Tag Archives: abby’s house

Dorrie – always in style! … ‘Tis the season for helping the less fortunate – people and animals!

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Dorrie says dropping off clean, warm clothing and blankets at the Mustard Seed soup kitchen on Piedmont Street is the giving thing to do this Christmas!🐺🐶🐕🐺🎄🎄🎄🎁

By Dorrie Maynard

Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, Merry Christmas, Meilleurs Voeux, Felices Fiestas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, and any others that I may have missed!

As we all go on about with our busy preparations for the festivities this season with family and friends, please take some time to remember and acknowledge those who don’t have people to spend the holidays with. There are many out there who don’t even have a safe and warm place to sleep at night.

I know there is a fine line between enabling and helping, but just for this season we can all try to not judge others until we have walked in their shoes or know their battles. Some are out there because they are drinking and/or drugging and choose to continue to do so, and others are out there because of circumstances that they may have contributed to or had no assistance to handle.

A place like the Mustard Seed on Piedmont street is a great place to start giving back to your community! You can drop off gently used, clean, warm clothing, groceries, toiletries, sleeping bags, blankets, pairs of socks, or even offer to prepare and serve a meal to the sometimes more than 100 hungry people who visit daily.

The Mustard Seed is open Monday through Friday, 4 pm – 6 pm.

Other local places to consider: Abby’s House, the Veteran’s Shelter, St. John’s Feeding program, your local senior center, the Boy’s & Girls Club of Worcester, the Friendly House, the Salvation Army, just to name a few.

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SONY DSC

Children at the Friendly House Annual Christmas Party, held this past Sunday at FH, 36 Wall St., met Santa, got a holiday gift, had fun and were treated to entertainment because of the efforts and love of volunteers – and FH Executive Director Gordon Hargrove! Donations of gently used (or new!), warm, clean clothing and blankets are always needed this time of year at the Friendly House!

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SONY DSC

I don’t like to give money to pan handlers, but I do try to always have some granola bars in my car to hand
out. There was one man on a corner I recognized from working at a local food pantry, and I offered him a bar.

He said, “No thanks. I don’t have any teeth.” And then he smiled at me.

I didn’t have have anything else to give him, but he was gracious when I offered something.

I also try to have on hand: a pair of gloves, mittens, hat, scarf this time of year to give out to folks on street corners. I know it might be their attempt to look cold, thus making people
feel more sorry for them, but at least I feel better knowing they have something warm as I drive off.

If you are more into helping animals, as some are, for various reasons, another suggestion is to give to your local animal rescue league/society. They are always in need of used, clean blankets and towels, rolls of paper towels, bleach, cat litter, pet food, etc. You can always call ahead or look on line at their wish lists to find out what they truly are in need of, as things change daily, depending upon what they have or have run out of.

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Help animals who may need food, shelter or a forever home!

I always believe it is best to donate to small local rescues, as they help animals in your area. I don’t like to donateto the places that you see ads for on TV as they are paying for those ads, and those “free” t-shirts or bags
that they are willing to send you for your donation aren’t “free” either.

Something else that people can do this holiday season and throughout the year: Volunteer!!! Pick a passion! Get involved in your community! It may take some time to find the perfect place where you feel like you belong, but there are plenty of places out there
that are in need of regular volunteers.

So with all this said, I would like to wish everyone a very warm, safe, happy and healthy holiday season. All the best in the coming New Year! In this very difficult world that we live in, try to have a little compassion in your heart and empathy for others. Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards All!

At the YWCA … Abby’s House and Our Story Edutainment … Tom Petty … and more!

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Abby’s House and Our Story Edutainment present Love Shouldn’t Hurt

Spoken Word and Lyrics

In Honor and Remembrance of Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence

When: Wednesday, October 19

Where: Worcester Public Library

Time: 7 pm – 8 pm

Please join us for an evening of caring and remembrance as Worcester’s finest
poets and singers Honor victims and Celebrate survivors of Domestic Violence.

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Oct. 20 at Clark University, 950 Main St. …

Tom Petty biographer talks about men’s emotion in rock music

Clark University presents “Men, Masculinities and Emotion in Rock and Roll,” a conversation with Warren Zanes, author of “Petty: the Biography,” and executive director of the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, beginning at 7 p.m., Oct. 20, in the Daniels Theater at Atwood Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Zanes’ book about Petty, released in late 2015, has been hailed as a masterpiece in biography, revealing “an X-ray of the most fragile, most volatile, and most sublime social unit ever invented: the rock-and-roll band. The alliances, the distortions, the deep bruises and the absurd elations that can never be explained to an outsider” (Journalist/author Stephen Dubner).

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Warren Zanes

Zanes, who has taught at several U.S. universities, also was vice president at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His writing subjects range from Jimmy Rogers to Dusty Springfield, to the Willburn Brothers to the History of Warner Bros. Records. Additionally, Zanes made three records with the 1980s rock and roll band the Del Fuegos and three as a solo artist.

Michael Addis, professor in the Department of Psychology at Clark University, organized the talk and will serve as moderator. Addis is director of the Research Group on Men’s Well-Being. He is an expert on men’s help seeking, masculinity, depression and men’s health issues, and is the author of “Invisible Men: Men’s Inner Lives and the Consequences of Silence.”

