MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Community Coalition is inviting members of the public to join its monthly meetings, on the third Thursday of each month, including the first meeting of the fiscal year this Thursday from noon to 1 p.m.

The organization is a collaborative group that invites different sectors of the community to discuss local issues, such as mental health, youth substance abuse and others, while collaborating to ensure different groups are working to meet shared goals, wrote Community Coalition Specialist Bernadette Crawford in an email.

“It’s important to get everyone together at least monthly so we aren’t working in silos and duplicating our efforts but rather amplifying each other’s work and building on each other’s momentum,” Crawford wrote. “There are issues that can be seen from multiple perspectives and when we come together, we each bring our unique expertise and viewpoint into a shared well-rounded solution.”

At the first meeting of the fiscal year this Thursday, the group will go over its plan for the upcoming year, discuss leadership opportunities and introduce the coalition process. Volunteers are being sought to fill certain leadership roles, Crawford wrote.

“The Moses Lake Community Coalition is filled with diverse community representatives,” she wrote. “To ensure it is community-led, we do need leaders to step into official terms to ensure consistency and growth of our work. By having these positions, we then can ensure the work is driven at a grassroots level and we can see Moses Lake become healthier and drug-free.”

“MLCC is an opportunity to get involved and do something locally,” Crawford added. “Be part of the solution. Take our concern for our youth and move it into action together!”

Though the meetings are typically held at the Grant Integrated Services facility at 840 E. Plum St., they are currently taking place over Zoom video-conferencing software. For an invitation, email Crawford at bfcrawford@grantcountywa.gov.