We are so excited to have handed out Mental Health Kits at Proviso East’s health fair last week! Overall, we gave away 321 kits at this Health Fair. Additionally, it was great to see our community partners and meet new ones! This event is impactful for students and community organizations as well. Thank you to Loyola’s School-Based Health Center for inviting us!
Liz and Benjamin led another great community circle on Wednesday. This session, community members wrote some words that resonated with them for safety and belonging. They also wrote one word they are hoping to implement into their life this year. Then, each person put their cards into the circle to symbolize connectedness.
The next community circle will be Wednesday, April 16th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. We hope you can make it!
Jessica and Benjamin led another great community circle on Wednesday. Although we had to reschedule, we are so grateful our community was able to show up! This session continued to build relationships and trust from the previous session. Community members bring their centerpiece items that represent an important moment or memory. Then, the centerpieces were then added to the middle with Jessica and Benjamin’s pieces.
The next community circle will be Wednesday, March 12th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. We hope you can make it!
Liz, our Program Assistant at The Firehouse Dream, is at Proviso East’s Calm Room every Friday for the remainder of the 24/25 school year. Last Friday, Liz took some diamond painting canvas to the students at Proviso East. The students are invited for their lunch period to come get creative with their peers. There is still time to visit the Calm Room every Friday for the rest of the semester.
Last night, we hosted our first Community Circle at TFD! Last year, the team and some community members were trained in facilitating healing circles with Andrew from We Each Belong. A community healing circle is inspired by indigenous practices to promote health relationships as well as solve any tensions within a group of individuals.
Community Circles will be held once a month to build relationships with our neighbors. Join Jessica and Benjamin for fun games and meaningful conversation on Wednesday night (February 12th, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM) for the next circle. Thank you to our participants in taking this first step with us to continue inviting healing within our communities.
