“Families Forward” E-Blast – July Edition
Welcome to our First Edition of “Families Forward.” Every month we’ll be delivering the latest WIN news and stories. This edition is full of exciting news about the work we have been doing with YOUR help.
This is an extraordinary moment of pain for our nation that is bearing the brunt of three crises — police violence, crushing unemployment and the deadliest infectious disease in a century — that have laid bare longstanding injustices.
WIN stands against racism, and we stand committed to examining, reflecting and acting to dismantle the inequities and wrongs that perpetuate racism in our country, institutions and communities. We’ll continue to represent that through our work, our words and our actions.
What Is WIN Doing To Help Families?
WIN is committed to supporting children, parents, families and our community by providing mental health care visits via phone or zoom and linking families to needed resources such as healthcare and rental assistance in the midst of these pandemics, and into the future.
Right now we are:
- Assisting families with groceries via instacart, educational materials for families to do with their children, toys for families to use during parent /child therapy sessions, paying utility and cell phone bills, and diapers and wipes.
- Connecting families to other resources such as food pantries, cash assistance programs, regional centers and school district programs.
If you are a parent of a young child living in Crenshaw, Inglewood, Lennox, Mar Vista, Santa Monica, or Venice struggling with loss, trauma or economic stress, we may be able to help. Please contact our helpline at (213) 290-6113 or send an email to familysupport@winla.org.
Facebook and Instagram Live + Raffle
WIN’s Events Team is announcing Instagram and Facebook Live events every Monday and Friday at 2PM. These are for families with young children age 0-5 to help create safe spaces for families to interact and build a sense of community. Mondays will be dedicated to story time where we will read books and engage in sing-a-longs and on Fridays we will lead parents and children with crafts and art projects!
If you join an Instagram or Facebook Live, you are automatically entered into our monthly raffle where one winner will win a family fun prize each month! The prizes could include in-home movie nights, in-home game nights or even tickets to an amusement park! The more you join an Instagram or Facebook Live, the more likely you are to win – so don’t miss out!
Staff Spotlight With Kate Talbert – 5 Questions in 30 Seconds
- Before working at WIN, what was the most unusual or interesting job you ever had? “I’ve had a number of jobs that involve home visiting, which is always interesting! I once visited a family that kept a leopard-like cat as a pet and it sat on my lap for the majority of the visit. It is an honor and a privilege to work in people’s homes- and it definitely requires a sense of humor! “
- What three traits define you? “Focused, eager to learn and empathic.”
- What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years? “Well, I’m still learning it – that is how to balance my family and career. The key for me has been to talk to other moms about their experiences and learn to manage expectations.There will definitely be days when some emails go unread and my two year old eats snacks for dinner, but being balanced means you can’t give 100% to everything all the time. I also follow moms who inspire me on social media and listen to the “Women at Work” podcast from Harvard Business Review. “
- You’re happiest when? “When I make a healthy(ish) dinner for my family and they actually eat it.”
- What is your favorite thing about working at WIN? “WINners are so dedicated to their work with families. I started working at WIN two weeks after the Stay-at-Home orders went into effect, and all of WIN was working remotely. It immediately became clear to me that WIN was doing more, not less, under COVID-19. The events team quickly learned how to engage families through virtual groups, adding new and interesting topics to the menu, the home team shifted to do all virtual screenings and assessments and are connecting families to the many concrete supports they need, and the admin team continues to purchase all of the emergency supplies for families, while also making sure WIN staff are supported to work from home. Working with these teams and the many other wonderful people at WIN inspires me. “
