FEMA emergency funding is ending, continued support is needed

In the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Connecticut welcomed thousands of Puerto Ricans who had lost everything. For many of these fellow American citizens, the crisis is far from over.

FEMA housing assistance is ending on May 1st for displaced families in the area. 

Junta for Progresive Action is the default agency receiving families displaced to Connecticut. In addition to finding housing, Junta is helping these families secure the basic needs of food, clothing, medical care, and employment.

Learn more about Junta and how you can support their efforts.

CreditiStock

It’s a truism in child development that the very young learn through relationships and back-and-forth interactions, including the interactions that occur when parents read to their children. A new study provides evidence of just how sustained an impact reading and playing with young children can have, shaping their social and emotional development in ways that go far beyond helping them learn language and early literacy skills. The parent-child-book moment even has the potential to help curb problem behaviors like aggression, hyperactivity and difficulty with attention, a new study has found...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/well/family/reading-aloud-to-young-children-has-benefits-for-behavior-and-attention.html ;

Kimberly Lawson - VICE

In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, four Black women share their pregnancy and childbirth experiences to highlight the lasting impact of the racism and trauma Black women too often face when entering motherhood.

https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/43bp43/black-maternal-health-care-racism-stories?utm_campaign=sharebutton

New Haven Farms is looking for volunteers to support our mission of promoting health and community development through urban agriculture. Our positions range from cooking to gardening to childcare, so no matter what your skills are, there are opportunities for you to get involved.

By working with New Haven Farms, you'll connect to the community, cultivate beautiful farm sites that bring joy to our city, and help create healthier outcomes for your friends and neighborhoods. Check out our volunteer positions to see exactly how you can make this happen:

• Farm Volunteer
• Cooking & Nutrition Volunteer
• Research & Welcome Volunteer
• Youth Program Volunteer

You can go to our website to learn more about the volunteer positions we have available and to sign up as a volunteer. Email Michael Lebwohl (volunteercoordinator@newhavenfarms.org) with any questions.

GNH-Vote 2018 is a nonpartisan initiative that gives service providers the tools and resources to increase the engagement and voter registration of historically disenfranchised community members.

Participating Organizations Will Receive:

• • A civic engagement grant of $1,000 for providing $100 stipends to individuals supporting the voter engagement effort and for voter engagement materials.
  • Training and support for conducting voter registration and voter pledge activities and other voter engagement.
  • Resources and tools for a successful voter registration and pledge to vote program.
  • Opportunities for peer learning.
  • Evaluation and analysis for your voter engagement activities.

Application Due May 4th, 5 p.m.

The American Red Cross is asking for help to Sound the Alarm in New Haven. The campaign aims to place 1,000 smoke detectors in city homes on Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. – 2 pm.

To meet this goal, the Red Cross is seeking volunteers. And everyone who helps will likely have a hand in saving a life.

“Statistics tell us that the people volunteering that day will save a life in the future,” says Richard Branigan, Chief Program Officer for the American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. “For every 1,000 smoke detectors that are installed, one life is saved.”

The Red Cross aims to marshal a team of 350 volunteers for the effort, which involves canvassing neighborhoods, installing free smoke alarms, replacing batteries in existing alarms and helping families create escape plans.

The Red Cross is holding the event in coordination with the City of New Haven and local community partners. It is also receiving help from a team of 18-24 year olds assigned by AmeriCorps FEMA Corps program.

The Red Cross is specifically targeting the Newhallville, Hill, and Fair Haven neighborhoods, which have the highest concentration of residential structure fires in the city. Volunteers will provide free fire safety tips and information in addition to installing needed smoke detectors and replacing batteries.

All residents are encouraged to make an appointment for a free home fire safety visit. To make an appointment for a free fire safety visit or to volunteer, visit soundthealarm.org/Connecticut or call 1-877-287-3327.

Continue Reading

Extensive Data Shows Punishing Reach of Racism for Black Boys

Black boys raised in America, even in the wealthiest families and living in some of the most well-to-do neighborhoods, still earn less in adulthood than white boys with similar backgrounds, according to a sweeping new study that traced the lives of millions of children...

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/19/upshot/race-class-white-and-black-men.html

Hurricane Maria forced the Hernandez family to flee their home in Puerto Rico because they could no longer receive medical care for their 2-year-old daughter, Miia, who suffers from seizures. The family's temporary FEMA housing assistance expires in April. 

With emergency funding ending, continued support is needed

In the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Connecticut welcomed thousands of Puerto Ricans who had lost everything. For many of these fellow American citizens, the crisis is far from over.

Months after the devastating storms, returning home is still not viable for many Puerto Ricans. A healthcare system that was already struggling is in disarray. Large swaths of the island remain cut off from the electrical power grid. Communities facing years of rebuilding have turned to a patchwork of small generators, which are unreliable, loud, and aggravate asthma and other respiratory problems. 

