Sponsored by Community Connections of Brockton in alliance with United Way of Greater Plymouth County
SOUTH SHORE
MAGAZINE
Summer 2021 Edition
COMMUNITY
Learn a New Recipe Page 29 - Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Faith Page 32 - Sister Circles Page 33 - Making it through COVID Times with Faith and Community Creative Pieces Page 38 - Creative Writing Dialogue Story General Resources Page 40 - COVID-19 Resources Page 42 - COVID-19 Testing Sites Page 43 - COVID-19 Resources for the Homeless Population Page 44 - Resource Guide Additional Resources Page 28 - Teen Challenge Page 47 - Eviction Diversion Page 49 - HIP/SNAP
About Our Cover Photo
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 Work of Heart in the Brockton Community Resiliency Library Page 6 A Tribute to Eric Carle Page 7 Fun, Friendly, Family Activities to do this Summer! Page 8 Education Page 10 - Parts of a Whole A Success Story Page 17 - Graduation at Last
Featured Article Page 14 - No Menthol Sunday Enough is Enough Health and Wellness Page 18 - The Guide to Eating Healthy on Campus Page 20 - BITK21 4th Annual Youth Conference Safe Spaces Page 22 - Domestic Violence Cases Rise in 2020 Pandemic Page 23 - Free Help to Quit Smoking or Vaping Caring Adults Page 24 - Marvelous Mentorship Page 25 - Disconnection to Connection Opportunities to Serve
Page 26 - "13 Reasons to Fly" Helps to Fight the Mental Health Stigma Meet the United Way Greater Plymouth County and The Family Center Team! Page 30 - Administrative Team Page 31 - Family Support Workers
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 PACC Food Delivery Program | Fridays and Saturdays until June 30th | Please call The Family Center at 508-857-0272 to register *Brockton Residents ONLY* Clothing and More Drive | June 3rd to 23rd | Flyer on Page 37 Life After Death Father's Day Peace Walk | June 20th, 9 am to 11 am | Flyer on page 35 Summer Nights Youth Multi-Media Program | July 8th - August 16th | Flyer on Page 36 Brighter Days Wellness Fair | August 7th | Flyer on Page 56 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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Upcoming Events, Resources, & Opportunities
On the weekend of May 15th and 16th, volunteers and community members gathered to help clean up the city of Brockton as well as spread the word about the harmful effects of Menthol to say "Enough is Enough". A huge thank you to the organizations that contributed to this event in partnership with PACC! -United Way of Greater Plymouth County -Brockton Home Depot -Brockton Walmart -Nike Boston and more!
Hello South Shore! In the span of the past few months we have had dramatic changes! Some COVID-19 milestones to celebrate include a majority of the residents in Massachusetts being fully or partially vaccinated, and Brockton now being in the Green after being a Red community for the majority of the pandemic. As we slowly navigate back towards the pre-COVID guidelines, please be mindful to err on the side of caution and keep in mind what is best for you and your family. Please enjoy this edition with some amazing articles reflecting the positive events happening in our community. From success stories and community teamwork to finding the right resources for whatever you may need - this editon is packed full with informational articles, upcoming events and workshops, and more! Make sure to reach out should you have a voice to share, an event the community may be interested in, or would like to take part in South Shore Community Magazine. Best wishes, SSCM Editorial Team
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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 6-8pm. Dinner and child care included when in person. We also provide a Zoom option, so you can join us from anywhere! 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 someone 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
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 Work of Heart in the Brockton Community
Community Spotlight
A staple in the Brockton community, previously featured in Edible South Shore, Cynthia and her husband James Hodges have owned Lady C&J Café and Catering since 2010. Serving various food items, including breakfast, you can grab a taste of her home cooking across from the Brockton Police Station, located inside the Brockton Area Transit (BAT) Bus Station at 10 Commercial Street. Cynthia is from Alabama and refers to herself as “An Alabamian become Brocktonianâ€. Cynthia bought a house and moved to Brockton in 1996 and absolutely loves it here. “It grows on you. It’s what you make it. If you make it a friendly city, it isâ€. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Cynthia was fully operating out of her commissary kitchen. As the pandemic struck, she was forced to close her doors. As cooking is one of her passions, Cynthia could not sit idly by waiting to open again. Instead, she took action. Cynthia worked tirelessly to provide First Responders with meals throughout the beginning of the pandemic. First responders was not all – instead, Cynthia also took her time to feed the homeless and other populations in need. All of her efforts were directly from her heart, as she bared the cost herself. Soon, she attracted the attention of the local First Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 900 Main Street. With the help of the Church, especially Pastor Jeffrey Johnson, teamwork proved to truly make the dream work to make her visions a reality. Lady C&J Café and Catering, along with the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, worked together to raise money to continue to provide food for those in need. The Church would put up a donation, with Lady C matching the amount. As a team, they were able to feed over 5,300 people through their efforts! In the words of Lady C “There was no price tag on itâ€. It was rewarding work that needed to be done. Cynthia aspires to celebrate a First Responder’s Appreciation Day Annually during the month of November, so keep an eye out to see how you can help support her! Since opening at the BAT Station on November 16th, 2020, Lady C has remained open. At times it can be slow, and her menu is not as full as it would be should we not be in the middle of a pandemic, but seeing people smile and making people happy, as well as sharing her soul food, is the reason why she does what she does. “My husband and I enjoy what we do – at the bat station, meet all kinds of people and we enjoy it. We meet all nationalities. We see a face and a voice for everyone and we love itâ€. Mayor Sullivan has been very supportive of Cynthia’s endeavors, and people are always reaching out to Cynthia for help with events across the city. Cynthia has recently been invited to be a part of the opening night for PROVA, a city effort to engage the people of Brockton in a night of downtown fun and entertainment. Items on Lady C&J Café’s Menu include breakfast biscuits with sausage and gravy, pastries, muffins, homemade empanadas (sometimes called pastels), and fresh coffee. When catering, some of her famous items include BBQ items such as ribs, fried chicken, corn bread, brisket, mac and cheese, collard greens, rice and beans, and pulled pork. Cynthia cooks with heart – ensuring every item she serves has the special touch – with love being a special ingredient resulting in her quality, delicious food. It’s something you can’t replicate or replace, often a quality you miss when eating at chain restaurants. Cynthia is truly a woman to be admired – from her talent and motivation to her persistence and large, kind heart – she is the definition of a Brocktonian – a fantastic and well valued member of our community! Thank you Cynthia for all of the work you do, from the bottom of our hearts!
