Village Voices Network members' voices bring good news and share highlights from around our community.

January National Mentoring Month Mentor Spotlight: Jenny Weaver (Boston Breastfeeding Coalition) In honor of National Mentoring Month, we're spotlighting our beloved Breastfeeding Coalition mentor, Jenny Weaver, who received the Excellence in Mentoring Award in recognition of her dedication to not only supporting moms and babies in the community, but also guiding and lifting up our Breastfeeding Scholars. Thank you, Jenny, for your committed mentorship! Check out this interview with Jenny about her journey and work with Vital Village!

Beyond Trauma-Informed Care Is a Healing-Centered, Culturally Rooted Approach Boston Medical Center Health City   recently featured an interview with  Héctor Sánchez-Flores , the executive director of the   National Compadres Network and a leading voice in the space of historical trauma and culturally-rooted healing. Reflecting back on one of many highlights of 2019, it was a great honor for Vital Village to have Héctor as our lunch keynote speaker at the  National Community Leadership Summit . Read full blog by Lauren Padilla at BMC Health City  here .

Mental Health Workgroup: Planning for May Mental Health Month 2020 and Beyond! Interested in expanding and aligning efforts to promote social-emotional and mental wellness in children and families? Join us as we build upon past May Mental Health Awareness efforts and explore how social-emotional and mental health awareness efforts can be further incorporated across the Vital Village Network.  If you are interested in receiving communications and updates on ways to get involved, please complete this form !

Co-Host a Network Connection Meeting with Us in 2020! Network Connection Meetings are co-hosted, co-lead, and co-designed with network partners to maximize the diverse expertise and wisdom within the network when creating spaces of shared learning and collaboration. If you are interested in being a co-host in 2020, email our Network Coordinator, Yusuf Ali at yusuf.ali@bmc.org .

Network Events Connect with Vital Village Network at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more .

NOTE : Securing Equity in MA State Education Funding with Senator Chang-Diaz (January 13) has been postponed. Stay tuned for updates!

January Network Connection Meeting: 2020 Visioning Night January 30, 5:30-8pm @ Boston Medical Center FGH Building (820 Harrison Ave) Join Vital Village Network as we plan for 2020 and the decade going forward. How do we want to start off this decade to set ourselves up for success? Calling all Community Members and Community Champions to take part in planning and leading Vital Village Visioning 2020. Dinner and childcare provided. Parking validated at 710 Albany St Garage. Click here to RSVP! 

Nominate Your Unsung Hero by January 17th Deadline extended for Unsung Hero Nominations! An unsung hero is an individual who extends themselves beyond expectation in their community or organization as a leader in maximizing child health and well-being. We will assemble a committee to review each nomination and celebrate the chosen recipient with the network during our Visioning Night on January 30 (see above!). Nominate someone here!

Social Justice Mediation Program Action Lab January 21, 6pm-8pm @ Location TBD Join the Social Justice Mediation Program (SJMP) community for our first Bi-Monthly Action Lab! These gatherings will be a space for all community members to expand your knowledge and skills related to social justice mediation, conflict resolution, communication and beyond. RSVP to attend today! We also invite you to email vvnmediators@gmail.com if you’re interested in collaborating with SJMP for a future Action Lab.

Breastfeeding Coalition Meeting: Reflections and Visions January 23, 12-2pm @ 85 E Concord St, Boston Join the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition for our first Coalition Meeting of 2020! We will be reflecting on successes and trials in 2019 and envisioning goals and strategies for the new year. Click here to RSVP! Breastfeeding Scholar Support Night January 28, 6pm-8pm @ Frugal Bookstore (57 Warren St) Guided by peer counselors and IBCLC's we will be discussing arrange of topics related to lactation management, engaging in case-study based learning, and learning about professional development for lactation counselors. Click here to RSVP!

