Welcome to June!

During May, Trauma Matters Delaware and Social Contract facilitated 4 lunch-n-learn opportunities to celebrate Trauma Awareness and explore trauma-informed approaches in the context of COVID-19. If you were unable to attend or want to watch them again, they can be accessed by clicking the links below. (Each webinar has its own password.)

State of the State on Trauma webinar
(Password: 0B^5psG8)

The short and long-term impacts of COVID-19
(Password: 3S&!&0@$).

Cultivating Our Resilience
(Password: 7v!^8aL6)

Building Community Resilience
(Password: 5m#50!*&)

Did you know?

1. Free On-demand Webinar from Relias – “Complicated Grief and Loss: Uncharted Territory with COVID-19”
   This webinar discusses how the coronavirus pandemic has complicated the “normal grief” experience and highlights suggestions for supporting caregivers who have lost a loved one as well as providing information on why healthcare providers are at increased risk for secondary traumatic stress and strategies to support healthcare providers now and in the future. For more information and to register, click here: https://www.relias.com/resource/complicated-grief-and-loss-with-COVID-19
2. Free Webinar on 6/18/20 from the National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM).
   NCRTM is a central repository for training resources in vocational rehabilitation and is providing, “Creating a Trauma-Informed Service Environment” which will highlight trauma-informed strategies for vocational professionals to use with consumers and colleagues. This is the last of a three-part series and you can sign up for the other two webinars as well. For more information and to register, click here: https://ncrtm.ed.gov/WebinarDetails.aspx?WebinarId=343
3. From Camping To Dining Out: Here’s How Experts Rate The Risks Of 14 Summer Activities (NPR)
   https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/23/861325631/from-camping-to-dining-out-heres-how-experts-rate-the-risks-of-14-summer-activit
4. Jewish Family Services of Delaware (JFS) – FutureLink Online Summer Camp – June 8 to 25
   JFS is currently recruiting for their summer programs. Free to eligible students, ages 14-21 with a documented disability (IEP/504, DSM-V diagnosis). All sessions offered STATEWIDE through an ONLINE platform. http://www.familyshade.org/2020/05/jewish-family-services-of-delaware-jfs-futurelink-online-summer-program-june-8-to-25/

Do Something Great

Supporting Communities Impacted by COVID-19: Mini-Grant Opportunity
Activate community-driven mental health supports
As a response to the unprecedented COVID-19 endemic in Delaware, we recognize that communities across our state are unique, with personalized needs and support. Although every community is different, we know low-income communities, communities of color, the elderly and those with disabilities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to health concerns, job loss, and other compounding factors. During these trying times, Trauma Matters Delaware (TMD) is focused on empowering communities with the tools and resources needed to support each other.

As a result, TMD will grant between 5-10 Community Mini-Grants between $500 and $1,000 for the purpose of activating community-led mental health, wellness, and resilience initiatives.

Click here to submit an application.

Spotlight

Ayuda Comunitaria Contra COVID-19 (Community Helps with COVID-19)
In this edition of the Spotlight, we’d like to recognize a community that came together to help their neighbors in need as a result of COVID-19. According to Reyna Gil, it started when she found out that a single parent with three young children had tested positive for COVID-19 and was worried about how they would be able to shop and cook for the family. Reyna and her friend Zoila de La Cruz wanted to make sure the burden for taking care of the family didn’t fall to the oldest child, just 12 years old. They also knew that the family was going to need help over a period of time and that they couldn’t do it on their own. Zoila’s daughter created a Facebook group, Ayuda Comunitaria Contra COVID-19 and neighbors quickly volunteered to help prepare and drop off meals (maintaining physical distancing and other recommended precautions) for the family.

The group soon learned of other community members who were also in need. Committed to helping as many of their neighbors as possible, the group organized a system to identify what was needed (food drop off, prepared meals drop off, etc.) and worked with local restaurants for food donations. The Facebook group identifies families in need, sources of food and volunteers. The effort has continued to grow and the group has now helped over 130 families and received donations from over 100 individuals and businesses. In addition to Ayuda Comunitaria Contra COVID-19, Reyna Gil and Araceli Gil created the Facebook group de paisano a paisano Sussex County. This group is an informational page for resources such as food banks, test sites, etc. benefiting the Latino community.

Reyna describes herself as “a quiet person”, “not usually outgoing”. She gets emotional as she says that she could never have seen herself to this kind of community activism but “this virus makes you do things to help that you would never have imagined.” She knows that this experience of “seeing so many beautiful things and meeting so many wonderful people” has changed her. Indeed, it has changed so many.