MAGAZINE
Sponsored by Community Connections of Brockton in alliance with United Way of Greater Plymouth County
SOUTH SHORE
Spring/Summer 2023
FREE! Take one!
COMMUNITY
Upcoming Events, Workshops, or Programs You Should Know About! Did you know you can click the title of many of these events to see the flyers or be directed to a webpage associated with the event? Resiliency Library -The Plymouth County Resiliency Library and Book Buddy program provide access to a variety of children's books covering a range of topics that help guide children in their social-emotional learning. Free books for all ages! Nutritious Home Delivered Meals - If you're a disabled Brockton Resident under 60 years old, you may qualify to receive Meals on Wheels through OCES | Contact OCES for more information | 508-584-1561 | MASS HAF | Massachusetts Homeowner Assistance Fund | Learn more or apply HERE PIN (Parent Information Network) | For more information contact 508-947-8779 or pin@bamsi.org BAMSI Young Adult Access Center (YAAC) | Drop In Hours : Tuesday through Friday 2 pm to 7 pm; Saturday 12 pm to 5 pm | For more information email yaac@bamsi.org The Family Center Open House | June 3rd, 2023 | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Free lunch, resources, shop with small businesses, and more! Camp Brookside | Boys and Girls Club Metro South | Affordable Summer Care for your children | June 26th to August 18th | More info HERE South Shore Community Magazine and Leadership Conference Monthly Meeting | TBA Don't forget, we have free diapers for families in need! Intake and appointment required. Call 508-857-0272 today to schedule an appointment! Did you know if you have events or resources coming up, you can share them with us through email and we can add them to our newsletter? Email us at Brocktoncc@gmail.com, Kasey.martin@ccbrockton.org, or Meghan.Jeannetti@ccbrockton.org to share events and resources!
Table of Contents
Recipes Pages 20 to 21 Welcoming Our New Staff Pages 15 to 17 South Shore Community Magazine Virtual Resource Guide Page 26 Additional Resources Pages 22 to 23 - Family Resource Center Information Page 25 - "Shop Talks" On the Road Page 27 - Map of Individuals Served Page 28 - 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 Resiliency Library Page 4 Ongoing Family Activities Page 5 Juneteenth Events Pages 8 & 10
The Harambee Learning and Cultural Center organizes a yearly Juneteenth Celebration. Dedicated to providing a community based Black History program that is open to all, Harambee connects with local organizations to create a safe and warm atmosphere where individuals can celebrate their culture and share important history with others.
Effective Education Page 11 - Do you know about Early Head Start? Featured Article Page 9 - Juneteenth Lesson Health and Wellness Page 13 - Car Seats for the Community Community Spotlight Pages 6 to 7 - Helping the Most Vulnerable Safe Spaces Page 12 - Educating People About Fire Safety Caring Adults Page 14 - Leadership Opportunities to Serve Page 18 - Spotlight Shine Bright
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Upcoming Events, Resources, & Opportunities
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, photography and so on. Let your light shine! Creative Content Share your creative content, from recipes and creative writing to poetry and more! 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. We have made advertising affordable and easy! Join a meeting! The volunteers meeting for the magazine is the first Wednesday of every month from 6:30-7:30pm. Subject to change based on Holidays. We are meeting on ZOOM for the time being. 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. Help us distribute to your local offices by picking up copies at your earliest convenience! Celebrate Champions! Nominate someone for our Community Spotlight. If you know a person or organization who is going above and beyond in your community, let us know! We would love to highlight them!
We serve 28 communities on the South Shore. Our staff is comprised of our Director, Program Manager, School Liaison, Community Resource Specialists and Administrative Assistant. Language capacity includes English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Haitian 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 The Family Center at (508) 857-0272 or email Brocktoncc@gmail.com.
