NEWBURYPORT — Folks looking to learn all about the wide variety of resources the Newburyport community has to offer will want visit the Newburyport Council on Aging Thursday for the annual Yankee Homecoming Know Your Community fair.
Set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event features over 50 vendors spread out in several rooms.
“Most of them, if not all, are local nonprofit organizations, government agencies, things like that. It’s really an information fair for folks to learn about local community resources and what’s going on,” Yankee Homecoming General Chairperson Brittany Verville said.
With the fair at the COA, many vendors are geared toward a 50-and-older population. But Verville assured there will be something for everyone pointing to the Newburyport Horticultural Society’s involvement.
“They’re a local nonprofit organization that maintains a lot of the community garden spaces around town,” Verville, who is a horticultural society member, said.
Also scheduled to be at the fair are senior living community Atria, the Newburyport Police Department, Nourishing the North Shore, and many others.
“There’s a whole bunch,” Verville said.
Upon moving to Newburyport from New Hampshire, Verville she said attended the Know Your Community event her first year in the city. That, she said, helped her feel comfortable and closer to her new community.
“It was just about learning who’s in the area. The White Pages aren’t really a thing anymore like they were when I was a kid, so it was a great way to get a bang for your buck as far as learning who’s in your area,” Verville said.
Verville went on to call the vibe a “very low-pressure atmosphere.”
“You can walk around, socialize with the tables that might hit a chord for what you’re interested in learning more about. A lot of them have pamphlets or things you can take with you to help hit all the tables you want to,” Verville said.
COA Director Sara Landry said she always loves seeing the senior center come alive with the different organizations that participate.
“We know the importance of making sure our community knows who we are and what we do. So to give other nonprofits and community organizations a platform to do so is kind of part of our mission for ourselves,” Landry said.
Landry said it is also an incredibly valuable opportunity for local seniors who each year tell her how much they appreciate the afternoon.
“Our members say how much they enjoy having all the different organizations here,” Landry said.
For full information on schedules and events visit: yankeehomecoming.com