Get to know the Family Health Center: Mental health in Waco’s low-income communities

By Rae Jefferson

May is National Mental Health Month, which means there’s no better time to talk about the way mental health is approached by our community. In 2018, Family Health Center (FHC) provided more than $2.2 million in behavioral health services to patients in McLennan and Bell counties. It’s important to note that majority of the patients at FHC qualify as low-income and receive services through Medicaid, Medicare, or out-of-pocket payments. We strive to provide full-scope, compassionate care in the form of medical, dental, and behavioral health services.

Although participation in our behavioral health services is increasing each year as patients learn about our programs and their own mental and emotional needs, it is still one of the lesser-utilized programs at FHC. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that not every patient needs behavioral health services. But FHC is also aware that, in our quest to offer high-quality behavioral health care to primarily low-income populations in Waco, we’re up against challenges like stigma, financial limitations, and patients who don’t know how to identify their own mental and emotional needs.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports one in five American adults will experience mental illness in a given year. The definition of mental illness is sprawling and ranges from mild cases of depression or anxiety to debilitating battles with post-traumatic stress disorder or schizophrenia. Despite the prevalence of mental illness, studies show that individuals from low-income households, communities of color, or religious environments are less likely to seek medical care for mental health concerns. Furthermore, people of color are at higher risk of mental and emotional distress, with African Americans alone being 20 percent more likely to experience major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide. The majority of FHC patients fall into one or more of these categories, often making it a challenge to treat patients who feel they can’t seek help.

FHC takes several approaches to providing accessible behavioral healthcare. We accept patients with and without insurance and can charge on an income-based sliding scale. Of all the barriers to mental health care, we strive to make finances one of the easiest to conquer.

Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) is FHC’s way of practicing healthcare that allows patients attending a regular doctor’s appointment to see a behavioral health specialist, called an Integrated Health Manager (IHM), in the same visit. These Licensed Clinical Social Workers are on-call to provide mental and emotional support to patients while also determining diagnoses and treatment recommendations to the physician. This process eliminates the need for making follow-up diagnostic appointments or delaying treatment for the patient.

FHC provides traditional counseling through our Family Counseling and Children’s Services Program. We also organize support groups for patients who are pregnant, nursing, or fostering a child. Although these groups are not immediately related to traditional behavioral health services, they often provide emotional support in a group setting that facilitates community-building and leads to a healthier emotional life.

Although we’re already working hard to address mental health needs among low-income Wacoans, we’re always looking for ways to improve these efforts by expanding our programs and partnerships. This summer, the behavioral health team is launching a program in which patients can receive counseling services via in-home visits. This will help address patients’ transportations issues and allow them to explore mental health concerns in a familiar environment.

FHC is one of many organizations in town stepping up to the challenge of providing mental health services to low-income individuals in Waco. We hope our work and the efforts of others can push the needle in such a way that stigma and barriers, both real and perceived, can begin to fall away.

Rae Jefferson is a creative, Netflix binger, and marketing professional, in that order. Originally from Houston, she stuck around Waco after graduating from Baylor University with a B.A. in Journalism, PR, & New Media and a minor in Film & Digital Media. Now she’s the Communications Director at Family Health Center, where she gets to spend each day serving Waco. When she’s not working, find her at home snuggled up with her dog-daughter, Charlie, watching “The Office” for the hundredth time.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.orgfor more information.

Freedom School: Pulling together to prevent summer learning loss

By Lakia Scott

The Baylor Freedom Schools program is a partnership between Baylor’s School of Education, Waco ISD and Transformation Waco, Prosper Waco, and the City of Waco. Freedom Schools is a seven-week summer literacy enrichment program founded by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). Social action, character building, and STEAM activities are also built into the program so children engage in an interactive, meaningful curriculum. Throughout the program, children are exposed to culturally relevant books and meet with community guests to learn how to be agents of change in their local areas. The main theme of Freedom Schools is “I Can Make a Difference in Myself, My Family, My Community, My Country, and My World with Hope, Action and Education.” 

