Looking Forward Towards a New Year

Greetings Readers! 

Welcome to 2023! We are so happy that you are here with us, and we hope the holiday season treated you well! Let’s do a quick check-in with the new year and how we hope it will go. We encourage you to answer the following questions:

  • When 2023 comes to an end, what will you want to have accomplished this year? 

  • Are there any events coming up that may challenge you? 

  • Do you have a plan or idea of how you will handle challenges this year? 

  • How can you incorporate relaxation and joy into your year?

This week’s blog is dedicated to providing a glimpse into the upcoming months. Our REACH grant will be coming to an end in June of this year. While we are not 100% sure what the future has in store for us, we will be taking it one step at a time and keeping everyone up to date! What we do know now, is that we will continue to do weekly blogs at least through the end of May. Along with the blog, our social media accounts will continue to bring you fun facts, parenting tips and healthy habit information, so make sure you are following along with us! Our social media accounts are below: 

Save the date for the upcoming annual CARE Coalition Conference on Friday, March 3rd, 2023, which will be taking place in person! It is not too late to register! If you have not yet registered, you can do so now by visiting  https://cvent.me/5R1aKK.

We will continue recruiting new locations to host our free programs for youth and adults! If you or someone you may know are interested in participating in one of our programs or would like us to provide classes at your location:

  • Check out our available programs here! 

  • Contact Maria Tena at maria.tena@touchstonebh.org for more information! 

The Youth Leadership Council (YLC) provides young leaders aged 10-14 an opportunity to be part of projects that encourage leadership skills but also allow them to be the youth voice and create change in their local communities. Here are a few upcoming events for the YLC:

  • Glendale’s YLC will be recording their radio PSA in February for Domestic violence awareness month. Keep an eye on our Instagram page (@carecoalitionaz) for more information as that gets closer, and so you can hear them on your radio!

  • Both the Glendale and the Alhambra groups will be completing a community service project and holding an end-of-year event. If you know any youth aged 10-14 that attend school in the Glendale or Alhambra districts that would like to be a part of the YLC please contact carecoalitionaz@touchstonebh.org.

In the upcoming months, our team will be implementing the Making Proud Choices! program in the Glendale Elementary School District’s 8th graders! If your 8th-grade youth attends school in the Glendale District, be on the lookout for a consent form if you wish for your youth to participate! 

Here’s how YOU can be a Prevention Partner:

  • Register for the upcoming CARE conference! Bring a friend, family member, or colleague! 

  • Enroll yourself or your youth in one of the available free programs offered by Touchstone Health Services. You can view the available programs here.

  • Encourage your 10–14-year-old youth to participate in the Youth Leadership Council! 

  • Continuously check in with yourself throughout this new year. Begin by answering the reflection questions listed at the top of the blog if you have not done so already. Or try to challenge yourself and see what other reflection questions you can think of! Share any other reflection questions you can think of with us below in the comment section! 

  • Remember to practice kindness and empathy as we begin this new year!