Connections Newsletter

~ We update this page when each new issue comes out. ~

The goal of this e-newsletter is to help connect families, family service providers, schools, and local government agencies with timely news, tips, local and national resources, and inspiration – in a way that feels helpful and supportive. On this page, you can check out all past issues. If you want to subscribe or have ideas for future issues, please email ilana “at” frcog.org.

This project is a collaborative effort by four local community coalitions – Greenfield 4SC, Gill-Montague Community School Partnership, Communities that Care, and the North Quabbin Community Coalition, with support from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments.

THE LATEST ISSUE: Connections #67 (May 11, 2023) News & Updates; More on Mass Health Renewals!; Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month and Beyond; Tick Bite Prevention for People and Pets; COVID Vaccine Updates; Have You Seen This? Greenfield Bee Fest and Just Roots Spring Festival & Seedling Sale; Help & Information

Connections #66 (April 13, 2023) News & Updates; Drug Take Back Day & Resources for Protecting Youth; Things to Do During April Vacation; Takeaways from the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; Wellness Corner: Take this quick survey on the “pulse” of our region; Continuing Connections: Summer 2023 Camps and Activities; Have You Seen This? Healthy Kids Day at Franklin County’s YMCA; Help & Information

Connections #65 (March 17, 2023 – Friday due to snow storm!) News & Updates; CHIP Network Meeting – You’re invited!; Resource Roundup: Summer 2023 Camps and Youth Activities; Wellness Corner: MassHealth Renewal Info & Upcoming Vaccine Clinics; Have You Seen This? More Than My Mood Campaign on Youth Mental Health; Help & Information

Connections #64 (February 16, 2023) News & Updates; Your input is needed for the Regional Transportation Plan!; Free Vacation Week Programs and Events; Reflections on Dry January; Wellness Corner; Have You Seen This? 28 Days of Black History; Help & Information

Connections #63 (January 12, 2023) News & Updates; Save the Date for Winter Carnival!; Martin Luther King Day – A Day ON; Smoking and Vaping in the Media Affect Children and Youth; Wellness Corner; Continuing Connections: Free Services Updates; January Library Programs; Have You Seen This? A Smithsonian Exhibit is Coming to Turners Falls!; Help & Information

Connections #62 (December 15, 2022) News & Updates; School Vacation Week Activities and Volunteer Opportunities; Food and Clothing Resources for December and Beyond; Wellness Corner; Continuing Connections: The HomeShare Program; Have You Seen This? Learn more about Kwanzaa; Help & Information

Connections #61 (November 17, 2022) News & Updates; Thanksgiving Week Events, Food Resources, and Volunteer Opportunities; New Drop-In Space for Youth in Greenfield!; Highlights from Communities That Care Coalition’s 20th Anniversary Celebration; Continuing Connections: The Great American Smoke Out and Quitting Resources; Wellness Corner: RSV Info and Seasonal Resources; Have You Seen This? Indigenous Voices Film Series and Resource Guide; Help & Information

Connections #60 (October 13, 2022) News & Updates; Rescheduled to Oct. 25th -Communities That Care Coalition Meeting & 20th Anniversary Celebration; Concerned about Homelessness? Two Ways to Take Action This Month; Highlights from the 2022 Franklin County Parenting Guide; Resources for Heating Your Home This Winter; Wellness Corner: COVID and Flu Vaccines; Continuing Connections: Drug Take Back Day, Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month & Domestic Violence Awareness Month; Have You Seen This? Family Time PSAs; Help & Information

Connections #59 (September 15, 2022) News & Updates; Communities That Care Coalition Meeting & 20th Anniversary Celebration; Ways to Give Back and Get Involved in Your Community; School Success Tips: Addressing Common Challenges; Getting to Know Local AmeriCorps Members; COVID-19 Updates; Continuing Connections: Emergency Preparedness Tips; Have You Seen This? Building Resilient Communities Gathering: Finding Joy in Difficult Times; Help & Information

Connections #58 (August 18, 2022) News & Updates: Extended Summer Version; Ways to Give Back and Get Involved in Your Community; Getting Ready for Back-to-School; Back to School COVID-19 Updates; End-of-Summer Food; Have You Seen This? Shout Out’s Youth Mental Health Video Project; Help & Information