In our founding year, serving 50 students at Cesar Chavez Middle School, we experienced tremendous success with helping a great majority of middle school scholars (93%) maintain or increase their reading abilities therefore significantly reducing summer learning loss. Last year, we worked with 70 middle school scholars at Indian Spring Middle School and 100% of students maintained or increased their reading abilities.

Perhaps the most popular aspect of Freedom Schools is the unforgettable morning experience known as Harambee! The Swahili term meaning “let’s pull together” allows us to collectively gather in understanding our purpose and goals for the day. During Harambee, we sing motivational songs, give announcements, and do cheers before our students enter their classrooms. We also host Guest Readers who will read a short children’s book to the students, and entertain a few questions.   It has proven to be a wonderful way to introduce our students to community leaders and lovers of children and to show the children how much adults value reading.

This video will give you a good sense of the day in and day out Freedom School activities and how it works.

This year, we will be working in the Transformation Zone (an in-district charter system within  Waco ISD) at both Indian Spring MS (50 scholars) and JH Hines Elementary School (120 scholars) to provide quality literacy enrichment programming from June 12 through July 26th. This program is completely free and includes field trips, special guests, and meals. 

Would you like to learn more about Freedom School and how you can participate with us in this exciting work?

Please join us on Friday, May 24,  for the second annual “Reading Between the Vines”  fundraiser.  Admission donations of $25 will be collected to offset the cost of staff training, classroom supplies, field trips, and children’s texts used throughout the duration of the program. During the event, which will take place at the Cultivate 7Twelve art space at 712 Austin Avenue, attendees will meet Freedom School staff and learn more about the program while also being invited to participate in the Art Auction and wine tasting selections. Looking forward to seeing you there.  Let’s pull together! Harambee!

Lakia M. Scott, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Baylor University. She currently teaches elementary reading methods and diversity issues courses to pre-service teachers. Her work focuses on social issues in education like equity, social justice, race, gender and social class. In 2017, Scott launched Freedom Schools in Waco, a summer program focused on building literacy among children by curbing summer learning loss and closing achievement gaps.

Thanks for a terrific Lemonade Day, Waco!

By Nathan Embry and Natalie Ward.

A common message I hear often is “Waco is different because this community takes care of each other.” Many of us have seen this play out time after time, and I’m excited to offer another piece of evidence that this is true: Lemonade Day 2019 was a huge success.

This community pulled together to support Waco youth by teaching them basic business ownership skills. The kids learned many things during this process, like how to make a business plan, ask for loans, sell their product, and count their money. We are excited to share with you a few specific successes this program had this year and how this community made a big impact on the lives of young entrepreneurs in all parts of Waco. Here are a few quick facts:

  • 195 kids registered online to learn the lessons
  • 30 lemonade stands registered online for consumers to find and visit
  • 16 stands reported business results
  • The highest grossing lemonade stand (that posted results) earned $428 with a profit of $339
  • Kids that reported results earned $2,883 in total revenue with $2,302 dollars profit
  • Rapoport entire 4th grade STEM class participation with great results. A principal at the school told me it was one of the top 5 programs that school has ever participated in
  • We had 3 digital billboards around Waco donated to advertise Lemonade Day and media exposure from KWTX
  • Over 2,300 views on a promotional video put together with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce to advertise the event
  • Lemonade Day Waco (the organization that pays for books and event expenses, etc) raised over $1,500
  • 12 business loans negotiated by groups of kids, 100% paid back to investors with interest

 Rapoport Partnership

Lemonade Day Waco had a great partnership with Rapoport Academy Public School. It was an honor working with Natalie Ward and her team, and to see the kids love the lessons so much. Her testimony about the program is best told from her personal experience:

When Nathan Embry approached me about Lemonade Day at the beginning of the year, my team responded with a resounding, “Yes!” Entrepreneurship is woven in the fiber of Rapoport Academy Public School. In the original charter, the founder Nancy Grayson, envisioned an education rooted in entrepreneurship. That is why an Art teacher, a Technology teacher, and a Science teacher decided to take on this project: entrepreneurship is for everyone. My 4th graders may not remember my name later on in life, the art projects we did, or their accomplishments in the STEAM Lab, but I guarantee they will remember participating in Lemonade Day.

