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CCC Wednesday Communique — May 2, 2018

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: Protecting your family & finances – are you ready?
Register for our FREE Estate Planning Basics seminar presented by attorney Rebecca Sargent on May 25th from 1-4 pm at the Kay Parker Building in Machias.

Announcements

Brown Bag Lunch on Housing: Join the CCC at 11:30 am on June 6th for a brown bag lunch on Housing, presented by Marcie Dean of Next Step and Ida Davis of Downeast Community Partners.  Topics will include:

  • What Rent Smart Teaches (sign up your clients!)
  • Housing Resources that are there and how to access them
  • What Next Step and DCP offer in the way of housing
  • Ways to partner and improve outcomes in our community

There may be some fun surprises and of course dessert and beverages – bring your lunch and your questions.  RSVP to Christine.  Attendees are invited to stay for the Work Group/Poverty Buster meeting following from 1 to 3:30 pm if your schedule allows.  Please print or forward this flyer.

Community Practice Groups: Maine Roads to Quality invites Early Care & Education professionals to join one of 2 community practice groups (see flyers below):

For more information or to register, please contact Theresa Fisk, District Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator –  207-956-2070 or email: theresa.fisk@maine.edu

Children’s MH Awareness Activities: May is Children’s Mental Health Awareness month.  The G.E.A.R. parent network invites your family to join in one or more activities planned this month.  See flyer for details.

Donna Beegle Poverty & Coaching Institutes: Donna Beegle will be at the University of New England in Portland this summer – download flyer here – on these dates

  • Poverty Institute – July 30-31, 2018
  • Coaching Institute – August 1-2, 2018

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.

Family Caregiver Advocates Address Needs Across the Lifespan: Late last month, the National Alliance for Caregiving convened more than 100 family caregiver advocates in San Francisco to set the agenda for caregiving policy work moving forward. “We are starting to build the infrastructure necessary to support a diverse group of family caregivers,” said Michael Wittke, BSW, MPA, Director of Advocacy at the National Alliance for Caregiving. “These individuals have to navigate a complex healthcare system, financial strain, and workplace issues in the 21st century. Caregiving is an issue whose time has come.”  Read more of this article here.

One-Time Events 

Washington County Provider Meeting:
May 4, 2018
Children’s Behavioral Health invites direct service providers working with children to a meeting from 10:30 to 12:30 pm at SCEC. Focus of this meeting will be on how to meet the needs of specific children waiting for HCT and RCS services Washington County.  See Flyer for details and RSVP to Cheryl Hathaway.

Elder Abuse Summit:
May 10, 2018
5th annual conference on Elder Abuse, hosted by the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention at the Augusta Civic Center.  See flyer for details or visit MCEAP’s website.

Renewable Energy Workshop:
May 11, 2018
Agricultural producers and rural small business owners are invited to a free renewable energy workshop from 3-5 p.m. in Machias, hosted by the Sunrise County Economic Council, to learn how to access USDA Rural Development guaranteed loan and competitive grant funds through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for the purchase, installation and construction of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency projects. Read the full agenda here to learn about topics and speakers.  To register, emailJennifer Brennan at the Greater Portland Council of Governments.

Anah Shriners Pre-Screening clinics: 
May 12, 2018
Pre-Screening Clinics for Children. There is no charge to attend a pre-screening and no appointment is necessary. Pre-Screening clinics are held from 9 a.m. to Noon at the locations on this flyer.

Childcare Provider Training – Calais: 
May 15, 2018
The Washington County CAN Council is offering a free Strengthen Maine Families training for childcare providers from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Frank Beckett Center Conference Room, 19 Eaton Street, Calais. See flyer for details.  Free dinner and childcare provided.

Maine Infant Mental Health Conference:
May 18, 2018
Registration is open for the 31st annual Maine Association for Infant Mental Health Conference in Freeport featuring Jayne Singer, PhD.  See brochure for details.

Estate Planning Seminar:
May 22, 2018
Washington County Thriving in Place is bringing Rebecca J. Sargent, Esq. of Jones, Kuriloff & Sargent, LLC in Ellsworth, to Machias for a  three-hour seminar on Estate Planning Basics.  This free event will provide strategies to give caregivers and family members the legal and financial resources to care for loved ones and themselves. Topics include Powers of Attorney, Advanced Care Directives, Wills & Trusts and asset protection.  This seminar will be held at the Kay Parker Building of Sunrise Opportunities in Machias from 1 to 4 pm.  Register here and share this flyer with friends, colleagues and clients.

Persisting in the Face of Caregiver Difficulties: 
June 5, 2018
FREE Webinar on at 7 pm EDT presented by Janet Edmunson, M.Ed., for family and professional caregivers.  Webinar will be approximately 30-40 minutes in length. Register online today by clicking this link.

Brown Bag Lunch on Housing: 
June 6, 2018
Join the CCC at 11:30 am in the large conference room at SCEC for a brown bag lunch on Housing, presented by Marcie Dean of Next Step and Ida Davis of Downeast Community Partners.  Topics will include:

  • What Rent Smart Teaches (sign up your clients!)
  • Housing Resources that are there and how to access them
  • What Next Step and DCP offer in the way of housing
  • Ways to partner and improve outcomes in our community

There may be some fun surprises and of course dessert and beverages – bring your lunch and your questions.  RSVP to Christine.  Attendees are invited to stay for the Work Group/Poverty Buster meeting following from 1 to 3:30 pm if your schedule allows.  Please print or forward this flyer.