Connections #57 (July 21, 2022) News & Updates: Extended Summer Version; Stretch Your Summer Food Budget; Summer Tick Safety; Continuing Connections: Brick House Teen Center News & Swimming and Parking at State Parks; COVID Updates; Have You Seen This? Share Your Favorite Places in our Region; Help & Information

Connections #56 (June 16, 2022) News & Updates: Extended Summer Version; Free Food Options for Kids and Families, Summer 2022; Continuing Connections: More Summer Activities for Older Kids, Youth & Young Adults; Have You Seen This? Juneteenth events in Greenfield and across the region; COVID Updates and Help & Information

Coalition Connections #55 (May 26, 2022) News & Updates: Extended Version!; Communities That Care Coalition Meeting and Workshop June 9; Summer Options for Older Kids, Youth, and Young Adults; Continuing Connections: Webinars on Youth and Anxiety; Have You Seen This? Stone Soup 10th Birthday Celebration June 12; COVID Updates and Help & Information

Coalition Connections #54 (May 12, 2022) News & Updates; “Community Supports for Young People” Workgroup Meeting May 16; Local Youth Sports: Great Family Entertainment; North Quabbin Events; Continuing Connections: Social Media and Youth Mental Health; Webinars from Embrace Race; Have You Seen This? Mosaic Film Screening in Turners Falls; COVID Updates and Help & Information

Coalition Connections #53 (April 28, 2022) News & Updates; Youth Engaging Legislators & Officials (YELO) Forum May 10; It’s Spring: Farmers Markets, Farm Shares, and more!; Drug Take Back Day April 30; Continuing Connections: Webinar on teen depression; Book recommendations from Tiffany Jewell; Have You Seen This? Free Screenings of “Screenagers: Next Chapter”; COVID Updates and Help & Information

Coalition Connections #52 (April 14, 2022) News & Updates; Healthy Kids Day is April 30!; New Bike or New Cyclist? Tips for Fun and Safety; Things to Do During April Vacation; Continuing Connections: Youth Mental Health; Have You Seen This? Video about the North Quabbin Recovery Center; COVID Updates and Help & Information

Coalition Connections #51 (March 24, 2022) News & Updates; Community Event in Greenfield April 7 with Anti-Racist Author Tiffany Jewell; COVID Updates; Flavored Vape Loophole Closed!; Cyber-Seniors Comes to Our Region!; Continuing Connections: Youth Mental Health; Have You Seen This? Communities That Care “Cooks Up” a Coalition

Coalition Connections #50 (March 10, 2022) News & Updates; COVID Updates; Tips to Increase News Literacy and Reduce News Overload; Youth Mental Health: Revisiting Resources; Have You Seen This? Video of First Generation Youth Theater Performance

Coalition Connections #49 (February 17, 2022) News & Updates; COVID Updates: End of Statewide School Mask Mandate and more; Black History for February and All Year Long; Ideas for February Vacation 2022; Continuing Connections: West County Clothes Closet and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month; Have You Seen This? Community Action Family Center’s Newsletter

Coalition Connections #48 (January 27, 2022) News & Updates; Upcoming CTC & 4SC Coalition Meetings in February; COVID Updates: Local Vaccine Clinics & Free Rapid Tests; Where to Find Winter Outerwear; Restorative Practices in Schools; Have You Seen This? Winter Carnival Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Coalition Connections #47 (January 13, 2022) News & Updates; Community Action is hiring a Family Engagement Coordinator; Q & A: What to do if you test positive for COVID; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 17, 2022; Helping Youth Develop Healthy Stress-Reduction Skills; Have You Seen This? Vaccine Clinic Jan. 20 in Turners Falls

Coalition Connections #46 (December 16, 2021) News & Updates; Communities That Care Coalition News: Hiring and article!; COVID-19 Updates: Boosters for ages 16-17, free rapid tests coming soon, and more; Winter Break Part 2: Ideas for Fun & Free Food Resources; Managing Mental Health and Substance Use During the Holidays; Have You Seen This? Empowering Educators series for courageous conversations about race and social justice

Coalition Connections #45 (December 2, 2021) News & Updates; Community Conversation: Children’s educational rights, IEPs, and more; COVID-19 Updates: Boosters for all adults, vax bus, vaccine recommended when pregnant or breastfeeding; What is “Test and Stay” at Local Schools?; Planning Ahead for Winter Break: Tips to Ease Stress; Have You Seen This? Free Event with the Author of Hey Kiddo!

