St. Patrick’s Day Office Contest

The Generations United staff kicked off our St. Patrick’s Day celebrating a little early this year by holding the first ever intergenerational office door decorating contest. The rules: decorate a door with a St. Patty’s Day theme. The results: four entries that brought out the creative talents of our staff! 

Can you match the Generations United staff with the correct door? Leave your guess in the comments and check back on Monday for the big reveal.

On behalf of all of us at Generations United, we wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Sheri                       Anne                       Colleen                    Melissa

        

 

           Door 1                        Door 2                       Door 3                      Door 4

National Nutrition Month

 

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This month, Generations United wanted to highlight some facts and resources for the millions of Americans struggling with hunger today.

According to AARP Foundation’s Food Insecurity among Older Adults, nearly nine million low-income seniors 50 and older are food insecure. Among that number are nearly one million grandparent caregivers, who are especially at risk of food insecurity because they have taken on the enormous responsibility of caring for their grandchildren. In addition, Share our Strength notes that more than 16 million children in America are at-risk of hunger.

A struggling economy has left many families living in poverty and having to choose between paying the mortgage and buying groceries. A number of programs and resources are available for families in need of nutritious meals.

Here’s a list of several programs that help children and older adults relieve hunger:

· Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits that eligible low-income families can use to purchase food.

· Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) pays for nutritious meals and snacks for eligible children who are enrolled at participating child care centers, family child care homes, and after-school programs, and for older adults enrolled at adult day centers.  CACFP meals give children and adults the nutrition they need as a routine part of their day care program.

· Home-Delivered Meals and Congregate Meals. These programs provide meals and other nutrition services to older individuals in a variety of settings, such as senior centers, or by home delivery for the homebound.

· Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals for health care and social services to low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, as well as infants and children (up to age five) who are at nutritional risk.

· The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost and is usually offered at local food pantries and soup kitchens.

These programs all help to give children, youth, and older adults the nutritious food they need to enrich growth and development and to maintain physical and mental health. This March, we encourage you to call your Members of Congress and ask them to make hunger a priority, because no one should go hungry.

The Story of Svante Myrick

Brian Williams started the beginning of this NBC Rock Center story as follows: “The beginning of this story sounds familiar to us all. A biracial man with an exotic name, raised by his single white mother and his maternal grandparents, who overcomes lean times in his life. He is accepted and attends an Ivy League school, later runs for public office and wins. Though this may sound like the story of President Barack Obama, it is not. This is the story of Mayor Svante Myrick of Ithaca, NY.”

Mayor Svante Myrick is 24, the youngest mayor ever in Ithaca. In an age of skepticism and doubt for all things political, how did this young man come to be mayor? The people of Ithaca will tell you it was his life story that inspired them.  From a young age, Myrick experienced homelessness and poverty living with his mother and father. During this time, his father was battling a serious drug addiction that ended up tearing the family apart. Seeing the struggles Myrick and his siblings were enduring, his maternal grandparents stepped in to help, offering them a home in upstate New York. These generous grandparents worked alongside their daughter to provide her children the comfort and security necessary for them to succeed.

Growing up in a family that was just scraping by helped shaped Myrick’s political views. He counts food stamps and school lunch programs as two critical safety net programs that helped his family during tough times. “I know personally I would not be here were it not for these programs.”  Myrick and his siblings all worked afterschool jobs to help pool money together to keep the family afloat. 

When he was in high school, Myrick’s grandmother gave him a copy of Barack Obama’s book, Dreams from my Father. Being raised under similar circumstances, he saw himself in that story. But it was someone closer by who helped him to think about his future: his high school teacher, Jonathan Sherry. That teacher saw Myrick’s potential, and pushed his young student to strive for greatness. As a result, Myrick was accepted and graduated from Cornell University. 

Today, Myrick sits in his office and faces the challenges and duties that every mayor must take on: a struggling economy, shrinking budget, and tough choices.  At a time when government programs are being drastically cut, Myrick sees value in strengthening the safety net programs that worked for him and his family.  “This is not the story of a self-made man.  This is the story of a community that conspired together to raise a child.”

For more information on Mayor Svante Myrick, check out NBC’s Rock Center profile of this inspiring story.

 

Image: Syracuse.com

Intergenerational Support in Japan

March 11, 2012 will mark the one year anniversary of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the Tohoku coastal region. Despite the destruction and loss the Japanese people have not surrendered their “Samurai Spirit”. The natural disaster has strengthened their solidarity and sense of community; neighbors selflessly support one another, an essential piece in furthering their recovery. 

I had the opportunity to interview Sachi, our office assistant who was living in Japan when the earthquake struck; I inquired about her most memorable news stories following the tragedy. Sachi recalled watching a news broadcast of a particular relief effort where miso soup and rice were being served to survivors.  There was a young boy who stood in the extensive relief line to receive his portion of miso soup and rice. After being served he re-entered the long line; the relief workers quickly recognized him and told him that he already had his turn. He replied that the first time he entered the line was for his grandmother who was too frail to stand in the line and now he wanted his own portion. 

For Sachi this story highlighted the region’s intergenerational strength, interdependence and respect. She beamed with pride when explaining the collectivist culture of Japan where multigenerational families are common place and each generation is supportive and receptive to the next. Following Sachi’s lead, please share your own personal stories depicting intergenerational support and resilience. 

Image: WebsterWoman

 

By Que Spencer

Generations United’s 2012 Oscar Picks

This Sunday millions of people will tune in to watch the 84^th annual Academy Awards. While there are dozens of films that deserve mention, Generations United wanted to highlight two of our Oscar picks this year that highlight the strong bond of families coming together during tough times.

Best Picture: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

This best picture nominee sheds light on the importance of relationships and family during life’s toughest times. The film’s lead character, Oskar, a nine year old boy who loses his father on 9/11, spends a year searching for someone that might know the answer to a question about his father. Oskar enlists the help of his grandfather in the search, and a strong bond is forged, despite the fact that they recently met. Along the way, Oskar meets hundreds of people who have their own story to tell, all filled with struggles and triumphs. Though Oskar’s search does not turn out the way he imagined, he develops a deeper understanding of himself, his family, and the moments that can change your life.

 

Best Documentary Feature: The Undefeated

This Oscar nominated documentary focuses its story on several members of a Memphis inner-city football team and chronicle the tough season they face. All of the players come from backgrounds filled with hardships, but one finds his way out with the help of his coach, sponsor, and his grandmother. At age seven, after the death of his mother, O.C. Brown moved in with his grandmother. His grandmother, Ethel Hayes, also raised his two younger sisters and a niece in a tiny house in the poorest part of town. Tough times would not stop Ethel Hayes from believing that her grandson could be a successful and upstanding young man. When his grades began to slip Ms. Hayes threatened to take away the thing O.C. loved the most, football. O.C. grades began to improve with the help of a tutor and encouragement from his family, and he was able to stay on the football team and was immediately noticed by recruiters. O.C. Brown went on to sign with Southern Miss and plans to get a degree in education and become a coach to help at risk youth.

 

What are your picks for the Oscars?

 

Image: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

Image: The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, TN