MAGAZINE
Sponsored by Community Connections of Brockton in alliance with United Way of Greater Plymouth County
SOUTH SHORE
Fall 2021 Edition
COMMUNITY
Learn a New Recipe Page 25 - Hush Puppy Recipe Faith Page 29 - Colors of Autumn Creative Pieces Page 30 - Artists Inspiration Page 31 - Untitled General Resources Page 7 - 11th Annual Virtual Bedding Drive Page 19 - 10 Reasons Your Business Should Care About Overdose Prevention Page 32 - COVID-19 Resources Page 34 - COVID-19 Testing Sites Page 35 - COVID-19 Resources for the Homeless Population Page 36 - Resource Guide Additional Resources Page 24 - Teen Challenge Page 39 - Eviction Diversion Page 49 - HIP/SNAP
About Our Cover Photo - The Plumer Family
Introduction Page 1 - About Our Cover Photo Page 1 - Upcoming Events and Opportunities Page 2 - Do You Know About Us? Page 3 - Note from the Editorial Team Page 3 - Get Involved Community Spotlight Page 4 - A Fire Has Been Lit Resiliency Library Page 8 Back to School Checklist Page 9 Fun, Friendly, Family Activities to do this Fall! Page 10 Education Page 12 - Middle School Page 13 - Food for Thought
Featured Article Page 14 - Love to Learn Summer Camp Health and Wellness Page 16 - The Opioid Crisis Page 18 - Diving Further into the Opioid Crisis Safe Spaces Page 20 - Cape Symphony Orchestra Page 21 - BPS Funding Speech Caring Adults Page 22 - Handle with Care Page 23 - Susan's Vision Opportunities to Serve Page 28 - Residential Facilities Meet the United Way Greater Plymouth County and The Family Center Team! Page 26 - Additional Staff
Eviction Diversion Program | Do you need help attending your virtual hearing for eviction of non-payment of rent due to COVID-10? | Flyer on page 39 Brockton Area's 2021 Overdose Vigil by Candlelight | Tuesday August 31st at 6:30 pm | Brockton High School (Parking lot between Fine Arts Building and Asiaf Arena Bedding Drive Beginning September 7th | Flyer on page 7 Want your community program or event featured here? Email Kasey.dean@ccbrockton.org a flyer and ask to be featured! We also accept advertisements!
Table of Contents
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Meet Janice, Laurence, and Quincy. The Plumer Family is from Brockton. Janice is a community outreach specialist. Laurence is a field tech, and Quincy is a student. Quincy plays football and they attend his games as a family and work out together in their spare time. Janice also enjoys volunteering at the Charity Guild and at her local church. Janice says “Brockton is a well diverse city. I have been a Brocktonian for all of my life and I have seen the changes the city has undergone. The city offers resources and opportunities for those who want to start a business and/or raise their children there. Our family is close knit but we each have our own individual passions and interests. Everyone we encounter we do our part to help out in the community in any way we can."
Upcoming Events, Resources, & Opportunities
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Parenting skills workshops Nurturing Fathers Parenting Journey Grandparents Raising Again Family Events & Activities Playgroups Child Requiring Assistance Diversion Help with accessing other services (Culturally diverse, multi-lingual staff) Drug Endangered Children's Initiative
Interested in how to participate? There are many ways to get involved for any time, schedule, and/or interest! Here are some ways: Articles and Art! Articles are important to the magazine. We are always looking for new voices- youth, adults, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, coaches, etc. If you are reading this, we would love to hear your voice! We love featuring art of all types- drawings, paintings, poetry and so on. Let your light shine! Advertise! The magazine is fully non-profit. Calling all business owners, entrepreneurs, and people having events! Support this magazine and your local community! Our advertisers make the magazine thrive. With more ads comes more ability for us to provide more resources. Join a meeting! The volunteers meeting for the magazine is the first Monday of every month from 6:30-8pm. Dinner and child care included when in person. Currently we are meeting virtually only through Zoom. Submit your Pic! Each issue of the magazine, we feature a family on the cover. We are beautiful communities made up of lots of amazing families! Why not yours? Got magazines? If you don't see the magazine in your area, let us know! We distribute to businesses, doctors' offices, barber shops. and other community places. Celebrate Champions! Nominate someone for our Community Spotlight. If you know a person or organization who is going above and beyond in your community, let us know! We would love to highlight them! Email: Kasey.dean@ccbrockton.org with any questions or inquiries! Submissions are welcome year round! Welcome to the South Shore Community Magazine Family!
Do you know about us?
GET INVOLVED
Hello South Shore! As we gear up for Fall, the start of a new school year, and our descent into cooler weather, South Shore Magazine Committee wants to remind you to be safe as we enjoy all the upcoming activities, events, and changes. This edition focuses in on the beautiful things we can do this fall, important issues at hand we can learn more about, and even has some emotional pieces that might tug at our memories, or even our heartstrings! We have come full circle and have been in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic for almost 2 years, with ever changing information, updates, advisories, and more. Please remember to be safe, follow the updated guidelines, and ensure you are following the best practices for you. Please enjoy this edition, and as usual, feel free to submit content, pictures, resources, and more for future editions. Thank you, SSCM Editorial Team
We serve 28 communities on the South Shore. Our staff is compromised of our Director, Program Manager, School Liaison, Community Resource Specialist and Administrative Assistant. Language capacity includes English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. We help families navigate child serving systems through information, education and/or referrals. For more information, call us at (508) 857-0272 Community Connections of Brockton engages the public, community agencies and community members in efforts to strengthen families and build stronger, healthier communities. By sharing ideas, knowledge, skills and training community members have the potential to become community champions. Building stronger, healthier communities requires leadership; leadership that is grown within a given community. The first step is to get involved with your community. Please make sure to become a fan of The Family Center at www.volunteersouthcoast.org If you would like more information about programming offered by the United Way of Greater Plymouth County The Family Center, call Melinda at (508) 857-0272 or email melinda.kneeland@ccbrockton.org
We're here with you in these everchanging times of this global pandemic. We're working remotely to continuously make sure we're serving our communities well. Please email us @maria.brennan@ccbrockton.org with questions, conceerns, referrals and need for support.
