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PRIMARILY FREE EVENTS AND TRAININGS IMPACTING AREA INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

Week of July 27, 2014

Helping to Bridge the Gap Between the Wealth of Available Resources

and the Poverty Associated With People Not Knowing About Them ___________________________________________________________________

In an attempt to aid reader searches, new items added each week are highlighting in yellow. As always, we are interested in receiving feedback in regard to how we might improve our publications, content and convenience of use.

E-Update periodically reports ways in which subscribers use our publications to aid their

families or organizations. If you have a short description that might be helpful to others and their uses, we would like to hear about them. Please forward two or three sentences that provide specific uses of benefit to bps461@msn.com.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Activities are subject to change without notice; participants are encouraged

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©2009-2014 Casey Jones, Transformation Initiative for Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families. Permission is granted to reproduce for personal or non-commercial uses only.

Sections Available in the attached Calendar of Events:

• UPDATED THIS WEEK: Special Activities: Upcoming primarily free activities

listed by day over the next several months. • Special Ongoing Scheduled Activities: Primarily free activities held regularly

each week or month. • Area Ministries for Those Who are Struggling. GriefShare, DivorceCare,

Celebrate Recovery, Mending Hearts. • Day Trip Destination Sites: Free admission sites for individual and family outings. • E-Update ResourcesTM: Accompanying Information About Services, Including

Employment Resources, for Individuals and Families.

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UPDATED THIS WEEK: Calendar of Events - Please Submit Additions Today

Upcoming Activities – The following items are detailed in the accompanying Calendar of Events and are in addition to those described within this E-Update. They will be occurring during the current two-week period or are newly listed as part of the longer term Calendar. These activities are provided for both personal use and printing out and sharing with others

through suggested posting on public and employee bulletin boards, hard copies or e-mail. Updated: This Week’s Calendar of Events Activities (Found in Calendar of Events)

• Summer Food Service Program for Children – Various Locations. • American Revolution History Events – King of Prussia (Valley Forge). • Science in the Summer for Elementary Students – Area Libraries.

• Delaware County Summer Music Festival – Upper Providence. • Wood Works Exhibit – Malvern. • Look Good Feel Better for Women – Multiple Locations. • PA CareerLink and Job Search Services – Area Counties.

• Summer Reading and Children Programs – Area Libraries. • Bach to Rock for Kids – Berwyn. • Goshen Country Fair – West Chester.

• Local Garden Gems Presentation – Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner). • Preschool Petting Zoo – West Chester (East Goshen Township). • Critter-Making Demonstration – Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner). • Summer Concert on the Square – Exton (Eagleview).

• Rep. Cutler Constituent Forum – Quarryville. • Children Science Series – Berwyn. • Night in the Park Concert – Pottstown. • State Rep. Kampf Town Hall Meeting – Phoenixville.

• Concert Series – Kennett Square. • Carillon Concert – King of Prussia (Valley Forge). • Stories of George Washington - King of Prussia (Valley Forge).

• Nantmeal Village Walk – Glenmoore. • Family Playgroup – Pottstown. • Summer Concert Series – Chesterbrook. • Enlisted Voices in Concert – New Holland.

• Sounds Under the Stars – West Chester (Pocopson Township). • Paper Flowers-making Demonstration – Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner). • Iron Hill Twilight Race Series – West Chester.

• Community Day – Parkesburg. • Advanced LinkedIn Workshop – Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner). • Digital Device Clinic – Exton. • Patriots of African Descent Presentation – King of Prussia (Valley Forge).

• Nostalgia Night Car Show – Pottstown. • Frozen Movie Night – Pottstown. • Family Night Hike, Pottstown (Warwick).

Updated: Next Week’s Calendar of Events Activities (Found in Calendar of Events)

• Summer Food Service Program for Children – Various Locations. • American Revolution History Events – King of Prussia (Valley Forge).

• Science in the Summer for Elementary Students – Area Libraries. • Delaware County Summer Music Festival – Upper Providence. • Wood Works Exhibit – Malvern. • Look Good Feel Better for Women – Multiple Locations.

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• PA CareerLink and Job Search Services – Area Counties. • Summer Reading and Children Programs – Area Libraries.

• Summer Concert Series – Pottstown (Pottsgrove Township). • Summer Concert – Exton. • 4-H Fair – Honey Brook. • Beginning Family Research Workshop – Exton.

• WIC Celebration – Coatesville and Toughkenamon. • National Night Out – Pottstown, Thorndale and West Chester. • LEGO Dayz for Families with Children with Special Needs – King of Prussia. • African Percussion and Dance Concert – Berwyn.