We're here with you through all times. Support, care, and guidance. Open Monday through Friday and every 1st and 3rd Saturday. Please call to schedule an appointment, or email us at Brocktoncc@gmail.com with questions, concerns, 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 for 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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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 Local Consumer Advocacy Program School Liaison
Do you know about us?
GET INVOLVED
Hello South Shore! We at the Family Center and Community Connections of Brockton would like to use this introduction to focus on some of the resources we have to offer. We have expanded the hours of our Family Resource Center to better suit our community's needs. Please call anytime within our hours to speak to a staff member and schedule an appointment. Please remember appointments are encouraged so that we can reserve a time especially for you! Some direct services we currently offer include free diapers and select infant items as well as help obtaining resources. Feel free to join our meetings, suggest new workshop or group ideas, and let us know if there is a new and unique need in our area. Also, we are looking for participants in our new Community Advisory Board. Help us help the community and become part of the action! Always remember to contact us if you need any help! We aim to be a continuous resource to all parts of the community. Have a spontaneous Summer! SSCM Editorial Team
Email: Kasey.Martin@ccbrockton.org or Meghan.Jeannetti@ccbrockton.org any questions or inquiries! Submissions are welcome year round! Welcome to the South Shore Community Magazine Family!
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A Note From the Editorial Team
Brockton Public Library Museum Passes Program Museum passes are available at differing locations. 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 are 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. 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 Children's Museum - Half price admission for up to 4 people. Roger William's Park Zoo - Admits 4 with a $3.00 discount Sandwich Glass Museum - Admits up to 5 people. Regular admission Adults $10.00 Children $2.00 USS Constitution Museum - Boston, Pass admits up to 9 people.
Collected by Magalie Pinney
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
I Just Don't Like the Sound of No! written by Julia Cook illustrated by Kelsey De Weerd
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Ongoing Family Activities
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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!
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When the pandemic hit in 2020, those working at Father Bill’s & MainSpring knew that they had to protect the most vulnerable people in the community and jump into action. Pat Ronan, the director of communications and relations, knew that every move they made from that point forward was integral to protecting people in the program when they realized how serious COVID-19 was getting. “We knew that we had to mobilize the people in our program since they were the most susceptible and vulnerable to diseases,” Ronan said. Father Bill’s & MainSpring had set up three heated tents near the emergency shelter for about three months until they were able to set up their newly renovated site at the Roadway Inn. The organization moved into what was formerly The Roadway Inn in Brockton in 2020, as it was underutilized, and they had the opportunity to use this property to spread people out after purchasing it. “While we were using it as a temporary shelter site to provide more space, we had the opportunity to purchase the hotel and we converted it into housing units,” Ronan said. “We worked with the developer and the state government helped to fund it along with private donors, so we basically did a renovation project, and each hotel room was converted into an efficiency apartment.” The hotel has been completely revamped for these new housing units, with a kitchen area in each room for people in the program, and the hallways are redesigned as well. Additionally, with the help of the Quincy community, they used the YMCA field house when the Spring of 2020 approached, which helped to spread out many of the people in the program. To keep up with the public health guidelines and ensure the safety of those they were housing, the state contractor had weekly calls with providers to talk through the guidelines and offer suggestions on how to maintain social distancing, according to Ronan. As a result of the work by Father Bill’s & Mainspring, thousands were helped. According to the agency’s 2022 fiscal year report. 4,806 people across Southern Massachusetts were served, 1,779 adults and children were provided emergency shelter, and 688 permanent supportive housing units were being operated. Also, 293 families avoided shelter due to prevention/diversion programs, 97% of the group’s tenants stayed housed for at least one year and they continued operating satellite shelter sites, allowing for social distancing. Jon Lanham, the senior program director for 13 years, said that despite the national pandemic, their staff showed up every day, as they were front-line workers. Lanham said that people’s needs are different depending on the individual, so they use a strength-based perspective depending on what each person needs support in, which was developed from a new model. The new triage model includes having the right providers on site, which are mental health retreatment facilities, and recovery coaches. This ensures that people can move out as soon as possible or no longer need a shelter bed, said Lanham. “We want everyone to have a safe and stable place to live, and be able to maintain that for as long as they need,” Lanham said. “Our whole triage model is to meet people where they are at and provide the services they need at the moment, the same way if you walked into an emergency room in a hospital. You don’t necessarily get every single medical service provided immediately, but they instead assess why you came and what your need is to move on.” Ronan said that for well over a decade the agency has been trying to refocus more on prevention and diversion, so people never have to enter the shelter in the first place. The new triage department was launched in 2021 within the shelter program. “For the people who aren’t even guests at the shelter, but someone who’s at risk of being at the shelter who know they are potentially going to face a housing crisis, we really developed a whole new staff and department as part of our new model,” Ronan said. “We were already going to launch this program, but the pandemic expedited it.”
