The Coalition News: 
Issue 14
OCTOBER 2017
October is Prevention Month
October is  National Substance Use Disorder Prevention Month.
For the past three years, the Charlestown Coalition has partnered with the  Clarence D. Edwards Middle School,  the  Harvard-Kent School,  and the  Warren-Prescott School  to host a series of educational and preventative activities for students.

This year several speakers shared their experience, strength, and hope with our Charlestown youth at the Clarence R. Edwards Middle School. We'd like to give a special thank you to Keithy LaPorta, Andi Macone, Mark Calandrello and Nicole Matson for their inspirational stories. We are grateful to the school for sharing their space and hosting another successful Prevention Month Assembly. 


When we surveyed the students, over 90% of the student population voted in favor of continuing the Prevention Month Assembly. Your voice has been heard Edwards Middle School students and we will see you again next year!

Students were also offered an opportunity to participate in an ongoing treatment group run by Maureen McGlame which had an overwhelmingly positive response.


HUBWeek Presents: Recovery through Art
MGH participated in HUBWEEK,a weeklong festival that brings together the most creative and inventive minds making an impact in art, science and technology. 

On October 13th at City Hall Plaza, MGH presented 'Containing Addiction: Painting, rapping and writing toward recovery,' an immersive art demonstration designed to create a community portrait of addiction and recovery in Boston. 

Community members, those actively using, those in recovery, family members, friends, clinicians and people wanting to add their own expression of trauma, loss, resiliency and hopefulness were invited to add to a community canvas. Participants were also invited to share and record their stories with MGH's Dr. Annie Brewster for her Health Story Collaborative Project.
Two of our youth were interviewed during the Recovery through Art HUBWeek session.

Here are some photos of our youth creating expression through art. 


For more  photos, click on the social media icons below.
Voices of Recovery
Robert Spagnuolo
Robert "Spags" Spagnuolo recently completed drug court and shared his struggles and successes with Ginaya during a brief interview.



Shannon's Story

Charlestown Coalition Community Outreach Coordinator,
Shannon Lundin,  was recently highlighted as a speaker for 
National Recovery Month by Harvard Medical School. Read Shannon's full bio here.

Shannon recently celebrated 13 years of sobriety.

National Recovery Month - Shannon's Story
National Recovery Month - Shannon's Story

 
 
Turn it Around : Youth of the Month
Bernie Gonzales  

Bernie Gonzales
has been chosen as our October Turn It Around
Youth of the Month. 
He brings a great sense of humor to the group, and it has been a blast having him. He is kind, funny, easy-going, smart, and always helps out. It has been a pleasure getting to know Bernie over the past month.

-Ginaya Greene Murray



Advice to my Middle School Self
Photo Contest


And the winners are:

1st place: Laneigh Lundin-Monaco


2nd place: Casey Maloy


3rd place: Yessica Taurez

 
Thank you to everyone who voted!
Please visit our Facebook page 
to view all of the submissions.
 
32nd Annual Halloween Parade
  featuring Turn It Around
Check out our photos from the 32 Annual Halloween Parade festivities in Charlestown. We were able to give out resource information and, of course, candy! And we had our very own  professional  photographer, Ginaya, fund-raise for Turn It Around by taking 5x7 photos and printing them on the spot for anyone who wanted one!




Thanks to all those who donated to our youth group Turn It Around Charlestown. Our ability to provide positive opportunities to the youth of Charlestown would not be possible without your support.

Rosie's Place Charlestown Court Information
Rosie's Place is a community center for poor and homeless women.  On two Tuesdays a month, they will provide services at the Charlestown Division of the Boston Municipal Court. 

For more information about Rosie's Place programming, contact Court Collaborative Manager Nina Sennott at 617-530-0160 or at  [email protected]

Get Connected, Stay Informed
 
To learn about our programs, our staff, community partners, resources, upcoming events, Turn It Around, and more, click the button below:

 


Charlestown Coalition, MGH Center for Community Health Improvement  | 617-726-0059|  [email protected]
| www.charlestowncoalition.org
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