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Eric Carle was more than just a children's author and illustrator. Through his many works and collaborations, Eric Carle was the fuel to imagination, the bridge to learning colors, letters and words, as well as the inspiration to learn to read. From the Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear Brown Bear, to the Grouchy Ladybug, Pancakes Pancakes, and more - many people, teachers, parents, and children alike - hold Eric Carle dear to their hearts. I encourage you to go out and read as many of his books as possible with your young children. Look at the artwork. Participate in the craft ideas on his website. Talk about the stories. What do they teach you? Is there something you haven't thought about before? How does the story make you feel?
Boats for Papa by: Jessixa Bagley
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Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by: Patty Lovell Illustrated by David Catrow
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Delve into the world of Eric Carle. Where colors are vibrant, animals are everywhere, and the world seems so beautifully peaceful! Hatch butterflies as you read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Discuss the plant lifecycle alongside "The Tiny Seed". Learn about animals, cooking, spiders, or even just art as you navigate the world of Eric Carle. Visit https://eric-carle.com/ for resources, ideas, and more! Thank you, Eric Carle, for everything you have offered to our children and communities. Rest in Peace!
A Tribute to Eric Carle
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!
Remember to share this Brockton Symphony Orchestra schedule of concerts with your friends! Upcoming Music Matters concerts: June 5, 2021: Loft String Quartet June 20, 2021: Clear Vision (violin & cello) July 05, 2021: Bailey Street Brass and Friends July 18, 2021: Waltzing Accordion with Friends August 1, 2021: Blue Shades, Clarinet Quartet August 15, 2021: Loft String Trio FullerCRAFT @Home Second Sundays June 13, 2021 | Exploring Texture and Bookmaking Together we’ll talk about texture, the way something feels or looks like it feels, and look at some examples of different types. About the instructor: Beth Bailey holds two BFAs from MassArt in Community Education and Painting. She has been facilitating a variety of arts educational programming on the South Shore for the past 10 years and has always held a special place in her heart for early education. Beth is the mother of a 2.5-year-old… who may or may not be interrupting class from time to time. These are virtual events to be held live on Zoom at 11:00am on the 2nd Sunday of each month. You will receive the Zoom link and supply list with your ticket confirmation via email–Please note, confirmation emails with detailed information may sometimes end up in your junk mail or spam folder. Fuller Craft Museum Mapping Borders & Boundaries June 3, 6:00 pm E.S.T Artist Michelle Samour will present work from her exhibition “Mapping Borders and Boundariesâ€, in conversation with Nisa Ari, PhD, Lecturer, Art History, Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts University of Houston; Jessica Gerschultz, PhD, Associate Professor & Director of Graduate Studies Department of African and African-American Studies, University of Kansas and Diana Abouali, PhD, Director of the Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI. The speakers will explore the relationship between Palestinian and Middle Eastern craft and modern and contemporary art from that region and the Arab Diaspora. This event will be hosted ONLINE. Check the event page for all the information you need to join. You will receive the zoom access information with your ticket confirmation via email*. Mapping Borders and Boundaries is a series of works by Michelle Samour that appeals to the artist’s ancestral past as a means of further engaging in the politico-geographic concepts of homeland, exile, and diaspora. Through cartographical repetition and reflection, Samour maps the historical (dis)possession of Palestine, ultimately decimating borders, boundaries and territorial constructs into geometric abstraction. The work critically investigates the meaning of shape/land/form within the guise of traditional Palestinian craft, including the vibrant colors of textiles and opulent Mother-of-Pearl carving. Brockton Public Library Museum Passes Program Museum passes are available only at some locations due to coronavirus 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, school vacation, or summertime, 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. 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.H 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 - Admits up to 5 people. Located in Mansfield. Providence Childrens 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.
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Fun, Friendly, Family Activities to do this Summer! A special thank you to Magalie Pinney for developing this collection of activities!