Helping the Most Vulnerable Stay Safe and Off the Streets, One Person at a Time
By Kim Harrington
Community Spotlight
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Juneteenth Lesson By Jacqueline Jones Harambee Learning and Cultural Center
Featured Article
Saturday, June 24th 2023
1866. Texas. This is when and where the first Juneteenth Celebration was held after the freedom announcement to Texas slaves on June 19th, 1865, from where the abbreviated holiday name “Juneteenth” was formed. Also known as Freedom Day, it included singing, food, and music. And there was indeed much to celebrate! Although President Lincoln had effectively freed enslaved persons on January 1, 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, those in Texas would not get word of their freedom until almost 2 and ½ years later: Juneteenth. No cell phone, No Twitter. No Facebook. Just almost 3 additional years of free labor. In this respect, one of the legacies of Juneteenth is the recognition that indeed Knowledge is Power! It represents the need for continued civic engagement and education to exercise political, social, and economic power. Fast forward to June 19th, 2020, when the first official Juneteenth Celebration was held in Brockton at City Hall Plaza sponsored by Harambee Learning and Cultural Center in conjunction with the office of Mayor Robert Sullivan. Senator Edward Markey appeared and announced the filing of legislation for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. Thanks to Senator Ed Markey, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and 95-year-old Texas activist, Opal Lee, this became a reality in 2021. The tradition continued with Harambee Learning and Cultural Center sponsoring its 2nd and 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration once again at City Hall Plaza. It was supported by the Mayor's office, as well as local businesses. In addition to food, music, singing and voter registration, the 3rd event featured international speaker and author Carole Copeland Thomas and her newly released book on Juneteenth, a tribute to fathers as well as a step performance by Bridgewater Raynham high school step team, a Double Dutch demonstration, craft activities for children and more. The 4th Annual Juneteenth is coming up and will include a tribute to 3 innovative filmmakers in Brockton, Voter Registration, African Drumming from Brockton’s Own Kaipu Drummers, a Step Performance by Ready SET Step from Southeastern Regional Vocational and Technical High School, a Men’s Chorus, Dance, Double Dutch and more! Event organizers, sisters Jacqueline Jones and Gwen Nauls, as creators of Harambee Learning and Cultural Center, remember their mom describing when she came to Massachusetts in 1958 from Texas as a young Navy bride, and was surprised to learn that Juneteenth was not celebrated everywhere. She had grown up celebrating it as a child and had vivid memories of the celebrations including parades and most Black people being given the day off! Well thanks to the efforts of phenomenal Ms. Opal Lee, Sheila Jackson Lee and our own Senator Ed Markey, the rest of the country caught up to celebrating Juneteenth---Texas style! The event on June 19th in City Hall Plaza is free and open to all and will kick off Black Restaurant Week in Brockton.
Effective Education
Do you know about Early Head Start?
