Vital Village Network's Unsung Hero Award goes to...

Vivien Morris, MS,  RD, MPH, LDN

In recognition of outstanding dedication, commitment, and extraordinary creativity used to maximizing child, family and community wellbeing.Vivien is the Senior Project Manager for Boston Health Equity Goals at the Boston Public Health Commission and was previously the Director of Community Initiatives for the Nurturing and Fitness for Life Program at the Boston Medical Center, where she oversaw nutrition eductation and fitness programs and projects to improve access to healthy, affordable foods and physical activity needs in under-served communities. A well deserved CONGRATULATIONS to Vivien for all of her outstanding work!

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In This Issue

Vital Village Unsung Hero Award

Mattapan Square Farmers' Market

DSNI Pop Up Spot & Reading Buddies

Trauma-Informed Group Care

Network Connection Meeting

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Mattapan Square Farmers' Market and Mobile Market

Our Unsung Hero is also the Chairperson of Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC), which hosts the Mattapan Square Farmers' Market on Saturdays through October from 10:00AM-1:00PM.

Join Mayor Walsh on Saturday, July 12th to celebrate the Mattapan Square Farmers' Market grand opening! A brief program with the Mayor and other political leaders will take place from 10:30-11:00AM.

And don't forget to pick up some delicious produce while you're there!

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Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Events

We are so excited by the work of our friends at DSNI, who have mobilized Caring Adults in the neighborhood to serve as Reading Buddies for Dudley Street Charter School elementary scholars 1-2 times a week!

Through a collaboration with the Food Project and the Boston Children's Museum, DSNI is putting on a Pop-Up Spot every Thursday on the Dudley Town Common. Come learn, grow, and discover the Power of Playwith fun activities for the whole family!

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Trauma-Informed Practices in Group Well Child Care

Our innovative partners at Codman Square Health Center have incorporated a new trauma-informed curriculum piece into their group well-child visits as a way to explain both neuroscience and toxic stress to new mothers using the Hand Model of the Brain created by Dr. Dan Siegel and Mary Hartzell.

Flipping Your Lid:

1. Make a fist with your thumb tucked inside your fingers. This is a model of your brain - your fist is the brain and your forearm is the spinal cord.
2. Your thumb is the midbrain, the "emotional brain."
3. The back of your hand and fingers is the cerebral cortex, the "rational brain."
4. Sometimes the emotions of the midbrain are too overwhelming, our flight-or-flight response triggers, and we"flip our lid."‍

Think: What makes YOU flip your lid? What makes your child flip their lid? What can you do for yourself and your child to help? Click here for more info.

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Upcoming Network Connection Meeting!

When: Monday, July 14, 2014

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

Location: Boston Children's Museum

308 Congress Street, Boston, MA

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Our Team is Growing!

Please join us in welcoming Morgan Brockington, our Outreach Health Educator, to the Vital Village team!

Morgan will be working to support the Innovations in Group Well-Child Visits pilot project at Codman Square.

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