Parts of a Whole: Why Quality School Lunch Programs Are Important to Our Economy By Keri Lamle
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Education
The significance of this nation's public education system is not only a concern for educators and parents. It is of paramount importance to our economic recovery and an area of social welfare that holds a vast amount of lasting growth potential. In Eric A. Hanushek paper, Education and Economic Growth, Dr. Hanushek offers readers "three mechanisms through which education is connected to our future economic growth." 1. First, education can increase the human capital inherent in the labor force, which increases labor productivity and thus transitional growth toward a higher equilibrium level of output (as in augmented neoclassical growth theories, cf. Mankiw et al. (1992)). 2. Second, education can increase the innovative capacity of the economy, and the new knowledge on new technologies, products, and processes promotes growth (as in theories of endogenous growth, cf., e.g., Lucas (1988), Romer (1990), Aghion and Howitt (1998)). 3. Third, education can facilitate the diffusion and transmission of knowledge needed to understand and process new information and to successfully implement new technologies devised by others, which again promotes economic growth (cf., e.g., Nelson and Phelps, 1966; Benhabib and Spiegel, 1994). With that said, the part of Dr. Hanushek paper that I found sticky and resonated within my pedagogical framework was what followed: Health and nutrition further impact cognitive skills. Yet, until recently, research on the economic impact of education – largely due to expedience – has almost uniformly ignored these aspects. Now, I can already hear the criticisms of to my claim: •Teachers are the biggest predictors of school success. •Funding is the biggest issue; our schools are so underfunded that the teachers are forced to pay for necessary school supplies. •All this technology is to blame. It is ruining children's concentration and spoiling them. •High-stakes assessments are to blame, teachers have stop teaching and are so focused on test results that kids miss out on the chance to play, explore, and be creative. ...and without going into detail, I offer this food for thought. Teachers are the biggest predictor of school success. However, teachers are not the only factor. To put it in term of logic: p might equal q, but it does not mean q will equal p. Alternatively, in regular human-speak, highly qualified teachers can lead to later school success; however, merely employing a highly qualified teacher does not guarantee school success. Likewise, the qualities that make-up a highly skilled teacher have proven to be rather elusive to nail down. The same can be said about the level predictability in determining the impact on student learning outcome. It would seem that both the effects of the highly qualified teacher vary considerably from student to student and the criteria denoting the skill set, educational background, or even pedagogy has yet to be determined. Indeed, the total lack of agreeable criteria ascribed to an effective or highly qualified teacher makes one wonder, why do teachers' bear the brunt of the consequences in our accountability models, in our media, and throughout our culture? We must also ask ourselves, just what are those other factors that determined student-learning outcomes that do have criteria that can be defined, measured, and thus mindfully manipulated? To answer this question, we must look past the deductive argument and focus on honing our inductive reasoning skills. Inductive arguments are ampliative, meaning they move past the scope of the premises and ask us to formulate a rational belief about something we have not yet observed. Considering, the US has yet to fully realize the potential of a well-educated populace in the 21st century; I postulate the world of analytical thinking and inductive reasoning would offer some useful insights and help us to frame the consequences of some rather large elephants in our educational reform room. Inductive arguments give us new knowledge of our world by taking what we already know and applying it to what we want to know. This is all fine and great you say, but wasn't this suppose to be an article about our school lunch program and our economy? So, what is the connection? I ask you, dear reader, to reflect on three more pieces of evidence. 1.Over production and marketing drive excessive consumption leading consumers to respond to by eating more processed foods. 2.School budgets are typically flexible and to offset deficits in one area, school administration and even district/state level leadership may choose to sacrifice the nutritional quality of their school lunch program. 3.School administration can decide to become informed dietary consumers, but they are not required to be. There are simply no requirements that a school principal or superintendent be cognizant of the nutritional impact to learning outcomes beyond the scope of high-stakes testing. Indeed not only do we find the presence of a proverbial elephant in the room, but it is a rather large elephant when we consider. •The brain consumes an immense amount of energy in comparison to the rest of the body. The mechanisms involved in the transfer of energy from foods to neurons are likely to be fundamental to the control of brain function. •Additionally, amino acid and carbohydrate supplementation can improve perception, intuition, and reasoning. •Studies find that improving the quality of students’ diets leads to students being on task more often, increases math test scores, possibly increases reading test scores, and increases attendance. It is in the words of the final statement, where we find one of our best rationales for beginning to investigation and reform to our otherwise reckless attitude on school lunch programs: Increases in attendance. A high and, perhaps, a more open predictor of educational success than the ambiguous quest for "highly-qualified" teachers. Simply put, healthy, well-balanced diets lead to healthy children, who in turn miss fewer days of school. What are the other advantages of healthy foods for children? •Children who are ready and eager to learn. •Children whose brains haves the necessary resources for the cognitive demands of learning. •Children who are not restricted in reaching their potential because of a lack of access to nutritionally rich whole-food fuel. •Children who can grow up to be productive members of society, have experience in exploring new ideas and have the brain fuel to communicate with others effectively. Nutrition, unlike other targeted or special interest reform measures, holds inside it the promise of improving learning outcomes for all students! I leave you with one final quote from Dr. Hanushek: Recent research shows that ignoring differences in the quality of education significantly distorts the picture of how educational and economic outcomes are related.
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Resources for Healthy Meals https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/nutrition-age/children/kids-corner https://www.myplate.gov/ https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/food-assistance-programs/wic-women-infants-and-children Talk to your child's teachers and pediatricians to see how you can best support their growth!
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No Menthol Sunday Enough is Enough
PACC Executive Director Jamal Gooding
Participants in the No Menthol Sunday Music Video
Featured Article
A local non-profit organization, PACC Global, led by Executive Director Jamal Gooding, organized a two day city-wide event in observance of No Menthol Sunday. The impact of smoking can be seen across many platforms, from physical and mental health to friendships, workplaces, and the impact you have on those around you. With recent findings from COVID-19 research, it has been found that people who smoke have a harder time recovering from COVID-19 and with potential lung damage already, may be at higher risk. Since production began, menthol cigarettes have been targeted especially at black communities, as tastier cigarettes. They tend to be more addictive and flavored smoking products like vape pens, e-cigs, and menthols tend to lead to higher nicotine use.According to recent studies, items such as vape pens can also let toxic metals seep into your lungs. Although Massachusetts holds a ban on Menthol Cigarettes and products, No Menthol Sunday is a national observance day as well as a call to arms that fights back against Menthol. With a large concentration in promoting those who smoke to quit, No Menthol Sunday’s orchestrating organization, the Center for Black Health and Equity, teams up with “The Big Quit†to offer gift cards to those who quit smoking while using their resources. PACC organized the two-day event with a goal to show the impact of cigarettes on the community, raise awareness for the negative impact of menthol, as well as to provide youth with an opportunity for one-day employment and continuous community involvement. On Saturday, May 15th, 2021, over 40 youth ages 14 and up gathered to help clean up the city in preparation for No Menthol Sunday. From cleaning up cigarette waste, to cleaning up discarded PPE and general waste – over 60 bags of trash were obtained through these efforts! Out of those 64 bags, 13 bags were full of cigarette waste alone. Although not further divided, the amount of PPE and other common waste materials such as alcohol bottles and food waste was astounding and piled up quickly. A post event survey was conducted with the youth after participation. The results of this survey showed just how engaging experiences like this event can be, as well as a positive results of holding the event. Youth responded saying: -“Picking up trash is helping the earth†-“It was nice to help out, teamwork makes things go fast, it’s good to give back to your community†-(I learned) “to learn to look, start with heart†“The place (city) needs cleaning†“People can really work well together†When asked if youth would be interested in participating in more city-wide activities, all answers pointed to yes or maybe. When asked if youth enjoyed helping out, and if they would participate in the event again if it were held annually, it was a unanimous yes! PACC Global aims to begin a summer initiative to clean up the city of Brockton on a weekly basis, employing youth while also engaging community efforts and supporting and fostering teamwork, volunteerism, and a love for helping others. The event on May 16th involved distributing PPE and coming together to discuss the impact of smoking on the community. A Music Video Commercial was filmed to engage youth and send the message of “Enough is Enoughâ€. As a Brockton 501C3 Non-Profit organization, PACC works throughout the community organizing and participating in various events and drives, as well as being actively involved in multiple steering committees for community development. Ongoing projects include the Food Distribution Delivery Program running until June 30th, a Hiring Event, Volunteering at Gillette Stadium, and various other food distribution programs. To learn more about PACC and their existing programs, or to get involved, visit www.Paccglobal.com or email Paccglobal2020@gmail.com. For more information on No Menthol Sunday, please visit https://www.nomentholsunday.org/. The music video for “Enough is Enough†is available on the PACC Youtube page, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtIu_2vqDkxG3ocMVrwnBMw.