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ATTENTION - •Do you have a child under 3yrs old? •Are you a pregnant mom looking for some guidance and support? •Are you interested in joining other families 2x a month to socialize? •Do you receive SNAP benefits or cash assistance? •Do you live in Attleboro, Brockton, Bridgewater, Middleboro, Norton or Whitman? •Please call EARLY HEAD START! EARLY HEAD START is a free weekly home visiting program that offers services to low-income pregnant mothers and families who have children birth to 3 years.We educate our families on children’s developmental milestones, teach and model the importance of being involved, and support the family to self-sufficiency. We understand that the most important relationship a child can have is with their parent or guardian and we do all that we can to support this, understanding that the first three years of life can have a lasting effect on later years.We work together with families to promote healthy development and relationships and assist the parent or guardian to become their child’s first teacher. We offer safety items for your home, hearing and vision screenings, Dr and dental referrals in your town, nutritional assessments and more! Early Head Start is a program of Associates for Human Services, Inc (AHS).For more information on AHS, please visit our website: www.ahsinc.org or Facebook at www.facebook.com/AHSInc. If interested in the Early Head Start program, please call AHS at 508-880-0202, ext 340 or email Karen at Kspellman@ahsinc.org.
For the last year we have been blessed here at the Family Center and Community Connections of Brockton to partner with Boston Children’s Hospital to implement Car Seat Safety Courses. These courses have been held quarterly and offer up to 13 families per course the obtain free car seats in addition to learning how to choose the correct seat and properly install and use them. We have helped over 60 families so far with car seats by holding these courses and look forward to helping many more! Families must pre-register and complete an intake prior to attending the course, but upon completing the 1 hour session, families are able to leave with their car seat and other resources we are able to help them with here at the Family Center! We are happy to share that we are increasing these courses to 6 times per year, with a goal to eventually be able to hold these monthly. Our next course date is to be determined, but it will be held in August of 2023. Stay tuned for more information and to watch for registration! Other resources we currently have on site include diapers (thanks to our amazing partnership with Cradles to Crayons!) and a variety of pamphlets and flyers for various resources and upcoming events. We have started our Community Garden back up and harvest should be ready in late summer/fall!
Car Seats for the Community
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Safe Spaces
Educating People About Fire Safety is Saving Lives in Brockton by Mike Finneran
To find out more information about the Family Center and it’s many programs, please visit our website or call us at 508-857-0272.
Educating people in the community about fire safety can save lives and Brockton firefighters say they can prove it. “We have not had a fire death in the city of Brockton in the last three years,” said Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli. Brockton Fire officials credit their work with the Student Awareness of Fire Education program with keeping the death count to zero in a city of 100,000 people since 2020. The program offers this training to Brockton once per year on fire prevention day at Brockton High School. Since 1996, the program has traveled to towns in Massachusetts to provide services. The program provides the resources necessary for departments to teach fire safety in school. The community of Brockton has fully embraced the program. S.A.F.E. aims to teach children and the elderly mainly. These two groups are the most at risk of fire-related casualties. “In the Training Division we have a long tradition since the initial creation. Brockton has always had an officer administer that,” said Lt. Daniel Santry, the administrator of the Brockton program. Santry has experienced some difficulties organizing the event, the biggest being Covid-19. As the mandates began to lift, Santry said he noticed a “15-20 percent increase in attendance.” Santry said residents of Brockton look forward to the event. He said it is vital to teach children fire safety because they absorb information so well at their age. “Firefighters are the same way, they revert back to their training,” said Santry. Children with a good foundation of fire safety training can become responsible adults, he said. Nardelli said working together as a firefighter is key. Nardelli said he encourages firefighters to act and uplift Brockton. Information about fire safety day can be found on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Fliers are also sent out to various church groups in the area. Fire prevention events arethe second week in October every year. “Any firefighter is willing to stop and talk about anything,” said Nardelli. “We do the best we can. People have certain roles,” said Nardelli. Nardelli’s youngest son, Stephen, has been attending the fire prevention day for as long as he can remember. As he has grown older, he has volunteered to help with the event. “I did enjoy the event because I grew up with a dad who was a firefighter, so it was cool to see inside of his work,” the younger Nardelli said. “I feel confident in my ability to handle fire situations because I know what to look for and how to react to a fire,” he said.