Coalition Connections #44 (November 18, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Updates: Vax Bus Appointments & Boosters for All Adults; Child and Teen Mental Health: Resource Roundup for Parents and Caregivers; The PreVenture Program moves forward in local schools; Helping Kids Prepare for the COVID Vaccine and Other Shots; Have You Seen This? FRCOG’s Winter Holiday Flyer on COVID Protection

Coalition Connections #43 (November 4, 2021) News & Updates; COVID Updates: Local Info & Child Vaccine Appointments; Healthy, Easy Food Options for Late Fall and Winter; Have You Seen This? Stone Soup Café Day of Giving Thanks

Coalition Connections #42 (October 21, 2021) News & Updates; COVID Updates; Drug Take Back Day: Sat. October 23; What to Do About Colds, Flu, and Other Viruses During COVID; Continuing Connections: Partner Abuse Resources; Paper copies of Parent Guides; Have You Seen This? Community Action Family Center Fall Programs

Coalition Connections #41 (October 7, 2021) News & Updates; Community Action Youth & Workforce Development Programs: Get involved!; COVID Tips and Updates; 2021 Parenting Guide Offers Validation, Tools, and Resources; Stone Soup Spanish Hour: ¡Ven a decir “Hola”!

Coalition Connections #40 (September 23, 2021) News & Updates; Family Day 2021; COVID Updates; Emergency Preparedness is for Everyone; Have You Seen This? Hunger Action Walking Trail

Coalition Connections #39 (September 9, 2021) News & Updates; 2nd Regional Policy & Norms Workgroup Meeting; COVID Updates: Pooled Testing in Schools; What is the 2021 Child Tax Credit?; Have You Seen This? Talk to Kids about Microaggressions – An Embrace Race Online Conversation

Coalition Connections #38 (August 26, 2021) News & Updates; CHIP Network Meeting Sept 1; COVID Updates: latest news plus tips from a nurse; Masks are Required in Schools: Advice from Local Families; Wildfire smoke from the West is here. How to check air quality; Have You Seen This? Greenfield and Montague Soap Box Races!

Coalition Connections #37 (August 12, 2021) News & Updates; COVID Updates; Back to School: Things We Can Do to Make it Easier; New Collaboration on Early Childhood Substance Use Prevention; Have You Seen This? Stone Soup Cafe’s 17th Annual Harvest Supper

Coalition Connections #36 (July 29, 2021) News & Updates; Re-Enrollment Reminder from Local School Districts; COVID: Delta variant and kids under 12; It’s a Great Time to Ride the FRTA Bus!; Green River Swimming Area Re-opens & Using Insect Repellents Safely; Free events at Unity Park the next two weekends

Coalition Connections #35 (July 15, 2021) News & Updates; COVID Updates; 6 Tips for Avoiding Tick Bites; Ways to Cool Down When the River Isn’t Safe; Continuing Connections: Gill-Montague Regional School District’s Free Summer; Have You Seen This? Recently updated “Talk. They Hear You.” mobile app

Coalition Connections #34 (June 24, 2021) News & Updates; Free Summer Meals for Kids and Youth 18 and under; Pandemic Changes: What Do We Want to Keep?; Have You Seen This? “Youth Ending Stigma” Workshops in July

Coalition Connections #33 (June 10, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Updates; Nervous About Needles? Tips for Getting the COVID Vaccine; Pandemic Summer 2.0; Have You Seen This? North Quabbin Community Coalition Scavenger Hunt!

