Filling Dumpsters & Fighting Misinformation: Greenwood Township’s Savvy Citizen Success Story
Government
Introduction
Greenwood Township (Crawford County, Pennsylvania) recently adopted Savvy Citizen to keep residents better informed and more engaged with township updates. After discovering the service at the PSATS annual conference, Township Secretary Sarah Dennis attended a demonstration and was immediately impressed. “We saw a demonstration and saw how extremely easy it is to use,” said Dennis.
This case study highlights how the platform has helped the township combat misinformation, boost event turnout, and keep residents better informed in real time.
The Challenges
Limited Ways to Reach Residents Quickly:
Important information, especially emergencies, was slow to reach the community. Reliance on traditional methods meant residents often heard updates days or even weeks later.
Misinformation Spreading on Social Media: During incidents like the statewide 911 outage, incorrect details circulated on Facebook, causing resident confusion and concern.
Low Resident Engagement in Township Events: Cleanup Day attendance had historically been so low that the township considered canceling the event altogether. Messaging methods weren’t generating participation.
Need for a Simple, Efficient Communication Tool: Township officials needed a platform that was easy to learn, easy to use, and capable of reaching residents directly and accurately.
What Did MSA Do
Since joining, Savvy Citizen has proven its value to Greenwood Township many times. One notable example occurred during the statewide 911 system outage. Using Savvy Citizen, township officials
were able to quickly notify residents of the problem and provide an alternative emergency phone number. This was especially important because misinformation had been circulating on Facebook,
leaving residents confused. Savvy Citizen allowed the township to send a direct, accurate notification to clarify the situation.
Another successful use of the platform came during Greenwood Township’s annual cleanup day. In previous years, turnout had been low. “We hardly filled one dumpster,” noted Dennis, adding that
the supervisors had even considered canceling the event due to lack of participation. This year, however, Greenwood used Savvy Citizen to promote the event, and resident response surged. In fact,
three dumpsters were filled—a new record. Dennis is convinced that Savvy Citizen made the difference. “It was fantastic, ” she said. “We really credit Savvy for this.”
Other township officials have shared positive feedback as well. Supervisor Kurt Dennis appreciates Savvy Citizen’s efficiency. When Crawford County announced a burn ban, he used the platform to
notify residents “within a minute or two,” allowing the community to receive timely updates rather than hearing about them days or weeks later.
The Results
Greenwood Township looks forward to continued use of Savvy Citizen to reach residents quickly and effectively. “Our goal is to keep our residents informed alerts, helpful information, announcements, events, and much more—and Savvy Citizen is the tool to do that,” said Dennis. “We are confident that Savvy Citizen strengthens our communication with residents.”
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