• Summer Concert on the Square – Exton (Eagleview). • Social Connections with Grief Forum – New Holland. • Book Bingo for Adults – Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner).

• Children’s Science Series – Berwyn. • Concert Series – Kennett Square. • Carillon Concert – King of Prussia (Valley Forge). • 4-H Fair – Collegeville (Creamery).

• Malvern History by Trolly – Malvern. • THE SURVIVAL! Lost in the Woods Workshop – Coatesville (Wagontown). • Swingin’ Summer Thursday – West Chester.

• Sounds Under the Stars Concert – West Chester (Pocopson Township). • Woman Farmer Day Celebration – Elverson. • Muhlenberg Day – King of Prussia (Valley Forge). • Valley Day – Coatesville (Valley Township).

• Old Fiddlers’ Picnic – Coatesville (Wagontown). • No Light Night Hike – Pottstown (Warwick).

New: Future Weeks Events and Activities (View in Calendar of Events)

• Housing Counseling Workshops – Pottstown. • CommUnity Day – West Chester. • Back-to-School and Adults Immunization Clinic – Coatesville.

• Back-to-School Kickoff with Dads Fathers Matter Event – Norristown. • Veterans Job Fair – Coatesville. • LEGO Dayz for Families with Children with Special Needs – King of Prussia. • Fathers Matter Family Day – Pottstown.

• Women’s Empowerment Summit – Downingtown.

Activities Submission - Organizations are encouraged to submit information about ongo-ing services and activities, along with special events, as soon as possible after establishing a date to maximize publicity and to help individuals and other organizations with planning processes for their own events.

Formats for submission should be similar to and include all information as that shown on the current, accompanying Calendar of Events. Further information about submissions appears at the end of this E-Update and the Calendar. Information should be submitted to

bps461@msn.com. Don't let your important activity be left unknown.

NEW THIS WEEK: Chester County Library Receives Visual Assistance Equipment Chester County Library has received several pieces of equipment to assist those with visual impairment with using library resources.

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The facility, located at 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, now has a 12-power magnifier with various features to help use printed materials, an iPad Air to help individuals read

online books, and noise-cancelling headphones to enable access to audio materials without interruption from outside sounds or providing distraction to other library patrons. Library patrons may request equipment and training from a library staff member.

Four other libraries also have been provided with similar equipment, including the Warminster, Ridley, and Horsham township libraries and the Free Library of Northampton Township in Richboro.

Additional information on the Access Beyond Stacks program, administered through the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, is available at www.disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/accessLib, iod@temple.edu, or by

telephone at (215) 204-1356 voice or (215) 204-1805 TTY. NEW LAST WEEK: Montco Launches Regional Community Fatherhood Initiative

Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth and community organizations are launching a major new regional fatherhood initiative, with kickoff events to include Pottstown and Norristown.

Focus of the plan is to call attention to engagement of fathers being critical to a child’s success in life, organizers say.

The Fathers Matter initiative will kick off with three father-child events across Montgomery County from August through October, including an opportunity for a father or male mentor to sign a Fathers Matter Pledge to be an active and responsible father or father-figure in a child’s life.

The diverse activities will include:

• A Back-to-School Kick-off with Dads from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 23, at Carson Valley Children’s Aid Society, 1314 DeKalb Street, Norristown, that will feature free father/child activities, book bags and school supplies, food, music and photos.

• A Fathers Matter Family Day at Manatawny Memorial Park, Manatawny Street,

Pottstown, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 13, to include father-child

interactive games, food, father-child mini-workshops and activities, a health fair, and parent information.

• An October Friday Movie Night with Fathers in the Willow Grove area, with Monster

University being shown on a large screen, with refreshments and prizes at a location still to be determined.

A large "I Took the Fathers Matter Pledge" banner will be displayed at each event, allowing

fathers or male mentors to affirm their intent to be an active and responsible father or father-figure who is considerate of the well-being of their child in all matters, will love and take the time to know what matters to the child, be available when the child needs his or

her father, stay connected to, listen and help a child succeed, help nurture a healthy well-being of body, mind and spirit within a child, and leave the child with memories of a father who values his child.

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Organizers say there is a national crisis of absent and disengaged fathers that is destroying family foundations that children crave and need in order to cope adequately with the

ongoing stages and struggles of life. Although absence may be due to neglect, they note it also can occur as a result of a father not knowing how to connect with a child, incarceration, or rifts between parents that

prevent father involvement and other situations. Fathers also can have a physical presence but be emotionally detached. Organizers say that recognition of the issue and support for affecting change will be needed

from the entire community, including individuals, organizations and businesses that want to help create positive impacts in the lives of families.