“Rock and blues music is one of the only places in popular culture where men reveal pure emotional vulnerability, although it’s often hidden in layers of anger and other more hypermasculine ways of expressing pain.” ~ Michael Addis

“Warren Zanes is a true polymath; accomplished musician, author, professor of visual and cultural arts … We are very fortunate, and very excited, to have him visit Clark,” noted Addis.

Addis, a musician himself, described his connection with Zanes: “Over the last ten years I have been using Tom Petty’s music and lyrics regularly in my psychology of men and masculinity and psychology of music classes. When I read Warren’s recent biography on Petty I was so impressed with it that I contacted him immediately and found out not only that he had a connection with Clark (the Del Fuegos were Boston-Based and played at Clark in the ‘80s), but also that he was interested in the psychology of music, and in the issues of silence and invisibility in musician’s lives – something I had written about extensively in my book, ‘Invisible Men.’ ”

The talk is sponsored by the Frances L. Hiatt School of Psychology at Clark University.

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Today! REC FARMERS MARKET AT BEAVER BROOK PARK – ACROSS FROM FOLEY STADIUM, Chandler Street!

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Rose’s roses. pic:R.T.

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MAIN SOUTH! Tomorrow! SATURDAY!

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And …

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FREE FOR ALL SCHOOL TEACHERS! How to implement suicide prevention programs in their schools

We are hosting a few trainings across Massachusetts for middle and high school staff.

The training teaches schools basic suicide prevention knowledge and how to implement and evidence-based suicide prevention program in their school.

The training is free and gives attendees the opportunity to get the program for free.

This is a half-day training appropriate for any school staff or community members who will implement the SOS program or provide gatekeeper training.

Topics include:

· Warning signs, risk factors, and symptoms of depression and suicide in youth

· How to respond to youth at risk

· SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program implementation best practices

· How to talk safely to teens about suicide

· Training adults in your communities and schools to support at-risk youth in seeking help

· Tips on breaking down barriers to youth suicide prevention and action steps

As you may know, Massachusetts passed legislation that encourages school personnel to receive training on suicide prevention.

Staff who attend this training will be prepared to return to their schools and deliver suicide prevention gatekeeper training to all staff.

North Central Massachusetts – October 19 – Gardner

In partnership, the Montachusett Suicide Prevention Taskforce and SMH invite your staff to a training at Heywood Hospital in Gardner.

This training is provided free of charge thanks to the support of Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Western Massachusetts – Date TBD – Location TBD
This training is provided free of charge thanks to the support of Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Southern Massachusetts – Date TBD – Raynham MA
In partnership, Bristol County Suicide Prevention Coalition and SMH invite your staff to a training at the First Congressional Church of Raynham. Date and time TBD.
This training is provided free of charge thanks to the support of the Makayla Fund

To learn more about the trainings, feel free to contact Chelsea Biggs at cbiggs@mentalhealthscreening.org.

Woo happenings …

FROM THE WORCESTER NAACP BRANCH:

Greetings,

Please join us this Monday, February 22 @ the YWCA, Salem Square for our Community/Membership Meeting. 

Stephen Ives, Vice President of External Affairs, Worcester Islamic Center and his guests, will be our speakers for the evening. 

We look forward to learning more about Islam, the Worcester Islamic Center and how we can work together toward the common goal of civil rights and social justice.  

In addition to our speakers, our Committee Chairs will update us on the work they have been doing in the community. 

If you’d like to share information about an upcoming event, bring flyers to share.

Thank You!

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VDAY WORCESTER PROUDLY PRESENTS:
 
THE
VAGINA
MONOLOGUES
 
Saturday, February 27

7:30 PM
 
Girls Inc. of Worcester
125 Providence St., Worcester

Tickets: $10 (+ processing fee online)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-vagina-monologues
 
V-Day is a global activist movement to stop violence against women and children.

“Eve Ensler wants to save the world…and don’t even think of getting in her way.” – The New York Times Magazine
 
VDay Worcester T-shirts and merchandise will be available, as well as a raffle.
 
All proceeds will benefit VDay, Girls Inc. of Worcester and Abby’s House.
 

This weekend be a part of WPI fraternity house T-day food drive! … and Holiday bazaar! …and more fun!

By Elio Daci, WPI student

Each year, Worcester’s Friendly House, along with the Worcester Sheriff’s Department, the WPI Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and other local sponsors, work together to collect food for a Thanksgiving meal program.

This program provides local families with a luxury that they may not otherwise be able to have: a Thanksgiving dinner. Our mission is give these families a chance to spend their Thanksgiving holiday not worrying about putting food on the table.

Last year, the food drive was able to collect almost 193,000 pounds of food, and this year, the group is looking to raise the bar to 200,000.

All of the donations will be distributed by Friendly House to local families in time for the holiday season.

In addition to serving food to families in need, Worcester’s Friendly House also hosts a variety of after school programs for local youth at their facility and continues their work year round to support our Worcester community.