The Family Center offers parenting programs, support groups, information and referral resources, assessment services, early childhood services and education programs from families with children ages 0 to 18. We also have specific services for families with children who may be frequently absent or have problems at school, have problems at home, have run away from home, or are being exploited
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A Note From the Editorial Team
A Fire Has Been Lit Learning to thrive, not just survive
Love Life Now is a local organization, stationed in Avon, which helps victims and observers of Domestic Violence find local community and family resources. Lovern Gordon, founder of Love Life Now, takes a personal approach in her work throughout the community. A two-time survivor of Domestic Violence, Lovern holds a fiery passion for her work. Love Life Now promotes year-round awareness of Domestic violence with a high focus on education. Key components of LLN’s work includes nationwide workshops and community events – including the annual “Heel-A-Thon”, where participants walk a mile in a pair of high heeled shoes for Domestic Violence awareness. This takes place in Brockton at D.W. Field Park and on Oak Street. Other events include the Homeless Brown Bag and Care lunch and toiletry giveaways to provide that population with DV resources, including a Domestic Violence Liaison at the Brockton DTA (Department of Transitional Assistance) office and DV agencies located in the city. When it comes to planning, LLN does not take a “cookie cutter” approach. Instead, Lovern knows that different types of initiatives will make people come out and support the cause, or even seek help. You can see by the array of them they host throughout the year, that there's something for everyone to learn more about the issue. A lot can be learned from Lovern’s story in which she was gracious enough to share. Lovern grew up in Trinidad until she was 15. Throughout her childhood, she witnessed her father abuse her mother in front of her and her 4 siblings. By the time she was 21, she was living in the United States and attending Suffolk University at night, while working an entry level corporate job. She met a guy, and they dated for almost 2 years. During the first 3 months everything was normal. She received a lot of attention from her boyfriend, including lavish gifts, romantic walks in the park, and dinners. It was her first serious relationship – and things seemed to be perfect. Looking back, there were subtle red flags. The amount of attention he paid to her, how often and how intensely he checked up on her. However, at the time, it seemed as if he had just truly cared for her and her wellbeing. Brighter red flags began to show – simply looking in the direction of another guy and the jealousy that pursued after. The accusation of inviting unwanted attention. Lovern took the guilt and the blame for these things. She wanted to make the relationship work, and nothing seemed wrong or broken. She wanted this first, serious relationship to last. Not to mention, she didn’t believe “lightening would strike twice” with such a great guy overall. By the time he had slapped her for the first time, the first physical attack, he stormed off. She believed she was done with the relationship at that point. She refused to answer his calls but after countless voicemails, he came back to her with an elaborate apology that involved a card and 2 dozen purple roses. “Maybe I’m overreacting” she thought to herself. “It’s just a slap, nothing like what my mother experienced” and took him back. As time went on, it kept happening with more apologies. She didn’t want to be like her mother, who she saw as weak at the time for staying through the abuse she experienced with her father. “I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again, I love you so much. You make me act that way”. Lovern took the blame – and it turned into almost 2 years of abuse. She didn’t realize she was slowly being groomed into the same relationship her mother had endured, making her think the abuse and the red flags were okay. She thought to herself “I know what is happening to me is wrong, but it's not that bad...I’m not being kicked on the ground like she was, he’s not withholding emotional affection like my father did, his punches were just a punch. If I cry, maybe he’ll realize he’s hurting me, and he’ll stop. That change never came. I didn’t know that I couldn’t fix something that came to me broken and had nothing to do with me.” And it didn’t have anything to do with her. It was solely him. At the time of the last attack, the abuse was severe. Lovern had to check into the hospital, where she lied to the triage nurse and told her she had fallen in the shower and sustained injuries. She didn’t want anyone to know what had happened and associate her with being 'weak'. She was afraid of the outcome. They performed X-rays and found that she had severe contusions on her upper torso and hip, which meant she had been punched so hard, her inner flesh was swollen and bruised. The Doctor came in and immediately said “who did this to you? These injuries are not consistent with a fall in the shower. I can get you help”. Being put on the spot – the truth in the open air – was daunting to Lovern. Help meant a variety of things – the police could potentially get involved, news of her situation would spread to her school and her work, and even her family. Between lack of focus in her schoolwork causing her to begin flunking, the raging jealousy during group assignments making it hard for her to coordinate and complete assignments, or the instances where her abuser would show up at her place of work and accost her, causing her to have to leave her desk, clean up in the bathroom, then go back to her desk as if nothing had happened- it all meant that she could potentially be blamed and shamed for what had happened to her. Her mother and her 2 younger brothers were now in the United States, and Lovern was afraid they would also find out. “I was afraid they would blame me, say something like ‘you know what our mother went through, how could you allow yourself to be treated that way?’” At this time, Lovern also thought a shelter was a big open room with lots of beds and people she didn’t know. If she was referred to a shelter, she would have no privacy. Regardless, she told the doctor the truth in that moment but begged him to let her go home with no police, and no attention. Little did she know, victims are in the most danger when they try to leave their abusers. At this point, abusers feel as if they are losing their 'power and control' and are willing to hold onto it by all means. This is typically when tragedy strikes – and we see incidents such as the abuser killing their victim, their family, or everyone in the family. Keep in mind men and women both can be victims or abusers, although 90% of the time men are the perpetrators. Lovern thought it was the end and that leaving would be enough. She went home, changed her locks, and thought that was the end of it. She still loved him, she just wanted the abuse to stop and realized that he might kill her the next time an attack happened. She was angry and hurt and felt as if she just had to get him out of her system, but still confused. Did she make the right decision, or was leaving a mistake? Two weeks later – he called her as if nothing had happened – expecting everything to just fall right back into place. Lovern realized that it took 2 weeks for him to contact her, because he was waiting to see if she had said something after the last attack that had landed her in the hospital seeking help for the first time. After not being in any sort of trouble, he realized she must have kept quiet and thought it was safe to go back. Lovern refused, and told him she was done, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He claimed “you know you looked for some of that” and when she reiterated to him that she was done with him, he said “over my dead body”. Lovern had lived in an apartment in which a person had to be buzzed in to enter the main building. Not having the key, he waited for someone to exit, slipped inside, went up to her apartment and banged on the door, trying to break in. Lovern called the police, lucky to have her cell phone, as he had cut her phone line in the basement. By the time the police were there, he was gone. He had had all intentions to harm her that day. Then came the stalking – he would leave derogatory, nasty notes on her car. Eventually, she placed a restraining order on him, and was lucky that he followed it. It took time for Lovern to get back to normal. She couldn’t believe the last 2 years had happened. After some time, looking back, shocked, she would often say “THAT WAS ME” in disbelief. For 10 years Lovern held the experience near and dear to her. She was able to reconnect with old friends and get close again to family she had been isolated from prior. It wasn’t until 2010 when her friends convinced her to take part in a local beauty pageant, that Lovern found her way into a whole new world. When she won that first title, she moved on to the national leg of competition in Los Angeles and won there too! She was asked to pick a platform, and so she chose Domestic Violence given her history with the issue. In doing so, it allowed her to learn more about the ongoing issue, host some community awareness initiatives and volunteer at the local DV shelter, Penelope's Place, run by Health Imperatives. She had to take a Domestic Violence 101 Advocacy course, and the things she learned drove her to search for more and more information. She learned all about the types of abuse, the many layers, all about red flags, the statistics, and more. Once the year was over with her obligation to the pageant, she started her own non-profit – Love Life Now Foundation in 2011, to further DV awareness work. Lovern describes her passion for her work as “a fire that was been lit” and doesn't see it being put out. She is so grateful to help others everyday – and wants to ensure victims know it is never about them – it has everything to do with the abusers. She states when looking for a relationship or participating in a relationship – you are responsible for your own happiness...always. “Don’t let yourself be so far gone in a relationship you are only seeking to please someone else...self-care helps you stay you and to be able to bring your best self to everything you do”. Through her book “The Legacy He Left Me”, published in June 2021, Lovern explores her story and highlights what Domestic Violence is and how to not only survive, but to thrive after experiencing trauma. Even if an individual has never been impacted by Domestic Violence, this book is a good insight for behind the scenes and to teach individuals how they could potentially help others. Check out www.lovelifenow.org to learn more about LLN or Lovern’s new book, “The Legacy He Left Me”. To help educate your children or peers on preventative resources for Domestic Violence and teen dating violence, please visit www.loveisrespect.org. Please remember there are always resources available and people to talk to. You are never alone. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-SAFE.