To prepare for the big day, students went through the National Lemonade Day curriculum in class. They learned how to create a brand and give their lemonade stand a theme and also how to prepare a budget, purchase supplies online, find an investor, acquire a $30 loan, and pay back their loan with interest. Students were able to calculate the cost of goods sold per cup and determine profit per cup of lemonade sold on the big day.

Perhaps the most important lesson our students learned was how to earn and manage revenue. Every student saved, spent, and donated a portion of their earnings. Each team partnered with a local not-for-profit, allowing charities all across Waco to receive a small donation from our students. I felt a little embarrassed dropping off a $20 donation, but when I think of the long-term effects of this project, I hope that by learning to give when they are young, our students will go on to give generously later in life. Rapoport’s charter states a goal of growing students who will  “return to the community as professionals with a sense of responsibility.”

The entrepreneurial community connections Lemonade Day brought to the classroom were outstanding. Cory Dickman, owner of Waco Pedal Tours, Waco Escape Rooms and Nexus Gaming shared about the risks and benefits of owning a business. Cathi Davis, from Seedhouse Creative, instructed our students on how to brand their businesses. Nathan Embry, Nathan Sloan of Compass Bank, and Logan Vick of Independent Bank imparted their wisdom about making sales and even gave our students the opportunity to practice their sales pitches.

My personal favorite part of this project was the wrap up and pay day. Watching our kids experience the joy of earning real money and hearing what they personally learned from the project was inspiring.

It’s easy to see how this project helped them realize their potential in future careers such as accounting, sales, and branding when you hear comments like these:

  • “I learned I’m good at keeping and recording money.”
  • “I learned that I’m really good at attracting customers.”
  • “Creating a theme and making a logo was my favorite part.”

Many students also shared about the life lessons they learned:  

  • “I learned that I need to be more patient with my team.”
  • “I learned that I need to speak up so people can hear me.”
  • “I learned I need to calm down if I want people to listen to me.”
  • “I learned I need to show integrity when giving my customers their change.”
  • “I learned I can work with anyone.”

As a teacher, you know lessons like these don’t come from a worksheet. They come from experience, and I am so thankful our students had this opportunity.

Natalie Ward is a S.T.E.A.M. Teacher at Rapoport Academy grades 2nd-4th.

Nathan Embry is the City Director for Lemonade Day and works in commercial real estate.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.

Top 10: Reflections on Leadership Waco

Top 10  “Most Opened” Blog Posts of 2019: # 6

By Austin Meek

As someone who thought he knew a lot about this city before starting Leadership Waco, I finished the Greater Waco Chamber’s year-long training course with a more robust and nuanced view of the issues and opportunities facing Waco than I’d ever dreamed possible.

I’ve hosted “Downtown Depot,” my radio show and podcast that airs on 103.3 KWBU-FM, for almost three years. On the program, I interview the small business owners, civic leaders, and engaged citizens leading Waco’s revitalization. I’ve spent literally hundreds of hours thinking about this community, both by myself and with other engaged parties, and did not expect to find much that I didn’t already know through Leadership Waco.

But, of course, as it has time and time again, Waco surprised me.

Before Leadership Waco, I never knew that Mars Wrigley, which operates a confectionery on Texas Central Parkway, is the single largest consumer of granulated sugar in the world, and 85-90 percent of Skittles, Starburst, and Snickers bars in North America are made right here in the heart of Texas.

Before Leadership Waco, I was unaware that historic Oakwood Cemetery, nationally known for its collection of angels adorning headstones, bears the remains of three Texas governors – Sul Ross, Richard Coke, and Pat Neff.

