OUR FINAL COMMUNITY NETWORK DINNER – GIDEON’S GARDEN
Reflecting the changing season and the bounty of harvest, our final dinner included fall vegetables and roast turkey and gravy. The greatest nourishment came from what was said by all the people who work at Gideon’s Garden. From the Youth and Adult supervisor to the youngest members of the field crew, each spoke with pride about the work done on behalf of others. “I love to see the smiles on the faces of the people at the pantry when we bring the food.”
Thank you to the Guthrie Center for partnering with us in these dinners.
The third dinner, on Sept. 13, featured speakers from Senior Groups and included nutrition and cooking education.
FOCUS ON HISPANIC/IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY
The Community Network Dinner which took place on Sunday, August 17 at the Guthrie Center focused on the Hispanic/immigrant community. The delicious dinner was cooked by volunteers connected with the local Hispanic community. As the evening unfolded we had the chance to hear from a number of members of MulticulturalBRIDGE and individuals who work for greater understanding of this diverse community. A lot of information was exchanged, questions posed and answered, but most of all, attendees felt that a true connection was made that could lead to collaborative projects in the future.
FOCUS ON YOUTH
This first Community Network Dinner focused on the youth of our community. Speakers from Railroad Street Youth Project and Nancy Race, CPR Instructor of Fairview Hospital explained programs offered in our area. Questions and discussions helped us understand what else we can do to help our youth feel accepted and empowered. For instance “Say hi” when you meet on the street. There are very important opportunities to volunteer at the RSYP also. Alex Lenski, Mentoring Coordinator, spoke about the importance of the Mentoring Program, which includes training. Thank you also to Ananda Timpane, Executive Director, Luisa Leija,Deputy Director, and Luiza Trubka, Youth Operational Board (YOB) and Drop-In Coordinator for attending and speaking with us.
The dinner was attended by members of Grace Church, local youth, and members of St. Paul’s Stockbridge and Christ Trinity, Sheffield.
Become a Mentor: RSYP runs a one-to-one, personal development mentoring program to match the interests of youth to mentors in the community.