Good things come from listening

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In 2023, BenitoLink held the first of many Community Vision San Benito County Listening Sessions, meeting folks over a meal and asking a few simple questions. Our purpose was for the BenitoLink team to hear directly from a wide variety of residents about their lives in San Benito County and their goals for its future. These sessions were sponsored by the Community Foundation for San Benito County and Sallie Calhoun and Matt Christiano.

A decade earlier, in listening sessions held by the Community Foundation, residents voiced their concerns about the lack of local news, prompting the creation of BenitoLink. They expressed interest in more public parks and the nonprofit REACH San Benito Parks Foundation was founded, and has successfully pushed government agencies to develop more parks and increase walkability. The Women’s Fund was formed, allowing it to offer financial training for women. Good things come from listening. 

Valerie Egland (second from right) participates in BenitoLink’s recreation listening session.

Valerie Egland, executive director of REACH said, “Oftentimes people have not put words to their thoughts on a subject until in a focus group. Hearing others express themselves is a great incentive for gathering their own thoughts, and being heard begins the path to empowerment. That message of being empowered will move a community toward addressing those identified needs.”

So, in 2023, BenitoLink held 18 listening sessions, inviting hundreds of residents to share their perspectives and build relationships with BenitoLink as the local nonprofit newsroom that covers the county on a daily basis. The project brought together individuals from all walks of life: 

• Farmers  
• HealthCare workers 
• Small business owners  
• Indigenous residents
• Educators 
• Tourism businesses 
• Youth 
• Service Industry workers
• Ranchers 
• Recreation industry/business
• Spanish-only speakers
• Commuters
• Housing providers and unhoused residents
• Artists 
• Seniors
• Civic Leaders
• Public Safety workers
• Individuals interested in civic engagement

Our goal in meeting these county residents was to tune in to them, understand their challenges and look at ways we could serve them better.

Julie Morris, a BenitoLink founding board member, was a facilitator for the Community Foundation’s 2012 listening sessions. She said, “Listening sessions give us an opportunity to learn, firsthand, what’s important to the people who live in San Benito County. The format allows each person to speak and encourages respect and understanding, even if we don’t see eye to eye.”  

Morris also took part in BenitoLink’s 2022-23 listening sessions. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “For me, the biggest takeaway is that despite our differences, we all recognize San Benito County is a unique and special place that all of us care about and want to protect.” 

An in-depth report on the 2023 sessions produced by the BenitoLink team is now being completed and a summary will be published this year. BenitoLink hopes to continue these countywide sessions every decade, checking on our progress toward the goals and values residents have set. 

BenitoLink took on the project and the hard work required to complete it with enthusiasm. We appreciate all the participants who gave their time to the project. We know you have busy schedules too.

Building lists, making phone calls and sending emails by the hundreds to residents and organizing all the participants takes time in an already busy newsroom. Intensive projects like these will be valuable forever but they are expensive to produce. 

Help us continue this meaningful work. Through June 22, you can make a difference. Our goal is to raise $30,000, and it has been made more achievable with help from local supporters who will match your donations up to $10,000.

With your contribution, BenitoLink can continue offering initiatives like the listening session project and thus deepen our connection with the community.