I’d never heard the incredible story of perseverance from Melissa Pardun of Maker’s Edge, a now-popular makerspace on 18th and Austin Avenue. After opening in January 2015, Melissa spent four months wondering why she’d followed this hair-brained dream before finally registering her first paying member in May. Despite the slow start, Maker’s Edge now serves between 100-120 members and employs six people.

Through Leadership Waco, I discovered a community that punches above its weight class in nearly every category. Whether it was the breadth and depth of the city’s non-profit network, or the quality of cultural offerings from the Waco Symphony Orchestra and Cultivate 712, or the millions of dollars poured into researching renewable technologies at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC), it’s clear that Waco is no longer just a sleepy town on the Brazos. It’s a rapidly developing metropolis with the resources, strategy, and ambition to become the next great Texas city.

Through its monthly gatherings focused on specific industries, Leadership Waco helped me to see a complete picture of our community. It also introduced me to contemporaries who have a similar vision for what Waco can become. I hope you’ll consider applying for Leadership Waco and watch as your understanding and admiration for this city grows.

The Waco Chamber is accepting applications for Leadership Waco Class XXXVI is until Friday, May 24. Please click here for more information.

Austin Meek is an entrepreneur based in Waco, Texas. For his media company, Waco Business News, he hosts the bi-monthly radio show and podcast, “Downtown Depot,” which first aired in September 2016 on 103.3 KWBU-FM. On “Downtown Depot,” he dialogues with the small business owners, civic leaders, and engaged citizens spearheading Waco’s revitalization. He also owns and operates Pokey O’s Cookies and Ice Cream in Waco and is developing real estate on Elm Avenue. Vox, Waco Business News

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.

United Way Impact: Who is ALICE?

By Madison Fraser

ALICE is someone you already know. They are your next-door neighbor, your cashier at the grocery store, your waiter, an office worker, and many of the other people who keep our economy running. ALICE cannot always pay the bills, has little or nothing in savings, and is forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.

ALICE is employed at a job that does not pay enough to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation, and health care. Their salaries and pay rates may be enough to barely get by if nothing ever goes wrong, but not enough to establish stability. There is little hope for financial resiliency for people at this income level.

“ALICE” stands for “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.” People in this situation are at the center of focus for United Ways, government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations. These kinds of organizations are starting to work together to evaluate current initiatives and discover innovative approaches that give ALICE a voice.  They are presenting data that can spark meaningful discussion, attract new partners, and ultimately inform strategies for positive change that can improve life for ALICE and the wider community.

Dr. Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., is the lead researcher, director, and author of the ALICE Reports. Dr. Hoopes began this effort with a pilot study of a more accurate way to measure financial hardship in Morris County, New Jersey in 2009. Since then, she has overseen its expansion into a broad-based, state-by-state research initiative. Her research on the ALICE population has garnered both state and national media attention. Dr. Hoopes joined United Way full time in 2015. Since then, the ALICE Project has grown to 17 participating states and over 3,000 counties.

Each ALICE Report uses standardized measurements to quantify the cost of a basic household budget in each county in each state, and to show how many households are struggling to afford it. The ALICE research team developed four ALICE measures to identify and assess financial hardship at a local level and to enhance existing local, state, and national poverty measures. The Household Survival Budget is a minimal estimate of the total cost to maintain a household. The ALICE Threshold represents the minimum income level necessary for survival for a household. The ALICE Income Assessment is a tool that measures how much income households need to reach the ALICE Threshold; how much they actually earn; how much public and nonprofit assistance is provided to help these households meet their basic needs; and the Unfilled Gap — how far these households remain from reaching the ALICE Threshold despite both income and assistance. The ALICE Housing Stock assessment calculates the number of housing units in a county that ALICE and poverty-level households can afford compared with the demand for affordable units. More information on ALICE Research and Methodology Overview.

To provide a better understanding of ALICE in Texas, United Ways throughout Texas are sharing an ALICE report.  This 135-page report is based on years of research and data from Texas households. It shows that 28 percent of Texas families are ALICE. Combined with households in poverty, this means that 42 percent of Texas families do not earn enough money to meet the Household Survival Budget that uses conservative estimates on monthly expenses. Low-wage jobs are prevalent in Texas, with 62 percent of all jobs paying less than $20 per hour. As contract work and on-demand jobs have increased, job instability has increased, making it difficult for ALICE workers to meet regular monthly expenses or to establish savings.

