused service can show whether people will use the idea and what needs to change. It can also reveal the time, money, people, and leadership required to continue the work.

Wanting to help is a strong beginning, but care must be paired with careful attention. The goal isn’t to own the solution or create something simply because the problem is visible. The goal is to understand what is missing, recognize what the community already has, and choose the response most likely to help. Once you know what kind of response makes sense, the next question is who needs to be involved in making it work.