Throughout the summer, Darci who is twelve watches her sister, Sara, who is
Throughout the summer, Darci who is twelve watches her sister, Sara, who is
Ava is a 26-year-old Southington resident. She met Jeff during her last year
Said is a young man who like most of our ancestors left his home, family
As soon as she arrived from Jamaica, Maya, a young single mother of two, began asking people where she could find good, affordable daycare for her youngest child who had medical issues. Several people recommended the Margaret Griffin Center. She investigated this suggestion and found that Margaret Griffin charges clients on an income related sliding scale, their teachers are trained in medical administration, CPR and first aid, and they provide superior education within the daycare program. Feeling secure with her child there, Maya took a job as a waitress, continued to be a mom to her children and enrolled in college with the goal of becoming a teacher. She also studied to become an American citizen. “Never think the American Dream is not alive and well,” says Maya, “With hard work, I was able to achieve my goal of citizenship and am now a teacher working in a neighboring school system. However, I couldn’t have done it so quickly, if I wasn’t secure knowing that my child was in an educational environment that allowed her medication to be administered when needed.”
Mark Pooler, CEO of the Southington Community YMCA, says unexpected,
Southington Community Services is unique because it provides everything
In 2018 Southington Community Services Provided the following:
Food Pantry: 969 individuals
Back to School: 302 children
Holiday gifts: 1,498
Thanksgiving meals:1,351
Christmas meals: 1,462
Children’s shopping party: 263
Easter: 197
In 2018, fifty-nine (59) Southington citizens used the Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline, part of the YWCA’s Sexual Assault Crisis Service. The youngest was seven (7) and the oldest ninety-one (91). Most users were between nineteen (19) and twenty-nine (29). Mary, a young, single woman in her early twenties, was one of these fifty-nine. She recently began dating a young man she thought was fun. She’d only been on a few dates when they went to a party. The music was loud, and someone handed Mary a drink. After a few sips, she felt sick and went into a bedroom to lie down and rest. Her date came in and regardless of her protest, rape occurred. Mary felt frightened, guilty, ashamed, but also angry. Her emotions were overwhelming her. She thought she could trust this person. When a friend told her about the Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline, Mary called it. She went to the hospital where an Advocate from the hotline met her and stayed with her throughout the exam. If she decided to press charges an Advocate would guide and remain with her throughout the process. Mary found it difficult to return to work. Flashbacks occurred. She was afraid to fall asleep. She lost her focus and her job. The Crisis Service, in conjunction with the State’s Victim Services Compensation Program, provided Mary with money to attend therapy. It’s been over a year since this happened. Although Mary will never forget, she has learned how to cope. She now has a job she loves, friends she trusts and is thinking of becoming a hotline volunteer herself.
The money given to the Child Guidance Clinic by Southington’s United Way pays for them to send a social worker, specifically trained in child and family issues, to the Margaret Griffin Child Development Center. Sue, the social work currently assigned to the Center, admits that she has her work cut out for her. Not only are there children from at least 10 different countries, speaking 10 different languages, at the center who, as well as their parents, need support and guidance, there are foster children, children who have lost a parent and others coping with the problems facing families today. Sue remembers one little girl, Mary, whose parents recently divorced. Her father left the state and suddenly had no contact with Mary. Mary and her Mom were dealing with the loss of the dad and the family structure when they went to live with her grandmother. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the grandmother died. The sense of loss and instability caused Mary to withdraw into herself. She no longer laughed. She didn’t play. Her lack of focus and attention prevented her from learning. As a social worker, Sue was able to work with Mary, her mother and her teachers to help Mary express her feelings and support her through this difficult time. She was also able to go into the home, teach her mom techniques to help Mary, and identify support groups to help her mom. Sue says, “It’s truly a gift to be able to help these young children understand, cope and work through the issues facing them at this young age. Once resolved, they won’t have to carry them into their adult lives.
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