Adriana Cuellar Rojas, President and CEO of United Ways of Texas, says that a goal in releasing this report is to inform Texas communities, policy makers, funders, coalitions, and organizations in order to more effectively help the ALICEs of our state. The data may help guide public policy or, as in the instance of another state’s ALICE report, inform federal agencies, like FEMA, in their response to ALICE families impacted by disasters. Read the full Texas ALICE Report.

ALICE in McLennan County

Twenty-seven percent of McLennan County households are walking a financial tightrope, unable to keep and grow assets, and are only one emergency away from falling into crisis. Even higher than the already startling 42 percent combined percentage at the state level, 17 percent of families are living below the federal poverty line and 45 percent of households are unable to make ends meet here in McLennan County. As the number of households below the ALICE Threshold changes over time, families will continue to move in and out of poverty and ALICE status as their circumstances improve or worsen. Conditions have improved for some families, but with rising costs, many still find themselves struggling.

In 2016, the annual salary for survival budget for a McLennan County family with two adults and two children was $51,660 – more than double the federally recognized family poverty level of $24,300. The Household Survival Budget reflects the bare minimum that a household needs to live and work today. It does not include savings for emergencies or future goals like college or retirement. In comparison, the stability budget for the same family would need to be $92,748 annually to establish those goals as realistic opportunities. View data about ALICE in McLennan County.

The way Americans live is changing, especially here in McLennan County. Our population is rapidly increasing with a 7 percent growth rate per year since the last census in 2010, as well as housing costs and the decrease of affordable housing as a result of reconstruction and additions to the city landscape. There are more family and living combinations that are different than ever before, including more adults living alone, with roommates, or with their parents. Families with children are changing. There are more non-married cohabiting parents and blended families with remarried parents. The number of senior households is also increasing. Yet all types of households continue to struggle. ALICE and poverty-level households exist across all of these living arrangements in our community.

 The ALICE report is about far more than poverty. It reveals that almost half of us are struggling to make ends meet. It reveals profound changes in the structure of Texas’ communities and jobs, as well as in our local community. It also reveals that hardworking families and individuals often are unseen, unknown, and are at-risk almost every day. The lack of accurate information about the number of people who are “poor” distorts the identification of problems related to poverty, misguides policy solutions, and raises questions of equality, transparency, and fairness.

United Way of Waco-McLennan County, in partnership with United Ways of Texas, is taking an active role in addressing these issues. We encourage McLennan County residents and community members to read the ALICE Report and to collectively and collaboratively consider ways to improve the lives of ALICE families in our community. Together, we can all fight for ALICE.

Madison Fraser is a recent graduate of Baylor University where she earned her BA in journalism in 2018. Currently she serves as the Campaign and Communications Coordinator at United Way of Waco-McLennan County where she discovered her passion of community building and advocacy through the work of nonprofits.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.

Resources
United Ways of Texas, United Way of Greater Houston, United Way of Northern New Jersey

Our Community Our Future: Collaborating to serve the mental health needs of young people in our community

By Kelli McAdams

The Heart of Texas Region system of care, “Our Community Our Future (OCOF),” was created in the Fall of 2015 when a committee of community stakeholders came together to look at the mental health needs of children and adolescents in our community. The intention of the “system of care” is to create new opportunities for collaboration, to discover new revenue streams and to braid funding across agencies, in an effort to identify and fill gaps in services for children, youth, and young adults in our community.

OCOF’s overall mission is “Collaborating with and connecting families through a shared community vision to provide a culturally responsive continuum of care so children, youth and young adults are supported in becoming healthy and successful in the Heart of Texas region.” Since 2015, through continued and new collaborations with community partners, OCOF has helped to establish new programs in three major area: School Based Mental Health services, Transition Age Youth services, and Youth Crisis Respite services.

