Carolyn Roesler and Jonna Jermyn joined the growing staff of Front Porch Forum (FPF) as online community managers. The two joined FPF to meet the increased demand triggered by the recent major expansion of this free digital service. Described as a modern-day cross between community bulletin boards and virtual town greens, FPF helps neighbors share hyper-local information. More than 60,000 Vermont households use their local FrontPorchForum.com daily and forums are now available in every Vermont community through a partnership with the Vermont Council on Rural Development's Vermont Digital Economy Project.
Online community managers are key personnel for this community building tool. They provide direct assistance to FPF members and serve as moderators for the hundreds of thousands of postings that flow through the statewide network of FPFs.
Carolyn Roesler comes to FPF from Dealer.com and Jonna Jermyn most recently worked with Cultural Homestay International.
Front Porch Forum is winning national accolades for its community building innovations. Members find they are better informed about what’s going on around town and more connected with their neighbors. This increased communication helps residents feel closer to their community and they tend to get more involved in civic life.
Vermont’s Congressional delegation played a crucial role in getting this project funded and off the ground in our state.