Individuals and organizations with interest in this initiative can contact Fred Blankenburg at fblanken@montcopa.org or (610) 278-5906 or Kathleen Sullivan at ksulliva@montcopa.org or (610) 278-5873.

NEW LAST WEEK: Summertime and Year-round Activities for Kids and Caregivers

Kids.gov provides many resources, not only to combat summer boredom but year-round

education and fun, with printed information to learn, educational games and videos. Different sections are available for different ages, along with assistance for parents and educators.

Topics include art and music, exercise and healthy eating, government, health and safety, history, jobs, math, money and finances, online safety, reading and writing, science and social studies, including daily highlights.

It all is available at kids.usa.gov.

All Area Counties Reporting West Nile Virus Tests All area counties now are reporting mosquito trap samples testing positive for West Nile Virus (WNV).

Daily report updates from throughout the state, including information on spraying and prevention information, are available at www.westnile.state.pa.us.

Free Strengths-Based Family Worker (SFW) Credential Training Offered Chester County has opened registration for the next 80-hour Strength-Based Family Worker (SFW) Credential training, to start in September at the Government Services Center in West

Chester, for family workers at government and private and nonprofit agencies. The national family development course, eligible for undergraduate college and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits, is designed to equip individuals working with families on how

to use strength-based approaches and family engagement skills to increase a family’s ability to set and reach their own goals.

In addition to classroom training, participants must complete a skills portfolio and pass a written exam to receive the credential.

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Further information and required registration for limited seating are available at www.temple.edu/harrisburg/Default.aspx?PageID=131,

www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/18828, vcapobianco@chesco.org or (610) 344-5885.

Free Summer Food Service Program for Children Underway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), designed to help low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session, is being conducted at dozens of sites throughout the area.

Free meals that meet Federal nutrition guidelines are provided to all children 18 years of age and under at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income

children. Further information, including a database of sites with differing start and ending dates and hours, is available at www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program-sfsp or (866)

3-HUNGRY or (877)-8-HAMBRE (for Spanish speakers).

Library Promotes Importance of Summer Reading Programs to Help Overcome

Summer Learning Loss

The National Summer Learning Association reports that children can lose approximately two months of grade level equivalency when they don’t engage in educational activities during

the summer and also gain weight more rapidly during summer breaks. The Pottstown Regional Public Library, in an e-mail message to patrons, captures the essence, excitement and importance of children and adult summer library reading programs

throughout the region that now are getting underway.

Reading Begins!

Hundreds sign up in the first week ---

We are off to a great start and gearing up for all the wonderful programs occurring in

June, July, and August. Our first "Wednesday Morning" performance is at 10:30 on

June 25th. The crowds are so big for these Wednesday performances that we hold

them on the main floor of the library and put all other functions of the library on

hold. There are six Wednesday Morning performances scheduled, so there are plenty

of chances to join the fun. (all free, no registration required).

We also have programs, crafts, and parties scheduled tailored by age. Some

programs require registration, so visit our website and event calendar to check it

out. http://ppl.mclinc.org/ Don't forget to register and record your reading - you

may win a prize.

Of course, this is our sneaky way of keeping kids reading over the summer. Research

shows that kids who read over the summer avoid a loss of reading skills. They call

that the "summer slide" (and it is one slide you want to avoid).

Individuals can check with local libraries or their online calendars for special introductory parties, programs and even prizes. This year's theme for many is Fizz Boom Read. Many library websites, locations and calendars are available at:

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• Berks County: www.berks.lib.pa.us • Chester County: www.ccls.org

• Delaware County: www.delcolibraries.org • Lancaster County: www.lancasterlibraries.org • Montgomery County: www.mclinc.org

Further information about summer learning is available at www.summerlearning.org/?page=know_the_facts.

Free Mandated Reporter Training – Wednesday, July 30

A workshop to equip participants, particularly those who are mandated reporters, to recognize and report child abuse, will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 30 at the Chester

County Youth Center, 505 South Wawaset Road, West Chester. Further information and required registration for the training, provided by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance is available at www.pa-fsa.org/mandated_reporters.aspx,

pwebb@chesco.org or (610) 793-5910.

