Garlic bread anyone? This past Sunday some of the CCC team dished out a delicious lasagna feast, prepared by Angie Garrison, to 40 community members at Maine Seacoast Mission’s Downeast Table of Plenty. For information on how your organization can help host a Table of Plenty dinner, contact Megan Smith, Food Security and Sustainability Programs Coordinator.
Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
Navigating Home Care for Your Parents
Anne Tumlinson of Daughterhood.org invites you to a Daughterhood Conversation, “Navigating Home Care for Your Parents,” on August 16th at 2 pm EDT. The challenge with our aging care system is that even though there’s a lot of information out there to help, the situations most caregivers face are so incredibly complex, unique, and specific that they can’t find what they need. This is especially true when considering whether to hire home-based care, and if so how. Join us as we discuss the options and talk about the hard choices faced by caregivers. Register here.
Family Fun Beach Day
The G.E.A.R. Parent Network is getting excited for our special event on August 13th!! Join us at Morgan’s Beach on the western shore of Cold Stream Pond where there is a beautiful sandy beach, picnic area, snack shack and playground. Entrance is free! More information and registration for Family Fun Beach Day can be found here.
3 Options to for in-depth Horticultural Training
Healthy Acadia Food Programs Manager, Regina Grabrovac, outlines three options to access in-depth horticultural training from UMaine Cooperative Extension:
- Master Gardener Volunteer Training: Designed to educate gardeners with research-based horticulture knowledge and train them as volunteers to share their knowledge in their local communities. This program will earn a University of Maine micro-credential. Any Maine resident interested in studying horticulture and volunteering in community gardening projects is encouraged to apply. Must complete a 40 hour volunteer internship. There is an application process for this program. Sign up by September 1, 2022.
- Maine Gardener Training: Designed for gardeners who desire a foundation in basic horticulture education and skills for personal use. Recommended for those who would like to access the educational content of the Master Gardener Volunteer training program but do not plan to volunteer. To enroll: registration opens September 28, 2022 and will be first-come, first-served.
- Maine Horticulture Apprentice Training: Designed for learners interested in exploring a career in horticulture, whether an entry level employee, a high school student, or those interested in changing their career path. Developed with input from horticulture industry leaders, this program will prepare learners with foundational and practical horticulture knowledge and abilities desired by employers. Suitable for skilled entry-level positions in horticulture, this program will earn a University of Maine micro-credential. Includes a 200 hour hands-on industry apprenticeship. To enroll: registration opens September 28, 2022 and will be first-come, first-served.
DERSC August Calendars
Download the August Calendar of Events for the Machias and Calais Downeast Recovery Support Centers. Be on the look-out on our Facebook page for International Overdose Awareness Day events.
Connecting to Maine CareerCenters
Your Maine CareerCenters are always trying to create new ways to connect with customers to make things more convenient; here are the most common ways to connect:
- Visit your local CareerCenter
- Email the Consultant of the Day at MaineDOL.CareerCenter@maine.gov
- Live Chat is available on our CareerCenter website from 8 – 4:30 daily
- Or they can contact the Maine CareerCenter hotline through text or phone at 207-623-7981 or call 888-457-8883
Youth Development Coordinator
Maine Seacoast Mission is hiring a Youth Development Coordinator who will support initiatives, including the EdGE program, that leverage experiential, leadership, mentoring, and outdoor programs to build aspirations and resilience. This position supports in-school and after-school programs, with a particular focus on programs that use the Cherryfield campus facilities, especially the ropes course. See full job description and application instructions.
Tips for Preserving Pickles
UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Spoonful: A Bite-Sized Food and Nutrition Blog for August, 2022 includes Tips for Preserving Pickles. Green beans and cucumbers are starting to appear in Maine gardens and at farmers markets, which means it’s time to kick off pickling season. Our tips will help you create high-quality and delicious pickled vegetables of all kinds, from classics like dill pickles and bread and butter to pickled green beans, beets, or carrots. Learn more here.
Why Caregiving Sets You Up for Success as a Business Leader
One in five Americans in the U.S. (or around 53 million people) are caregivers, according to AARP. Caregiving for a family member or loved one requires a tremendous amount of organization, flexibility, communication, problem solving and resilience—all skills that are sought out and valued in hiring processes. However, most caregiving happens at home, in private, without peers or an audience, and these strengths too often go unrecognized, usually never making it to a person’s resume or LinkedIn profile even though over 60% of caregivers also work…..As the popular saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.” I have met many entrepreneurs who have developed innovative products and services that stemmed from their personal caregiving experience. Almost always, these innovators say that they wished that their product had existed, but instead, they had to hack together their own solution and wondered how many others might be doing the same….Read full article by Amanda Rees, published in Fast Company, July 21, 2022.