Coalition Connections #32 (May 24, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Updates; 2021 Student Survey Data: Available Now!; Highlights from the Spring Communities That Care Full Coalition Meeting; Have You Seen This? Black Lives/Black Lungs, a short film and discussion

Coalition Connections #31 (May 10, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Updates; Easing Pandemic Stress: What Do Teens Need Now?; Summer Activities: Teen Jobs and Internships; New Programs for Teens and Tweens from Greenfield Public Library

Coalition Connections #30 (April 26, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Info and Vaccine Updates; Summer Camp Info for Summer 2021; Resources for Building Healthy Relationships & Addressing Partner Abuse; Teen Sleep Schedule Reboot; FRTA 2nd/3rd Shift Taxi Service and Free Rides

Coalition Connections #29 (April 12, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Info and Vaccine Updates; Returning to School In-Person: Tips from Local Families; Have You Seen This? Free Webinar: Breaking Down Structural and Systemic Racism for Our Children.

Coalition Connections #28 (March 22, 2021) News & Updates; COVID-19 Info and Vaccine Updates; Easing Pandemic Stress: Let Nature Be Your Guide; Housing Help and More: The RAFT Program; Food Access Resources and Updates on Local Programs for Youth; Interactive HIP Locations Map

Coalition Connections #27 (March 8, 2021) – News & Updates – Lots!; COVID-19 Info and Vaccine Updates; Easing Pandemic Stress: Focus on Food (Part 2!) – Getting Inspired and Economizing; Building a Resilient Community Event, March 12

Coalition Connections #26 (February 22, 2021) – News & Updates; COVID-19 Info and Vaccine Updates; Easing Pandemic Stress – Focus on Food; Learning Black History All Year; NQCC’s Munch & Move; and more!

Coalition Connections #25 (February 8, 2021) – Lots of News & Updates; COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Updates; Black History Month Resource Guide; Feb Vacation Ideas; Youth Vaping and COVID Risks; and more!

Coalition Connections #24 (January 25, 2021) – Lots of News & Updates; Update on COVID Vaccine Rollout; Youth Voices – How COVID is Affecting Them (and What You Can Do!); Virtually Free Screening Report Back, and more!

Coalition Connections #23 (January 11, 2021) – Lots of News & Updates; “Stop the Spread” COVID Testing in Greenfield; Support for Grief, Loss, and Missed Milestones During COVID; COVID Vaccination Begins in Franklin County; Family Visits After Some Members are Vaccinated; Letter to CNN from DA’s Office: It’s Time to Stop Glorifying Binge Drinking plus Resources for Parents

Coalition Connections #22 (December 21, 2020) – Making the Most of School Vacation and Beyond; What Does it Mean to Quarantine?; School Meals and Other Food Resources Available Now; Continuing Connections: Job Training and Volunteer Opportunities; Teen Craftacular Book Box Kit and more!

Coalition Connections #21 (December 7, 2020) – Community Service and Other Activities for Youth, Winter Holidays: Fun, Connection, Food, and Mental Health, Updates HIP and free school meals (food resources), Handholdma.org, and more!

Coalition Connections #20 (November 16, 2020) – Food and Housing Resource Summaries and Links; Masks Tips and Options; More resources for Thanksgiving, teen stress, and better family meals; and Link to guide for parents/caregivers about Among Us video game

Coalition Connections #19 (November 2, 2020) – “I’m Not Racist…Am I?” Movie Screening Follow-Up; Learning About Microaggressions; 2020 Regional Teen Health Survey Takeaways; and Thanksgiving During COVID.

Coalition Connections #18 (October 19, 2020) Parenting During COVID:
Healthy Coping When Stress is High; Tapestry Health: Youth-friendly & NowOpen; Halloween tips and info to share; and Please Use Free School Meals

Coalition Connections #17 (October 5, 2020)

Coalition Connections #16 (September 21, 2020)

Coalition Connections #15 (September 8, 2020)

Coalition Connections #14 (August 17, 2020)

Coalition Connections #13 (August 3, 2020)

Coalition Connections #12 – (July 20, 2020)

Coalition Connections #11 – (July 6, 2020)

Early issues came out weekly.

Coalition Connections #10 – (June 22, 2020)

Coalition Connections #9 – (June 15, 2020)

Coalition Connections #8 – Planning for Summer Continued (June 8, 2020)

Coalition Connections #7 – Planning for Summer (June 1, 2020)