School Based Mental Health services address mental health needs within the educational system. This is done by placing a counselor and case manager at individual school sites to serve the most intensive mental health needs of the children and adolescents at that school. These in-school mental health professionals make it possible for children and adolescents to receive the care they need with minimal disruption to their school day. Having the mental health professionals in the school provides for quick and easy access to a counselor or case manager during times of crisis and allows for collaboration with school staff to best meet the student’s needs. At the end of 2018, the School-Based Mental Health program had 18 mental health staff at 40 campuses across 10 school districts. The program has become a model for the area, with nearby school districts taking notice and requesting information. Multiple school districts have also demonstrated confidence in the program through financial contribution to maintain sustainability.

Transition Age Youth (TAY) services support youth and young adults, between the ages of 18-22, who are transitioning into adulthood. TAY services connect these young people to mental health services that help them to obtain stable housing, to establish healthy adult relationships, and to achieve education and employment goals. The program’s Case Manager, Supported Education and Employment Specialist, and Program Manager were also recently trained in the unique developmental needs of transition age youth, strategies to support engagement with this population, and the adapted Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment. The TAY program currently has a caseload of approximately 30 individuals, and consistently remains at capacity.

The Youth Crisis Respite House (YCRH) is a six-bed, short-term, living-room model, respite facility for youth between the ages of 13-17 who are experiencing a mental health or behavioral health crisis. The intention is to provide respite service within our community in order to reduce the number unnecessary out-of-home placements such as juvenile placement, CPS placement, or psychiatric hospitalization. After many months of preparations and creative funding, the YCRH recently received the approval by The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to open the facility and begin serving youth. Since opening its doors in late March, the house has successfully served five youth and continues to receive referrals.

In addition to these services, the OCOF includes family advocates who work to make sure families have a voice in the system of care. Family partners and family representatives work alongside and support families in their journeys, and OCOF created a Parent Cafe which provides a space for parents and caregivers to gather together, share information, and support one another.

OCOF’s current community partners include:

  • Bill Logue Juvenile Justice
  • Central Texas Youth Services
  • China Spring ISD
  • The Cove
  • Connally ISD
  • DFPS – Child Protective Services
  • Education Service Center Region 12
  • Hill County Juvenile Probation Department
  • Hillsboro ISD
  • Klaras Center for Families – Heart of Texas Region MHMR
  • LaVega ISD
  • Lorena ISD
  • Marlin ISD
  • Midway ISD
  • NAMI Waco
  • Prosper Waco
  • Robinson ISD
  • Starry Counseling
  • Unbound
  • Waco ISD
  • Waco Center for Youth
  • Whitney ISD
  • VASA / Voice

Kelli McAdams, LCSW, is the Program Director for Youth Crisis Respite House at the Heart of Texas Region MHMR. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has a master’s degree of Science in Social Work with a concentration in mental health as well as a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, both from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Salvation Army and Art Center of Waco team up to showcase works by homeless artists

The Salvation Army of Waco and The Art Center of Waco have teamed up for the HeART of the Homeless initiative. This program is funded by City Center Waco and Creative Waco to provide for expressions of art to be created by the homeless and others who are served at The Salvation Army Community Kitchen. 

Twice a week, during the dinner rush, an Art Center of Waco teaching artist prepares for evening art projects outside in the kitchen courtyard. The kitchen serves anyone in need of a meal and the art program provides the same – Anyone in need of some time to enjoy a moment of creative comfort or friendly conversation with other participants. Art projects range from expressive painting, found, donated and/or recycled items crafted into pictures or sculpture, or donated and personal items decorated with tie dye or fabric paints. A variety of art options are always available with the intention of being accessible to all ages and interests.  

Art participants are always appreciative to have the opportunity to build their art experience. It is not uncommon to hear “I really needed that, thank you!” or “I made a special trip to join today.” When told artwork was going to be presented to the public, many participants became more engaged and enjoyed the idea that the public would have the opportunity to see their artwork. Please take a moment to join us to enjoy each piece and know that someone’s heart was put into their work. We can all be connected by art and the HeART of the Homeless program has drawn a creative community to the Salvation Army of Waco Community Kitchen to appreciate each other’s unique voices and experiences, inclusive of all of life’s circumstance. 