Community Spotlight
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"Waiting" by Kevin Henkes
Hygiene Items -Masks -Tissues -Hand Sanitizer -Disinfectant Wipes -Labels for Belongings
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"Red" by Michael Hall
Back to School Checklist
Items to Help Your Child's Teachers -Disinfectant Wipes -Hand Sanitizer -Labels for your child's belongings -Extra Disposable Masks -Tissues -Pens
Items for Middle School and up -Flashdrive -Computer Accessories (Headphones, mouse, carrying case, etc) -Whiteout -Binder -Page Dividers -Binder Sleeves -Index Cards -Sticky Notes
General All Age Items -Backpack -Pencils -Notebooks -Pencil Box -Crayons -Colored Pencils -Eraser -Markers
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Items for Children 10 and up -Lead Pencils -Pens -Highlighters -Scissors -Pencil Sharpener
Join us on the Plymouth County Resiliency Library! This free online resource connects kids, caregivers, educators, and other professionals with a free digital library. Access titles that focus on social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and other behavioral health topics in non-fiction and fiction form. Suitable for ages 0-100, there is something for everyone. Sign up today!
C N Smith Farm East Bridgewater, MA · (508) 378-2270 "Nice place for Apple picking."
Music Matters http://www.brocktonsymphony.org/ Our virtual music series in partnership with the Brockton Public Library and our Local Cultural Councils. We are pleased to announce Music Matters, our FREE year-long series of topnotch online musical performances to soothe your soul. This 16-concert chamber music series began December 2020 and continues with TWO concerts each month, premiering on your local cable television channel and online for you to watch at your leisure.
Brockton Public Library Museum Passes Program Museum passes are available only at some locations due to corona virus restrictions.Several locations require patrons to schedule the time of arrival online, but will accept the passes from the library. Call 508-894-1407 or check the museum pass reservation page for details on individual passes. The Massachusetts Cultural Council, Brockton Cultural Council, and Brockton Public Library sponsor a museum pass program for adult Brockton Public Library cardholders with library records in good standing. Patrons must have a valid Brockton library card in order to check out the passes.Passes may be reserved at the Main Library up to two months in advance. We recommend that patrons wishing to reserve a pass for a high demand time, such as a weekend or school vacation,call as early as possible.The library offers one pass per day to each museum.The pass may be picked up at the Main Library the day before or the day of the reservation.Passes are for 24 hours($1.00 late fee per day and $25 replacement fee when applicable).Only one pass may be taken by a patron on a given day. Directions and other information is available at the circulation desk of the Main library.
American Clay: Modern Potters, Traditional Pots January 30, 2021 - November 7, 2021 American Clay: Modern Potters, Traditional Pots explores the concept of “traditional” ceramics within a contemporary context by featuring the work of 20 ceramic artists who interpret specific historical styles. Items on display will highlight such issues as the interplay between historical fidelity and personal inspiration, evolving definitions of “tradition bearers,” and the influence of various marketing and education criteria, supplemented by discourses on how participating artists approach these issues. .
Fall Activities for the Family
Fuller Craft Museum
Holly Hill Farm Cohasset, MA · (781) 383-6565 "Most wholesome place on the south shore."
Another Crossing: Artists Revisit the Mayflower Voyage July 3, 2021 - October 10, 2021 Fuller Craft Museum presents Another Crossing: Artists Revisit the Mayflower Voyage, an exhibition recognizing the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower crossing and its significance to American and world history. Developed in partnership with Fuller Craft Museum, Plymouth College of Art, and The Box (both in Plymouth, England), Another Crossing brings together ten artists from the United States and Europe for a global, cross-cultural effort that examines a pivotal event in world history.
Brockton Roller Derby https://brocktonbruisersrollerderby.com/ Formed in 2019- The Brockton Bruisers are the first recreational Roller Derby League in Massachusetts. We welcome all levels of skaters. No experience necessary!
Langwater Farm North Easton, MA · (508) 205-9665 "It was very nice for my grandson. Also the apple donuts were great"
Apple Picking or Pumpkin Picking in the South Shore
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Beyond the Walls: Sculptures from the New England Sculptors Association May 15, 2021 - September 12, 2021 In Beyond the Walls, current artists represented by the New England Sculptors Association display their works of ceramic, metal, stone, and other media throughout Fuller Craft Museum’s 22-acre outdoor surroundings. With no unifying thematic focus, Beyond the Walls reflects a wide spectrum of artist predispositions and goals, with forms that integrate novel forms, powerful narratives, eclectic uses of material, and creative techniques.
Battleship Cove: Fall River Reduced price for 2 adults and 2 children Buttonwood Park Zoo Free admission for 4 people The Children's Museum: Easton Admits 4 people at half price Edaville: Carver Admits 2 people free Fuller Craft Museum Admits 2 people free The Hall at Patriot Place Admits 2 people Heritage Museum and Gardens: Sandwich Half price for 2 adults and 4 children Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Free parking in over 50 of the State Parks. National Black Doll Museum: Mansfield Admits up to 5 people Providence Children's Museum Half price admission for up to 4 people Roger William's Park Zoo Admits 4 with a $3.00 discount Sandwich Glass Museum Admits up to 5 people regular admission Adults $10.00 Children $2.00 USS Constitution Museum: Boston Pass admits up to 9 people
Sauchuk's Fall Festival (Reservations Required) Plympton, MA · (781) 585-1522 Opens Sep 18
Nihtila Farm Holbrook, MA · (781) 767-0213 "Awesome place to take the kids pumpkin picking,"
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Food for Thought By: Magalie A. Pinney
I think all achievements should be shared amongst adults, but particularly amongst children. Sure, it is true that a participation award differs from a citizenship award which differs from an academic award which differs from a talent award or a volunteer award when it comes to peer recognition, competitions, championships, contests, exhibits, fairs and shows. However, I think that the individual perspectives which bind people to act upon their beliefs play into whether or not any of these reward systems should be shared across the masses. I’d say that these do more so than other aspects such as elitism, favoritism or anti-intellectualism. People in general don't embrace themselves holistically because if they did then they would have greater self awareness of when their attitudes and actions may be perceived or deemed by others as divisive or separatist...classist or racist. I celebrate the mind, the heart, the spirit, the soul, selflessness, the sharing, the helping, the giving, the taking; the attempts to compete with others as win or lose, pass or fail. When people care too much about what others or other families have and do, but not enough about what they or their own families can do to make themselves better people holistically, then the likelihood of misunderstandings, social biases, attitudes, envy, jealousy, selfishness, tunnel vision and/or snobbery will ensue. This creates cultures of who is deemed acceptable or not, deserving or not and worthy of being recognized or not, but this deviates from them being held individually accountable for what their established mores result in for our city as a whole. I see this on all ends of the abilities testing, knowledge and achievements scales; be they disabilities, giftedness, talent-wise, intellectual, social, communicative, athletic and/or creative skill sets. I won't single out any groups when it comes to the scales we impart to children for what they may or may not be viewed or seen as capable of or incapable of. I believe that as a city we should all be in this community together. The negative attributes of praising some people’s successes or participation, but rejecting other people’s successes or participation are indicative of poor characterizations and misplaced characteristics. We should all be able to support each other and appreciate and congratulate the varying gifts and talents we all share interchangeably and offer to the City of Brockton as a whole.
