Your monthly update on resources and events to support the well-being of people in your congregation and community.
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Now, more than ever, our call to love and do justice takes on even more urgency
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Advocate Aurora Health’s Faith and Health Partnership program is guided by the teachings of our faith and by the science that tell us we thrive only when we love and care for each other--as individuals, as communities, as a nation, as a planet. Loving relationships create health and well-being. It's as simple and as complicated at that.
Racism is inbred in our culture. Now, more than ever, our call to love and do justice takes on even more urgency. We are in a time right now where the manifestations of racism are being lifted up in the disparities in COVID-19 rates and in the protest against the unconscionable murders of innocent people at the hands of the police. The terror of racism gets into the bodies of babies who are born too early or die before their first birthday and of their mothers who die delivering them. It is evidenced in preventable and inequitable rates of chronic disease, cancer, depression and anxiety and high blood pressure. How we treat each other is at the heart of health. When we institutionalize treatment that harms, it literally gets under people’s skin. And when we institutionalize just economic opportunity, caring, respect and equity, that gets under people’s skin, too. Love works.
From a health care perspective, we must name and denounce racism while also naming and proclaiming the power of love, of Spirit and Source, and of moral imagination to heal and transform. Faith communities have a critical role to play in supporting the well-being of people as they draw on the wisdom and imperatives of their spiritual traditions to work for justice and to institutionalize right relationships. We appreciate your leadership as we work together to build loving communities in which all people can be healthy.
We invite you to join an online conversation on the theme of Crisis and Opportunity: What are We Called to Do? on Thursday, June 18, from 9:00-11:00 a.m., hosted by the Chicagoland Trauma Informed Congregations Network, which Advocate helps to convene. We will offer space for spiritual grounding, lament, conversation, self-reflection, and preparation for action.
Register here for the Zoom link.
Rev. Kirsten Peachey
Director, Faith and Health Partnerships, Mission and Spiritual Care
Co-Director, The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation
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COVID-19 Community Testing
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Advocate Aurora Health will open community testing sites over the coming days and weeks for anyone with at least one COVID-19 symptom, regardless of ability to pay.
We know that the more people we can test, the more effective we can be in helping to stem the spread of the virus.
We will share details on testing sites as plans are finalized.
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Advocate Aurora Health Safe Care Promise
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Your health and safety is our highest priority. We want you to feel confident that you will be safe when you enter an Advocate Aurora Health site of care. The Advocate Aurora Safe Care promise provides additional measures to protect you and our team members.
Measures include virtual check-in, screening of those who enter, enhanced cleaning and more. See Safe Care Promise
video and flyers in
English and
Spanish.
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Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Creates Pilot Program to Identify, Support Victims of Human Trafficking
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A few years ago, Karen Stanford, manager of the emergency department at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, learned how important it is to recognize and help victims of human trafficking. In a conversation with her children, her daughter — then 12 — casually mentioned that someone had approached her.
Read more
.
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Part of the newly trained ER team at
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
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Love is Alive in Avondale and Beyond
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Ivette Menendez and Nilda Garcia have seen firsthand how acts of love can transform a community.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ivette, Community Connector with Advocate Health Care, and Nilda, Faith Community Nurse with Advocate, have been overwhelmed by the generosity and love shown by residents of Avondale, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin and other nearby communities in Chicago.
Donations of food, baby items, diapers, socks, clothing – and more – have helped those experiencing financial burden, food insecurity and other instabilities due to the pandemic.
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Nilda Garcia, Advocate
Aurora Health Faith Community Nurse, helps cheer up the Avondale community with balloons.
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Volunteers spend the day packing food that will go to the Avondale, Logan Square and Humboldt Park communities.
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"Take What You Want. Leave What You Can." Neighbors support one another by offering canned goods and other staples.
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Children from the community recently got involved in the Community Dinners program, a meal program for those experiencing homelessness, by decorating bags for clients and filling them with socks, masks and toiletries.
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June is National Safety Month
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June is National Safety Month, a time set aside to focus on saving lives and preventing injuries, from the workplace to anyplace, including houses of worship.