Nearly 1000 displaced Puerto Ricans have come to New Haven for assistance. While most have moved on to be near relatives in other areas, those that remain are typically individuals with medical needs, the elderly, and families with young children.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP

See the original job post on New Haven Farms' website.

New Haven Farms | Youth Program Educator

Position Description 2018

ABOUT NEW HAVEN FARMS: New Haven Farms’ nonprofit charitable mission is to promote health and community development through urban agriculture. We transform vacant urban land into vibrant and productive organic farms. Our Farm Director and volunteer corps cultivate urban farms, and our harvest is made accessible to low-income families who struggle with chronic diet-related diseases and food insecurity.  Families attend our Farm-Based Wellness Program and receive produce baskets combined with farm education, cooking demonstrations, and nutrition education on a weekly basis. For more information about New Haven Farms, visit www.newhavenfarms.org.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Youth Program Educator will develop and lead the Youth Farm-Based Wellness program on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the Fair Haven and Hill neighborhoods of New Haven, CT.  The Youth Program Educator is responsible for creating and delivering weekly curriculum for a group of children (ages 3 – 14 years old ), supervising the Youth Program Assistant, Youth Program Educator Intern, and volunteers.  This position will work directly with the Program Manager, the Farm Director and the farm team. The purpose of the program is to give children a chance to explore, play, and learn about the environment, food system, and nutrition through an experiential education model and on-farm activities. The youth program occurs from 5:30-7:30pm Tuesday and Thursday from Mid May- Mid September, as parents attend the Adult Farm-Based Wellness Program.  

PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Plan and lead the bi weekly youth program from 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays to a diverse age range of young people (i.e, Basic Youth Garden Tasks - Watering, Planting, Weeding, Harvesting, Visiting the Greenhouse, Visiting the Bees, Building Bird Houses, Decorating Garden Signs, Building an Insect Hotel, etc.)
• Manage the youth garden at the Phoenix Press & 170 Ward Street Farms
• Organize and obtain all materials necessary to implement the youth program
• Record keeping with regards to what lessons were delivered as well as take daily attendance
• Communicate lesson plans to Program Manager
• Attending a monthly team meeting and report on the progress of the youth program
• Oversee and coordinate students’ bi-weekly tasks in the garden
• Effectively manage group behavior during the program delivery

COMPENSATION:  This is a seasonal, part-time position.  The Youth Program Educator will be expected to work 10 - 12 hours per week for a total of 24 weeks starting in April and ending in October, (with 5-10 hours weekly  in April and October). Each week, a few work hours will be alloted to lesson preparation and for obtaining any necessary supplies. All remaining hours with be spent delivering the Youth Farm-Based Wellness Program on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 - 7:30 pm beginning in Mid May, ending in Mid September. Hours in April will be dedicated to program planning. Overtime is not available for this position. There are no explicit employment benefits associated with this position, though access to fresh produce to bring home will be available during the growing season (June onwards). Workers compensation insurance is fully covered by New Haven Farms. The part-time employee is not entitled to any paid holidays.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience delivering educational programming with youth of diverse ages in a dynamic outdoor environment
• At least 1-2 years facilitating or leading experiential education activities with youth (ages 3 - 14 years old)
• Proven ability to manage one part time paid staff member, volunteers and interns (up to four total) as to successfully deliver the Youth Program
• Bachelor's degree; or in process of obtaining a degree in education, environmental science, dietetics or public health.
• Experience working with diverse populations of young people
• Proven experience in managing group dynamics with a group of young people of varying ages
• Flexibility and creativity to problem solve in an urban farming environment
• Knowledge or interest in gardening, environment, science, health and nutrition, and food systems
• Bilingual (Spanish) encouraged to apply

Please email your resume and cover letter to Michael Lebwohl at nhfrecruitment@newhavenfarms.org.  Please include the title of the position, Youth Program Educator in the subject line of your email.  Applications accepted up until April 20th, 2018.

How to Think about "Implicit Bias"

Amidst a controversy, it’s important to remember that implicit bias is real—and it matters

The Newman’s Own Philanthropic Exception Is Now Law—What Will the Consequences Be?

By  ROB MEIKSINS | March 30, 2018 

March 27, 2018; WealthManagement.com

February was a good month for the Newman’s Own Foundation. On February 1^st, the foundation announced with some fanfare the milestone of having donated $500 million to charities over 35 years. A few days later, February 9^th, President Trump signed into law, as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2017, also known as the Newman’s Own Exception, ending a long struggle to avoid what would have amounted to a 200-percent tax hit...

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2018/03/30/newmans-philanthropic-exception-now-law-will-consequences/?utm_content=69425024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=googleplus