May 2020
Monthly News and Updates
Community Needs Assessment: We want to hear from you!
Join us on June 9th for a virtual community convening. Tell us your ideas regarding community priorities such as health, children’s success in school, and youth achieving their full potential. What do you think are some of the factors that contribute to a healthy and successful community?

Click here to register today.


 



Public Health: Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness month! Each year millions of Americans live with a mental health disorder that impacts their lives and daily routines. The current pandemic and recommendations of physical distancing and sheltering in place to reduce community spread of COVID-19 have resulted in increased levels of stress, exacerbating underlying mental health conditions.

Mental health disorders can feel isolating, and many individuals resort to misusing or abusing substances such as alcohol and/or prescription drugs as a coping mechanism. It is important to know that there are supports and resources readily available to aid individuals with mental illnesses and their families during this time.

Click here for information on mental health awareness and available resources from the National Association on Mental Illness’ (NAMI) website or click here for resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

We are in this together!

 
Tiffany Ward & Elijah Wheeler
The Sound of Collaboration Podcast
In this special "Quarantine" edition of The Sound of Collaboration, our guest Tiffany Ward, Montgomery County's new and first Chief Equity Officer, shares an overview of her story and what drives her in this work. 

Click here to hear the full podcast.
MoCo Reconnect
Our Catalyst of Change youth fellows continued their leadership program virtually. Each young person enthusiastically participated in every session, with a closing ceremony on May 2nd, where the fellows presented their final projects upon graduation. 

Click here to see a video recap of the Catalyst of Change program.

 


Catalyst of Change youth fellows

Excel Beyond the Bell
The Out of School Time programming department has been happy to support efforts to continue to reach youth and families with vital enrichment experiences and activities through the  www.excelbeyondthebell.org website. 
 
This month, we have expanded our outreach efforts to speak to the broader youth-serving organizations community in Montgomery County. We partnered with Non-Profit Montgomery to promote the work that youth service providers are offering to support youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, how programs have been affected, as well as share what supports for organizations are available through the Collaboration Council . Click here to view Non-Profit Montgomery's COVID-19 informational meeting that focused on the youth serving sector.

We will continue to advocate for and support the efforts of those in service to children, youth, and families, especially during these challenging times.