Free Bilingual Business Mentoring to be Provided in Kennett Square – Starts

Thursday, August 7 Chester County Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is opening its first Spanish language-based mentoring location at the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library, 216 East State

Street, Kennett Square. SCORE volunteers will be at the library Thursday mornings, starting August 7, to provide free counseling assistance to Spanish-speaking individuals who are in business or are

considering going into business. The business group's initial English language mentoring location at the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, 217 West State Street, on Friday mornings will continue.

SCORE has been involved in recent months with Kutztown University's Latino Business Resource Center, La Comunidad Hispana, National Penn Bank, and the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce in presenting a Business Skills for Latino Entrepreneurs

workshop in Kennett. In addition to the two Kennett locations, volunteers also provide assistance at its office in

the Government Services Center in West Chester, along with the Exton Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Chester County Economic Development Council in the Eagleview Corporate Center, both at Exton; the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce, National Penn Bank in Oxford; and the Lincoln University satellite campus in Coatesville.

Further information and counseling appointments are available at www.chestercounty.score.org or (610) 344-6910.

NEW LAST WEEK: Free Kindergarten Readiness Classes Scheduled – Mondays-

Fridays, August 11-22

Two weeks of summer readiness classes for children entering kindergarten in the Pottstown School District in the fall will be held weekdays from August 11 through 22 at six locations.

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The activity, coordinated by Pottstown Early Action for Kindergarten Readiness (PEAK), is available for all children in families with incomes not exceeding 300% of federal poverty

levels ($71,500 annually for a family of four). Further information, including locations and required registration, is available at www.peakonline.org/pdf/SKRP%20Flyer%202014.pdf or (610) 970-6655.

UPDATED LAST WEEK: Free Monthly Drug Abuse Training Workshops –

Wednesday, August 13 and Thursday, September 4

Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services will host a series of monthly drug abuse training workshops during July, August and September in Suite 171, Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, including:

• Opiates: Past, Present, Future, with Maxim Furek, will explore socio-cultural variable

that have promoted the use of narcotics into America’s mainstream, including various substances and treatment recommendations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday,

July 15. • Twelve-Step Programs: How to Best Help Clients/Patients Access and Utilize Them,

with Registered Pharmacist Ken Dickinson, will discuss the basic concepts,

philosophies and principles that contribute to these programs being a provide Evidence-based Best Practice for treating alcoholism and addiction, with Part 1 being held from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13, and Part II being held during the same choice of times on Wednesday, August 20.

• Prescription Drug Abuse, also presented by Dickinson, will examine current epidemic trends, including the role of internet and other contributing factors in how prescription drugs are obtained, used, symptoms, toxicity, treatment and prevention from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, September 4.

Further information and required registration are available from Betty Wade at bwade@chesco.org.

NEW THIS WEEK: Free Landlord Forum – Wednesday, September 17 Chester County Department of Communtiy Development will host its annual landlord forum

from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., September 17, at the Chester County Public Safety Training Center, 137 Modena Road, South Coatesville.

Participants will receive information regarding tenant assistance resources, renting to special populations, reducing barriers to affordable housing, the eviction process, Section 8 and other subsidy programs, fair housing, environmental remediation and more.

Further information is available at http://chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/18997, strently@chesco.org or (610) 344-6900.

Brandywine Valley and Upper Main Line YMCAs to Merge – Effective January 1 The Brandywine Valley and Upper Main Line YMCAs have approved a merge into a new, combined YMCA of Greater Brandywine, effective January 1.

Organization officials say the regional collaboration will increase opportunities to expand and strengthen YMCA programs and services, particularly in the areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

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The new regional association, to be named the YMCA of Greater Brandywine, will serve

more than 80,000 members at nine locations, including Brandywine YMCA at Coatesville; Jennersville YMCA at West Grove; Kennett Area YMCA at Kennett Square; Lionville Community YMCA at Exton; Octorara Program Center at Atglen; Oscar Lasko Youth Program Center at West Chester; Upper Main Line YMCA at Berwyn; West Chester Area YMCA at

West Chester and the YMCA at Great Valley, Malvern. This will provide two regional YMCAs serving the Greater Chester County area. Last year, the YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity and the Freedom Valley YMCA formed the Philadelphia

Freedom Valley YMCA. Further information on the latest merger is available at www.ymcabwv.org/transition.

Locations of the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA are mapped at www.philaymca.org/branches.

Free Art Classes for Veterans and Those Touched by Cancer

ArtFusion 19464 of Pottstown, a nonprofit arts association, is providing four open art classes scholarships for veterans at the organization’s facility at 254 East High Street through

funding from the Vietnam Veterans of American Chapter 436. In addition, pottery and art journaling classes will be provided for military veterans and cancer patients, survivors, family members and caregivers, starting in the Fall.