Maine Geriatrics Conference:
June 14-15, 2018
Registration still open for the 28th annual Maine Geriatrics Conference at the Harborside Hotel in Bar Harbor.  CEUs and contact hours from the UNE.  Sponsorship funding is available to support community older adults participating in the conference.  See the brochure for descriptions of this year’s exciting workshops, fireside chats and more.

Maine Child Welfare Conference:
June 21, 2018
Save this date for the 24th annual Maine Child Welfare Conference, Navigating Pathways for Families in Recovery, with Keynote speaker, Nancy K. Young, PhD, MSW, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. See flyer for details.

Poverty Institute:
July 30-31, 2018
Donna Beegle will be holding a Poverty Institute at the University of New England in Portland this summer – download flyer here

Coaching Institute:
August 1-2, 2018
Donna Beegle will be holding a Coaching Institute at the University of New England in Portland this summer – download flyer here

Serial Classes, Groups & Play Dates

G.E.A.R. Classes in Machias:
April 6, May 4, and June 1, 2018, 10 am to 12 Noon
Misty Day, Regional Parent Support Coordinator for the G.E.A.R. Parent network, is presenting free Parent Learning & Support classes at MAS in Machias. Read the flyer for information on each class and how to register.

Community Practice Groups:
6-8 pm
Maine Roads to Quality invites Early Care & Education professionals to join one of 2 community practice groups (see flyers below):

For more information or to register, please contact Theresa Fisk, District Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator –  207-956-2070 or email: theresa.fisk@maine.edu

Next Step Calais Support Group:
Beginning in May, 2018

Next Step will be offering a 6 week educational support group in Calais that will meet once a week with the purpose of exploring domestic violence within the context of a relationship. The group will begin at the end of May. Topics will include: How community and cultural supports affect families experiencing DV, effects on children, co-parenting with an abusive ex-partner, coping mechanisms, dating, new relationships, and effects of battering on the victim. See flyer for more information or contact Mary Mitchell at 255-4934 or email mmitchell@nextstepdvproject.org.

SAVVY Caregiver Training:
August 24 – September 28, 2018, Fridays, 2-4 pm
This free course provides skills,knowledge and emotional support to assist informal caregivers who are caring for a family member or friend with dementia.  Lisa King will present this 2-hour class each Friday over a 6-week period beginning August 24th at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias. See flyer for details and forward to caregivers who could benefit.

Standing Meetings

Caregivers Support Group: Join other family/informal caregivers monthly for a supportive meeting at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias, facilitated by Lisa King, LCPC, on the first Friday of the month from 2-4 pm.  Contact Lisa King for more information.

Work Group & Poverty Busters: Join this meeting of direct service providers to share resources and network with other providers in your area.  Next meeting is May 2nd from 1 — 3:30 pm at SCEC, with guest speaker Samantha Williams of Bold Coast Yoga. Read the agenda and  Notes from April meeting.

Needs & Offers

MRBN Survey: Please take a few moments to give your feedback to MRBN about your experiences, ideas, and needs. We are curious what’s working and not working for members and how we can be the best network that we can be!  It’s not too long, we promise! Click here  for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Free Case Management: Families First Community Center in Ellsworth is offering free case management to help with:

  • MaineCare
  • Housing and/or Housing Vouchers
  • Transportation
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Medical Care
  • Clothing
  •  Household Items
  • GED and a lot more.

Visit their website to learn how to connect someone to these free services.

Family Resource Fair: The CCC & partners are looking for family-serving organizations to participate in a family resource day at Washington County Community College on June 12, 2018 from 12:30 to 5:30 pm.  Our goal is to create an event filled with educational opportunities and resources for parents as well as lots of fun activities for the whole family.  Read more here where you can fill out a form to participate (deadline is May 7th).

Summer Meals to More Kids: The Maine Department of Education is looking to expand its Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals to children 18 and under in Washington County, and throughout the State. We can do this a number of ways:

  • Provide outreach and advertising for sites and sponsors to increase participation at existing sites (see list of sponsor sites)
  • Find the pockets of congregating kids in the summer throughout the county and locate a nearby sponsor and enquire about sateliting meals to these areas (thus creating new sites!)
  • Find nonprofit organizations, municipalities and or tribal organizations that are willing to become a sponsor for Summer Meals and coordinate their own meal sites

Sponsor responsibilities include:

  •        Attend a Maine DOE sponsored training on the Summer Food Service Program ( April 25th 2018)
  •        locating eligible areas for meal sites
  •        Supervise staff and volunteers
  •        Monitor sites
  •        Prepare claims for reimbursement
  •        Make sure food being served meets the applicable meal pattern

The Summer Food Service Program offers three different reimbursement rates depending on what type or meals or meals you wish to offer.  Contact Kaitlin Fayle for more information.

Help a Teenager, Help Yourself: Repairing steps, installing railings and handicapped access, winterization, fixing leaky roofs, walls and windows, are all part of the mission of All Souls Students in Service to Jesus Christ. In preparation for this summer’s mission, prospective homeowners are asked to submit a copy of the application found either at Bangor City Hall or Eastport Labor of Love, 137 County Road. Sponsored by All Souls Congregational Church in Bangor and the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association. Visit Eastport Labor of Love to learn more.

Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.

Favorite Resources

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