Merrimack Valley Magazine

The Joy of Giving – Merrimack Valley Children’s Charities

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Whether it’s a monetary contribution to a nonprofit or giving up a Sunday afternoon to cook meals for the homeless, few things are as gratifying as improving the life of another human being. We are reminded of this most often during the holiday season, when many of us look for opportunities to share our treasure and talent.

Often unable to help or speak for themselves, disadvantaged children and teens are among those most in need of assistance. Below, you will find a list of charities in the Merrimack Valley that work to help young people in a variety of ways, organizations that are always in need of donations and volunteers.

 

Catie’s Closet — With “closets” in several schools across the region, Catie’s Closet, which is based in Dracut, helps elementary and high school students living in poverty gain discreet access to clothing, toiletries, winter coats, shoes, bus passes, backpacks and even grocery cards. According to the organization’s website, Catie’s Closet has helped increase attendance and graduation rates in the schools it serves by meeting students’ basic needs and providing them with clothing they are proud to wear.

CatiesCloset.org | (978) 957-2200

Community Giving Tree — Providing low-income families with basics such as diapers, car seats, baby furniture, children’s clothing, school supplies and toys, Community Giving Tree has donation centers in Boxford, where the organization is based, and Middleton. The organization prides itself on keeping useful items out of landfills while helping local families. Donations during COVID-19 are by appointment only.

CommunityGivingTree.org | (978) 223-5767

Debbie’s Treasure Chest — Based in Lawrence, Debbie’s Treasure Chest provides clothing, books, toys, toiletries, school supplies and other essentials to local children in need. The organization also holds annual coat and toy drives, and partners with local police and firefighters to grant the holiday wishes of the kids with whom they work. During the current crisis, the need for donations is high.

DebbiesTreasureChest.org | (978) 360-4007

Horizons for Homeless Children — The largest organization exclusively dedicated to helping homeless children in Massachusetts, Horizons for Homeless Children provides early education classes and safe play spaces for children living in shelters, allowing parents time to look for work and take advantage of family services.

HorizonsChildren.org | (978) 557-2182

Lydia’s Kids Foundation — A private charitable fund established to provide for the short-term physical, emotional and intellectual needs of disadvantaged students in Newburyport’s public schools, Lydia’s Kids Foundation collects donations to pay for a wide range of essential items, including eyeglasses, warm winter clothing, snow boots and even summer camp tuition. 

Send tax-deductible donations to Lydia’s Kids Foundation c/o Institution For Savings, 93 State St., Newburyport, 01950.

Merrimack Valley Food Bank — Although the Merrimack Valley Food Bank’s programs help families in general, its Summer Food Service and Operation Nourish programs are geared toward kids age 18 and under. During the months of July and August, the food bank provides children in Lowell with free daily lunches and programs that help them learn about the importance of good nutrition and exercise. Operation Nourish provides students in Lowell’s public schools with bags of nourishing food two Fridays each month to help reduce weekend hunger. They continue to operate as normal during the current health restrictions.

MVFB.org | (978) 454-7272

Speedway Children’s Charities — Affiliated with New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the local branch of this national organization is located in Concord, N.H. Money raised by the charity through events and promotions at the speedway is distributed through grants to organizations in the Northeast that help children in need.

SpeedwayCharities.org/NewHampshire | (603) 513-5738    

Wellness Wednesday – 11/11/20

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WELLNESS AROUND THE WEB

Scientists Conduct COVID-19 Concert Experiment to Assess Concert Risk

According to Pitchfork.com, a team of scientists conducted an experiment in the transmission of coronavirus at Quarterback Immobilien Area in Leipzig, Germany.

The study recruited 1,400 volunteers who were then pre-tested for COVID-19, had their temperatures taken, and were outfitted with a digital location tracker, masks and hand disinfectant laced with fluorescent dye. They were then asked to simulate different scenarios over the course of 10 hours with various levels of social distancing and safety measures.

The researchers found that the risk of spreading coronavirus at indoor concerts is “low to very low,” as long as concertgoers follow hygiene protocols and the venue has good ventilation and limits capacity.

The researchers found that ventilation is a particularly important variable in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, social distancing proved to be a significant factor in decreasing exposure to an infectious person’s aerosols.

Dr. Gabriel Scally — president of epidemiology and public health at the Royal Society of Medicine — said that he found the study’s results to be “potentially ‘useful,’” but warned that the environment may be difficult to replicate at normal events. Find the full study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, here.