To celebrate this collaboration, there will be a free public Art Exhibit Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in both the newly refreshed outdoor courtyard behind the Salvation Army of Waco Community Kitchen, and in the Art Center of Waco Mobile Art Gallery parked in the front visitor’s lot. Address for both exhibits is 300 Webster Ave., Waco, TX.

Additional viewing dates and times will be Thursday, May 16th through Sunday, May 19th from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Both exhibits are free and will both be open for self-guided viewing. 

For questions/details, please contact either Claire Sexton at the Art Center of Waco (254) 752-4371 or Diana Barrett, at The Salvation Army (254) 756-7271.

East Waco Voices: Getting East Waco Back on its Feet – Move East Waco 2019!

By Khristian Howard

If you have been around Waco for a while, you may recall “Move East Waco,” the fitness series that got East Waco up and active two summers ago. We are thrilled to announce that exciting six-week campaign for health education, fitness, and community will be back this summer to continue the impact it began in 2017. Packed with incentives, fun, and most importantly, FREE workout sessions, “Move East Waco 2019” will give you the motivation you need to begin or continue your fitness journey. This year’s series will begin on May 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Oscar DuCongé Park (1504 J.J. Flewellen) and will feature some new and familiar faces to give previews of the workouts and health lectures that will follow in the subsequent six weeks.

Success During Summer ’17 & Hopes for this Year

Move East Waco had its debut in the summer of 2017, and immediately proved to be a hit within the community. Cuevas Peacock, community organizer and co-creator of Move East Waco, shared that in 2017 they saw over 100 people attend the kickoff, and [an] average 15 people at the various workouts. This year, Cuevas and the team hope to double the participation numbers, and to implement some new tracking measures that will provide a more comprehensive report of the program’s impact. Cuevas has garnered support from several East Waco community members, many of whom were key players in the success of Move East Waco ’17. These team members include, Tara Briscoe, Victoria Calhoun, Vivian Vonner, Ashley Royal, Sandra Dorsey-Butler, and Van Davis, to name a few. Some of the main organizations represented are Grassroots Community Development, Live Well Waco, Baylor Health & Wellness, and more. 

To ensure that the goal of doubling participation is met, the team has secured various incentive donations from places like, Gold’s Gym, Refit Waco, Orange Theory, Jamba Juice, Da Shack Farmer’s Market, and more. Additionally, participants can expect a wide variety of workouts and demonstrations ranging from Zumba, line dance, and hip-hop aerobics to cooking demos, healthy food budgeting classes, and stress relief exercises.

As mentioned above, this summer will mark the second installment of Move East Waco. With the help of health and fitness instructors and local businesses providing services and incentives, the program proved to be a huge success in its first installment. Still, you may be wondering, why do a health and fitness series…and why in East Waco? Cuevas Peacock gave us a glimpse into the motivation behind Move East Waco. He shared some troubling statistics about health in East Waco.

He stated, “Throughout our nation, 12% of residents report being in poor health, in Waco the number rises to 13.2%; however, in East Waco, the number grows even more to 18%.  Nationally, 29% of residents are obese, but in East Waco, the number grows to a staggering 45%.”  Move East Waco is a solution that Cuevas believes will be a significant factor in decreasing these numbers. “It is our belief that by increasing the amount of physical activity among the residents of East Waco we can begin to lower the high obesity rate and improve the community’s overall health.” Ultimately, Cuevas summarized the goals of the program as a way to “[demonstrate] various ways for our community to get up and get moving, along with providing access to vendors that could address various health issues…[along] with the hope to Move East Waco towards adopting a healthier lifestyle.”

We Want to See You There!