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My name is Luis Rodrigues. I earned my High School Equivalency Credential on April 15, 2021, by working in the TRADE program at Training Resources of America Brockton. I have been trying to get my diploma for many years. I was born in Cape Verde, and came to the United States when I was 17 years old. But the American high school told me that I needed to start over as a freshman. I got frustrated and dropped out of high school. After that, I found that my employment options were very limited. I was working long hours in a factory, for a company called Stoneridge. They suddenly went out of business, and I found myself without a job. I did not want to go back to working in a factory for minimum wage. I realized that I needed to go back to school and get my diploma. That’s when I found TRA. Their program seemed like the perfect fit. I was feeling driven and very excited for this opportunity. Unfortunately, 3 months later the COVID pandemic hit the States full force and all our lives changed. I lost two of my best friends within the same week. I thought it couldn’t get any worse. But two months later, I got infected. It was bad. I was in the hospital.I lost a lot of weight, couldn't sleep at night, and I felt really weak. I didn’t think I was going to make it. Schoolwork was the last thing on my mind. I felt like quitting, and I was ready to give up. But, in the middle of all the setbacks and the hopelessness, I would get up every day and listen to motivational speeches on YouTube. This helped me stay focused, and not give up on my education. For me, success was the only option. And Ms. Nahoko, my teacher at TRA, wouldn’t give up on me. She was always there, reassuring me that I could do it. With the support of my family and the whole TRA staff, I was able to push through my pain and pass the HiSET (even the Math part, which was not easy for me). I not only got my diploma, but I also learned that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to do.
Above: Still Photo of No Menthol Sunday Music Video "Enough is Enough" Below: A picture taken of "No Menthol Sunday" youth volunteers
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A Success Story
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Graduation At Last: Persevere Through to the End! By Luis Rodrigues
Are you a college student who eats well at home, but struggles to maintain a healthy diet when you’re on campus? This may come as a surprise, but you are not alone. It may be easier to eat healthy while at home for a variety of reasons. Your parents may always cook healthy meals for the family at dinner time. You may have access to more kitchen tools, such as a blender, a toaster, pots, and pans. It is normal to pick up the first thing you see while browsing the dining hall options because it is right there in front of you; no one is going to tell you “no, you shouldn’t be eating that.†Stonehill College nutritionist, Kim Pierce, said eating healthy can be a challenge, but students can maintain a healthy diet if they know where to start. “The foundation of a healthy diet is both what you eat and when you eat it,†she said. Pierce said she meets with students often to help them navigate which foods are safe if they have dietary needs. She also meets with students to help them achieve goals if they have any. “I meet with some students every week, like a class, which gives us to opportunity to make slow, steady changes that become lifelong habits,†she said. Myra Hines, a sophomore at Stonehill, said that she focuses on maintaining healthy habits at school by going to the gym, walking to class, and eating healthy in the dining hall. “To stay healthy, I try and make sure I get 10,000 steps a day and I usually do between going to the gym and walking to class, and I like how all of the dining options on campus provide the calories, so you know what is in your food,†she said. Hines said that over quarantine last spring, she made a point to focus on healthy habits and believes this helped her academic performance improve, as she said that she felt she had more energy. However, she said that she eats healthier at school because she has less access to food than if at home. “I have more options at home, but I have more of a healthy mindset at school due to the limited options and that everything is portioned out for you,†she said. According to experts, students who exercise regularly and eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have a better chance of performing higher academically. Nutrient deficiencies are associated with lower grades and a higher chance of absenteeism. Felicia D’Ambra, a sophomore at Bridgewater State University, said that she notices an increase in her energy levels when she eats healthier foods and can focus better on her schoolwork. “When I eat good, I feel good and it pushes me to work harder in school and get my work done on time,†she said. D’Ambra also said that she credits exercise for her motivation to eat a healthy meal but wishes that the gym at BSU isn’t as crowded as it usually gets. Both Stonehill and BSU campuses have a gym that is open to those on campus only. Kolby Hebert, a Zumba instructor at Stonehill, said that she fell in love with Zumba as a college student because it provides a fun way to do cardio instead of walking or running. As a research development program manager, she said that she uses Zumba to release stress since her workdays are long. “To me having that release- letting yourself go and having that time to escape and feel good about yourself and help mental health in general is huge as I am a believer in exercise and how it helps people find what they want that release to look like,†she said. Hebert said that group exercise is a great way to find a form of exercise you like and be able to share that liking with those taking that class with you. “My advice is to try all of the classes you are bound to find something to look forward to and grow from, and with mental health being so important for people to at least be aware in 2020, exercise is a way to escape from all of that,†she said.