Further information and applications are available at info@artfusion19464.org or (610) 326-2506.

New Language Access Cultural Competency Initiative Starting in Phoenixville Area

The Phoenixville Community Health Foundation has unveiled a new cultural competency

training initiative for individuals and organizations interested in creating better language access for residents of its service area. The plan, part of a Foundation focus to help open access to healthcare and human services

for all residents of the Greater Phoenixville area, will be coordinated by the Maternal & Child Health Consortium and include training in protocol development, interpreter training, and strategies for working with interpreters.

Purpose of the project is to develop a corps of trained, stipend-paid volunteers who are certified to do interpretations for non-English-speaking individuals attempting to receive various services in the health, human services, law enforcement, municipal, education, and

other fields. Any bilingual individual, including organization personnel in or serving the Phoenixville community, is eligible to participate. The protocol and strategies workshops will be half day

sessions, with interpreter training required for those who are bilingual being three full days. Further information and required registration are available at www.ccmchc.org/wp-

content/uploads/2012/06/MCHC-Phx-Interpreter-Training-flyer.pdf, naravalo@ccmchc.org or (610) 350-7660.

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UPDATED THIS WEEK: Community Organization Networking Connection Meetings

(Regular Meeting Dates are Subject to Change)

Chester County Family and Community Partnership meets from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Friday of February, April, June, August, October and December at various locations. The group is a diverse partnership of individuals, families, community organizations, service agencies, businesses and funders committed to empowering individuals and families in

living self-sufficient, productive and fulfilling lives. On August 1, the group will meet at the new PA CareerLink-Chester County and United Way Financial Stability Center offices at 479 Thomas Jones Parkway – Suite 500, Exton. Additional information is available from Kathy Brauner at kbrauner@chesco.org or (610) 344-5262.

COSECHA (Harvest) meets from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month from September through June at various Southern Chester County locations. Paid

and volunteer individuals who work with Chester County children, youth and families share information and build partnerships for after-school, out-of-school and summer programs. Further information is available from Laurie Szoke at las7@psu.edu or (610) 696-3500.

Coatesville Area Resource Network (CARN) meets from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month, except August and December, in the fourth floor conference room at Brandywine Health Center at 744 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville. Representatives of

community organizations exchange information about current and upcoming activities and hear presentations from various services providers. In August, no meeting will be held. Further information is available from Kathryn Spurlock at ccch@comcast.net or at (610) 380-7111 x16.

Lancaster County LINK to Aging and Disability Resources meets from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at various Lancaster area locations for services cross-trainings and exchange of information on creating a one-stop, no-wrong-door

resource for older adults and adults with disabilities, including consumers, family members and others, seeking information about local resources. On August 21, Nathan Roth of the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP) will present at its offices at 123 East

King Street, Lancaster. Further information is available from Brian Long, coordinator, at www.lancastercountylink.org/cross-training-meetings/2014-meetings, LancasterCountyLINK@mail.com or (717) 380-9714.

Phoenixville Area Resource Network (PARN) meets from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month, except December, at the First United Methodist Church (north entrance), 865 South Main Street, Phoenixville. Representatives of community organizations

exchange information about current and upcoming activities and hear presentations from various services providers. Additional information about the group is available from Debbie Dundon at Open Hearth, Spring City, at (610) 792-9282 x201 or at debbie.openhearth@verizon.net.

Kennett Area Each and All Dialogue Group meets from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month at the Kennett Area Senior Center, 427 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square, to promote a living philosophy of being and becoming a peaceful,

progressive and inclusive community. Further information is available from Joan Holliday at dochollisv@aol.com or (610) 717-2180.

Community Nurse Network meets from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. the first Thursday of alternating months to exchange information on promotion of holistic health within faith congregations and communities and to develop additional faith community nurses, also known as parish nurses. On September 4, the group will meet at the Kennett Area Senior

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Center, 427 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square. Further information is available from Joan Holliday at dochollisv@aol.com or (610) 717-2180.