This year’s kickoff event will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16th, at Oscar DuCongé Park Park in East Waco (1504 J.J. Flewellen), next door to G. W. Carver Middle School. There you will be able to learn easy fitness practices that can be practiced at home. Additionally, this kickoff will give you a preview of each instructor who will be heading up classes throughout the rest of the program. Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. from May 21st to June 27th. Do not hesitate to take advantage of free access to health and fitness materials provided by local professionals – and access to great giveaways that can assist you in living a healthier, fuller lifestyle. Join us as we “Move East Waco” closer to maximum wellbeing!

Click here for “Move East Waco 2019 Schedule

Khristian Howard is an Atlanta native and a recent graduate of Georgia State University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She has a passion for empowering communities through service, and seeks to connect advocacy to creativity. Currently, she is serving as the AmeriCorps VISTA for Texas Hunger Initiative Waco, where her work focuses on fostering collective impact to improve health and eating habits in East Waco. When she is not working, you may find her sharpening her culinary skills or exploring new poetic and artistic pathways.  

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.

June 13, 2019: Symposium Focuses on Suicide Prevention & Connecting Schools to Mental Health Resources

Press Release

Bringing educators, mental health providers and others together to learn and take actionable steps to save lives, regarding what is considered “the preventable epidemic” among American youth, is the focus of the 14th Annual Teen Suicide Prevention Symposium.

Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12, Cedar Crest Residential Treatment Center (Platinum Sponsor), Providence Ascension Healthcare Network (Gold Sponsor), and the Methodist Children’s Home (Gold Sponsor) will present the symposium 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, June 13 at ESC Region 12, 2101 W. Loop 340 in Waco.

Medical and mental health speakers will share research and strategies for helping youth who struggle with suicidal ideation.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an average of one person dies by suicide every 13.7 minutes in the U.S with more than 120 people dying by suicide each day.

Jenipher Janek, ESC Region 12 counseling specialist and regional crisis response team leader, says social media continues to be a factor in teen suicide, but efforts to raise awareness about healthy practices and reporting options are making a difference in Central Texas schools.
“We are seeing an increase in the need for suicide prevention and intervention in our region and in our state. This event offers an opportunity to come together and discuss ways that we may be more effective and collaborative in our efforts to keep our kids safe.”
In addition to the speakers and panel, several organizations will provide resources in an effort to bridge the gap between education and mental health services.

“Schools are struggling to find and make connections with resources in the community,” Janek said. “If we can provide a collaborative place for making that less difficult, we’d really like to do that. Our kids are depending on us.”

More than 35 participants from schools and other entities are registered and additional seats are available. The symposium is $90 to attend and includes a light breakfast and lunch. Registration is available at www.esc12.net.

Would you take a few minutes to help the City of Waco earn $500,000 for sidewalks?

By Ashley Bean Thornton

The City of Waco is diligently working on applications for grants that would help pay for walking and biking infrastructure for Waco, particularly in areas near our public schools. These are huge grants from Texas Department of Transportation’s 2019 Call for Projects for both the Safe Route to School (SRTS) Program and Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program.

A successful grant application could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars for our community specifically earmarked for sidewalk and bike/walk improvements.

They need our help! An important part of the application will be letters of support from the community. 

Jim Reed, Capital Improvement Program Manager with City of Waco Public Works, is managing the grant application process.  He says, “Your letter would make a big difference in the success of our efforts.  The State review committee asks all letters to written from your heart. The review committee loves it to be personal. Please share this request with your neighbors. All letters received shall be incorporated into our applications.”

See below for the list of possible projects. Please take just a few minutes to write a quick, heartfelt email supporting one or more of these projects. If you live in one of these neighborhoods, have kids in one of these schools, teach at one of these schools or have any personal connection at all – your letter could be especially valuable for this process.  Just a few sentences explaining your connection and why you think the project is important, could make a huge difference to our efforts to win this grant!   Even one or two sentences could help.

This is a quick and easy way to make a positive difference in our community.

Please send your email by May 15 to Jim Reed: JimR@wacotx.gov.

List of Possible Projects:

This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say, “Hi!”

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.