7 Ways to Build Relational Trust in Your Community

Reachwell's features are perfect for transparency and sharing resources: two things we keep hearing that parents are asking for!

This month we connected with Colorado families who shared their personal challenges, and to no surprise families requested more support resources . We also heard a need for their schools to be more transparent . Read on to see how our partner schools and non-profits are using innovative tools to solve these issues.

We at Reachwell dove deep to understand the core issues and present solutions to our community, grounded in the practice of Relational Trust from the dual- capacity framework .

First, there's a disconnect between the schools' activities and their families' perceptions.

Admins and educators are exhausting themselves to keep classes and schools moving forward. In addition, they're providing individualized support for their students and families. "12 hour days." "No breaks." "Rebuilding lesson plans."
Families only know a sliver of the activity based on what they're receiving via newsletters and first hand accounts from their children. "They only teach half-day; what are they doing with their time?" "I don't feel recognized by my school."

Second, like us, the families we talked to feel disconnected from their community and schools. "It feels like teachers aren't working to connect with individual families." They craved more empathy from staff to simply recognize that things are hard right now. "I don't have childcare." "I lost my job."

This disconnect between the family experience and the work we're seeing in our schools could be avoided by two essential ideas:

Families want transparency.
Families need resources and supports.

With a small shift, schools and organizations can build Relational Trust with families in their community, as outlined by the Dual Capacity-Building Framework.

Once you build trust with the community, they are more likely to become partners that provide feedback. As we learn from each other, systems become stronger, relational trust grows, and research shows outcomes for students and families improve.

How can I use Reachwell to increase transparency and access to resources?

Relational trust by providing easy access to support

Translated app chats: Homeroom teachers at Vista College Prep are sending weekly check-ins to families through the chat function on the FlyReachwell Connect app. This is a great way to give families the chance to open up about how everyone is doing at home, and if they need any resources from the school's team.

Creating a Counseling Corner group : Schools in DPS created a Counseling Corner default group for counselors to send regular updates on mental health resources. Through the group, counselors can update a calendar that syncs to the app , so they can let families know of deadlines for certain resources.

Promoting community partner's channels on the app : STRIVE Prep schools are promoting community partners, like the Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation's channel on the app. Families know they can get school-wide information, as well as updates from after-school programs and other neighborhood providers.

Relational trust through transparency

Banners with regular updates: KIPP Texas schools have tappable banners that lead families to letters and videos from the principal. The recurring updates give families a chance to feel connected to the school, but also keeps them in-the-know during a school year with regular changes.

Technology needs assessment: Kansas City Kansas Public Schools is asking families to let them know of their tech and connectivity needs to make sure all students have the necessary resources for learning.

In-person learning updates: DSST shares what's new at the network weekly with families, which has prepared families during their transition to hybrid learning.

COVID-19 health information: Asian Pacific Development Center sends messages to explain to students how to get the COVID vaccine and how the vaccine works. Cedar Valley Montessori shares how they are taking COVID precautions to ensure all students and staff are safe.

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When Residents Don’t Trust You: How to Still Keep Them Safe and Informed

By Zuben Bastani • June 17, 2025

Government distrust is at an all-time high. Many residents are wary of sharing their personal information with public agencies, often due to fears of surveillance, spam, or data misuse. This hesitation is especially acute among low-income and unhoused individuals who frequently change phone numbers due to service lapses, making traditional outreach efforts ineffective. Most public communication systems fall short. They rely on platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, which get lost in crowded inboxes. Social media, while pervasive, is designed to harvest data and push ads—not to protect user privacy. Even emergency alert systems often require residents to sign up and share their location, further eroding trust. Text messaging, often called the holy grail of communication, is no longer a guaranteed solution. People guard their phone numbers carefully, especially when interacting with the government. They fear being spammed or having their data sold. So how can agencies inform and protect the public without breaching their trust? A New Approach to Community Communication Using ReachWell's extensive experience and broad customer base, here are some recommendations to consider when engaging your community in a less intrusive yet more effective manner: Offer Communication Choices : Let residents decide how they want to receive information—whether it's through text, email, voice calls, app notifications, or a combination. This respects personal preferences and helps reduce message fatigue. Respect Anonymity : Not everyone wants to share personal contact details. Provide anonymous access to messages via public channels or apps that don’t require identifying information. Support Multilingual Access : Language should never be a barrier to safety or services. Translate messages into the primary languages spoken in your community, and consider text-to-speech options for low-literacy audiences. Allow Topic Subscription : Let people select specific topics or groups they care about. Targeted messages reduce noise and increase engagement. Minimize Data Collection : Collect only the data you truly need. Avoid tracking location or behavior unless absolutely necessary—and be transparent about what is collected and why. Ensure Accessibility : Meet or exceed accessibility standards (such as WCAG 2.2 AA compliance) so all residents, including those with disabilities, can access and understand public messages. These practices foster trust, improve message delivery, and help ensure no one is left out of important conversations—especially in moments of crisis or community need. Expanded Real-World Examples: Trusted by Diverse Communities El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs area) uses ReachWell to distribute emergency alerts—including shelter-in-place orders and missing persons reports—in over 130 languages. Residents can receive alerts even without providing contact information. The Town of Carbondale, CO keeps its multilingual and low-literate residents informed of community events, social services, and public works projects using WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant messaging and text-to-speech capabilities—ensuring no one is left behind. Tucson, AZ : Child-Parent Centers, a Head Start provider, uses ReachWell to keep 500+ staff updated on safety alerts, training sessions, and HR notices across 130 languages—building internal trust through inclusive communication. Boulder County Housing Authority ensures ongoing connection with residents—even after their contact information changes—by sending updates about emergencies, upcoming maintenance, and resident services using ReachWell’s multilingual and anonymous outreach tools. Conclusion Building trust with residents starts with giving them control. When governments let people choose how they connect, what they receive, and in what language—trust grows. ReachWell is proving that communities can be kept safe and informed without sacrificing privacy or accessibility. When people don’t trust the system, it’s time to change the system. ReachWell is doing just that. BOOK A DEMO TODAY