Middle School By: Jodie Shaffer French
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Education
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Middle School has been on my mind this summer. I remember junior high...having shop class learning about electricity, positive and negative currents and more... I learned to use heavy equipment and drill my name on a piece of hard plastic. It made an awesome keychain for the keys to the car I would one day own. We also had Home Economics, learned how to use sewing machines and cooking. Sports teams played against other Junior Highs in the city. In the "old days" there were only four, one for each side of town. West was where the "rich kids" went, East was just...well east. South was "dangerous!" North was the best because that's where I went and our school color was purple. The athletes received purple jackets with the letter "N" on them and their name on the sleeve. I wanted a cool jacket even though I didn't play any sports. It was a big scary place where we learned about independence, decision making and responsibility. Now with my own son in his last year of MIDDLE SCHOOL, I am both sad and glad. He cannot choose to join his school's baseball team...they don't have teams anymore. My husband’s pictures of his real JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL basketball game wearing a yellow shirt are proof that organized sports once happened there. Things changed when Junior High Schools became "Middle Schools," very generic name for a place which no longer offers sports, shop or home economics. I received a very quizzical "No" when I asked my son if his school offered any of these. My problem has nothing to do with the teachers or principals, but with the school committees and higher ups. From the ages of 11 to 13 we must send our children to these schools which no longer offer anything "fun" for these in-between children. Just four walls of frustrated hormones expected to sit and learn for six and a half hours a day with 15 minutes for lunch followed by 15 minutes of socialization. They seem to be places to stick or store away kids until they are old enough for high school. I completely understand and sympathize with my son on his disliking school. I wouldn't want to attend either. He always enjoyed learning and received good grades. Now entering 8th grade, his final year in middle school, I can only hope that he at least walks away with the same things I walked away from junior high with: independence, decision making and responsibility. These years are crucial for children this age and I feel, as a parent, that they are being robbed out of experiences inside and out of school. I'm sure many parents feel that sending pre-teens and teens there is in not preparing them for what they are about to face when they move onto high school. Middle Schools should include learning and fun. I hope that before my daughter enters middle school in the future that changes occur.
Each class allowed the children to get a little out of their comfort zone – learning things that typically are not taught within the mainstream, common core curriculum. Each course was interactive, instructors hand-picked for their specific skill-set. During free time in the morning and afternoon, students were able to make 3 pinatas to use on the last day. They used paper mâché and even made their own paint! A lot of discussions about school, home, and friendships were shared. The children even played musical chairs! This program was a blast and showed that learning doesn’t always have to involve lectures and standardized testing. Learning is also about building relationships, learning life skills, and finding where a person can fit into the world!
Constitutional Kids – Students learned about the bill of rights and how it affects them, as well as tying these into real life experience and examples with infringement of rights and what a person can do about it. Page Masters – Students learned foundational writing skills for creative and academic writing and began to write their own story with the opportunity to share it with the class Community Economics – Students learned how to form a business plan and business structure, as well as developed an entrepreneurial mindset. Students began to build a business of their choice in groups or independently, then were offered the chance to sell products and present their business during upcoming vendor fairs and events. They even filmed commercials! Creative Lens – Students learned professional photography and editing skills with hands on professional camera experience. Students were able to use these skills to develop their commercial for Community Economics, as well as print photos they had taken. Trial Court – Students learned about the court system and how cases are presented and continued, then planned and participated in a mock trial – assigning one of the volunteers as the defendant and different members of the class to other roles such as jurors, lab tech, prosecution, and defense! Families were invited to come and see their children participate in this trial on the last day and participate as part of the jury. Getting on Track – Students learned organizational tips and tricks to use in the new school year and at home such as how to organize their backpack, how to start off on the right foot with their teachers, and even how to avoid procrastination. Renaissance Art (Italian and Harlem) – Students took a peek at the art, religion, and culture during the Renaissance eras by exploring various items, investigating styles of art, and reading and writing poetry and stories. Passport to Spain – Students took a virtual trip to Spain to learn about Spanish culture, food, and language. Students played games, tried new foods, and even learned how to dance! On the last day, students had the chance to play a game to test their knowledge, winning Spanish treats for correct answers!
Take a peek at the courses!
Featured Article
Student Feedback "My favorite assignment was when we had to draw pictures for our business" "My favorite class was the Spanish class" "My favorite thing was the teacher asking us questions at the beginning of class" "My favorite assignment was the commercial" "The most fun I had was having conversations with people" "My favorite class was the Law Class" "MY favorite class was photography" "My favorite class was Page Masters" "I dont have a favorite class" "I will miss the teachers" When asked, a majority of students said they would participate in this program again, and many were sad it was over!
Love to Learn Summer Camp
The Love to Learn Summer Camp program ran from June 29th to July 29th for 10 sessions over 5 weeks. This Brockton based program was located at the Trinity Baptiste Church at 1367 Main Street. This program gave children ages 7-14 a chance to not only learn extracurricular subjects, but a chance to form bonds and step foot a little bit further into the diverse adult world. With 23 children enrolled, this program had a mix of different personalities that made for an exciting experience! Some of the children were already familiar with each other from previous programs or from attending school together. The schedule for this program involved 8 different classes, 4 during each day. The program ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with each day having different courses. From 8:00 am to 9:00 am students were free to chat, interact, color, or play games. From 9:00 am to 9:15 am students discussed a social-emotional value of the day. Classes began at 9:15 am, with a break in between each class. The second class got out at 11:30 am students had lunch (hot lunch ordered daily) and “recess” until 12:30 pm, when classes resumed until 2:30 pm. Parents would begin to pick up students at 2:30 pm until 3:00 pm, in which students were free to chat, interact, or play games again until they left. Often times, the program Director Lynda Snelling would buy ice creams or a treat for the children to have at the end of the day.