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The Guide To Eating Healthy on Campus By Rachel Galatis
Health and Wellness
To see more visit our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcOeMI3pcaLEQRU-gY3lgQ
Over 100 participants from the area joined virtually on Thursday, June 3rd from 8:30am-12pm for the 4th Annual "Be In The Know Youth Conference" hosted by High Point Treatment Center’s Prevention Services’ Department, The Brockton & Plymouth Area Prevention Collaboratives and Plymouth Youth Development Collaborative. The conference was filled with information including a youth panel, keynote presentation, and breakout sessions led by prevention specialists. The three most common words used to describe the event in a post-conference survey were fun, informative, insightful, and authentic. Over 20 youth representing a dozen different high schools across the South Shore volunteered their time to help plan and implement this virtual conference. Five high school students and one college aged MC from the region spoke together on a panel during the youth conference to address current issues and share their perspectives. This group discussed the topics of resilience and the importance of taking care of your mental health. In addition, this group empowered attendees to take action in a meaningful way in order to make changes in their own schools/communities. The group shared their own personal experiences working with their local coalitions around the topics of substance use prevention. Dr. Vanessa Hintz joined our attendees to deliver an empowering, enlightening, and authentic keynote presentation. During this conversation, Dr. Vanessa addressed several topics including coping skills, identity, belonging, and social/racial equity. Her content was not only educational, but also vulnerable and thought provoking. Breakout rooms that took place after her presentation allowed young people to dive deeper into the topics at hand in a smaller group setting. (Instagram: drvanessa.hintz) While a majority of the conference focused on mental health and resiliency, it is important to remember the connection these topics have to substance use disorders. We hope attendees left with new coping skills that could potentially take the place of a negative coping skill (such as substance misuse) and with a sense of empowerment to be the change you wish to see within your own community. 100% of attendees reported feeling as though their ability to create change in their community had increased after the conference was over! As this year's youth conference comes to a close we'd like to once again thank our sponsors for making this event possible including: United Way of Greater Plymouth County, Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, Mayor Robert F. Sullivan, High Point Treatment Center, Altitude Trampoline Park, Walker-Clay Inc., T&K Asphalt Services, Hawkeye Fence, Glynn Electric, Battistini's Bakery, Carousel Family Fun Center, and Supercharged Entertainment. A final THANK YOU to NewNew Musik (Instagram: @newnew_musik) for keeping the good vibes flowing throughout the entire event. We appreciate you and are always so impressed by your talent! If you are looking to get a student involved in the youth conference, please contact Amanda Sandoval at asandoval@hptc.org. Interested youth can become a member of the youth conference planning committee or simply join our listserv to ensure that they have the opportunity to attend next year's youth conference!
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BITK21 4th Annual Youth Conference By High Point Treatment Center
By Brooke Stuhr
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Free Help to Quit Smoking or Vaping
If you want to quit and tried in the past, don’t give up. Nicotine is the very addictive substance in tobacco products.As a result, repeated tobacco and nicotine use is not a habit, it’s an addiction that should be treated as a chronic relapsing condition.Many tobacco users say quitting is the hardest thing they’ve ever done.It often takes several tries before you can quit for good. However, with planning and support, you can do it! 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) is available for free specialized coaching 24 hours each day, seven days a week to support you through quitting. You can enroll online through www.MakeSmokingHistory.org. Online supports include quit planning tools, peer support and motivational text messages. You can get up to eight weeks of FREE nicotine replacement help from patches, gum or lozenges (with medical eligibility). The combination of free coaching and quit medication can make you two times as likely to quit for good! For more information, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.MakeSmokingHistory.org.
Safe Spaces
The pandemic brought a lot of things into light and one of those is the rise in domestic abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in 2020, there is an average of more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic abuse hotlines on a typical day. “The most important thing for victims to know is that they are believed. We believe them,†said Sandra Blatchford, director at the South Shore Women’s Resource Center. There are around seven organizations in the Greater Brockton area that offer domestic abuse services, including Health Imperatives, which sponsors Penelope's Place. Penelope’s Place offers services to those looking to flee domestic violence or need someone to walk them through a transitional phase. Getting out of an abusive situation can be difficult. “We never tell a victim to leave their abuser.Often times the relationship is complex and there are times where there is loveâ€, said Blatchford. “Reaching out to us does not mean you have to leave that individual.†“When you’re in situations when you are ready to move on and ready to flee it’s important to know that there are options and help is waiting for you,†said Quianna S, a relief staff member at Penelope’s Place. “We will walk them through a safety plan and support them when they flee.†Other organizations in the area are “The Women's Center†in New Bedford, “A New Hope†in Attleboro, “A New Day†in Brockton, and “The South Shore Women’s Resource Center†in Plymouth. Abuse isn’t just physical. Abuse can be emotional, verbal, financial, and sexual. “Psychological abuse can be the source of battered women syndrome. A lot of women were physically abused…but more are emotionally abused,†said Dana Curhan, an attorney who specializes in appellate work. Seeking help is important. “Reach out for help and be try to be cooperative as possible because it will help the court process,†said Katie Currul-Dykeman, a Criminology professor at Stonehill College who specializes in domestic violence cases. According to experts, if you are questioning whether you are in an abusive relationship, chances are that you are in some way. Ask yourself the question “what would happen if you did something your partner didn’t want you to do?†or “are there times you’ve questioned what you have seen or said?†“Calling a 24/7 help hotline can be a great step in the right direction†said an operator at the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline which can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Domestic Violence Cases Rise in 2020 Pandemic
Love Life Now is another local resource for victims and survivors of Domestic Violence. For more information, please visit: https://lovelifenow.org/
