"Please, please help me," the woman on the answering machine said, unable to find food or help for her health problems. "I don't know where to turn."

The woman had gotten Williams' number from the United Way, which knew of the Yes We Can Johnston County Coalition that he leads.

Williams helped the woman contact the nearest food bank, and within a week, he and the other Yes We Can members had her and her daughter in a mental health program and got them a donated refrigerator.

Williams said the woman's case is not unique.

"This is symbolic of what's going on in this county right now," he said.

Yes We Can's goal is to match the needy with the many individuals, churches and government agencies that can help them.

"There's no agencies in the county that do what we do," Williams said. "Just about any problem, we have somebody in the coalition that can help."

The group's Web site, www.yeswecanjccoalition.com, has references to about 80 organizations, and the list is always growing, Williams said. It's the only database of its kind, though the United Way is working to add local agencies to its 2-1-1 phone system.

And where the coalition can't find existing services, they try to create them. They've established a scholarship fund for high school graduates and are working to increase volunteering in schools. Sherry Jackson said the group's education committee is working on getting backpack programs -- in which kids who get free lunch get backpacks full of food sent home with them -- started in more local schools.

Yes We Can also wants to bring services to those who need them by opening offices throughout the county where government agencies and charities can hold weekly office hours for anyone who can't make it to Smithfield.

An office space on Noble Street in Selma is already up and running, and the group is partnering with the town of Clayton to open one there in October. Benson and other communities will ultimately have offices as well.

The group will host regional town hall meetings in the coming months, which will offer another opportunity for residents throughout the county to meet with elected officials and county agencies.

"Some of the county officials have never gotten out there," Williams said. "The recreation directors never get out of the city [Smithfield]. They can match faces up with names."

Yes We Can leaders also plan to discuss issues of importance to the each area of the county. Sherry Jackson, coordinator for the southern end of the county -- including Benson, Four Oaks, Meadow and Bentonville -- said she wants to discuss concerns about the lack of kids' activities in the area, which she thinks might be leading to gang activity.

"What do we have for the kids who don't play sports?" Jackson said. "I would love to see more afterschool activities for kids going on."

Also, schools and health officials will speak about preparations for a possible swine flu pandemic, Williams said.

Yes We Can was founded late last year by a group of people that had been working on political campaigns and wanted to continue serving the community. Williams, a retired mental health professional who lives in Clayton, was tapped as its first leader.

The group, which now boasts 128 members, was concerned by the local United Way's decision to merge with the Greater Triangle United Way. Williams said he's also concerned the United Way doesn't provide support to churches -- which do the bulk of charity work in the county.

"I think it's a matter of comprehensiveness," Williams said. "Somebody, probably us, will have to step up to take up that slack."

Molly Parker, United Way vice president for community development for Johnston County, said she's not familiar with the new organization and declined to comment.