 

How Inuit Parents Teach Kids To Control Their Anger

A recent article from NPR.org describes the journey of Harvard graduate student Jean Briggs, who traveled above the Arctic Circle to live in the tundra for 17 months. During her time there, Briggs, 34, discovered the Inuit’s remarkable ability to control anger, even when their patience was put to the test.

According to the piece, the culture views scolding — or even speaking to children in an angry voice — as inappropriate. Traditionally, the Inuit saw yelling at a small child as demeaning, and doing so could be viewed as stooping to the level of the child.

When a child in the camp acts in anger, there was no punishment. Instead, the parent would act out what happened when the child misbehaved, including the real-life consequences of that behavior.

The article gives an example: If the child is hitting others, the mom may ask: “Why don’t you hit me?”

Then the child has to think: “What should I do?” If the child takes the bait and hits the mom, she doesn’t scold or yell but instead acts out the consequences. “Ow, that hurts,” she might exclaim. The mom continues to emphasize the consequences by asking a follow-up question like “Don’t you like me?” or “Are you a baby?” This articulates that hitting is immature and hurts people’s feelings. All questions are asked with a hint of playfulness.

These lessons are meant to teach children to not be provoked easily. In a sense, this method of discipline acts as a chance for children to practice controlling their anger and rethink the consequences of their actions.

“Play is their work,” clinical psychologist Laura Markham explains. It is how the learn about the world, themselves and their experiences.

No Benefit to Big Breakfast 

Contrary to popular belief, researchers at Johns Hopkins University say that the “big breakfast” diet doesn’t help people lose weight, StudyFinds.com reports.

Many have long thought that eating a larger meal for breakfast, then a little less at lunch time, and even fewer in the evening helps shed pounds. But the study of 41 overweight adults over 12 weeks reveals that squeezing most calories in early has no impact on weight loss.

The study compared a group that followed strict, time-restricted eating patters — limiting eating to specific hours of the day and consuming 80% of their calories before 1 p.m. — to a group that consumed half of their daily calories after 5 p.m.

All participants were given the same pre-prepared meals for the study. The study found that both groups lost weight regardless of when they ate.

The authors are now collecting more information on participants’ blood pressure over a full day. They’ll also compile that information with the results of a study on the effects of time-restricted feeding on blood sugar, insulin and other hormones.

“Together, these findings will help us to more fully understand the effects of time-restricted eating on cardiometabolic health,” concluded study co-author Dr. Nisa Maruthur, an associate professor of medicine, epidemiology and nursing at Hopkins.

Comfort…Until a Cure

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Lucy’s Love Bus Provides Relief and Support for Families Suffering from Childhood Cancer 

It is almost impossible to describe the anguish a child endures while undergoing cancer treatment. In an effort to help, Lucy’s Love Bus in Amesbury is providing relief for both families and children contending with life-threatening illnesses by offering services that ease the side effects of harsh treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. 

The organization’s founder, Lucy Grogan, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia when she was 8 years old, and she battled this rare, aggressive disease for four years before her death in 2006. While undergoing her own cancer treatment, Lucy recognized how severely these medicative therapies affected other children. 

 

Lucy’s mother, Beecher Grogan, recalls a time they were at Tufts Floating Hospital in Boston’s Chinatown. “She asked me, ‘If I’m in Chinatown, why can’t I get acupuncture here?’ ” Beecher recalls. This sparked a larger conversation about integrative therapies for children. “She thought that it was coming through the hospital or through insurance,” Beecher notes. However, they were “paying for tens of thousands of dollars for services for her out of pocket.”

Lucy was inspired by this conversation, and, with her mother, began discussing ideas for a nonprofit when she was 11. 

Photo by Raya on Assignment.

Beecher’s fundraising efforts for children with cancer began after Lucy’s death. In 2010, she and a group of volunteers held a butterfly release event and raised more than $50,000.

Beecher worked with volunteers — including many of Lucy’s old friends — for four more years before leaving her job to work full time for Lucy’s Love Bus. 

Her mission is to improve the “quality of life for children with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses with integrative therapies [that] ease children’s pain and anxiety during and after traditional medical treatments.” The name of the nonprofit came from Lucy herself. “The ‘Bus’ name comes from a suggestion that Lucy loved, because we’re delivering comfort. She was funny and quirky,” Beecher says. 

Lucy particularly enjoyed horse therapy during the worst of her treatments. Lucy’s Love Bus raises money to help provide this and other forms of integrative therapies, including acupuncture, massages, meditation, yoga and music.