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Thousands of organizations around the United States aim to bring awareness and prevention to the ongoing opioid crisis that takes the lives of many. Nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid-involved overdoses in 2019 and roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. One of the organizations that aim to bring awareness to the opioid crisis is the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative. The Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative brings together the communities of Brockton, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Hanson, Raynham, Rockland, and Whitman to educate young people with accurate information and tools to cope with addiction and to inform them of the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol. Hillary Dubois the director of Prevention Services for High Point Treatment Center and the director of the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative said she was drawn to the cause early on. Dubois said that she was in high school when she saw the toll opioid abuse can take. “Out of my 600 students graduating class, we have lost almost 25 of my classmates to overdoses,” Dubois said. Dubois later attended Stonehill College where she spent a semester working at an internship in Ireland where she was impressed with how the system in Ireland deals with drug abuse. “In Ireland, people struggling with addiction were not treated as a stigma, they were treated like humans who needed help,” Dubois said. If it wasn’t for her experience in high school firsthand witnessing drug abuse and her experience in Ireland witnessing their system, she would not be doing what she is today Dubois said. Dubois now works with various groups to educate the community including active opioid users, individuals in recovery, their loved ones, service providers, and the community at large about overdose including the signs and symptoms. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, between 8 and 12 percent of people using an opioid for chronic pain develop an opioid use disorder. An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin. Monica Thomas of Worcester has lost a sibling to drug addiction. “I was just 19 when my brother died due to an overdose. He was struggling for a few years but his struggle didn’t define him as a person, it was more so an addiction he couldn’t control,” Thomas said. “I think that drug abuse is something everyone, especially teenagers, need to be more aware and informed of,” Thomas said. According to the Center For Disease Control and Protection, the number of drug overdose deaths decreased by 4% from 2017 to 2018, but the number of drug overdose deaths was still four times higher in 2018 than in 1999. Learn to Cope a non-profit support network that offers education, resources, peer support, and hope for parents and family members with a loved one addicted to opiates or other drugs is one group many turn to for help. Joanne Peterson executive director and founder of Learn to Cope, a non-profit support network. On a podcast titled The Addiction Podcast- Point of No Return, Peterson tells her story of her experience with addiction as well as her drive to start the organization Learn To Cope. The organization was founded in 2004 by Peterson. She said was first exposed to the issue when her siblings experiencing issues with mental illness and addiction. “I was probably around the age of 10. My brother was battling addiction and my sister had a severe mental illness. My brother became addicted to cocaine at a very young age and continued to be in and out of jail,” Peterson said on the podcast. “I knew my brother was a really good person with a really bad problem,” Peterson said. Joanne discovered that her own son’s experimentation with prescription drugs led to opioid addiction, she was motivated and empowered to use her voice to bring about change. “In the early 2000s oxycontin pills became very popular and were everywhere and my son didn’t realize that trying it with a group of friends would change his life for a long time and maybe forever,” Peterson said. “I wanted to add an educational component to the organization rather than just sitting around talking about our war stories,” Peterson said. Peterson then started the organization which aims to support, educate, and provide resources for addiction. According to Mass.gov, since 2000, Massachusetts has seen an exponential increase in unintentional opioid-related overdoses, overdose fatalities, and people seeking substance use treatment, due to the use of prescription opioid painkillers, fentanyl, and heroin. Today, organizations such as Learn to Cope and The Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative continue to bring awareness to the issue of the opioid crisis to ultimately put an end to the ongoing issue..
The Opioid Crisis By: Nell Trainor
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Health and Wellness
Photo by Abby Campbell
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Overdose deaths in Massachusetts reached a record high in 2020, rising 5% from 2019 and increasing to a slightly higher level than the previous mark of 2,102 in 2016. While this most recent increase is likely connected with the impact of COVID-19 on people, as well as the rise in fentanyl (an extremely strong synthetic opioid) use on the streets, it has become clear that the opioid crisis is still in full effect. In recent years, fentanyl has replaced heroin as the primary opioid being purchased on the streets. Fentanyl is known to be around 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin. Not only is fentanyl being purchased and used at a troubling rate, causing a spike in the number of overdose deaths, it is also being mixed in with many other street drugs. Recently, people seeking to buy cocaine have found it laced with fentanyl, resulting in a troubling rise in deaths involving cocaine and synthetic opioids. Another troubling trend behind why people are overdosing is that they are purchasing pressed pills on the street. People are buying pills that they believe to legitimate, but are in fact counterfeit, laced with fentanyl. The illicit pill market it so filled with these pills that it is nearly impossible to know if you’re getting the real thing. Sadly, it is not uncommon for youth as young as middle school age, seeking solutions for anxiety, depression or ADHD to find that the pills they’ve purchased have been mixed with synthetic opioids like fentanyl. There is, however, some room for optimism. It seems that as more naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) — a nasal spray drug used to reverse opioid overdoses — has become available to people in the community, the number of overdose emergency room visits have been coming down. More people are becoming aware of the opioid crisis, whether through a struggling family member, friend or co-worker. The awareness is causing more people to invest in possible solutions and has made naloxone more available in the community. This is why the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative has developed training to educate businesses on how they can play a role in opioid overdose prevention. The opioid overdose prevention training for businesses educates leaders and staff on the impact that opioids have had, and continue to have on their employees and customers. Those who attend this 15 minute training (via Zoom or in person) will learn about factors that increase the risk of an opioid overdose, how to recognize the signs of an overdose, how to respond to an overdose and where to get naloxone. Businesses that participate in the training will also be connected with resources that will help staff, be promoted via social media and have access to a free supply of naloxone. To this point, we have trained administration and staff local community organizations, two Brockton churches and some local businesses in Brockton. Our goal is to train as many businesses as possible. The whole community benefits when businesses support health initiatives like this. Spread the word to any and all businesses you may be connected with so we can all work towards opioid overdose prevention. If you are interested in receiving this training, contact Dave Capozzi at dcapozzi@hptc.org. The training is also available in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
Diving Further into the Opioid Crisis High Point Treatment Center
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Cape Symphony Orchestra By Joanna Powers
I attend Brockton High School and I am a part of the S.T.E.M cohort. Today I am going to briefly talk about funding for our school’s resources. Being in the S.T.E.M program we all have access to laptops that we can take home.These laptops give us an effective way to communicate with our teachers outside of school on a professional level and they also give us access to many online resources such as textbooks, PDFs, articles, videos, journals, newspapers and so much more. Issues that we have with current resources are the fact that they are old and outdated. I have been in classes where the textbooks are missing many pages, so you would have to look on with a friend. Resources that we depend on and use so frequently should never be in that condition. In comparison to other schools in our area Brockton High is not up to par with their resources and materials yet a large percentage of students attend Brockton High School. This raises the question - "are we getting enough funding to sustain all the students at Brockton High and to cater to their educational needs?" The answer is, “No, we don’t have enough materials or resources to help all the students that attend Brockton High School and these outdated methods have brought us to a standstill.” With no modern-day adjustments, it is only a matter of time before we fall too far behind. Other high schools like Southeastern have adapted and adjusted to modern day technology and they have used it to their advantage - with all students there having a laptop and being connected through Google classrooms its interaction at its best. As a larger high school, we should try to incorporate these new methods into our system to help provide the equal opportunity for learning we all desperately deserve. Thank you.
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Safe Spaces
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BPS Funding Speech By Candace J. Miller
Music is one of the most powerful and influential tools we can provide our children. It is an outlet for emotions and an expression of feelings. It is an art form that incorporates math and rhythm and is influenced by the world around us. Its unique history dates back to the earliest of mankind and evolving into what we now deem as pop culture. The Cape Conservatory both recognizes this and actively does something about it. Through an anonymous donor, the conservatory's educational outreach director runs a program called Tix4Music. This program is designed for middle and high school age students to experience the excitement that the live symphony creates. The students enjoy a 90-minute lecture prior to the concert to help them connect the music they will hear to social studies, language arts, and math. The lectures are exciting, engaging and interactive helping students build an appreciation for the composer and the music written during a given time period. Students line up for these opportunities. As a teacher and parent, it is moving to see so many young people enjoying these amazing concerts. The innovative Maestro Pak, his talented orchestra and tons of people are behind the scenes and each concert has a theme and gifted guest musicians. Students participating in Tix4Music are not only treated to a lecture and concert, they have a private reception afterwards. During these receptions, students speak with him, musicians from the Cape Orchestra, and the guest musicians. With this busy, fast world we live in and grueling schedules these musicians handle, they still graciously meet with students after the end of a long day. The time that each of these talented musicians donates is a true gift. For my children, it opened doors. My daughter went from just playing piano to practicing every day without being asked. She began to beg for longer lessons and aspires to play for the Cape Youth Orchestra. She even composed her own piece and found courage to debut it at last year's spring piano recital. This simple musical concept is where notes are played in rhythm and time, creating a thought, a picture, capturing a moment in history. In the age of technology, it is wonderful that a local conservatory recognizes the thrill and power that live music creates and provides an opportunity for the appreciation of its history.These gifts for our youth is by generous donors whose hard work influences students to continue their musical studies, compose works, or seek a new appreciation for classical music, cultures and composers.