Breastfeeding Peer Support Training - Apply by February 5! February 26-28, 9am-3pm @ Great Hall at Codman Sq Health Center (6 Norfolk St) Are you interested in learning the skills to support families in your community? Applications are now open for the 2020 Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) Training to become a breastfeeding peer counselor! During the training, you will learn the essentials for providing peer counseling in lactation management and facilitating breastfeeding support groups. Please fill out this application form by February 5. For more information, click here or email catherine.luo@bmc.org with questions.

Community Events Join Vital Village Network partners and other community organizations at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more.

January 11: Breakfast IV Brothers Every 2nd Saturday, 8:30-11am @ Kroc Center (650 Dudley St) BREAKFAST IV BROTHERS is a safe space for brothers to converge & promote their collective experiences. A platform for mentoring, sharing, and growing with one another. Our goal is to create a consistent platform that promotes cross-generational dialogue. Held every 2nd Saturday of the month. January 14: Boston Teachers Union Inclusion Done Right Strategy Meeting 4:30-6:30pm @ BTU Hall (180 Mount Vernon St, Dorchester) Calling all educators and families! Join Boston Teachers Union (BTU) in the fight for fully supported classrooms and students. Learn m ore about BTU’s campaign for inclusion and check out their Inclusion Tracker too l. Click here to RSVP and request childcare and translation services! January 18: Community Self-Care Day 11am-3pm @ Lilla G Frederick Pilot Middle School (270 Columbia Rd)   Join us for a day of rejuvenation after the busy holiday season. Everything is FREE! There will be: manicures, yoga, meditation, facials, local & city resources, food, and salsa! For more information, contact GHSSelfCareDay@gmail.com .

January 20: Freedom House MLK Day of Service 9am-2pm @ Freedom House (5 Crawford St, Dorchester) In partnership with the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship and City and Community Affairs at Northeastern, Freedom House will engage students, the community, and partners through thought-provoking panel discussions and engaging workshops. The day is focused on four documentary topics our Freedom House students produced over the summer: immigration, mental health, education, and violence/community safety. Click the image the the left to view flyer and click here to RSVP! 

January 23: 14th Annual Youth Mentoring Day 10am-3pm @ Massachusetts State House (24 Beacon St) Youth Mentoring Day is a unique opportunity to convene legislators, youth-serving programs, and young people at the State House to highlight and celebrate the importance of mentoring relationships. Join the Mass Mentoring Partnership to learn how investing in youth can help students succeed while strengthening our communities.  Click here for more information and to RSVP! January 25: It's A Family Affair Book Cl ub 2-4pm @ Frugal Bookstore (57 Warren St) Stop by Frugal Bookstore for this monthly intergenerational book club discussing classic and contemporary African American children literature! Parents, grandparents, and children are warmly welcomed and encouraged to attend. After all, it's a family affair! This month's book is March by John Lewis. Check out the Frugal Bookstore calendar for more book club meetings in the community! January 29: No Small Matter Screening and Panel Discussion 7pm @ Coolidge Corner Theatre (290 Harvard St, Brookline) This documentary explores the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for change in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families, and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country. View the trailer here! February 13: Our Shared Work: Lifting up Democracy from Grassroots to Grass Tops 9:30am-12pm @ UMass Boston Campus Center (100 William T Morrissey Blvd, Boston) The fireside chat with UMass Boston Faculty and Community Leaders will be an opportunity to deepen the dialogue about community based partnerships, the role of the university in the greater community and how we can engage in lifting up our democracy with integral partners. Click here to learn more and RSVP! May 21: Early Childhood Mental Health Matters! EXTRAVAGANZA Save the date for ECMH Matters! EXTRAVAGANZA, celebrating young children's social emotional well-being and mental health across the state of Massachusetts. Help inform the planning process by completing this short survey! Check out more community events on our Website  and Facebook

Opportunities Check out job, volunteer, and grant opportunities available in our community.