Lucy’s Love Bus provides integrative therapies such as meditation, acupuncture, reiki and horseback riding to children with cancer or life-threatening illnesses. Photos courtesy Lucy’s Love Bus.

Lucy’s Love Bus’ reach extends throughout New England, and the organization currently helps about 250 kids and 75 families. It also offers various programs, including Lucy’s LoveSquad, a school-based leadership program that provides students with the opportunity to become activists for the nonprofit. 

The most recent addition to the nonprofit is The Sajni Center, erected in 2018. The Amesbury facility is a space for hope and healing, offering numerous meditation and yoga workshops. “The center is about helping the whole family,” Beecher says. 

“[At the center,] we try to fill in the missing pieces and support the family,” Beecher says. “It is so stressful to go through this, financially, emotionally, spiritually … it can really break a family apart. We are trying to keep the whole family intact and do things that are creative and different.”

Despite the spread of COVID-19, the nonprofit continues to evolve and is planning to team up with Tough Warrior Princesses and North of Boston Cancer Resource, two area organizations that help adults with cancer. Lucy’s Love Bus recently established Lucy’s Emergency Fund for necessities such as gas, diapers and groceries. Information on donations can be found on the nonprofit’s website.    

Lucy’s Love Bus
Amesbury, Mass.
(857) 277-1984
LucysLoveBus.org

Wellness Wednesday – 5/6/20

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WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

Pentucket Medical Has Established a Respiratory Illness Clinic

Pentucket Medical has established a Respiratory Illness Clinic (RIC) to eval­uate patients with respirato­ry symptoms and to determine whether they can be treated safely in the outpatient set­ting. Since March 16, over 1400 patients have been well cared for at the RIC.

Patients need a referral from their primary care provider before coming in. Once the referral is made, patients will be tested via drive thru testing or evaluated in the clinic with testing. For more information, click here.

 

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WELLNESS AROUND THE WEB

On With The Learning

The weather grows warmer and our patience grows shorter. So, we adjust our face masks and patiently await May 18. This time has not only been a true test of how we adapt under pressure, but of our ability to endure the most unusual, frightening circumstances. Our collective safety and sanity remain paramount, and we’ve got just that in store for you this Wellness Wednesday.

Schools may be closed, but work hasn’t has stopped for middle school science teacher and founder of Whiz Kids, Mark McKellar. Whiz Kids began as a way to bring the wonder of science right to your home by offering STEM-based birthday parties for children between the ages of six and 12. 

Like many local businesses across the Merrimack Valley, Whiz Kids has ceased operations during what would be a busy season of spring birthdays due to the effects of COVID-19. However, McKellar, who goes by “Metric Mark,” has persisted with remote learning videos to help continue bringing  science to children throughout this new normal.  “I’m trying to support our parents who suddenly have the job of ‘teacher’ thrusted upon them,” says Metric Mark. “Many parents are struggling with supporting their kids with remote learning and keeping their kids engaged. What we’ve been doing is posting short videos of easy, interesting experiments parents can do with their kids.”

These video experiments, called “Saturday Morning Science,” encourage children to use household items in place of scientific equipment, such as test tubes or flasks. These videos cover a wide range of scientific topics, from growing plants at home to air pressure to the electrolysis of water. They can be accessed here.

Check out our interview with Metric Mark on today’s episode of The 495 podcast at 12:30 p.m.

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Enjoy Less Traffic, But Remember to Drive Safe

While quarantine means that your morning commute might be swifter, the roads are not any safer. In fact, they might be more dangerous. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, some states, including Minnesota and Louisiana, are experiencing an increase in traffic fatalities during the COVID-19 crisis. While there may be less congestion, it is important to pay attention and drive safely at all times.

Using Technology Wisely

Quarantine doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Thanks to technology, we can lift our spirits and connect with friends while remaining safe and socially distant.

Are you missing out on a birthday celebration during quarantine? These days, we can remotely celebrate with apps such as Zoom and FaceTime. Bianca Rodriguez from Marie Claire offers ten ways to have a virtual birthday party. Even if you’re not celebrating a birthday, there’s still reason to come together. Rodriguez wrote another piece with advice on throwing a virtual game night, which can be found here.

If it seems as if you have tried everything to keep busy, add taking a virtual tour to your quarantine activity list. Yahoo offers a list of numerous virtual tours which you can find here. From art museums and national parks, to pyramids of Giza and even outer space, you can explore the world from the comfort of your couch.