Health and Wellness
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Welcoming Our New Staff United Way of Greater Plymouth County and The Family Center
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Wallace is our Director of Community Services. Wallace began as our CRA Clinician in January of 2023. Now, as the Director of Community Services, Wallace works closely with our team at United Way of Greater Plymouth County to direct the Family Center and all of its programming to help in the Community. Wallace chose to join us at the Family Center because of his passion for serving people and care for their well-being holistically. His favorite part about his position is the ability to connect with families and assist both youth and their families in obtaining a positive outcome. Wallace believes the Family Center is different from other service agencies due to the way we serve the needs of the whole person within a family – like “one stop shopping”, we check in with families about all of their needs including mental health and physical necessities. If Wallace could do one thing to a make a big, positive change to the world it would be to end hunger and create world peace. Wallace feels he truly made a difference during a previous position as an in-home Therapy Clinician. Seeing families work through their challenges and begin to manage the conditions that are impacting family relationships, something he will be doing a lot here, really warms his heart. Wallace describes himself as being a person with a heart for people. He is a local clergy in a neighboring town as well as a husband and a father. He holds a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy as well as a Business Management Degree. He has over 20 years of experience in community engagement and working with stakeholders as it relates to issues and concerns within a community. In his free time, Wallace enjoys music, watching sports, quality time with his family, and activities such as hiking, cycling, and traveling.
A woman that has inspired my leadership is my mother. Being with her has allowed me to witness the strife and hardship she has endured for me and how she has risen from it. She was a teenager when she had me and became a single mother at a young age. My mother had to raise me by myself while also caring for herself. She had to put her ambitions on hold to support me in my education and career pursuits. I got a good education because of how much she pushed me at an early age. Since she had me before college, she was ostracized from her family and was alone for about a decade. She has shown her determination and selflessness, which made me idolize her at a young age. When she married my stepdad, she moved us to Brockton, where we could start anew. I was able to reconnect with my culture and adapt to my environment. By moving to Massachusetts, she was able to reconnect with her family, go back to college, and start a business. My mom flourished in her new environment, proving everyone who did not support her wrong. Not only was she able to go to college while also pregnant with my little sister, but she could also lead others and start a business. I witnessed her achievements along the way, and she has inspired my leadership. Watching her all my life has taught me that we can all grow from our past and flourish. I was able to prioritize my education and my activities. Throughout my journey, she has supported me along the way. She is not only my mother but a woman I will always idolize for years to come.
Leadership by Aminata Konneh
Caring Adults
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Meghan is our Community Connections of Brockton Contractor! She started with us in September of 2022 as an FRC intern and upon completion of her internship, joined us to help work on Community Connections of Brockton. She works alongside Kasey and Wallace to offer the Brockton Community various resources as well as to establish partnerships and outreach opportunities. Some big CCB tasks Meghan works on include but are not limited to the South Shore Community Magazine, the Annual South Shore Leadership Conference, the Community Garden, bi-monthly car seat safety courses, a partnership with Cradles to Crayons that allows us to offer families diapers, and a partnership with Heart of a Giant to educate the community about Blood Pressure. Meghan was eager to stay on with the FRC staff upon completion of her internship and chose this job to be able to continue working with everyone to provide the resources and support to not only the Brockton community, but Greater Plymouth County as well. Her favorite part about this job is its versatility. Working with diverse populations, families, and organizations, Meghan feels as if she learns something new every day. She admires that we do not always just give one-on-one support, but that we are able to reach an entire community to provide support, resources, and even sometimes just basic information. She loves that we advocate for people and families and in turn, teach them to advocate for themselves! Meghan feels as if the Family Center is different from other service agencies because of the various grants and partnerships we have that can provide various services to families in the surrounding communities, while also able to collaborate and work together to support the families that come to us for services. If Meghan could do one thing to make a big, positive change to the world, it would be to bring back the humanity and empathy that this world seems to have lost. From big organizations and companies, all the way down to the individual, empathy and understanding for others is something that can be lacking.With the many people she has been able to help along the way in her different roles, from RAFT applications or even just lending an ear, she has learned that it’s the smaller actions that some people take for granted that sometimes matter the most. She hopes to continue learning and growing as an individual so that she can use her knowledge to help others.“I don’t know if I will ever be someone who can change the whole world, but I do know that if I can reach and provide support to just one person, then I could possibly change THEIR world for the better.” Meghan spent a few years serving in the United States Army before coming home and going back to school for a Bachelor of Science Degree. She double majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She took a year off before going back to school, currently working on her Master of Social Work Degree to continue to serve the community in the best way she felt she can. “I have always known that I wanted to be in human services in some capacity and this is where my path in life has taken me. I want to be the support for others that I did not have when I needed it.”