Share this National Safety Month bulletin insert and worship slide with your faith community:
See additional resources from the National Safety Council:
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Reopening Guidance for Faith Communities
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Centers for Disease Control resources:
Humanitarian Disaster Institute resources:
In addition, we have compiled a variety of resources that we hope will be helpful as you plan to welcome congregants back and resume your faith community programming and activities.
See "Safely Opening Our Doors" here.
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The Latest COVID-19 Resources
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Web Resources
The spread of COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation. Continue to check the
CDC website for up-to-date information and guidance.
Hotline and App
The COVID-19 hotline at
1-866-4-HEALTH is staffed by clinicians who can answer questions about symptoms and determine the next steps in care.
he
LiveWell app offers virtual appointments and virtual visits with physicians 24-hours a day.
Flyers to Share
E-Newsletters to Share
A
COVID-19 resource in Spanish that shares important tips to stay safe, flyers you can share with your community, links to the Advocate Aurora Health COVID-19 Resource Center and more.
Worship Slides
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June 5, noon-2:00 p.m.
June 10, 10:30 a.m.
Talking about suicide can be difficult, but not talking about it can be deadly. This webinar will help you identify language that invites authentic discussion about suicide prevention, attempts and recovery, recognize vulnerability to suicide, be proactive and responsive to self and others, and acquire and share resources for prevention and recovery.
June 17, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Experts will discuss the challenges of caregiving during the pandemic and shed light on community-level efforts from faith organizations to connect family caregivers with essential tools and guidance.
Wednesdays, through June 24, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
This group will enlighten us to understand the various stages of grief, address the question, "Why?" when there seems to be no answers, understand the pain linked to sudden unexpected loss and create a safe place for everyone to express thoughts, feelings and concerns.
Tuesdays from 8:30-9:00 a.m.
Thursdays from 6:00-6:30 p.m.
Release your burdens, receive comfort and join with others in prayer for health, healing and spiritual care.
Saturdays through June 27, at 10:30 a.m.
The American Heart Association
EmPOWERED and Well Virtual Faith Community
is designed to support the mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being of faith communities everywhere during the COVID-19 pandemic. Register for the webinars
here
.
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Health and Wellness Resources
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Mental Health & Substance Abuse Resources
Health & Wellness Resources
Additional Health & Wellness Resources
Up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable, and many of the risk factors are controllable. Take Advocate Aurora Health’s online
Stroke Risk Assessment
to estimate your chance of experiencing one and learn about the ways you could minimize it.
Learn more about the
Healthy HotSpot Initiative
,
led by the Cook County Department of Public Health in collaboration with many partners to build healthy places in suburban Cook County.
To get daily articles on a host of health topics that come to you via email, subscribe to our
Health eNews service
.
All Advocate Aurora Hospitals offer classes on health topics. See
Illinois classes or events
. Select a Hospital/Medical Center and click on search to see what is being offered in your area.
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Course and Certificate Opportunities
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- North Park Seminary Certificate in Faith and Health
- Wesley Theological Seminary's Heal the Sick Program - online Health Minister Certificate Program
- Clinical Pastoral Education
See details about these course and certificate opportunities
here.
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June Holidays and Observances
7: Pentecost - Orthodox Christian
7: Trinity Sunday - Christian
11: Corpus Christi - Catholic Christian
14: All Saints - Orthodox Christian
15: Saint Vladimir Day - Christian
16: Guru Arjan martyrdom - Sikh
19: Sacred Heart of Jesus - Catholic Christian
19: New Church Day - Swedenborgian Christian
21: Summer Solstice
21: First Nations Day - Canadian Native People
23: Puri Rath Yatra - Hindu
29: Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul - Christian
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We Want to Hear From You!
We hope you find this update helpful as you promote the health of your members and community.
Please contact
Cindy Novak
if you have topics you'd like us to address or if you have questions or concerns.
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Faith and Health Partnerships | AdvocateAuroraHealth
Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved.
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