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On Food and Preserving It

Adjusting to this new normal may have made you a bit sluggish and more dependent on the morning cup o’ Joe. For a healthier substitute that helps calm the mind and boost the immune system, Real Simple encourages you to try a tisane made with peppermint. An added bonus: it helps freshen morning breath.

Have you been trying to avoid the grocery store? As lines outside many local Market Baskets have been out the door and down the sidewalk, it is important to only take necessary trips during this time. HuffPost offers ways to keep your fresh food lasting longer. Not only will these simple tasks save you money, you won’t be running to the grocery store as often!

Wellness Wednesday – 4/1/20

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WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

Bringing Patients and Clinicians Closer Together Through the Use of Technology

Garrett Bomba, MD, Chief Physician Executive / Pentucket Medical

The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way we interact with each other day by day. More social distancing means medical and behavioral health care clinicians are finding new ways to provide care to their patients. The use of telehealth is making that easier.

What does that mean to you?


It means that health care is provided over the phone or web so that patients can stay connected to their clinician. These virtual appointments can be used for initial COVID-19 screenings and routine exams as well as help to support those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, all while at home.

From pediatric visits to seniors who have a question about their prescription medications, the use of telemedicine, by either phone or video, provides greater access to a clinician. For many, this has proven to be an invaluable resource and it is anticipated that telemedicine visits will continue once the pandemic is over.

Though telemedicine is providing greater access for patients to clinicians, there are some clinical situations where in person appointments are necessary.

If you have questions about how your plan covers telehealth and telemedicine, reach out to your insurance provider.

Pentucket Medical
www.pmaonline.com

 

 

WELLNESS AROUND THE WEB

A Far Deadlier Strain: A History of the Spanish Flu

The pandemic has put us into an interesting frame of mind. Many of us turn to the future, such as the telemedicine provided by Pentucket Medical noted above, and the past, to help make sense of the present.

David Roos, writing for The History Channel website, put together an excellent history of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Yes, it’s frightening, and if you are feeling prone to anxiety, it might not be for you — after all, the disease killed “an estimated 20 to 50 million” people. That’s more, as the article states, than the total of soldiers and civilians killed during World War I.

If we are willing to face our fears, we can learn a lot from historical responses to pandemics. Plus, historical distance can serve as a gentle reminder that the current state of affairs will not last forever. Check it out here. >>>

 

SHED Children’s Campus Offers Weekly Virtual Meditation

Starting this Wednesday, April 1, at 6:30, SHED Children’s Campus is offering a free family friendly meditation on their Facebook page.

Linda Shottes Bouchard mentioned the idea when she appeared on The 495 last week. She also cited some great ways kids can connect with nature, get outside and practice mindfulness training at home. Check it out in the archives!

  

Music for Self-Isolation

The people at the music website Pitchfork put together a nice list of music to ease the sense of isolation. It contains a few personal favorites (Smog, ambient artist Laraaji (the man who made it cool to wear orange), and Thelonious Monk), as well as some nice deep cuts, such as a killer instrumental version of “Wichita Lineman.” There’s plenty of stuff here that isn’t to my tastes, but that’s what is great about eclectic lists. Dig in. You’ll find something soothing, I’m sure.

 

Home Health Foundation Shares Video On COVID-19 Response

Home Health Foundation President and CEO Karen Gomes posted a video in which she addresses the revised visitor policy at High Pointe House, the addition of telehealth services for some patients and a call for additional personal protective equipment supplies from community partners as their organization plans for a potential surge of patients with COVID-19. Watch below and make sure to subscribe to foundation’s YouTube channel for updates.

 

An Unexpected Bestseller — Journal of a Plague Year Selling Out

UK website The Telegraph is reporting that copies of Daniel Defoe’s 1722 novel “Journal of a Plague Year,” are flying off the virtual shelves. The Penguin paperback edition was sold-out on Amazon U.K. The U.S. Amazon website has copies, however.

Say you really are in a mood for a novel set during the plague? Consider other options than Amazon. Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport is offering free delivery to its loyal customers. Call them for details, or visit their website. Their knowledgeable staff can offer suggestions based on your tastes and interests.

You also might want to check out their crowdfunding campaign — local bookstores were struggling even before this crisis began, and if we don’t work together and support them, they won’t be here when it’s over. Let ‘em know they’ve loved.

 

If you’re looking for more information on COVID-19, please visit our Health Resource Directory which is updated daily. >>>

 

 

 

 

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