Happy Wednesday!
This is the Community Caring Collaborative Weekly Communiqué where we share announcements about trainings, meetings and other events, including announcements from our collaborative partners. Look for links to meeting minutes and agendas in the Meetings section, training registration forms and flyers in the Events section, and job postings and other items of interest in the Announcements section. Subscribe here to get the Communiqué. Make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts at claurel@cccmaine.org. Gmail users, check for the Communiqué under the Promotions tab. This mailing goes out every Wednesday, so if you have announcements, please send them to Christine by 5 pm Monday to be included. Thanks!
Photo above: Raking Wild Blueberries – the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival is this weekend!
Announcements
Blueberry Harvest School Project Presentation: August 18, from 10:00-11:00 at the UMM Lecture Hall, Science 102. See details in the Event section below about this compelling presentation.
Rent Smart Classes: Next Step and WHCA are partnering to offer a series of 4 renter education classes at the Machias Career Center on September 6, 13, 20, and 27 from 10-12. See this flyer for details and share with renters you know. Registration deadline is August 25th so don’t delay – sign up now.
MaineAEYC Public Policy and Advocacy Forum: Saturday, September 16th from 9 am-3 pm at Thomas College, Waterville, ME. See details and registration info in Event Section below. Registration deadline is August 30th.
Maine Wisdom Summit: Registration is now open – details and links for this September 20th event are in the Event section below.
Book Club: Next Step is teaming up with the Maine Humanities Council to offer a weekly book club for professionals working with domestic violence survivors, whether directly or indirectly, starting Thursday, September 14th. See this invitationand/or flyer for details. Registration deadline is September 7th so don’t delay – call or email Marcie at mdean@nextstepdvproject.org (207) 255-4934 to reserve your spot.
MRBN 2017 Conference: Save the dates of November 2nd and 3rd for the 2nd Biennial Conference of the Maine Resilience Building Network and the Bingham Program at Point Lookout Resort, Northport, Maine. See flyer for details.
Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.
Updates
This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.
Events
Now listed chronologically, so make sure to scroll down for items just added!
Blueberry Harvest School Project Presentation Event: August 18, from 10:00-11:00 at the UMM Lecture Hall, Science 102. Blueberry Harvest School students and teachers have created artwork responding to picture books and videos that reflect migrant experiences, have recorded spoken stories and original poetry that voice our own ideas and identities, and have explored outdoors and used technology to expand our learning. Please join us this Friday for our first ever Project Presentation Event – we have a lot to share!
Active Bystander Training: offered on August 21st from 1-4 pm at the Cobscook Learning Center. Suggested donation of $20. We are also paying Claire’s travel expenses from Portland, so please be generous if you can. Sign up at the CCLC website www.theCCLC.org, or call them at 733-2332
MaineAEYC Public Policy and Advocacy Forum: The Maine Association for the Education of Young 
Children invites you to the 2nd annual Public Policy and Advocacy Forum on Saturday, September 16th from 9 am — 3 pm at Thomas College, Waterville. Download this flyer for the program of events, session descriptions and registration information. Registration deadline is August 30th so don’t delay!
Register Now for the Maine Wisdom Summit: Jessica Maurer of the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging The Maine Council on Aging invites you to attend the Maine Wisdom Summit – Cultivating the Opportunities of our Age on September 20th at the Augusta Civic Center, 9:00AM-3:30PM (registration 8:00-9:00AM). Click here to register now or go to the Summit page to view the agendaand session descriptions.
Affordable Housing Conference: Registration is now open for the
2017 Maine Affordable Housing Conference at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland on September 22nd. This event will provide a forum for housing partners to gather and share information about what is being done currently – and what more needs to be done – in the affordable housing arena to bridge the gap between housing needs and housing availability. There will be a mix of keynote speakers and workshops to choose from that will be targeted to all partner groups
Needs & Offers
Child Care Volunteers Needed: Next Step is in need of volunteers to provide child care for moms attending meetings/appointments/court dates, etc. Please contact 255-4934 for more information if you can help.
Adult Family/Elder Decision Mediation: Elder Services Navigator, Lisa Suarez, has recently completed
training as a volunteer mediator specializing in adult family/elder decision mediation. “For many, this can provide an alternate dispute resolution to courts,” explains Lisa. “Mediators are neutral and the parties make their own decisions. We guide the process.” Contact Lisa at (207) 460-8129 or email lsuarez@whcacap.org for mediation services and to help elders connect to resources in order to live well at home in Washington County.
Passages Program accepting applications: Wayfinder Schools Passages Program is currently accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Passages is a home-based high school degree program for young parents, age 14 to 20, who live in Washington County and whose education was derailed by early parenthood. Teachers and students together create trusting, supportive and resilient relationships. They meet weekly in the student’s home and via the phone and Internet. Self-directed learning, undertaken within the teacher/student relationship, can provide a young parent with the opportunity to flourish as a responsible citizen and as his or her child’s first teacher. Students study a combination of academic, parenting and life skills. The final “Passage” is an opportunity for students to design an individual project that addresses a particular passion, fear or need in their life. To learn more, visit the Wayfinder Schools website or contact Andie Hannon.
Child Care Openings: Child and Family Opportunities has immediate full-day, full-year childcare and 
combination Head Start/childcare openings for children ages 3-5 years old at the St. Croix Early Care and Education Center in Calais and the Flaherty Early Care and Education Center in Machias. We are also accepting applications for our part-year Head Start and Pre-K programs at the Calais Elementary School, Harrington Elementary School, Milbridge Elementary School, and the Flaherty Center in Machias. Our part-year programs will be starting up in the fall, and CFO will be doing rolling acceptances through the summer for part-year applicants. Families interested in year-round childcare or part-year programming are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Our Enrollment Specialist is standing by to assist families with the application process. Contact us at 207-667-2995 extension 237 or enrollment@childandfamilyopp.org.
Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.
Favorite Resources
This is a new section of the Communique where we post links to helpful websites and videos. Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.
The Maine Resilience Building Network: Our go-to place for resources on ACEs, the impact of trauma on the brain, and resiliency.
Meetings
Work Group & Poverty Busters: Our next meeting will be on September 6th from 1-3:30 pm at the SCEC House. Read the Agenda and let us know if you plan to attend – thanks!
St Croix Community Connections: This is Poverty Buster’s sister group in Calais, organized by Christine Morris. This group meets monthly – new members welcome!