Kennett Area Bridging the Community meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesdays of January, March, May, July, September and November at various community locations with any interested individual or organization welcome to attend and share information on

resources and needs that can build "bridges" toward a more integrated Kennett area community. On September 10, the group will meet at the Kennett Area Senior Center, 427 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square. Additional information is available from Joan Holliday at dochollisv@aol.com or (610) 717-2180. Minutes from prior meetings are

available at www.bridgingcommunity.com/bridging.php. Communities That Care (CTC) groups in several Chester County school districts provide

networking opportunities for community organizations and individuals that use a planning and mobilization model to promote healthy youth development and prevent and reduce negative youth health and behavior issues that may include substance abuse, delinquency, teen pregnancy, school drop-out, and violence.

• West Chester CTC meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the second Thursday of

each month of the school year at the West Chester Area School District Spellman

Administrative Building, 829 Paoli Pike, West Chester. Lunch is provided by reserving at rsvp@wcctc.org or (610) 359-5817.

• Downingtown Area CTC meets from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. the third Tuesday of the

month from September through May at the Lionville Community YMCA, 100 Devon Drive, Exton. Further information is available at dtownctc@umly.org or (610) 458-9090 x2827.

• Coatesville CTC Community Prevention Board, a body coterminous with the Coatesville Youth Initiative Steering Committee, meets periodically in the fourth floor Community Room, Brandywine Health Foundation, 744 East Lincoln Highway,

Coatesville. On Tuesday, August 19, the group will meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to learn about the current organizational status and activities. Further information and requested lunch reservations are available from Jarvis Berry, CTC community mobilizer, at Jarvis@coatesvilleyouthinitiative.org or (610) 380-0200.

UPDATED THIS WEEK: Support Groups for Unemployed and Underemployed -

Ongoing

Several networking/support groups (open to everyone) are available at area churches for persons who are unemployed or unemployed, with each providing its own variety of specific services in support of those who attend:

• Downingtown (Lionville/Exton) -- Barnabas Group, at Calvary Fellowship Church, 95 West Devon Drive (rear entrance) at Route 113 in Exton (Lionville) is named after the Biblical disciple known as the Son of Encouragement. Weekly sessions are part of the church’s Care Monday, that includes a prayer group that meets at the same time

in the Prayer Lobby (Portico Entrance), with intercession for those attending the Barnabas Group and the church’s other Care Ministries, including DivorceCare for those coping with separation or divorce, even years later; Mending Hearts for those

with prodigal children and other family members; and various offerings focused on assistance in healing and coping. Further information for Barnabas Group activities is available at barnabasgroup@cfdownington.com or (610) 363-7171.

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• Malvern – Penn State Great Valley’s Alumni Association and MyCareer Transitions (MCT), an all-volunteer job counseling group, meets from 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

the second Saturday of the month, except August and December, in 130 Main Building, Penn State Great Valley, 30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern, preceded by a new member orientation at 8:30 a.m. In August, there is no meeting. Further information and required registration are available at

http://mycareertransitions.com/new/?q=upcoming-meetings.

• Wayne – A one-on-one Employment Guidance Ministry, along with periodic special employment related events to aid jobseekers is available at St. David’s Episcopal

Church, 763 South Valley Forge Road, Malvern. Further information is available from George Vosburgh at gbvosburgh@aol.com or (610) 688-7947.

• West Chester – Unemployment support group meets bi-weekly from 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 130 West Miner Street, West Chester, to learn tips and techniques related to job searches. Further information is available from Elisabeth Hartwell at ehartwell@firstpreswc.com, at (610) 696-0554.

• West Chester –BarnabasWC group meets from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Mondays,

except holidays, in the Community Room, Providence Church, 430 Hannum Avenue,

West Chester. Further information is available at www.barnabaswc.org or info@barnabaswc.org.

• Six Area Affiliates of Joseph's People meet during the month:

Downingtown -- 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays, at St. Joseph's Parish, 338 Manor Avenue (Route 322), in the parish meeting room behind the school at the back of the property. Further information about the affiliate is available by leaving a message at (610) 873-7117.

Berwyn/Main Line - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays at the Hagenbach Room, St. Monica’s Church, 635 First Avenue. Further information is available from Bob Schubert at bobschubertjr@aim.com or (610) 755-2398.

Media -- 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays for GetWorks, at Hassler Chapel, Media Presbyterian Church, 30 East Baltimore Pike, or in the St. Francis Room at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 2400 North Providence Road. On August 5, at the St. Mary Magdalen Church, Legal Issues Facing Employers will be discussed.