Susan Cole had a vision for helping traumatized children succeed in school. She helped educators and policymakers understand the impacts of trauma on learning, as well as the need for trauma-sensitive schools and the policies that sustain them. Cole, a 1981 graduate of Northeastern Law School and founder of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative, passed away on May 1, 2021. Susan was a visionary leader, providing guidance, leadership, and support to many students and school communities in Massachusetts. In 2004, Susan launched the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI), a collaboration of Massachusetts Advocates for Children and Harvard Law School. Susan served as the Director of TLPI and as Director of the Education Law Clinic at Harvard Law School, where she was also a Lecturer on Law. TLPI’s work has served as the foundation for many initiatives and resources in Plymouth County. TLPI aims to ensure that children traumatized by adverse childhood experiences succeed in school, as noted on their website. Susan played a pivotal role in helping TLPI provide training and consultation to school districts in Plymouth County schools, enabling several of the Brockton area schools to deepen their understanding of the impact of trauma on learning and engage in the process of creating a trauma-sensitive learning environment. “Susan was a fierce advocate for children. She would often speak about her work as a special educator and was always focused on doing what was right for children. I appreciated and valued her guidance and support in our journey to become more trauma-sensitive. She valued our knowledge as school leaders and was always eager to engage in discussions around the work in our schools. She always pushed my thinking,” said, Natalie Pohl, Principal at the George School in Brockton. Edward Jacoubs, former director of grants and sponsored events for the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, explained that through a partnership with Susan Cole and Dr. Sal Terrasi of BPS that began in 2007, the DA’s Office was able to share TLPI’s first publication, Volume 1 of “Helping Traumatized Children Learn” with the Brockton Schools. Two weeks after the book was shared with district leadership, there was a presentation on Helping Traumatized Children Learn for all school leadership teams across the district. Over the course of the next year, there were TLPI school-based trainings held in several schools. From the perspective of the DA’s Office, it was critical to raise awareness about the number of children who were actually exposed to violence, drugs and community violence and the impact of these adverse experiences. As schools developed an awareness of the impacts of trauma on learning and the need for a whole school approach that provides a safe and supportive learning environment which benefits all students, they began to develop trauma-sensitive approaches to better meet students’ needs. Over the course of the next few years, these schools saw positive outcomes, including reduced suspensions and office referrals. Building on the trauma-sensitive approaches taking root in Brockton schools, the Trauma Advisory Board was created in Brockton, allowing schools and community agencies to get together and discuss ways to collaborate to better support students who were faced with adversity. The monthly meetings provide a space for educators and providers to incorporate trauma-sensitive approaches into community services, as well as to more effectively coordinate the school and community efforts needed to support students and their families. Susan was dedicated to making sure that all children in the state had a safe and supportive learning environment. Through her successful advocacy, the Safe and Supportive Schools Framework Statute was passed in 2014. The budget line item that supports the statewide implementation of this law funds, among other things, a grant program for schools to create safe and supportive learning environments. The work Susan led at TLPI and the many initiatives she supported in Brockton and throughout Plymouth County have left a lasting impact on the community, and have laid the foundation for trauma-sensitive schools to continue to help all children, including those who experience adversity, succeed in school.
Handle With Care Plymouth County DA's Office
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In partnership with the United Way of Greater Plymouth County Family Center, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office recently conducted eight training sessions with the Brockton Fire Department for our Handle With Care program. The Brockton Fire Department joins Brockton Police Department and Brockton Public Schools in this trauma-informed initiative. Handle With Care is a simple communication protocol between first responders and schools that gives the school a “heads up” when a child has been exposed to a traumatic event. Without violating the child’s privacy, Handle With Care gives the school the chance to support the child in a trauma sensitive way.
Susan's Vision Remembering TLPI's Resilient Leader
Caring Adults
Handle With Care started in Brockton in 2008 as “The Red Envelope”, when it was used to discretely alert school staff that a child had been a witness to violence. The program has grown and evolved into Handle With Care, a nationally recognized and utilized model that aims to inform schools when a child has been at the scene of any event that may be traumatic. Brockton is the first municipality in Massachusetts to incorporate their fire department into Handle With Care. For more information on Handle With Care, visit Handle With Care Massachusetts (hwc.plymouthda.com). To arrange training for your fire, police or school department contact Jennifer Cantwell at Jennifer.cantwell@state.ma.us.
Susan Cole Photo Credit: Lorin Granger
Alternating Wednesdays at 6 PM Tune in Live! Teen Challenge MA
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https://tcmassachusetts.org/#landing
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=135138815259543&ref=watch_permalink
Opportunities to Serve
Teen Challenge Catering is a local non-profit ministry that gives the residents of the Teen Challenge Massachusetts program vocational training in the culinary arts. Their catering facility is led by Culinary Institute of America graduate Charles Hermann. Chef Charles mentors each resident to become focused and organized individuals with strong leadership qualities. The goal of our vocational program is to develop our residents with a professional culinary foundation and to execute our catering services with the highest standards. The catering ministry was developed to help support the residents and give them a professional venue to showcase their exceptional skills. Teen Challenge Catering is a full service caterer and can help plan your wedding or private gathering from 10-450 guests. They have two function facilities on premise in Brockton that have a capacity of 100 guests and 450 guests. Their four star cuisine has been recognized all over the New England - including the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, Brockton Mayor’s office, Impact Worship, Teen Challenge USA, and the United Way. Please look for Chef Charles on the Well Fed Cooking Show on www.tcmassachusetts.org Facebook page, live every other Wednesday at 6pm. Please contact Teen Challenge catering at catering@tcmassachusetts.org for additional information!
INSTRUCTIONS 1.Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, Cajun seasoning and salt. 2.In a separate medium bowl add your milk and vinegar; let sit 5 minutes. Whisk in vegetable oil, egg and onion. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until incorporated. 3.Heat oil to 365 degrees. Using two small spoons; scoop a rounded spoonful on to one spoon and gently push it off with the second spoon. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.Drain on paper towels. Serve promptly.
INGREDIENTS •1 cup cornmeal (see notes) •1 cup all purpose flour •1–2 tablespoons sugar (see notes) •1/2 teaspoon baking soda •1/2 teaspoon baking powder •1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning •1/4 teaspoon sea salt •1/2 cup milk •1/2 tablespoon white vinegar •2 tablespoons vegetable oil •1 egg •3 tablespoons grated onion •Oil for frying (canola, vegetable or peanut)
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Hush Puppy Recipe
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Teen Challenge An Opportunity to Serve and a Service for the Community!
Community Engagement Specialist
CRA Masters Clinician
meet the united Way of Greater Plymouth County and Brockton Family Center Team!
