We Parents Flourish Together Finds Overwhelming Success
Written by Tim Buckley, April 2023
Free Class for Parents on Reducing Stress & Embracing Financial Wellness Fills to Capacity with Growing Waitlist
Adverse Childhood Experiences coupled with Adverse Community Environments create what Wendy Ellis, Ph.D. calls “The Pair of ACEs”.
Growing up in such an environment is immensely stressful, and those living there are less likely to thrive academically, financially and physically. Having a Pair of ACES is a losing hand every time, everywhere, until game-changing activity begins at home, in the neighborhood, and in the community.
Dr. Ellis developed a process called Building Community Resilience which addresses the root causes of community and childhood adversity. Locally, CBEL is rolling out that strategy in three Salem-area neighborhoods, soon to be four.
“The idea is to come alongside people experiencing stress, to listen, to amplify their voices and, without added pressure, help them find their place of personal power.”
Rick is part of a small team presenting a free, six-month class called We Parents Flourish Together, a stress reduction and financial wellness class.
The idea for We Parents Flourish Together began at a housing and food scarcity conference in Portland, where presenters suggested pairing food pantry operations with skills-building classes.
Salem resident Dick Kreitzberg then contributed $20,000 to help a local food distribution group (Hope Station) while also engaging CBEL and its partners to offer financial literacy and parental stress reduction classes.
“Hope Station serves working families who make too much to qualify for food stamps but struggle each month to meet their family’s obligations. Often, one parent works while the other stays at home because childcare is expensive. That’s why Hope Station is important, helping families stretch their incomes with groceries that are healthy and low cost.”
“The financial wellness class - largely about budgeting and debt reduction - is being presented in a way that accepts each family where they are, no shame and no pressure,” Rick continued. “There is a translator present to help where needed. And the stress reduction class includes lessons and practice in mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication.” He added that some of the students in this series will have the opportunity to become teachers in future classes.
Fourteen students signed up for the first We Parents Flourish Together classes, and 15 more signed up for the next class. Most are from the neighborhoods in which CBEL works, though Hope Station’s other clients were also invited. Likewise, people living in the Hallman, Kennedy and Highland neighborhoods served by CBEL are also able to access Hope Station’s offerings as well.
CBEL’s team also provided free childcare during each class, and 15 children accompanied their mother or father. “There were activities, toys and snacks for the kids,” Rick said, “ and that made it easier for the students to attend without as much worry. There was immediate connection between the students because they saw each other for their struggles and their hopes. There was no ‘us and them’,” he continued, “it was just us, one group of strangers who are quickly bonding around a shared strategy for creating strong families and healthy neighborhoods.”