This is everyone’s chance to pitch in on the effort!

Collection bags will be distributed to homes in most Worcester neighborhoods Sunday, November 8, with a WPI collection crew returning on Saturday the 14th to pick them up.

Please take full opportunity to help us work to fight hunger in our Worcester community this holiday season!

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Don’t forget! TOMORROW! 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Holiday happening!

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LATER TODAY at the Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Square

KIDS KNITTING CLASSES! COOL!

Knitting for kids

Go, Parlee, go!!!!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

By Parlee Jones

Peace and Blessings!  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Let’s just jump into an interesting fact and take it from there! “The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women who were murdered by current or ex male partners during that time was 11,766. That’s nearly double the amount of casualties lost during war. “ ~  Huff Post Women 10/8/15
How sad is that.  Men are also victims of Domestic Violence.  The stats say 1 in 10 men and 3 in 10 women are victims. 

For the nine consecutive years, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) has conducted an annual National Census of Domestic Violence Services on September 10, 2014 and releases their analysis of that data in the report: Domestic Violence Counts: A 24-hour Census of Domestic Violence Shelters and Services.  http://nnedv.org/projects/census.html

National Stats:

1,697 out of 1,916 (89%) of the identified DV programs in the US participated.  67,646 survivors were served, 36,608 DV survivors found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing provided by local DV programs.  31,038 adults and children received non-residential assistance and services, including counseling, legal advocacy and children’s support groups.  20,845 hotline calls were answered. 

The National Domestic Violence Hotline staff answered 1,283 calls averaging more than 15 hotline calls every minute. 10,871 requests for services were unmet of which 6,126 were for housing.

Massachusetts Stats:

51 out of 51 (100%) of the identified DV programs in Massachusetts participated.  1,795 survivors were served, 855 (427 children and 428 adults) DV survivors found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing provided by local DV programs.  940 adults and children received non-residential assistance and services, including counseling, legal advocacy and children’s support groups.  610 hotline calls were answered, averaging more than 25 hotline calls every hour. 398 requests for services were unmet of which 271 were for housing.

The reason needs were unmet were due to reduced / cut government and state funding, reduction in donations and cuts from private funding sources.  Also, nationwide 1,392 staff positions were eliminated and in MA 34 staff positions were eliminated.  Mostly direct service staff. 

Massachusetts has 147 Domestic Violence Shelter beds. Central Mass has no more than 15. 

I’m leaving you with stats this year. 

If you know someone in need of services, please contact Daybreak at 508 755 9030 or SafeLink at 877 785 2020.

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EVENTS  

October 21

9 am to 11 am ~ Panel Session, Employers Addressing  Domestic Violence at Worcester Public Library ~ Employers Against Domestic Violence ~ Free

October 22

4 to 6 pm The YWCA will be hosting a Community Training:  DV 101 at the YWCA.  Registration is required.  508 791 3191.

October 27

6 pm to 8 pm “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” Spoken Word and Lyrics in Honor and Remembrance of Survivors and Victims of Domestic Violence.  Worcester Public Library.

October 29

Empty Place at the Table – Displayed at the Worcester Public Library from 10/26 – 10/30

Don’t hesitate to make that phone call if you feel or think that someone is being battered and abused.  You could save a life!
Peace and Blessings!

ICT contributing writer Parlee Jones is a shelter advocate at Abby’s House in Worcester.

Support for students, job opening …

But first … HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!


perfection, from an American master …

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SUCCESS PROGRAM

For the 2015-2016 school year, Bottom Line is recruiting our first class of Success Direct students to enter our Success program in their first year of college!

Now that they are on their way to college, students’ next steps are to graduate, and Bottom Line is here to support by providing free one-on-one college counseling on campus for up to six years.

We’ll help students stay on track academically, find jobs and internships, figure out how to pay their bills and renew financial aid, and serve as a resource to confide in. We work together with our target colleges to connect you to all of the necessary resources on campus to ensure your success.

If students are planning to attend one of our target colleges, please take a moment to apply online at: https://getin.bottomline.org/accessstudentapplication.aspx.

Feel free to also visit our website at www.bottomline.org to learn more about our program. Our dedicated counselors are excited to provide individualized support to students this fall!

We reply to all applicants within a week, so students can benefit from our support as soon as they apply.

Thanks!

bottomline.org
Get In | Graduate | Go Far

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Abby’s House is seeking a part-time Accountant!

Join our organization and support our mission to provide shelter, housing, and advocacy to homeless, battered, and low-income women, with or without children.

Responsibilities include: developing, implementing, and maintaining accounting systems, policies, and procedures; performing a variety of accounting transactions; compiling, analyzing, and reporting accounting data for management and board committees.

To view the job description, please go to www.abbyshouse.org.

Go, Abby’s House, go!!!!

CAM00088

 

Abby’s House women’s apartments and rooms

Affordable housing for women seeking a safe place to live.

52 High St., Worcester

Abby’s House currently has openings for our single-room units and two-bedroom apartments.

Housing vouchers are accepted.

Applications can be picked up at our office located at 52 High St.

… or they can be downloaded from our website at www.abbyshouse.org