Carvel is our CRA Masters Clinician. She works for the Child Requiring Assistance Diversion program of the Brockton Family Resource Center as of January 2021. Carvel works with others to develop and oversee a support plan for family members dealing with CRA related issues and also provides guidance and support to caregivers and the School Liaison. Carvel conducts assessments for each family to help them meet their individualized goals with thorough support plans and clinical referrals. Carvel graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Winston-Salem State University where she served as Project Manager for an independent research study on false confessions and Miranda waiver.Carvel moved on to earn her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with a Forensic concentration from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. She attended and completed very inclusive and diverse internships during her schooling, allowing her to specialize in working with a range of diverse individuals within forensic settings particularly at-risk youth with complex mental illness and those involved in juvenile court. She has extensive training/certifications in suicide prevention, trauma informed care, crisis intervention, and mental health first aid for adults and adolescents.
1367 Main Street Brockton, MA 02301 508-857-0272 Monday through Thursday 9 am to 4 pm Friday 9 am to 2 pm In person visits by appointment only
Reach out to us at the Family Center!
The Family Center Additional Staff
Faith Parent is our School Liaison since February of 2021, but has been with the Family Center since August 2020. Part of her role is to be the bridge between schools, students/families, and community partners/state agencies located throughout Plymouth County. Faith is also involved with the Handle With Care program, DEC, and TLPI. As the school Liaison, Faith offers a monthly zoom session for educators on a variety of topics presented by providers in Plymouth County. Faith graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors’ of Science in Social Work from Bridgewater State University in May of 2020. She has been an advocate for her daughters when navigating the education system, addressing their social emotional and mental health needs. She has over 20 years of experience as a paraprofessional and nanny. Since her childhood she has been a believer in accepting individuals as they are, being a friend to all, and most of all intrigued by human behavior.
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School Liaison
Kasey is our Community Engagement Specialist serving at the Family Center in Brockton since November 2020. Kasey helps with creating the South Shore Community Magazine as well as planning the annual South Shore Leadership Conference. Kasey also works with all FRC staff to provide engaging community experiences for children and families in the South Shore Community. Kasey previously worked for 10 years in Early Education and Care helping families through the parenting journey while caring for their little ones, and also has experience working with school-aged children and many children of diverse backgrounds, including providing childcare to our former partnership The Clemente Program. Kasey has an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education and Administration and graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services with a concentration in Early Intervention. As a past Childcare Director, Kasey has a strong drive to help families in need with whatever resources they may require.
Faith
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“Colors of Autumn” By Jensen Denoyes “Truly, truly, I say to you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it stays alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. [25] He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.” John 12:24-25 Autumn is the time of year when God reminds us that for the new life of Spring to arrive next year. The bright oranges, yellows, and reds are a yearly reminder that "He that loves his life shall lose it." Like the changing colors of the autumn leaves, life is constantly changing. We can't stop the green of summer leaves from switching to an autumnal pallet any more than we can stop time. Like it or not, time means to change. The crisp Autumn air and bright colors are harbingers of change. While change is always tricky, it is God's message that rebirth is right around the corner. This Autumn, remember that the vivid colors are God's glorious way of reminding us that the change of Spring is on the way with new life and new possibilities. For new life to be born in the Spring, we must lose the summer leaves of today. And what a stunning way to be reminded of rebirth—through the colors of Autumn.
Residential Facilities are Safe, Affectionate, and Welcoming by Chris Bazile
Everybody on this planet has their own problems and their own difficulties in life. Everyone of any demographic. Gender, age, race, nationality, religion, and whatsoever. Youth and teenagers pertaining to the ages of 6-17 years old need guidance, clarity, and humbleness to mature and move forward with their lives. Individuals could have mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma and more. Individuals with these kinds of problems leads to the person to reside to a residential facility. Residential facilities are group homes, mental health institutions, hospitals, and more. These buildings provide care for people who need rehabilitation, recovery, and stabilization from any injuries, bad effects, or any of the above symptoms. After a patient has fully recovered from their symptom, the person will be successfully discharged from their facility. Children and teenagers are very new and naïve in life. Any type of care they can receive from a residential facility is imperative. The counselors, staff, clinicians, psychologists, and doctors that work in residential facilities are highly educated people. These people usually have at LEAST a bachelor’s degree and other high qualifications such as experience in human services, psychology, social work, medication, and etcetera. Also, other qualifications such as: fluency in many languages, excellence in computer use, the ability to work with individuals of many cultures/backgrounds, uniqueness and positivity, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. These qualifications are very demanding and necessary to aid individuals with mental disorders. The people who work in residential services are there to nurture, assist, protect, feed, conversate, and groom the patients who have their problems. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, residential facilities still found a way to welcome, adore, and appreciate their clients and patients. All in all, everyone on this planet has their instabilities. Residential facilities are vital for individuals who have a negativity in living. People must be highly qualified to work in either group homes, hospitals, mental institutions, and other. It does not matter what you been through you can do anything in life. You could use your experience to help others.
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UNTITLED By Jude A. Belizaire I've carried this curse since I was the dust Spread upon the empty pages of my torn past Since I was broken arms of our lovely clock, the pendulum that never swung I was nothing but a monster Yet I was the apple of her eye which shone with lust. The only one who poured my tears out of the vase of glass and filled it with the notes of our little box, whose song was never sung. Little did I know it was love... A hug she gave sealed our fates A kiss she gave restored the docks A promise she kept opened the gates A vow she made destroyed all locks But all I gave her was a shell... Bodies vanished throughout the years Elfin lied my life in a song O castitatis lilium
Artists Inspiration by: Olivia J Pinney
An artist that I have been fascinated by lately is Tyler Joseph, the lead singer and songwriter for the popular band Twenty One Pilots. I got into the band’s music probably no more than a half a year ago, and I really like the way he writes and creates his music, along with, of course, his bandmate, Josh Dun. Along with many people, I was first introduced to Twenty One Pilots from their fourth album, Blurryface. It took me a while to finally dig deeper, but I’m happy that I did, because there’s a lot more to Tyler and the band itself than what people hear on the radio. Since he was a teenager, Tyler had suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts, and also with his faith. He struggled with a way to express himself and come to terms with what was going on in his head, and his mental health suffered greatly because of it. Tyler was never interested in making a career out of music; until he was in his late teens/ early twenties, his main goal was to get into college via an athletic scholarship in basketball. However, when he first received a keyboard for a present, his experimentation with music resulted in a conglomeration of songs he called “No Phun Intended”-- his first album. It was never meant to be anything more than a way to express his feelings to himself, but he realized that making music-- even if it was low-budget music made in his basement with a few friends-- was something he wanted to do. Some lyrics and verses from No Phun Intended were even used in later songs on other albums. Twenty One Pilots started with Tyler and two other bandmates, Chris Salih on the drums and Nick Thomas playing the bass guitar. In 2009, Twenty One Pilots’ first official album, named after the band, was released. A year or two later, Chris and Nick left to pursue full time jobs, and Josh Dun, a good friend of Chris', became the new drummer and sole other bandmate for the rest of Twenty One Pilots’ history up until now. All of Tyler’s experiences in his life directly shape his musical writing, and he has made it very clear that he doesn’t want to stifle his and Josh’s creativity for the sake of views or success. That sentiment is evident in his music, and I appreciate and respect that. He will not shy away form topic of suicide, of depression, or faith and it’s obvious that what he and Josh do have a huge impact on the people that listen to his music. While, thankfully, I haven’t experienced a lot of what he talks about in his songs, I find it incredible how easily I can put myself in his shoes and feel what he puts out. It’s a feeling that’s a little hard to describe, but I know that it’s there. And for the music I can relate to, his ability to create things that seem so down to earth really impress me. It’s really inspiring to listen to what he’s had to say over the years and look at how he’s changed and evolved and realize that bad thought and negative experiences are only seasons, and seasons change. Though Tyler still has his fair share of doubts and emotional and mental struggles now, the growth from a teenage kid who wrote music to try and convince himself not to commit suicide to a man that found purpose in leading others away from self-harm is astounding. He makes it a point in saying that you can’t get through hard times alone, and if you need music to do it, do it. Whatever you can do to give yourself joy in hard times, do it. I think that’s a beautiful sentiment.
