Introducing our new mission, vision, and values

The new year is a time of new beginnings, of making new commitments, and of looking forward. Here at Reach, the new year brings exciting changes: we’re thrilled to announce new mission and vision statements. In addition, for the first time, Reach has developed institutional values to reflect our priorities as an organization. These updates reflect our commitment to continual growth and allow us to better align our efforts with the changing needs of the communities and groups we serve.

Mission:

Reach empowers those who are underserved in Montgomery County by addressing their essential needs to enhance the overall well-being of our community.

Vision:

We envision a collaborative community where basic resources and opportunities are accessible to all.

Values:

Respect – We treat each other and all who we serve with compassion and cross-cultural understanding because of our shared humanity.

​Resilience – We adapt to the needs of individuals and are responsive to a changing community through service and advocacy.

Excellence – We strive to provide quality, skilled and innovative services and take pride in the work that we do.

Accountability – We are responsible for meeting our commitments; we are dependable colleagues and community partners and good stewards of our resources.

Collaboration – We partner with clients, staff, organizations and supporters and understand that we benefit from the expertise of others.

Honesty – We are transparent in our relationships with one another; operate with integrity and in accordance with the highest ethical standards; and adhere to practices of good governance.

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Why we made these changes

The decision to update the mission, vision and values came as part of a broader focus on strategic planning, which has been a priority for Reach’s new Executive Director, Sarah Basehart, and chair of the Board of Directors, Judy Ackerman. The changes are a result of shared reflection and brainstorming by staff, board members, and volunteers.

The strategic planning process starts “by looking at the underlying ideas that drive our organization,” Judy believes. “To do so, [we] came together to talk about what and why we do what we do, to brainstorm about what we want to be able to do, and to identify the values that are important to us as we deliver our services. This process demonstrated the commitment that participants have to Reach.”

During the brainstorming session, participants answered questions about what makes Reach unique; what impact Reach has on the community; and what principles are most important to us, among other things. Staff members recounted success stories that highlight the interconnectedness of Reach’s service areas, and in small groups, supporters shared their ideas of what success looks like for the organization.

Sarah was thrilled to have such a great turnout for the planning session, commenting that “the inclusive process we completed to develop the new mission, vision and values gave many voices the opportunity to suggest key words and weigh in on our direction for the future. I’m excited about the final versions and look forward to living these each day.”