Linda is our Intervention Specialist for our Drug Endangered Children’s Initiative. Linda joined us in March of 2023. Her job is to serve as a Resource and Intervention Specialist, assisting families with children who have been impacted due to substance abuse. Linda works alongside our DECI Clinical Advocate Hafsatu Stevens and other agencies to assist with client needs. Linda chose this position because working with children and families is her passion! From her perspective, the Family Center is different from other service agencies because we tend to be client centered. Linda feels she truly makes a difference in her work when a parent or adult gives her positive updates on the children she has been working with. Such occasions include hearing when children are thriving or when the child themselves can identify as doing better because of her efforts and direct assistance. If Linda could make one big, positive change to the world, it would be to continue providing resources, information, and safe spaces for people to better themselves and their situations. Linda has worked in the non-profit/human service sector as well as education and working with youth for over 15 years. She is currently enrolled as a sophomore at UMass Boston, working on her degree in Psychology. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, all forms of art, spending time with her family, volunteering at local commissions, & working with girls and young women.
Stay tuned to hear more about the Family Center! Do you have questions about services, referrals, resources, or opportunities? Call the Family Center at 508-857-0272! M- 9am to 4pm Tu, Th- 9am to 7:30 pm W- 9am to 6pm F- 9am to 3pm Select Saturdays- 9am to 12pm
Opportunities to Serve
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Spotlight Shine Bright By Magalie A. Pinney
South Shore Community Magazine has evolved in the 12 plus years it has existed. The hardcopy distribution followed by the digital versions of the magazine started out as Brockton Parents Magazine. It was renamed and rebranded as South Shore Community Magazine because it continued to regularly feature community events, families, talents, essays, creative work, residents and programs that were available in the surrounding Brockton area and into the neighboring cities and towns throughout the south shore. I started contributing to this magazine which is distributed by Community Connections of Brockton, The Family Center and The United Way of Greater Plymouth County when my children were attending grade school. It was a viable way for me to give back to the community while still having to work and care for my family of five. It was only natural that as my children attended meetings with me at The Family Center and through the services and night care that they provided, that organically, my own children would become involved on the creation of content and contributions that were planned by the editorial team. One such child is my oldest, Olivia, whose strongest and varied material was contributed during the 3 years of the COVID 19 pandemic. She was writing, chronicling, journaling and creating pieces that reflected not only her challenges and isolation, but that of other people in the community and others who served as her creative inspirations as well. Like many of her peers and those from other generations, the uncertainty, anxiety and fear were only exacerbated by the economic gaps and inequitable barriers that became so much more evident during this timeframe. While she was feeling the brunt of the chaos as a postsecondary student in her high school environment and uncertain if she was even emotionally, psychologically and mentally ready to embark on her studies as a future college student, she persisted. She was resilient. She continued to try to do the best she could when resources, supports and/or encouragement were not always readily available. One such project she embarked upon became the artistic opportunity she did not foresee coming. While still trying to survive, not really thrive and actually live in an unprecedented pandemic, she was contracted by a children's book writer and author to work with a national team of illustrators on a pandemic picture book. This author, named Freeman Ng, reached out to her as a fellow SCBWI Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators member. He had located her Illustrator Gallery on its website. He was taking a pair of his previously published poems and turning them into a picture book with her help and that of multiple illustrators. This book was truly a labor of love as it is challenging to see the joy amidst the pain, the sunshine inside the rain, and the optimism inside of constant reminders and symbols of uncertainty