May is Mental Health Awareness month, and we offer our kudos and gratitude to the numerous individuals and organizations that work hard to improve the lives of folks who struggle with mental illness. Our community is rich with resources and people passionate about improving mental health in northeast Indiana. Quite simply, there are too many to name here, but please know this…we see you and thank you!
In this issue, please join us as we give a special shoutout to two of our Board members, Edith Androl and Dottie Davis. Also, our lead therapist with our Opportunity Services program offers some tips for good mental health.
We also feature some mind-blowing leaders! Read more about POP stars, Brenda Gerber Vincent and Carrie Minnich, and watch the video below to find out why we have chosen Ian Broad-White for our Empowering Leaders video series.
We have TWO events coming up you should know about! Our Dress for Success Fashion Week virtual event is quickly approaching. You will need to follow us on our social media to find out who our local celebrity models will be. A $20 donation to YWCA, benefiting our Dress for Success program, casts a vote for your favorite model/outfit. AND, our 25th annual Circle luncheon event is October 21, 2021 at the Coliseum. Have you guessed our theme yet?!? SAVE THE DATE!
Remember to tell people about our Goldstein Family Scholarship program, and take note of some needed items in our Get Involved section below.
Thank you for your on-going support of YWCA Northeast Indiana! We can ONLY do what we do because of people like YOU.
Edith Androl and Dottie Davis
We don’t mean to brag, but we have a remarkable Board!! These folks are busy individuals who selflessly give their time, talent, and treasure. We delight in giving a special shoutout to two of our Board members, Edith Androl and Dottie Davis, who recently provided food for our residential clients for two Board appreciation nights. Ladies, you rock!
Mental Health
Mukhabbat Yusupova, MA, LMHC, CAS, CCTP
Mukhabbat, Lead Therapist in Opportunity Services at YWCA Northeast Indiana, offers the following tips for better mental health, which are especially helpful after the injurious effects of the pandemic and isolation:
1. Whatever is going in your head will ultimately come out in your actions, attitudes, and ambitions. Fill it up with positive thoughts, gratitude, and focus thoughts around self-care. I promise you will thank yourself later for taking the time.
2. You are not your anxiety. It is not for you to keep. Using mistaken beliefs to manage anxiety is just another way to ensure that it will be a continued pretense in your life.
3. Ask yourself… What is true? Is what you are worrying about true? Do you have all the facts or are you just catastrophizing the situation? It is important to know the difference to help reduce anxieties in your life.
4. Start a gratitude list. When you concentrate on what your have, you instantly will feel a relief. Just start with one and continue counting!!
5. Start a compliment list. Compliment yourself, your family, your co-workers, and even your grumpy neighbor. Believe me, it works!
YWCA Northeast Indiana’s Power of Persimmon initiative honors empowered women who diligently seek to help empower other women through mentorship, networking, and education. Kudos to these remarkable women!
Brenda Gerber Vincent has had an extensive and impressive career, which includes receiving the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash award. Brenda is committed to creating quality and equity of place for all through economic development, programming and leadership. Learn more about Brenda here.
Carrie Minnich has been very busy sharing her knowledge with others through seminars and blog content. She defines being an empowering woman as being a leader, “someone that has certain qualities—integrity, respect, knows how to listen, and is willing to do anything that they ask someone else to do.” Read more about how Carrie empowers others here.
Stay tuned to upcoming newsletters to see who will be featured next in Power of Persimmon! Thank you to our media partner, Glo Magazine.
Dress for Success Fashion Week
Announcements coming soon as to who our local celebrity models are in our inaugural Dress for Success Fashion Week virtual event. Is it someone you know?!? You will have an opportunity to vote for your favorite model/outfit the week of June 7th while supporting the mission of Dress for Success! A $20 donation to YWCA Northeast Indiana casts a vote. Our winning model will receive a free outfit, compliments of our apparel partner, White House Black Market. To ensure you do NOT miss this opportunity, please follow us on our social media platforms, which are linked at the bottom of this email.
25th Annual Circle Event
Let’s Go Fly A Kite! Have you guessed our theme yet for our 25th anniversary Circle event! You will not want to miss this luncheon event on October 21, 2021. SAVE THE DATE!!
Ian Broad-White
Featured in this month’s Empowering Leaders Video Series is Ian Broad-White, Director of Medical Services at Parkview.
Learn more about Ian here.
Thank you to Ian Broad-White for being our featured empowering leader! We are also thankful for our corporate partner, Fort Wayne Metals, for sponsoring this initiative.
Dress for Success Clothing Donations
Our Dress for Success program is currently accepting donations of the following items:
- Plus size pants, blazers, or suits
- Closed toed flat black or navy shoes
- Professional sleeve in blouses, any size
- Jewelry
For more information or to set up a drop-off time, contact Marty Kocks-Hamrick at mkocks-hamrick@ywcaerew.org
Goldstein Family Scholarship Program
The goal of the Goldstein Family Scholarship Program is to help female survivors of domestic violence improve their self-sufficiency and quality of life by completing higher education. The scholarship fund provides financial support for tuition, books, rent, utilities, and childcare. Learn more here.