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Online/Phone Resources for Recovery Support, Parenting, and COVID-19 Recovery
COVID-19 FAQ's from Mass.gov https://www.mass.gov.info-details.frequently-asked-questions-about-covid-19 CDC Information: Prepare your Family https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/checklist-household-ready.html Talking to your children about COVID-19 (multiple Languages Available) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/talking-with-children.html Just for Kids: Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids- a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus Coping and Managing Stress https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids https://childmind.org/article/anxiety-and-coping-with-coronavirus/ National Child Traumatic Stress Network Resource on Helping Parents Talk to Children About COVID-19 (Multiple Languages) https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/disasters/pandemic-resources Link for Small Children from ZERO to THREE https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/3210-tips-for-families-coronavirus Link Boston + MA COVID-19 Resources https://www.mass.gov/guides/resources-during-covid-19
General Resources
COVID-19 Resources
AA https://aaboston.org/ - Local online and in person meetings https://westernmassaa.org/ - Online, zoom, and phone meetings, COVID-19 updates https://aa-intergroup.org/ - Online guide to meetings, resources, and guidance https://www.onlinegroupaa.org/ - Online meetings Pause a While Hosting free conference calls for AA meetings at 2pm every day -Dial in Number: 425 -436-6360 -Access Code: 422932 A Virtual Awakening Closed online AA meeting for women, trans, and non-binary people Recovery literature, speakers, open discussion Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 8:30 pm EST, Thursday 1:00pm EST https://zoom.us/j/4822208285 NA https://nerna.org/ - Lists of meetings in New England, Available Online Meetings https://na.org/ - Find a meeting, statement on Coronavirus Phone Meetings: www.nabyphone.com Online Meetings: https://virtual-na.org/ www.naspeaker.com - Streaming 24/7 Free NA Speakers https://neveraloneclub.org/ - Online NA Meetings (NOT affiliated with NA World Service) Other 12-Step Meetings Al-anon and Alateen https://ma-al-anon-alateen.org/ - COVID-19 Announcement https://ma-al-anon-alateen.org/meetings/ - Meeting Cocaine Anonymous - Offers online support and services https://www.ca-online.org/ Marijuana Anonymous https://marijuana-anonymous.org/ Nicotine Anonymous - Has online and telephone meetings, list available on website https://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
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COVID-19 Testing Sites Updated August 3, 2021 Testing for All Patients Please keep in mind you can always call your primary doctor and request testing through your healthcare network, in which they will instruct you of where to go and what you may have to do. Calling your city’s healthcare networks or local hospitals may also help you to find an alternative testing location that works for you. Alternative Testing Sites throughout Plymouth County include: CVS (Drive Thru Pharmacy, Minute Clinic) – Ages 5 and up https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19 testing?cid=ps_cvd&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt7mctpDi7gIVivOzCh3D4Q3fEAAYA SAAEgIjgfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Walgreens – Ages 3 and up https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing Please keep in mind these sites have age and symptom/exposure requirements and may not test you depending on your criteria. Please visit their sites to find local participating locations using your Zip Code. After finding a location that works for you, sign up for testing to see if you are eligible to be tested there and read all requirements to ensure you can follow all necessary protocols for testing. **Vaccines available at most pharmacies! Walk-ins or appointments. Call your local pharmacy for more information!**
Your friends at The Family Center have collected a large variety of resources that will help everyone from unemployment benefits to education resources! Although the information in this section is reliable, please note that as we are learning more daily about COVID-19, some information may change or become outdated.
Copy/Follow the link here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/COVID19-Resources-for-Homeless-Populations.pdf
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City/Town
Name of Site
Address and Phone Number
Appointment Required?
Abington
Health Express
170 Bedford Street 781-626-5700
Yes
Bridgewater
Care Central Urgent Care
233 Broad Street 508-807-5265
No
Brockton
Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
1 Feinberg or 63 Main Street 1-844-483-7819
Massasoit Community College
For results call 617-765-0176
Drive-Thru - get there as early as possible
No, register online
Norwell
South Shore Medical Center
143 Longwater Drive 781-878-5200
CareWell Urgent Care
42 Washington Street 800-659-5411
Pembroke
Convenient MD Urgent Care
296 Old Oak Street 339-244-3033
Referral Required?
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Facebook Recovery Groups (logon to Facebook, search group, ask to join) -CLEAN AND SOBER: Addiction Recovery Support Group -Daily Reflections AA -Methadone & Buprenorphine Discussion and Support -MIPSA: Methadone Information & Patient Support Network -Mommy Group -Recovery Soldiers -Send it! (Recovery Network) -Sober Mommies -Voices to End Addiction & Inspire Recovery -Women in AA Parenting/Families Hello It's Me is a Facebook Group for families that are pregnant and close to delivery or home with a newborn during COVID-19 https://www.facebook.com/helloitsmeproject/ Parenting Journey is creating an emergency fund and families can request a stipend (it's not required that you have attended any PJ groups, any families in need of assistance are welcome to apply) for those impacted financially by the COVID-19 crisis https://parentingjourney.org/ Parents Helping Parents Parental Stress Line (available 24/7): 1-800-632-8188 Online Support Groups occurring every day but schedule changes week to week Check the website for schedule: https://www.parentshelpingparents.org/ -Click or copy this link to join the meeting by computer or smartphone: https://zoom.us/j/6607380697 -Dial in by phone: 1-646-558-8656 then input meeting ID 6607380697# National Parent Helpline 1-855-4APARENT (1-855-427-2736) Sober Mommies: Online Support Group for Moms in Recovery https://www.sobermommies.com/
WEConnect and Unity Recovery - 4 times daily, 7 days a week (9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 9 pm EST) Join directly from computer or smart phone - unityrecovery.zoom.us/my/allrecovery Women for Sobriety - Helps women gain hope and encouragement with other women in similar circumstances. Offering tools to a healthier lifestyle https://womenforsobriety.org/ Support for Families with a loved one with SUD Smart Recovery Family http://www.smartrecovery.org/family/ Learn to Cope https://www.learn2cope.org/ Recovery Apps (download to your smartphone via app store/google play/website) -Sober Grid (App Store) -Celebrate Recovery (App Store) -Smart Recovery (website: www.smartrecovery.org) -Connections (App Store, Website: www.addictionpolicy/org/connections-app)
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