JOBS & INTERNSHIPS: JOB: ABCD Teen Employment Info Session   January 14, 4-5pm @ Mattapan Public Library (1350 Blue Hill Ave, Mattapan) Need info about jobs for teens in the Boston area? Come talk to Zoe from ABCD in the Mattapan teen room! Follow the event page for updates and details. JOB: Medical-Legal Partnership Boston - Full-Time Partnership Manager Apply by January 21 Medical-Legal Partnership Boston is hiring a full-time Partnership Manager . Primary responsibilities include: legal problem-solving technical assistance to workforce colleagues; Quality Assurance and Improvement; Training/Interprofessional Education Logistics Coordination; and General Organizational Support. Click here for more details and click here to apply ! JOB: 2020 Census Team Job Fair January 23, 5-8pm @ Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center (123 Antwerp St, Allston) Temporary positions are available to assist with the 2020 Census count. Census results are used to determine your representation in Congress, and they help inform how billions of dollars are distributed for hospitals, schools, roads, and more. Help ensure that everyone in your community is counted in the 2020 Census. Check out the job fair flyer and click here to learn more about roles and apply! INTERNSHIP: 7th Annual Boston Design Week Marketing and PR Internship Apply by January 30 Fusco & Four is a full-service Marketing, Public Relations and Social Media Agency. They are offering stipended internships for individuals to develop special events, public relations, and marketing skills and gain experience with an agency specializing in the arts. Selected applicants for the Winter to Spring Internship will work directly on the 7th Annual Boston Design Week , a 12-day festival with more than 80 design events. Click here for more information and apply by January 30!

VOLUNTEERING: VOLUNTEER: MLK Weekend of Service with Fields Corner Main Street January 18-20 @ Fields Corner Main Street (1444 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester) Join Fields Corner Main Street for a day as we transform the Gallagher Insurance building into “Fields Corner Presents”. This new space will be available to the community throughout 2020 to rent for commerce, meetings, presentations, and displays. Click here to learn more and register! VOLUNTEER: VIBE & Boston YBP Volunteer & Mingle: Cradles to Crayons January 20, Volunteering: 1:30-3:30pm @ Cradles to Crayons (155 N Beacon St) Mingle: 3:30pm-5:30pm @ The Lincoln Bar and Grill (8 Lincoln St, Brighton) Join Volunteers Incorporating Black Excellence (VIBE) and Boston Young Black Professionals (Boston YBP) as we volunteer at Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory . Afterwards, we will mingle by grabbing a bite at The Lincoln Bar & Grill. Click here to learn more and RSVP!

January National Mentoring Month Service Opportunities VOLUNTEER: Silver Lining Mentoring Volunteer Info Sessions Silver Lining Mentoring connects members of the community with young people involved in foster care to create a lasting bond. We're looking for folks who can spare 8 hours a month to share their experience and company with a young person who needs it. Click here to learn more and register for an upcoming info session!

VOLUNTEER: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts   Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is on a mission to help children in under-resourced families thrive by providing transformational, one-to-one relationships with caring adult mentors. Interested in becoming a mentor? Click here to learn more and apply!

TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS, AND MORE: The Boston Foundation Open Door Grants Apply by January 31 The Open Door Grant is available to any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that primarily serves communities in Greater Boston and is not directly aligned with the strategies, goals, and approaches pursued through the Foundation's 5 impact areas. Check out the FAQ page and attend the January 13 webinar for more information. Boston Healthy Child Care Initiative: Learning Collaborative January 16, 8:30am-2pm @ Hayes Conference Room 2nd Floor, 1010 Massachusetts Ave The Boston Healthy Child Care Initiative helps child care programs improve their capacity to support healthy eating and physical activity in infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. Click here to sign up for training with the learning collaborative! For more information, please contact Sonia Carter at (617)-419-3412 or SOCarter@bphc.org Future Chefs - Teen Empowerment Culinary Arts Training Future Chefs prepares teens for successful life and work after high school. Future Chefs offers three programs that are completed sequentially. Each program includes comprehensive professional and life skills training, coaching from industry experts, and support to pursue professional culinary careers. Rolling applications for high school sophomores - click here to apply!   Inclusive Community Convening: Family Preparedness Plan Training   January 21, 9a-11am @ Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center (123 Antwerp St Ext, Allston) Join the Allston Brighton Health Collaborative in a training the Family Preparedness Plan, a document designed to help reduce the stress of the unexpected for caregivers and their children. Attendees will receive a copy of the plan and learn how to utilize it to support families. NOTE: This convening is specifically for professionals who work directly with immigrant residents.

