May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We welcome you to join our Network Connection Meeting and explore the other resources and events below.
This year marks the 5th Annual May Mental Health Awareness Campaign with the Vital Village Networks! Community leaders and network partners have been paving the way for local innovations and collaborations that uplift mental health across the network and throughout our neighborhoods since 2018.

The Mental Health Committee invites you to join the next planning meeting and/or share mental health related events and resources that you want the Village to uplift during May! We will be releasing the May 2022 Mental Health Campaign calendar next week.
Does your organization have a mental health related event or resource you want us to share with the network through social media? Please email Amainaris.Sanchez@bmc.org.
Network Events
Connect with Vital Village Network at these upcoming events. Click
event to RSVP or learn more.
May 9th, 5:30-7:30pm
This event is co-hosted by the Vital Village Mental Health Committee and is a part of the 5th Annual May Mental Health Awareness Campaign! Join us for a panel discussion and action-driven discussions on mental health and the lived experiences of community experts including clinicians, parents/caregivers, & social workers. 

The Mental Health Committee is community-led and aims to be diverse in ethnic, cultural, and professional backgrounds as well as in education, age, and experience. We bring our strengths together to actively listen to, learn from, engage with, and transform our community to destigmatize mental illness and promote positive mental health and well-being. Through providing opportunities to belong, access to resources, and education, we will help to create a beloved, safe, and resilient community.
Community Events
Join Vital Village Network partners and other community organizations at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more.
What is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week?
It’s a week that shines a national spotlight on the importance of caring for every child’s mental health and reinforces that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development. Check out resources and events on the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Newsletter.
We can all contribute to the creation of positive environments through trust and security, the formation of opportunities for community engagement, ensuring children feel supported by the adults in their neighborhood, school, and places of gathering or worship.

Children’s Mental Health Week May 1-7, 2022 is dedicated to increasing public awareness about the triumphs and challenges in children’s mental health and emphasizing the importance of family and youth involvement in the children’s mental health movement! Events focus on promoting positive mental health, well-being and social development for all children and youth.

For more information, contact check out the Parent Professional Advocacy League website or cmhweek@ppal.net.
Webinars Presented by the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health:

Tuesday, May 10: 7pm - 8:30pm
In this webinar, Dr. Jillian Baker will share her professional insights and personal experience with infertility and postpartum depression. Participants will learn how to recognize the impact of infertility and pregnancy loss on mental health, identify signs of postpartum depression and available treatment options, and provide practical support to a loved one. Register here!

Tuesday, May 10: 2pm - 3pm
This webinar will focus on the experiences of parents and families who have lived experience with co-occurring mental health and developmental disabilities. They will discuss their families, the strategies they used, and assistance they received to become successful parents, but also the bias and discrimination they have experienced. Register here!
Wednesday, May 11: 5-7pm

Please join us for a virtual conversation with artists, collectives, and co-builders of the Radical Imagination for Racial Justice program. A tapestry of interwoven themes: process, resources, response-ability, “balance”, community, wellness, and more will guide our reflections on bringing to life our racial justice work in collaboration with our communities.


Register Here! Questions? Please contact: arts@boston.gov
Monday, May 9: 12:30pm
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/DMH-conf 

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people, especially young people and their families, with serious cases of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and sometimes even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

This conference on May 9th is open to anyone with interest and a highlight will be a focus on the lived experience and needs of parents (mental health advocates, peer specialists & recovery coaches) and their children when the parent is coping with mental health needs. 
Friday, May 13: 12pm - 1pm

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, come join us for a Lunch and Learn on May 13th from 12-1 pm to shine a spotlight on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
Saturday, May 14 at 11-1 PM
Grove Hall Library
A panel of young adults will share their struggles and triumphs. Space is limited and registration is required. This event is for young adults and parents.
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) has partnered with Mass Cultural Council to offer free or discounted admissions to many of the Commonwealth's museums and cultural institutions through the EBT Card to Culture Program. Residents who receive DTA benefits can get discounted admission by showing their EBT card. Through 2022, these organizations are also accepting P-EBT cards. This program includes 127 discounted or free locations in Greater Boston, such harbor tours, music lessons, museum tickets, concerts, etc. Learn more here!
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Highlight
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped American history in many ways, and many populations face unique challenges since the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States on May 7th, 1843, to the recent #StopAsianHate movement.