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I’ve had the wonderful privilege of working in the city of Brockton in the capacity of serving youth ages 18-25 for the span of 15 years now. And as much as there are many stories and highlights of my service to the community, there is none dearer to me than and as meaningful as being able to help bridge local Haitian speaking congregations to their very own youth. It came to my attention some years ago now that a very prevalent problem existed in the hearts of Haitian congregations and clergymen due to the fact that services are in what is commonly called Haitian Kreyol and most youth of Haitian descent were not speaking the native tongue because either they were born in the United States or they had become so in tune with the culture that they lost touch with the Haitian speaking congregations. Pastors began to approach me since I am of Haitian descent and I was born in the United States and English is my primary language, yet, very moderately I speak Haitian Kreyol. Congregations began to include me in services that were held once a month specifically for youth that welcomed encouraging messages in English. It was a challenge for some places of worship since the adult membership outweighed the number of young people in their gatherings and some adults were not fluent enough in English to understand and enjoy the messages that I would share- that’s where my moderate ability to speak Haitian Kreyol would be combined with English to serve as a bridging of people. And the change that came was impactful. The young people stayed within the church walls not feeling ostracized because they could not connect to their pastor or church. The adults who were born in Haiti and spoke Kreyol were feeling a sense of relief because like most churches there is a heavy emphasis on the youth as the future leadership, congregants, and influence of their local place of worship. And what was amazing at the same time there was the welcoming of the English language incorporated into songs, messages, etc and Pastors and Churches in the Haitian Community began to shift and realize that they could not do business as usual if they were going to connect to young people in their places of worship. Today, I continue the work I began some years ago and still see how I’m being privileged to move churches from disconnection to connection with their youth Some of those churches that I presently am working with are Eglise Baptist Evangelique Hatienne, Brockton Haitian Church (The rock church), Norwood Church of God, Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, Church of the Nazerene and Missionary I’m one person and I know there are needs beyond me and that are still unmet. Nevertheless, I’m thankful for being able to play an instrumental part in the Haitian Speaking Churches of Brockton, Ma and in the lives of their youth.
At the age of 15 I was incarcerated, and facing the rest of my life in the Massachusetts penal system. I met a man who was reaching out to incarcerated youth held in a local county jail for serious offenses. The man’s name was Tim Allen and he had a heart and passion to see the deviant become restored as positive and productive young men. I took a liking to him as he became an example of what I wanted to be like, we spoke weekly, and he made himself available via phone whenever the walls of prison seemed to be closing in on me and whenever I just needed to talk. He showed me what it was to be a man but not just any man but a man of God. I began to emulate that, he saw things in me that I did not see in myself or even knew that were there. He nourished those things with encouragement and discussions I carry with me to this to this day at the age of 39. Marvelous mentorship to me is when one can pour into a young life and bring about great and long lasting change in the life of another. Since I’ve experienced that I’ve also had the privilege of practicing marvelous mentorship with others and have found it is a great need for young men that have in the past emulated others whose ways led them to deviant paths. The value of mentorship is immense and even carries on to adulthood. Never underestimate the power of another life well lived that one can learn from.
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Disconnection to Connection By Jean Belizaire
Marvelous Mentorship By Jean Belizaire
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Caring Adults
"13 Reasons to Fly" Helps to Fight the Mental Health Stigma By Nell Trainor
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Opportunities to Serve
After several suicide attempts and a nine-month hospitalization due to her mental illness, college student Isabelle Cole started an organization called 13 Reasons to Fly, which aims to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness. Cole grew up in Massachusetts and is the youngest of three children. “I struggled a lot with my mental health as a result of what was going on with my family,†Cole said. According to Cole, her parents were divorced, her sister had cancer and she ultimately developed an eating disorder. “My whole life I was trying to be the perfect child that no one had to worry about,†Cole said. “I developed my own mental illness one because I have a genetic predisposition and part of mental illness is due to an actual chemical imbalance in the brain, however when these traumatic events happened in my life, that is when I started struggling with depression, my own eating disorder, and anxiety,†Cole said. Cole said that her sophomore year of high school is when she attempted to take her life for the first time. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents and suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-19-year-olds. The World Health Organization also states that eating disorders commonly emerge during adolescence and young adulthood and eating disorders affect females more commonly than males. Due to her experiences in and out of hospitalization, Cole is adamant about advocating for better mental health care change. She started the organization 13 Reasons to Fly after being hospitalized when the hit show “13 Reasons Why†was released on Netflix telling the story about a fictional high school student who had taken her own life. “This is why I started 13 Reasons to Fly as a campaign to sort of flip the script and to give people reasons to live and to hold on to hope,†Cole said. Cole said that when she was in the hospital, she was surrounded by other kids battling with their mental health and she came to a realization that oftentimes, they had much less of a support system than she had. “I started spreading hope and my message around the hospital that there are reasons to live and that life can be hard, yes, but we should be talking about accurate depictions of mental illness, not this glorified thing that we are seeing on Netflix. In 2016 after her release from the hospital, Cole launched 13 Reasons to Fly with the help of the Department of Mental Health of Massachusetts because they saw that this had the potential to help other people recover. 13 Reasons to fly is a non-profit that aims to start the conversations and stigmas around mental illness in a hope-oriented way. “For the past four years we have been operating under this mission and I share my story wherever I can but my goal ultimately is to empower and bring in other youth voices because I know that mental illness is so prevalent,†Cole said. One of Cole's other goals is to get mental health programs in schools to be taught as a part of education in middle schools and elementary schools. You can find out more about these programs at the website 13reasonstofly.com.
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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
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. Heat 1â„4 cup oil in an 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, season chicken with salt and pepper, and add chicken to pot; cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add sausage and bacon, and cook, stirring, until their fat renders and bacon is browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate with chicken. 2. Add remaining oil, and reduce heat to medium-low; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until this mixture (called a roux) is the color of dark, reddish caramel, about 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, and pepper, and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add thyme, cayenne, tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook for 3 minutes. Return chicken, sausage, and bacon to pot along with okra and stock, and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, okra is tender, and gumbo is thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove and shred meat, and discard bones and skin; stir meat back into gumbo. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with white rice on the side. Serve with hot sauce and filé powder for sprinkling over each serving.