Resource Connector Learn more about resources relevant to children and families in our community from our community.

RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS

BabySteps Savings Plan Launched January 1, 2020! Every child born or adopted who is a Massachusetts resident after January 1, 2020 is eligible to receive a $50 seed deposit into his or her U.Fund account. Simply check the box on your parent worksheet form at the hospital to start the enrollment process or visit BabyStepsSavingsPlan.org to learn more! Check out this FAQ sheet to learn more about the program and how to sign up! Cory Johnson Program for Post-Traumatic Healing - Winter 2020 Trauma Support Programming Final Thursday of every month, 6PM @ Roxbury Presbyterian Church (328 Warren St, Roxbury) Are you experiencing trauma or loss? Come share your voice, share your story. Dinner at 6PM, Stories and Sharing at 6:45PM. See flyer for more details. For more information, contact Colleen Sharka, LMHC at colleensharka@rpcsic.org or call Roxbury Presbyterian Church at 617-445-2116.

Boston Public School Registration Season is here! Countdown to Kindergarten: Boston Public School Registration Checklist Boston Public School Registration has begun! Countdown to Kindergarten has tools and tips for getting your child registered. Pre-register online at bostonpublicschools.org/register and follow the queuing system to avoid long wait times. Click here for helpful tools from Countdown to Kindergarten! Universal Pre-K Seats for 4-Year-Olds are still available! The City of Boston has committed to providing Universal Pre-K (UPK) for children who are 4 years old. UPK seats align with the grade K1 curriculum and calendar in BPS schools. While these seats are limited in number, there are still open UPK seats available throughout the City of Boston for this current school year. Click here to learn more from Boston School Finder and text "SCHOOL" to 33-777 for text alerts on 2020-21 UPK information. 

January National Mentoring Month Resource Spotlight Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts Finding a mentor for your child is an easy way to support their healthy development and success in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts helps match children ages 7-12 with an adult mentor. Click here to learn more and enroll! Finding Mentors, Finding Success Guide A helpful guide and worksheet from YouthBuild Mentoring Alliance to help youth identify what they are looking for in a mentoring relationship. Click here to learn more and download the free guide!

Scoop on the Stats Explore data related to child and family well-being.

The Impact of Mentoring: Research shows that mentoring positively impacts youth in many ways. Click the images below to find out more!

More on Mentoring Check out these recent studies for more details on the positive impact of mentoring among youth. The Mentoring Effect: Young People's Perspectives on the Outcomes and Availability of Mentoring. This comprehensive report finds the powerful effect of both informal and formal mentoring on improving young people's academic , social , and economic prospects . Click here to learn more! The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles . Researchers found that the strongest and most consistent benefit of mentoring programs across youth of diverse risk profiles was a reduction in depressive symptoms . Click here to read on! Youth Mentoring Rocks! How Teens Find Great Mentors A helpful summary of a new study on how youth mentoring supports social-emotional learning, cognitive learning , and identity formation. Plus - how teens can find the right mentor for themselves with 5 simple steps . Click here to read more!

Sharing Technology Explore technology related to child and family well-being.

The  Abundance App   is now available on iOS and Android devices, as well as on desktops. Abundance empowers Boston residents to easily access affordable, high-quality food resources. Download the FREE app today!

CONtexts aims to promote positive outcomes between caregivers and children by sharing weekly resources through a FREE text service and interactive resource sharing map. These resources are ideal for anyone working with or caregivers of children ages 0-5.  To subscribe, text KIDS to 8-8-5-8-8 Once you're subscribed you will receive 3 weekly FREE text messages: Monday: Nearby community resources Wednesday: Wellness tips Friday: Family-fun events

Our Mission Vital Village is a network of residents and agencies committed to maximizing child, family, and community wellbeing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stay Connected ‌ ‌ Have an event, job opportunity, or resource to share with the network? Complete this  form !