Good morning! Well, August has just flown by, hasn't it? It's crazy how fast the summer disappears once we hit July 4th. At Stone Soup Kitchen, the Board and I are getting ready for our semi-annual meeting in September. That means we'll be taking a broad look at all the things we've been involved in and have accomplished as well as the things that didn't go according to plan. We'll be looking at what we'd like to work on this fall and winter, and we'll be taking into account all the feedback we've received from our donors, guests, and volunteers. If you have anything you'd like to share with us, including activities you think we should be investing in (or not investing in), please feel free to drop me a response email over the next two weeks.
We had an awesome visit on Friday from Carla, Lora, Sarah, and Eric, who came to deliver SEVEN BINS of gift bags, containing hygiene products, snacks, and entertainment items. We were able to get them passed out to our Friday potluck crowd, and also to everyone who came to the pantry on Saturday. No worries...there are plenty left over for the folks who will come next week that we missed the other day! There were a certain number of tears when people learned that these gifts were coming to them unsolicited by us...just out of the goodness of the hearts of a family we know and love, and I've attached a picture here of these two extraordinary young ladies. Thank you all 💕
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We also had a surprise visit from our good friend Jess, who coordinates the produce that we receive from Boston Area Gleaners each week! Jess was out for another event, but stopped in to see us on her way home! We were blessed that it was one of those days that was busy, but with guests spaced out enough that we actually had time to talk with most and introduce Jess to them as one of our very important partners. (And we also put her to work! I don't think she minded!) Our guests were quite willing to tell her how important the fresh food is to them each week and how much they looked forward to seeing what would be in the produce bags. Many thanks to Jess and the Gleaners, as well as to Alison + Rich E, and Nicole + Hunter T, who pick up each week, and to Mike G from Community Harvest Project who also makes sure we have locally grown healthy food for our guests each week.
I received an email from our local Board of Health Nurses last week about a Community Health Equity Survey (CHES) administered by Massachusetts Department of Public Health. It took me about 15 minutes to fill out the survey online, and I think it's really worth doing. If there are enough respondents from each town, that town will be provided with town-specific data from the survey, not just State data. This could be really helpful in making sure that the needs and priorities of OUR communities are taken into account when the Mass Department of Public Health makes changes in policies that affect community health. Here is the link to the anonymous survey, if you'd like to take part. At the close of the letter, I've included all the information that was sent to me on the survey.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/take-the-community-health-equity-survey
We need your relatively clean plastic and paper grocery bags! Especially the plastic ones. They're getting harder to come by, and we'd like to recycle as many as possible, and hopefully NEVER have to buy any! We may eventually switch over entirely to paper bags, but as long as the plastic ones are still being used in some towns, we'd like to do our part to recycle them. If you plan to shop for us, we could really use bottles of juice (apple juice in particular), cans of coffee, canned fruit, canned vegetables, boxed mac and cheese, and baked beans. For the month of August, you have the option of dropping it in the Police Station lobby as well as at Ayer Shop n' Save. We will also be at the pantry as usual on Wednesday from 10 to noon, Friday from 4 to 5:30, and Saturday from 9 to noon for drop-offs. If you use one of the other two locations, would you please leave us a note in your bag so that we can thank you?
Enjoy this last week of August. I feel like breaking into a chorus of “See you in September”!
We also had a surprise visit from our good friend Jess, who coordinates the produce that we receive from Boston Area Gleaners each week! Jess was out for another event, but stopped in to see us on her way home! We were blessed that it was one of those days that was busy, but with guests spaced out enough that we actually had time to talk with most and introduce Jess to them as one of our very important partners. (And we also put her to work! I don't think she minded!) Our guests were quite willing to tell her how important the fresh food is to them each week and how much they looked forward to seeing what would be in the produce bags. Many thanks to Jess and the Gleaners, as well as to Alison + Rich E, and Nicole + Hunter T, who pick up each week, and to Mike G from Community Harvest Project who also makes sure we have locally grown healthy food for our guests each week.
I received an email from our local Board of Health Nurses last week about a Community Health Equity Survey (CHES) administered by Massachusetts Department of Public Health. It took me about 15 minutes to fill out the survey online, and I think it's really worth doing. If there are enough respondents from each town, that town will be provided with town-specific data from the survey, not just State data. This could be really helpful in making sure that the needs and priorities of OUR communities are taken into account when the Mass Department of Public Health makes changes in policies that affect community health. Here is the link to the anonymous survey, if you'd like to take part. At the close of the letter, I've included all the information that was sent to me on the survey.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/take-the-community-health-equity-survey
We need your relatively clean plastic and paper grocery bags! Especially the plastic ones. They're getting harder to come by, and we'd like to recycle as many as possible, and hopefully NEVER have to buy any! We may eventually switch over entirely to paper bags, but as long as the plastic ones are still being used in some towns, we'd like to do our part to recycle them. If you plan to shop for us, we could really use bottles of juice (apple juice in particular), cans of coffee, canned fruit, canned vegetables, boxed mac and cheese, and baked beans. For the month of August, you have the option of dropping it in the Police Station lobby as well as at Ayer Shop n' Save. We will also be at the pantry as usual on Wednesday from 10 to noon, Friday from 4 to 5:30, and Saturday from 9 to noon for drop-offs. If you use one of the other two locations, would you please leave us a note in your bag so that we can thank you?
Enjoy this last week of August. I feel like breaking into a chorus of “See you in September”!
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<3 br="">Health + peace,
<3 br="">Cyndi
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Community Health Equity Survey (CHES) administered by Massachusetts Department of Public Health https://www.mass.gov/info-details/take-the-community-health-equity-survey
Community Health Equity Survey (CHES) administered by Massachusetts Department of Public Health https://www.mass.gov/info-details/take-the-community-health-equity-survey
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The Community Health Equity Survey is an online anonymous survey. Anyone ages 14 and over who lives in Massachusetts for some or all of the year can take this survey. Results will help the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and communities across the state change conditions that get in the way of health. Taking the survey helps make sure that the needs and priorities of your community show up in the data. The survey was developed in collaboration with community members and partners across the state. Survey questions are based on the experiences and needs of Massachusetts residents. This survey asks about things that impact your health. Survey topics include access to health care and transportation, physical and mental health and wellbeing, experiences with COVID-19, housing, education, and work. It also asks for information such as age, gender, and race.
MDPH will provide town-specific data from this survey, IF there are at least 30 respondents for that town!
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