Ingredients •1â„2 cup canola oil •2 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs •Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste •8 oz. andouille sausage, cut into 1/2″ pieces •4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces •1 cup flour •2 ribs celery, finely chopped •1 small yellow onion, finely chopped •1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped •2 tsp. dried thyme •1 tsp. cayenne •6 canned, whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained and crushed by hand •6 cloves garlic, finely chopped •1 bay leaf •10 oz. okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2″ slices •4 cups chicken stock •Cooked white rice, for serving •Hot sauce and filé powder, for serving
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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Equipment •8-qt Dutch Oven Yield: serves 6-8 Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Teen Challenge An Opportunity to Serve and a Service for the Community!
meet the united Way of Greater Plymouth County and Brockton Family Center Team!
Patricia Daigle (Right) Patti is our Administrative Assistant at our Brockton Family Center since November 2020. She takes care of the office and makes sure it is organized for everyone. She orders supplies, screens phone calls, directs clients to the appropriate staff, collects intake information, works on special projects, and is there for anyone who may have questions. Her favorite role currently is the opportunity to meet and get to know all of the amazing staff!
Maria Brennan (Left) Maria Brennan is the Program Manager at The Family Center and has held this position for a little over three years. Maria oversees the day-to-day operations of The Family Center including supervision of staff and programming,as well as evidence-based parenting groups, billing, and scheduling. Maria also provides direct service to clients, often experiencing many complexities.
Lauren Connors (Left) Lauren is one of our Family Support Workers, working with Alison and Claudia to help families find resources for housing, food insecurities, utilities, and any other needs a family may be struggling with. Her role also includes running parenting classes with Claudia and Faith, working on the DEC initiative with Kati and Jennifer, and teaching an “Addiction in my Family†class with Kati to help families understand addiction and support family members in need. She has been in this role since May 2019.
Alison Lopes (Left) Alison is our Family Support Worker, formerly known as our community resource specialist, and has been with us since 2018. Alison has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Services and is working on her Master’s. Alison’s responsibilities vary, from building relationships and rapport with families to managing systems for aid such as for housing, utilities, food, and other necessary resources families may be struggling with. An important part of her job is providing the right referrals and following up with families.
The Family Center Administrative Team
The Family Center Family Support Workers
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Claudia Cunha (Right) Claudia is one of our Family Support Workers (formerly known as Family Resource Specialists) and has been with the Family Center since December of 2015. Claudia works with all staff in the Family Center but works closely with Alison, who shares her role. Claudia’s main job is to provide resources for families. These resources can be referrals, contact information, or direct links to services and anything else that may come up. Claudia also facilitates a Parenting Journey group through the Family Center.
March 13, 2020 to April 12, 2020 the world and the church was on pause not knowing what was to come of the COVID-19 outbreak we were facing. Our church assumed the responsibility as ordered by our government and for the safety of humanity to quarantine. For 3 weeks, the church, public offices, retailers, and the community was on lock down. Our church, being a community church, began to suffer similar to other churches and places of faith. The purpose of worship is to assemble together in person. We began to feel the effects of not seeing each other face to face, to hear the Choir singing, the opportunity to pray together, the holding of hands, the social dinners, and the planned vacations that had to be cancelled with over 60 people set to travel. In addition, schools and jobs were at levels of uncertainty putting greater stresses on individuals and the church community. Myself and my wife, Reverend Eva Gilbert had to decide in an attempt to save the physical church and also the spiritual church that rests inside of all of us. As the month of April 2020 ended, it was evident that this was going to be a long and uphill battle back to a sense of normality. In March and April, my wife had been conducting services and training classes to the church on ZOOM and Facebook. The church had a great responsibility to motivate and minister remotely. We have never even had a Facebook page and now here we are trying do something that was meant to be in person using remote technology and screens. By May 2020, the church body raised over $12,000 to purchase a state-of-the-art camera, computer, audio and podcast system. My vision to combat the effects of the COVID shut down was to give the church, the greater community and people outside the local community a quality worship experience that would resemble what we could not do together in person. Soon we were feeling more positive and began to realize success which continued through the summer of 2020. We gained a following list of over 450 and almost 100 pledged to become what we named, eChurch members. As time went on and social distance orders was in place. The church and churches alike were still not the same. Unable to congregate, share a meal, shake a hand or give a hug is not what a church is to be. At this time, we are in the early stages of re-opening and the church still feels the effects of the pandemic similar to the summer of 2020. There are some things in life require that require some form of physical presence. As a leader, I regret not seeking a swifter and safer way to keep the church open, but we are thankful. Similar to sports, entertainment and business, momentum is everything. When routines, habits and rituals are broken, it takes time to repair. For some the pains of life are still a little too much for people return to the normal so we look forward to helping the community heal and adjust. A part of humanity has been damaged due to COVID and mental illness has increased or re-occurred and old or young, rich or poor, no one is exempt from that. Nevertheless, we are back and in business. Doing some new things that were never done before. Both in the ministry and in the Community. Our church has been greatly supported by individuals and companies both financial sponsorships and donations. Our church is a safe church, adhering to CDC guidelines, PPE and all necessary things related to health and safety. We are hosting many exciting programs and launching a new center called the Umbrella Center. Focusing on health & wellness, job training & employment, and crime & violence prevention, the Umbrella Center is a safe place to welcome children, teens, adults and families to come together to connect with current service providers to participate in established community service and law enforcement programs that will be facilitated at the Center in an effort to increase educational opportunities, employment, and overall wellness using proven intervention methods and programs. We will be having a launch of the center on Saturday, August 7th at 10:00 am at 15 Nilsson St, Brockton, MA 02301. For more information or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please call 508-583-7277. Our prayer is that as we get back into normal activities, let us not forget the spiritual and mental make-up of all. The impact of COVID was and is real, so let us come together, fight this epidemic, renew our spirits and minds to a full and prosperous recovery.
