Dear Friends-
School is winding down. The weather is heating up. And more and more, our community is opening up to welcome a new post-pandemic reality. Just as we rushed to establish new pandemic protocols and procedures at the onset of the pandemic, we are now facing the challenge of determining how to safely navigate a host of issues that come with reopening. Where there once was fear and uncertainly, there’s now excitement…and uncertainty.
Despite the new mask guidance from the CDC, FMF will continue to require that staff, guests and volunteers wear their masks while on-site in common areas and on the grounds. While the vast majority of the staff has been vaccinated, the majority of our guests have not and since 2/3 of our guests are young children, many of whom are ineligible for vaccination at this time, we need to err on the side of safety on this issue. Beyond the question of masking, I know that we are actively discussing the parameters of a return to on-site volunteering and how to safely host the dinner meal for families participating in evening programming. Many of you will be happy to learn that BCBSNC recently provided FMF with a grant designated to provide vaccination incentives for our parents. This effort has been well received by our parents and we are thankful for BCBSNC’s generous support for this important effort.
Our contingency planning also extends to our dinner series, Chefs for Change. A special thank you to those of you that responded to our recent survey, the results of which will help us redesign the look and feel of Chefs for Change for later this year. We are currently in discussions with a big local name that we’d love to see host our dinners in 2021. No announcement yet but keep your eyes open for big news soon.
As you navigate your own return to normalcy, we hope that you’ll keep FMF in mind over the summer. Please visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fmfnc and keep abreast of our urgent in-kind donation needs at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/37YRMS5OBSV8O?ref_=wl_share . Be safe out there and we can’t wait to see you back at FMF soon.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
Happy Mental Health Month! We’ve all been through a lot lately. As we continue to persevere, let’s find joy in making our mental health a priority.
Did You Know:
Additionally:
While research on homeless children often paints a dreary picture, there is hope that with early and consistent intervention strategies, children can learn to overcome many of the detrimental effects of their housing instability.
We at Families Moving Forward are proud to offer onsite Mental Health and Family Canceling. Our fabulous counseling intern, Brittny Arrington, is finishing her year with us. We wish her all the best and thank her for her important work with and for our families!
This month our families and staff took part in a virtual educational event hosted by the Museum of Life and Science! The two part virtual event took place on Friday, April 30th and Saturday, May 1st during which families from FMF, FMF staff, and museum staff all explored topics such as affordable housing, public green space, education reform, and public safety together. After listening to talks by local public figures and activists, such as Deja Perkins, Jillian Johnson, Nation Hahn, and Chuck Manning Sr, families joined together in groups to discuss which topic was most important to them. The event was a great experience for everyone in attendance and served as a great opportunity to learn and connect! This was the second part of our project, Co-Created Public Engagement with Science, a national project that has sites in Durham, Detroit, Boston, and Portland.
Thanks to Max Cawley and Olivia Gilmore for leading the project and to all of the event facilitators from the Museum of LIfe and Science: Sasha, Liam, Tomara, Peregrine, Brad, and Mitch, as well as from FMF: Tasha, Caylin, Imani, and Rachel. And, of course, thank you to all of the adults and children from Families Moving Forward who joined to share their experiences and wisdom.
Our Friends at the Furniture Project Need Space
We often get calls and emails asking if we can accept furniture donations for the families at FMF and the reality is, we don't have the storage space or transportation capacity to fill this need. Luckily, we work with a community partner, The Furniture Project, and refer all inquiries to them. Not only do the accept and sometimes restore furniture donations, but they serve 125+ families per year who are moving from homelessness to stable housing.
Currently, they are looking to lease space for storing furniture and housewares. Their needs include:
Please contact the Furniture Project at 919-813-0051 (voice only, no text) or FurnProjOps@gmail.com with any questions or leads!
Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}* *{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}*
*{{Unsubscribe}}* |