Hello Cope Supporters!

With COVID cases on the rise, I can feel the tension and uncertainty rise in our community, especially for the families we serve. Please remember to wear your masks and keep your distance to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Right now at Cope, we continue to support families as kids go back to school and as parents try to recover financially and emotionally from the pandemic. Services are still being offered remotely, meeting with families through screens and phones to help ensure everyone's health and safety.

In this newsletter you can read more about:

Drop-In Services Still Available to Families during Pandemic
Summer Campaign raises over $19,000
Don't Take Your Stress Back to School Family Connection Event

In Community,
Michele Grupe

Drop-In Services Still Available to Families during Pandemic

While nearly all of our services transitioned to being offered remotely, we have maintained our drop-in services through our Family Resource Center with the creation of a walk up window that started at the beginning of the pandemic. Often the first time a family reaches out to us for support is when they walk through our doors in a time of crisis. They are heard, provided with emergency assistance and connected to any other essential resources. Crisis support is even more needed during disasters like the pandemic, which is why we have the walk-up window to ensure that we can still safely serve families.

We encourage you to let anyone you know who may be in need of support to reach out to Cope. They can drop by or call us at 707.252.1123. With children going back to school and COVID cases on the rise, we know families are once again dealing with immense stress. We are here to help.

Summer Campaign Raises Over $19,000!

Thanks to the generosity of our amazing supporters, over $19,000 was raised to help families recover from the long-lasting financial and emotional impacts of the pandemic. These funds are already being put to use to support parents as they help their children return to school and deal with the stress and trauma caused by the pandemic.

The current rise in COVID cases and the spread of the Delta variant have increased the uncertainty and worry in children and adults in our community. The funds raised over the summer are also being used to support families as they deal with these new challenges. If you like to add to the campaign to meet these new needs, you can make a gift online here.

Helping Children Manage Stress and Anxiety About Going Back to School

Earlier this month our Home Visiting program hosted a special event for the families in the program to discuss and process the emotions around going back to school after being home for a year. The virtual gathering was facilitated by a licensed family therapist, Monique Bendzick. She taught the parents and children tips and tools to help reduce stress caused by kids returning back to school. The children were engaged and shared their anxieties and excitement about going back, and parents shared their appreciation for hosting this special session.

Family connection events like these are so important in making sure families get the support and resources they need while also connecting to other families dealing with similar struggles. It helps to build a network of support so that families can be more resilient during times of stress.