This month, we would like to highlight some educational resources that illuminate the immense contributions that AAPI individuals have had in this country, as well as present mental health resources that are tailored to the needs of the diverse AAPI communities.
Mental Health Resources for AAPI Individuals
Opportunities
Check out job, volunteer, and grant opportunities available in our
community.
TBK empowers children, youth, the elderly and families to take charge of their health and well-being through hands-on cooking classes. These classes are led by professional chefs and teach students to create cost-effective meals at home with kitchen safety and nutrition lessons. The program also works closely with partners to build culturally aware curriculums, respecting the diversity of our foods while teaching youth to cook healthier versions of ethnic dishes. If you are interested in TBK classes for your group or organization, please email Haley House's Program Director Jay Vilar, to get started: jvilar@haleyhouse.org and if you are interested in volunteering with Haley House, you can click here to learn more.

Boston Mayor's Office of Food Justice Positions
The Boston Mayor's Office of Food Justice is seeking applicants for the positions of interns, a Program Coordinator, and Food Justice Director. Please feel free to click on each of the underlined positions above to access the respective applications. The Mayor's Office of Food Justice works to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy food in Boston.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is co-launching a new program with the Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment called Bridges to Green Jobs. It is a two-week training program to get people into the weatherization field and an effort to help meet the major labor demands necessary to reach our state’s climate goals. The program is very intentionally recruiting for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, and veteran applicants. Interviews are taking place now until May 13th with a program start date of May 16th. For more information, please visit this website or email Silvana Bastante sbastante@lisc.org with any questions.

Responsible for sourcing, recruiting (in person and virtual) and referring qualified protected class candidates to Human Resources - Employment Unit. Establishes, develops and maintains collaborative linkages and relationships with community groups and organizations, professional associations, government agencies, college and technical schools within the MWRA service area as sources for referring qualified protected class job applicants (women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and Veterans). Serves as a resource for current MWRA staff on career planning tasks such as updating a resume and practicing for interviews. View the description here and apply here.

The Peer Leadership Institute (PLI) Summer enrichment program application is now available. Please share the attached flyer, QR Code and link with students who are looking for a summer job opportunity. We have extended our application to Friday, May 13th, 2022. The Summer Program will take place from 9am-3pm, Monday-Friday. Programming will begin July 5th and end August 12th. This is a great opportunity for students who are looking to build their leadership skills and for those that are interested in public health! Apply here!

The JVS Vocational Training Partnership (VTP) program is excited to launch the first Hospitality Training of 2022! This free, in-person, 6-week training course begins Monday, May 2nd, 2022, and will continue until June 6th, 2022. The training will include classes on the hospitality sector, interview preparation, and job search assistance. Trainees will also engage in job shadowing with our hotel employer partners. After the training is complete, graduates will receive ongoing career coaching support to find work in the hospitality industry. Check out the flyer for more information here!
Special Edition Scoop on the Stats
Explore data from across the United States.
State of Babies Yearbook 2022:
ZERO to THREE Find that Massachusetts is One of the Top 12 States for Babies
Where a child is born can have profound effects on their early childhood development and have ripple effects through their lives.

In Massachusetts, babies make up about 3% of the states' total population. The state ranks high when it comes to many success indicators, including positive learning experiences policy, strong families that receive the support they need for housing and financial stability, and policies that encourage parent and child health.

Why are these factors important?
Positive Childhood Experiences, including a robust support system from families, friends, and external environments, help children develop a foundation for resilience and tools to manage the hardships we all inevitably encounter. High-quality early childhood care helps children develop social literacy skills and impacts their socio-emotional development, providing the building blocks for future success.

The childcare workforce nationwide remains 12% smaller than the pre-pandemic numbers and childcare assistance remains out of reach for many low-income families. As we all work on bolstering the accessibility of these services and not just catching up to pre-pandemic numbers but superseding them, we aren't just improving the present, but investing in the future.
Sharing Technology
Explore technology related to child and family well-being.
The UPDATED Abundance Boston Food Access App 3.0.2 is now available! Abundance empowers Boston residents to easily access affordable, high-quality food resources. Download the FREE app today!
Too Good to Go is a mobile app where restaurants, groceries, and cafes can post discounted meals or "surprise bags" that may otherwise go to waste. People can reserve foods and rate the meals through the app. The goal is to address food waste, support local businesses, and to make sure everyone has access to high quality food. You can download the iOS version or the Android version.
The COVID-19 Resource Map now has updated addresses and hours of over 90 locations in Boston currently provide free breakfast, lunch or dinner for youth, and 10 free community fridges open to the public 24/7.
Update! CONtexts: Community Resources on Health & Nearby Fun Promotes positive outcomes for caregivers and children ages 0-5 by sharing resources through a FREE text service and interactive map. CONtexts is temporarily under construction until further notice. Please see our social media for resources.
Our Mission
Vital Village is a network of residents and agencies committed to maximizing child, family, and community wellbeing.