Faith
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Making it through COVID Times with Faith and Community
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I grew up an only child. I had half siblings in Haiti I had never met and a younger half-brother who is 27 years my junior. My multitude of cousins had garnered siblings as they had grown. I spent most of my youth alone when I was not with my cousins. Loneliness was a feeling I’d often possess. I did have friends in the world who came and went. Some friendships changed as the days turned into nights and as the nights turned into days. Yet I often searched for longevity, loyalty and love in the quality and quantity of those friendships. Well that was then. This is now. As I grow older and more mature, the quality of these relationships seems more abundant and the quantity seems more redundant to me. In other words, quality beats out quantity. I outgrew many of the younger friendships (and they outgrew me); some of which had lasted for years, some of whom were single and/or childless. Their mindsets could not understand how, when and/or why I could change with motherhood. They were not mothers themselves. However, just as it is written that Christ is the bridegroom to The Church and wives are brides to their spouses, but first to Christ Church, there are deeper relationships that aren’t always formed when blood is thicker than water, but they might as well be. This is where my friendship with Tiana comes into play. I’m not playing around when I say that we have our differences. She is a single parent whilst I’m married. She has two sons whilst mine are a mix of the two sexes. She lives in a town where seemingly everybody knows one’s name whilst I live in a city so big it seems easy to get lost inside it. We share a sister bond in the sense that we’re soul sisters, spirit sisters, trapped in the flesh kinds of sisters. We met at Church, inside The Church and as servants of The Church. With those spiritual ties we have fellowshipped in group prayers, deep conversations, inspirational ladies retreats, through outings with our sons and families and while working with children as volunteers. We can lean on each other as we lean on our beliefs and deal with our trials and tribulations; sometimes heart-wrenching and soul-searing journeys. Sisters share spiritual and life notes, give each other accounts of where they have failed or succeeded, triumphed or yielded to a higher purpose and a deeper walk as they travel the roads or daily attempt to choose the roads less travelled. Sister circles are selfless, sacrificial and genuine. They’re an ever-present comfort in these times of need.
SISTER CIRCLES By Magalie A. Pinney
Yours Truly, In Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen Reverend's Michael & Eva Gilbert
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Don't forget to visit the Resiliency Library! Information for signing up can be found at https://www.uwgpc.org/frc/resilience-library-and-book-buddy-program. There is something for everyone! Also, don't forget about your local OCLN libraries! Sign up for a library card today! https://catalog.ocln.org/client/en_US/plymouth/
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Creative Writing Dialogue Story Written by OJP
After settling into the metal mammoth of a thing that was the Roamer, Soo-Yin decided to explore her new surroundings. The Roamer was like a metal house somehow suspended in the air by huge, creature-esque legs that stabbed into the sand as it moved slowly across the desert. How the kids that found her got their hands on this, Soo would never know; but she was thankful they did, or otherwise she would be a dead corpse buried in the endless sands of the Erimos. As she walked down the hallways of the roamer, she wondered about the one thing the little kids would never talk about: Mateo’s little brother. Now, she didn’t know anything about Mateo, and frankly, didn’t want to—but she did want to know why even small children, who in her mind, were the most blunt and open humans on Earth, would even hide that from others. What could be so terrifying to them that—? Suddenly, Soo-Yin’s contemplation was abruptly interrupted when she rammed into someone—ironically, one of the people that were currently on her mind. Her throat tightened (as per usual) and rendered her unable to speak. “Sorry,†Mateo murmured. His brows were drawn low over his eyes, in a concerned way. Certainly not because of Soo, because he seemed wistful, like he was in a different place. “I’m sorry.†Soo tried her best to speak clearly, but she did not like to be caught by surprise, even if it was her own fault. “Sorry.†Mateo sidestepped her to continue walking, and Soo-Yin almost let him—naturally, she didn’t plan to, but she spoke out anyway. “Wait,†she blurted. “You…uh, I noticed that there are only kids here. No one would give me an answer. As to why, I mean.†Mateo turned; probably surprised she spoke in a full sentence. He let out a wry laugh that sounded more like a puff of air. “Oh, I don’t know. Because all of us are orphans. Because no adults within a fifty-mile radius care about a bunch of needy kids.†“All of you are orphans?†she asked. Inside, she was kicking herself for asking a question about parents. Like she knew anything about parents. Mateo cocked his head a bit, and the corner of his mouth crinkled upward in a way that she, had she not known better, would have mistaken for a small grin. He always had that corner turned up. “I’m sorry.†He paused, raising his eyebrows to himself rather than to Soo-Yin. “I just assumed you were like the rest of us. You know: poor, fatherless, motherless… looking for a home. I didn’t realize you had family.†“Well…†Soo-Yin hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully; she couldn’t risk suggesting she came from anywhere other than the Erimos. “Well, I never said I… had a family.†She allowed herself a small laugh. “And as you’ve probably noticed, I don’t have any more than you do. I am poor.†“Fair point,†he noted. “I’m guessing it’s also safe to assume that you are looking for a home as well.†“Better than a sand dune.†Soo-Yin was honestly quite surprised at herself. She had never been this open with anyone, especially not in a conversation about her origin. But then again, she mused, how close was I only minutes ago to telling him I wasn’t from the desert? How close was I from severing any relationship with anyone here by saying who I really am? Soo-Yin hoped that this newfound bluntness was not her own fault, but the result of the people around her; the result of the air about them that demands the truth: Because, she thought to herself, what is more disclosing than the transparent candor of others? After a brief silence, Mateo excused himself and continued down the hallway. Soo-Yin was left where she was, alone, wondering how she could survive this long in a place like this. In a place where she was among people, but still entirely and indefinitely alone.
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Creative Writing
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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 February 11, 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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