and loss. She had to shine a light where many had only seen darkness never even making it to the other side as it emerged three years later. And, she had to do so illustrating for an audience of caregivers, guardians, educators, families and children while barely emerging as a young adult herself during one of the darkest periods of her young life. The House We Sheltered In and The Masks We Wore is a dual volume childrens picture book. It is two stories that start from each end of a flappable book. It celebrates the joys of homebound life and the collective heroism of our fight against COVID-19.It features diverse and inclusive portrayals of families who endured across cultures, ethnicities, and society. It is reflective of the experiences that led us to coming out onto the other side of this time in history, being able to look back, remember and never forget this shared living and community. Olivia has confided to me that being creative and pushing herself to shine bright to the light beyond this pandemic journey was reinforced with the collaborative work that she and 13 other illustrators achieved. The author himself, Freeman Ng, was an instrumental and exemplary role model of perseverance and positivity. So not only was the work a motivator, but having him as a creative mentor helped in realizing his creative vision and the mission it would take to get this illustrative time capsule out into the masses.
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•½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes •½ cup toasted pepitas, walnuts or sunflower seeds •½ cup olive oil •½ cup lemon juice (from ¾ lemons) •3 tablespoon red wine vinegar •3 tablespoons honey [or agave] •2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced •½ teaspoon paprika •Black pepper to taste •[optional] ½ cup crumpled feta or sharp cheddar cheese •[optional] ½ cup craisins
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Ms. Linda’s Quinoa Salad Recipe
•1 cup uncooked Quinoa, rinsed well in a fine-mesh colander •1 ¾ cups water •½ teaspoon fine sea salt •1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained •1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped •1 - each medium red, yellow & green bell pepper, chopped •1 small red onion, chopped •1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley •2 cups fresh spinach, chopped •¼ cup black olives, sliced •½ cup green olives, pitted
Recipes
1.To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa, salt, and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, until the quinoa absorbs all the water, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes. 2.In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell peppers, onion, spinach, olives, tomatoes, and parsley. Set it aside. 3.In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, garlic, paprika and salt & pepper. Whisk until blended, then set aside. 4.Once the quinoa is cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Add pepitas & cheese. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined.Add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For the best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 5.This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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Special Thank You
Wooden signs, diaper cakes/towers, paintings, pinatas, and more! Link HERE
Wood-burning, keychains, shirts, coasters, cups, mugs, tote-bags, and more. Link HERE
For your contributions to the 2023 South Shore Leadership Conference and Open House.
We have NEW hours! We want to better serve our families and allow time for us to offer services outside of regular work hours so families can come after work and school! Monday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday: 9:00 am to 7:30 pm Wednesday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Thursday: 9:00 am to 7:30 pm Friday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm We will be open select Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm as well. Please call us at 508-857-0272 to schedule an appointment. Thank you!
Take a peek at our Virtual Resource Guide!
Updated quarterly along with the South Shore Community Magazine, our Virtual Resource Guide is packed full of community resources for individuals and organizations alike. Do you have a resource you would like to share with the community? Simply email Kasey.martin@ccbrockton.org to submit a resource!
Scan the code below to access our Virtual Resource Guide!
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Resource Types -AA Recovery -NA Recovery -COVID-19 -Parenting -School -Trauma -Eviction -SNAP/HIP -Domestic Violence and more!
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