Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Recovery-Friendly Workplace Virtual Launch
We are pleased to invite you to the virtual launch of the Washington County Recovery Friendly Workplace Network. The network is made up of employers who are dedicated to fostering a healthy and safe workplace culture that supports recovery. Developed through a collaborative, responsive, place-based approach supported by the Maine Community Foundation, a local design team of business leaders, human resource professionals, community members in recovery, the Maine Department of Labor, and public health staff created the framework of this newly launched Network. Join us on January 24th from 1 – 3:30 pm to celebrate this exciting new initiative. Register and learn more here.
Seeking Volunteers for Point in Time Count
The Annual Point in Time Count is January 23rd-26th this year. This is a critical survey of people experiencing homelessness all over the country, and in Maine, is led by Maine’s Homeless Response Hub Coordinators, in partnership with Maine Continuum of Care and MaineHousing. Jace Farris is the Hub Coordinator for Washington County. Jace is looking for volunteers to go out to encampments and warming centers to meet with individuals who are homeless, conduct a survey, and distribute supplies as needed. Download a flyer to share.
Advanced directives, powers of attorney, health-care proxies, and end-of-life plans: all very useful and important life planning tools, but it can feel overwhelming and scary to try and create them on our own. We all need support from a trusted person to help us use these tools to give voice to what matters most to us as we age. Often, direct service staff and volunteers are in a position to offer this support. In this webinar from the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging, we’ll discuss best practices to successfully engage in these important conversations. Closed captioning will be available. If you can’t join us live, this event will be recorded for later access. Tuesday January 16, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm on Zoom. Register here.
Eating Smart, Being Active Lunch & Learn series
University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a free, four-session nutrition education program to parents, guardians and young adults, ages 19-25, at the Labor of Love Food Pantry, 137 County Road, starting Jan. 23rd. The workshop will focus on learning healthy, budget-friendly cooking tips and preparing healthy recipes as a group. It will be held Tuesdays through Feb. 13 from 11 am — 1 pm. The program will cover a range of topics, including meal planning, smart shopping, food safety and cooking techniques that maximize nutrition while minimizing costs. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on cooking activities, where they will learn how to prepare delicious and nutritious recipes using affordable ingredients. The program will also provide free cooking tools and food to participants who complete all four classes. Eating Smart, Being Active is a collaborative effort between UMaine Extension and community partner, Labor of Love Food Pantry, who share a common goal of promoting healthy eating habits and enhancing food preparation skills. Space is limited to ten participants. Registration is required. To register or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Vanessa Young, vanessa.young@maine.edu, 207-255-3345.
Gear Updated Winter Events Flyer
As a totally parent run organization, we are here to support you through sharing our lived experience and knowledge with no shame, no blame, no judgement. You are not alone in your journey of hope and empowerment. G.E.A.R. Parent Network is “the place where Gaining Empowerment Allows Results.” Join us for our educational workshops & parent support groups! Please see this updated version of our quarterly workshops/events flyer as we included an additional workshop offering this quarter. All support groups and workshops are held virtually, and some may be both virtual and location specific. Please visit our website to view the workshop descriptions and to register for workshops and support groups. Our workshops are not recorded in order to safeguard the personal information shared by participants related to the topics during these interactive trainings.
Calais Area Breast Cancer Support Group
The Calais Breast Cancer Support Group is a confidential and supportive gathering place for people living with breast cancer. Facilitated by Marianne Moore, the group meets on the 4th Saturday of the Month, 10-11 am, at the Calais Methodist Church. Free of charge and open to all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, please call the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center at 207-664-0339 or email: info@bethwrightcancercenter.org for more information. Download a flyer to share.
During the average month, around 200 people come to the Mission’s food pantry on the Downeast Campus in Cherryfield. Megan Smith, Food Security Program Coordinator. The people that come in represent a household and many are often shopping for their families, others also come to get food for their neighbors who cannot make it to the pantry. Many of the pantry customers visit more often than they had just a few months ago and when the pantry opens on Tuesdays, a line often forms at the front door. The pantry stocks a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, and shelf-stable products received from partner organizations like Good Shepherd Food Bank. However, there are items often not donated, or the Mission cannot source or purchase from its partners. Many of these items are requested by community members and are often common items found in most homes. However, they become highly sought-after items in the pantry. To help fill this gap, Megan along with Downeast Director Jenny Jones came up with a “Donation of the Month” initiative to receive some of these items. In 2024, each month will feature a new item to donate to the pantry. Learn more.