CLIENT UPDATE
Dear Supporters, Volunteers and Mentors,
We hope that you and your loved ones are and remain in good health. We know that many of you may be concerned about the health and well-being of the young people living in the Roots & Wings RISE Program as well as FLY Program students.
Please know that all our Roots & Wings clients are doing well and our staff continues to support them through this crisis with increased personal communication, daily discussions, assessments, and referrals as needed.
So many of you have been kind and generous during our time of need. Due to your generosity we’ve been able to provide our clients with Shoprite gift cards to help them obtain needed food and supplies. We’ve also had a large amount of food, supplies, masks, and toiletries dropped off at the office. They have all been distributed to our clients and we are so very grateful to all who have donated to us!
As always, we thank you for your continued concern and support.
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Nine ways to help others during the Coronavirus Pandemic
If there is one common thread among idealists, it’s our deep desire to help and support others, be they family members, members of our community, or fellow humans across the globe. We understand that for most (if not all) of us, the novel coronavirus feels uncertain and scary. But in spite of those feelings, many of us have still been moved to ask, “How can I help?”
Today, we offer you a variety of suggestions for ways to support others. After all, socially distanced as we may be, we’re all in this together.
1. Check on your neighbors
Call or text your neighbors (especially elderly neighbors) to make sure they’re doing okay.
2. Explore ways to connect and volunteer virtually
3. Waste not, want not
For many of us, the first of many mad dashes to the grocery store happened a while back. And if we’re lucky, our pantries, freezers, and fridges are stocked with the necessities (and maybe even a few treats). But as grocery store shelves continue to empty, we can’t keep counting on restocking as usual, and so it’s very important that we use (cook it, eat it, share it, store it) what we have.
4. Give blood
According to a recent
press release from the American Red Cross
, as the novel coronavirus continues to spread, we can expect to see a decrease in those eligible (and willing) to donate blood. Here is what they have to say about the current situation:
“Right now, the American Red Cross encourages healthy, eligible individuals to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment at
redcrossblood.org
to help maintain a sufficient blood supply and avoid any potential shortages. Donating blood is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood.”
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In this issue:
- Nine ways to help others during the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Volunteer Spotlight- Maria Peppard
- Happenings at R&W- R&W welcomes new CEO, Dr. Jessica Guberman
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5. Make a donation
If you have the resources, consider making a donation to your favorite organization. Whether they’re on the front lines of the fight to quell the coronavirus, or their mission is entirely unrelated to the current crisis, your dollars will make a big difference.
6. Be a leader
If you’re in a position of professional authority and you have the decision-making power to allow your team to work from home (and programmatically, your organization can operate virtually), make it happen.
7. Find your local mutual aid network
Think of a mutual aid network as a kind of hyper-local COVID-19 Craigslist where neighbors are able to post their needs—groceries, translation services, pharmacy runs, even cash to make rent—and others can choose to answer the call.
8. Remember those who are still out there on the front lines
Once we're on the other side of this crisis, we're going to have a whole lot of people to thank. Grocery store clerks, domestic workers, nurses and doctors, police officers and fire fighters, the people who work at the laundromat, sanitation workers, delivery people, teachers who taught our kids virtually, and the list goes on.
We may not be able to do much right now, but we can certainly get a head start on finding ways to show our gratitude.
9. Take care of yourself!
Click
here
to read the article in its entirety.
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Volunteer Spotlight - Maria Peppard
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Firmly Rooted in Giving Back
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Giving back is second nature to Maria Peppard. Whether it’s offering her time and talents to various community organizations or her children’s Home School Association, she does so with ease, confidence and dedication.
Having learned the value of helping community at an early age, the desire to volunteer has remained firmly rooted in Maria’s adult and professional life. “My parents instilled a sense of giving back,” she said. “They always were involved in helping others in our community and church.”
Maria became aware of Roots & Wings a few years ago and perhaps it was her own roots that drew her to our mission. “Being adopted I have always felt a personal reason to give back,” she shared.
Last year, she began volunteering with Roots & Wings and became essential in the planning of the Annual Gala, serving on the Silent Auction committee, coordinating auction items and baskets, soliciting ticket sales and reaching out numerous businesses who would be eager to support the organization’s mission.
“I can only hope my volunteer efforts would make each young adult in the Rise and Fly program know that others are there to help support them in moving forward in their lives,” Maria said. “The importance of all the necessary support each young adult requires to succeed can only give them the confidence and stability they need and deserve.”
When Maria isn’t volunteering with Roots & Wings, she enjoys
spending time with her family, which includes her four young grandsons, cooking, attending book group meetings, and entertaining.
Roots & Wings welcomes Maria’s “whatever needs to be done” attitude and we’re fortunate to have her in our community.
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ROOTS & WINGS WELCOMES NEW CEO, DR. JESSICA GUBERMAN
Roots & Wings (R&W), a nonprofit founded in 1999 to support young adults who have aged out of the foster care system in New Jersey, has appointed a new
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jessica Guberman
to lead the organization. Dr. Guberman joins Roots & Wings with over twenty years of nonprofit experience working with a myriad of vulnerable populations, including at-risk youth.
Click
here
to read the full press release.
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Creating art and business plans
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Talented artist and R&W client, Jazmyne, recently shared a few pieces of her artwork. She has been drawing for a number of years and finds comfort in illustrating an array of various subjects. Currently, Jazmyne is working on developing a website for her business, Elwyse, where she can display her artwork on a larger scale and offer customized prints.
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Thank you for your continued support of Roots and Wings. It is greatly appreciated!
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