Further information is available at (610) 566-3944. Upper Uwchlan Township – 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at the School Education Center, St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, 100 Fellowship Road, Chester

Springs. Further information is available at (610) 321-1200 or at david.bolz@verizon.net. Reading – 7 p.m. to 8:30 pm. on the first and third Wednesdays at St Catharine's of Siena Parish Center. 2427 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading. Further information is

available from John Senick, facilitator, at (610) 779-4005. West Grove – 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month in the new Parish Life Center, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 300 State Road, West Grove. On July 23, John Colarusso, former job-seeker and Joseph’s People volunteer will

discuss How to Use LinkedIn. Further information is available from John Colgan at johnfcolgan@gmail.com. Additional information on all St. Joseph’s People chapters is available at www.josephspeople.org.

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Support Many New Job Assistance Workshops, Job Fairs and Job Openings Report

–July

Unemployed and underemployed persons seeking education and training in career planning, along with employment assistance for veterans, ex-offenders and persons with disabilities, can take advantage of a broad series of monthly workshops offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor CareerLink at its new Exton offices in Suite 500, 479 Thomas Jones

Way in the Oaklands Corporate Center. These trainings include an orientation presentation as to what PA CareerLink has to offer.

A calendar of PA CareerLink-Chester County workshops is available at http://chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/18855.

Monthly job openings list that lists several pages in the Chester County area is available at http://chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/18859. Daily position openings updates are available through www.cwds.state.pa.us.

Websites for additional county PA CareerLink offices in the area, at which many services are available to out-of-county residents, include:

Berks: www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/CareerLink/Pages/default.aspx Delaware: www.delcoworks.org Lancaster: www.jobs4lancaster.com Montgomery: www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1024

Hankin Branch Library Opens New Digital Discovery Center Henrietta Hankin Branch Library at Chester Springs (Ludwigs Corner) has opened a new

Digital Discovery Center to enable consumers to try out digital devices or receive instruction about their uses.

The Center, located at 215 Windgate Drive, now has a 23-inch Windows 8 computer with large type keyboard and ergonomic mouse, Microsoft Surface tablet, iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy Note tablet, Kindle Fire HDX and a Nook Simple Touch eReader.

Individuals can try out the devices during weekly drop-in hours or sign up for one-on-one appointments with a staff member during which one can use his or her own device or practice with a library unit.

Further information and individual appointments are available at www.chescolibraries.org/digital-discovery-center, hhreference@ccls.org or (610) 321-1710.

The library and its parent Chester County Library also have launched a new website at www.chescolibraries.org.

Free 2014 Consumer Action Handbook Now Available Federal Citizen Information Center has published its 2014 Consumer Action Handbook which is available for online viewing or free by mail.

The 152-page guide to being a smart shopper contains tips about preventing identity theft, understanding credit, filing a consumer complaint, and more.

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The guide is available at www.usa.gov/topics/consumer/consumer-action-handbook.pdf, or can be ordered in English or Spanish at www.usa.gov/consumer-action-handbook/order-

form.shtml. Changes at Federally Supported Health Centers in Coatesville and Pottstown.

Changes have occurred for patients at Federally Qualified Health Centers in Coatesville and Pottstown. Chester County Community Dental, which has shared facilities with ChesPenn Health

Services at the Brandywine Center in Coatesville, now has become the dental office of ChesPenn's Center for Community Health, while Community Health and Dental Care, a separate Pottstown organization, has opened a second location at 700 Heritage Drive, on

the Borough’s East Side. The Coatesville merger, effective July 1, enables uninsured and underinsured dental patients to use the sliding fee payments scale associated with ChesPenn being a Federally

Qualified Health Center. In addition to the Coatesville facility at 744 East Lincoln Highway, ChesPenn operates two

offices in the City of Chester and a fourth in Upper Darby. Further information is available at www.chescodental.blogspot.com or (610) 380-4660.

In Pottstown, Community Health and Dental will continue its subsidized care for individuals, based on income, at its 11 Robinson Street facility. It also will continue its free transportation from various area locations to the sites.

Further information is available at www.ch-dc.org or (610) 326-9460. A list of sites of additional federally-supported facilities is available through a searchable database at www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx.

Special Enrollment for Health Insurance Marketplace Available Although next year’s open enrollment for federal health insurance coverage under the

Health Insurance Marketplace won’t start until November 15, one may qualify for special enrollment provisions due to special life circumstances.

Qualifying life events for special enrollment include, but are not limited to: • Marriage or divorce. • Having a baby, adopting a child, or placing a child for adoption or foster care. • A change in residence, gaining citizenship, or leaving incarceration.

• Losing other health coverage due to losing job-based coverage, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances not involving voluntarily ending coverage or losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum

essential coverage. • Having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium

tax credits or cost-sharing reductions for people already enrolled in Marketplace

coverage. • Gaining status as a member of an Indian tribe.

