proviso

Proviso East Calm Room

Liz, our Program Assistant at TFD, visited Proviso East High School’s Calm Room to put together an activity for the students. Loyola Medicine designed the Calm Room for students to visit during lunchtime as an alternative. Here, students can have an intentionally safe place.

This week, Liz brought painting supplies designed by Dana of I Paint on Purpose for the students to get creative!

Self Esteem in Clay

This week, we held an art therapy workshop with Yekseny Guerrero of Leyden Family Services. The session focused on how we can build esteem by amplifying our creativity. TFD and Yekseny believe that everyone is a creative in their own unique way! Our Proviso neighbors showed up and did just that. The clay was intentionally placed out with colors and tools to help the participants make something they believed represented them but as a vessel to remind them of their own self-confidence.

Thank you Yekseny for leading an amazing workshop! We are so grateful to those who participated. Join us for another art therapy with Yekseny November 6th from 6:30PM to 8PM where participants will create Identity Collages!

Proviso West Mental Health Kit Giveaway

The TFD Team visited Proviso West High School to give away more mental health kits! This was our second giveaway for the fall semester. We are so excited to give away kits to new and returning students. Overall, we gave away 107 kits to Proviso West students. Our running number is 2,290 kits given away to Proviso students!

Black and Brown Solidarity | Creative Dreaming

We recently received a grant from Healing Illinois that allows us to create programming to amplify black and brown voices. Specifically, we are working toward how can we bridge this gap in our community. Through storytelling, creativity, and trust, we plan on working as a community to bring more light to Maywood and Proviso. Our young adults were passionate and well-spoken about the issues they face in Proviso. We held this session for out youth to use creativity and tying in the topics of black and brown experiences.

Thanks to the youth who came out today! If you know any one interested, our next dreaming session is February 21st, 6:30 Pm to 8:00. Participants must identify as a black or brown ethnicity and come from Proviso schools. Email maya@thefirehousedream.org for more info!

Boundaries at PMSA Mental Health Club

This week, Remona of Inellas Restoration Center led the PMSA Mental Health Club through a boundaries workshop. The students did an exercise were they stood up every time they agreed or disagreed with a prompt. The purpose was to show the students how boundaries are based on personal perspective and we should respect others. It is important to build that mutual respect so their is room for understanding when someone’s boundaries may differ from another.

Additionally, WGN News was following Inellas Restoration Center for the day, so the students and TFD will be featured along with Inellas! We are so excited for Remona and this oppurtunity!