Great Strides - June 2020

Hope is hiding While we sit in isolation Hope shows as a falsehood

On the faces of the defiant younger generation Hope is in the souls of the children out of school And their parents who are now homeschooling them We all look for hope in the government and scientists

The more Covid19 spreads The more drastic measures taken The more we all need hope In the face of all of this Hope is always a human condition

That never truly deserts us Even when it seems all is lost.

Poem Written by Mending Art Artist- Robin L. Artwork by IC member Jennifer F.

Connecticut Food Bank is committed to providing nutritious food to people in need. The current situation with COVID-19 is challenging for many organizations and the Food Bank is working to keep their food distribution safe and active.

Mobile Pantry Schedule: http://www.ctfoodbank.org/ get-help/connecticut-foodbanks-mobile-pantryschedule/

Call a Friend!

Call a warm line: https:// portal.ct.gov/DMHAS/ Programs-and-Services/ Advocacy/Warm-Lines JoinRiseBe Statewide Young Adult Warmline Initiative: 1-855-6HOPENOW 12-9pm daily Advocacy Unlimited Phone Based Peer Support: (888) 770-4478 M-F 9am-5pm Call SAMHSA’s free 24-hour Disas-ter Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990, if you feel lonely or need sup-port.

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We know that this has been a difficult and challenging time for everyone. All of us at the IC want you to know that we miss you and that we can’t wait until we can see each other face to face. While the state begins the process of re -opening, it is vital that we continue to practice every possible measure to keep you safe. This means that it will be a bit longer before we can open our doors to have inhouse services. Staying the course will allow us to monitor cases of COVID-19 and ensure that when we see each other again, we are able to provide you with the safest environment possible. In the meantime we will continue with remote services and daily calls.

If you haven’t heard from us, we probably don’t have your current information. If you would like to reach IC staff, phone numbers are as follows: Deborah Holcomb: 203-814-1840 / Derrick White: 203-814-1919 Jessica McDermott: 203-864-4878 / Trista Genova: 203-864-9552 Remember that you can also call the main number at the IC (203-756-5772) for staff phone numbers and important updates.

Until we can see each other again, we want to remind everyone to do your best to stay safe. Wear a mask when you go out, stay at least 6 feet apart from others and wash your hands. Please be mindful that while the state is loosening restrictions it does not mean that things are going to back to how they used to be or that COVID19 is still not a threat to our health. Let’s all do our part to be well and keep our community safe!

While the IC building may be closed, facilities staff have been hard at work to take this opportunity to do some much needed improvements. The wood floors have been sanded and refinished, backsplash has been added behind the kitchen sink and trim and doors have been painted. We are also working on repairing the ramp and have done a deep cleaning of the building. Thanks to Jose M. and Jose V. for all of their hard work to make the IC fabulous!

During this time of change and uncertainty, there have been many people trying to take advantage of others and prey upon them through scams. A good rule of thumb is to never give out your personal information including things like your social security number, your bank account information, your debit/credit card numbers etc. If you receive a phone call, text or email asking for this information, take heed. It is most likely someone trying to scam you. Another tip is to never click on links without looking into them first. Scammers use links to get into your device and steal your information or install malware. Below are a couple of scams that are happening right now that you need to be cautious of:

Stimulus Payment Scam: There are many scams going on around the stimulus payments. Please take note that the IRS will not contact you by phone, text, email or social media with information about your stimulus payment. The IRS will never ask you for personal information like your social security number, bank account number, debit/credit card information etc. You do not need to pay anyone to receive your stimulus payment and lastly, the IRS will not tell you to deposit your check and then send them back money because they overpaid you.

COVID Contact Tracing Scam: COVID contact tracing is the process of identifying people who have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, instructing them to quarantine and to monitor their symptoms daily. While this is a legitimate and important process to helping stop the spread of COVID-19, here are a few things to remember. You may be contacted through a text message, but this message will tell you to expect a phone call from a certain number. You will never be asked your personal information and you will not be asked to click on any links. If you receive a text that has a link - DO NOT take the bait. It is most likely a scam that will put you and your device at risk.

If you receive any communications that you are uncertain about, staff at the IC are here to help. Give us a call and we will help you investigate. Remember it’s better to be safe than sorry!

The IC is adding to our list of daily workshops. This June we hope that you will join us every Thursday at 10:00am for our writing workshop. Staff will lead a guided writing exercise that will get your creative juices flowing and will give you the opportunity to explore new ways of expressing yourself while learning more about yourself, your peers and staff. Remember that we hold different offerings daily so call the main line at the IC (203-756-5772) after 8:30 am to get the information for each day’s workshop/group. We have had a great time these past few weeks connecting with each other, learning new information, being creative and having fun!

Mondays (6:30-8:30pm) Women’s Group Online: https://zoom.us/ j/808331737 Dial In: 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 808 331 737 Tuesdays Yoga @10am facebook.com/toivocenter Qi Gong @ 6-7pm facebook.com/toivocenter Wednesdays (3:30-4:30pm) Alternatives to Suicide https://zoom.us/j/793918997 Dial In: 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 793 918 997

Thursdays (10-11am) Yoga facebook.com/toivocenter/ Fridays (12-1pm) Meditative Coloring facebook.com/toivocenter/ Saturdays (9:30-11:30am) Qi Gong and Tea https://zoom.us/j/735219697 Dial In: 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 735 219 697 Sundays Men’s Group (6-8pm, biweekly) https://zoom.us/j/809960273 Dial In: 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 809 960 273

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Disclaimer: Articles which show “submitted by” are not written by an IC member.

They are articles that our members came across, were inspired by, and brought in to the Center to inspire and encourage other members.

Often the authors of these articles are unknown. The opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Independence Center’s members, the staff, or the Editor.

As presented in the last newsletter, the IC has been providing food deliveries to our members on a weekly basis. Since the implementation of this service 5 weeks ago, the IC has prepared over 1600 meals for our members. Due to the hard work and efforts of the IC team and Suzi Craig (MHC’s Chief Strategy Officer), we received a grant from the United Way of Greater Waterbury and the Connecticut Community Foundation to support us with keeping this amazing program going.

The IC was also featured on News Channel 3 WFSB “Everyday Heroes” segment.

To view the interview, follow this link: https://www.wfsb.com/everyday-heroesmental-health-connecticut/video_e078f6ff-da99-55cb-97f5-37fd4575a66f.html. A big thank you to all the staff at the IC, IC member Joseph C. and Suzi Craig for participating in the news piece and getting the word out about MHC and the IC!