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Further information, including an online screening tool, is available at www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-get-coverage-outside-of-open-enrollment/#part=2, or at

(800) 318-2596. Free Annual Chesco Local Farm Products Guide Published

Chester County Agricultural Development Council has issued A Guide to Local Farm Products for this year. The 32-page publication, in addition to a directory and map of farmer markets and outlets,

retail outlets, Community Support Agriculture (CSA) sites, and specialty products, includes educational information about dairy products, seasonal eating including a calendar, agriculture-related careers and more.

Further information, including an online downloadable guide, is available at www.chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=1124 or (610) 344-6285.

Services Expansion of Free Southern Chester County Ride For Health Initiative

The Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC) and the

Phoenixville Community Health Foundation have expanded their Ride for Health Initiative (RFHI) in Southern Chester County to include trips for human and social services needs in addition to the earlier healthcare focus.

The service provides taxi or public transit trips for eligible residents of Avon Grove, Kennett, Oxford and Unionville-Chadds Ford school districts to health and human and social services sites, including those in Kennett Square, West Chester and Coatesville.

Scheduled transportation is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays from Kennett Area Community Service, 136 West Cedar Street, Kennett Square. Earlier information is available at http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102570574404-

1463/FREE+Medical+Transportation.pdf or (610) 925-3556. Information also is available from partner agencies at http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102570574404-1419/RFHI+Flyer+%28English%29_8+23+13.pdf.

Information on a similar Phoenixville area initiative that has been in existence since 2000 is available at http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102570574404-

1464/ride+for+health+brochure.pdf. Please Note: New and Updated tags refer only to the time of appearance of information in these E-Updates. Some on-going activities may have been in existence for some time and are being listed for aware-ness.

Letting People Know/Making a Difference - Ongoing Feedback indicates that a lack of communications tools is a primary deficiency in bringing community services providers and those needing information together. If you know of an activity designed to have a real impact on families (this includes individuals and youth) that we should be aware of or might be interested in reporting in these periodic e-mail updates, please let me know, either with details or a web site link. In order to maintain its value, this forum currently is a subjective, selective distribution so all information submitted may not be used.

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Also, if you know someone who might be helped by these periodic updates, please forward all or selected portions as you feel appropriate. If you would like to be added to or removed from this list, please hit reply and advise by typing "Subscribe" or "Unsubscribe" or something similar in the Subject line. Events listed are based on subject matter related to activities impacting families and is based on information reported to us. No endorsement is made or implied. Suggestions for improvements are encouraged. We currently are developing a more advanced electronic communications method for this type of material that will have more expansive yet less obtrusive characteristics. Please stay tuned. To submit materials for publication, please refer to the guidelines that follow.

Blessings

Casey Casey Jones Transformation Initiative Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families (610) 707-1494 / bps461@msn.com

General Guidelines for Information Submission: Submission up to two to three months prior to the event is encouraged to increase exposure for new subscribers, persons who don't read the list every week, and for other organizations that want to avoid scheduling opposite an event or might want to collaborate with another in the area. For annual events, longer lead times may be appropriate. Our deadline generally is the Friday before the week of publication. A general idea of the information needed (many submit too little for the consumer to understand what actually is occurring and why they might like to attend) can be obtained by perusing the publications or using the following guide:

Please use full names followed, if appropriate, by acronyms in parenthesis.

• Name of Event:

• Date(s) - Include both day(s) of week and actual dates:

• Times (Starting and ending):

• Location (Including any applicable room number, particularly in a large facility, and a Mapquest or Google

Maps searchable address:

• Sponsoring Organization(s), if not part of the location address:

• Participant Eligibility (Ages, gender, etc.):

• Description of Activities and, as applicable, the presenter and the purpose of the event (Two to three

descriptive sentences with the most appealing information; please avoid superfluous words such as "wonderful", "great", etc.):

• Any Fees, including free-will offerings:

• Contact name, e-mail, telephone, along with any web page that is focused primarily on the specific

activity:

• Any registration requirements:

We generally use only free activities of a non-commercial nature or those in which a very small materials fee is charged.

• Fund-raising activities generally are not published unless there is a good mixture of free activities also

available, including free admission, and a participant has the choice of purchasing incidental items, such as food or crafts.

• Church events generally are published only if they are separate from normal weekly worship services.

Due to the wide variety of activities available, decisions on publication ultimately are determined on a case-by-case basis in context with focus of the publications.