Church of Ireland’s Post

Thanks to changes in eligibility announced in 2023, for the first time in its 125-year history, the Masonic Homes of California is now open to #PrinceHall Masons, as well as their spouses, parents, and parents-in-law—providing access to Masonic #ReliefServices to more California Masons than ever before. That includes entry into the Masonic Homes’ communities in Union City and Covina. While this partnership between the Masons of California and Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California is an important step in bringing the two fraternal organizations closer together, it’s also serving an immediate need: The average cost of #SeniorHousing rose more than five percent nationwide in 2023, an almost five-fold increase in the historic year-over-year costs. Through the Masonic Homes’ communities, which include #IndependentLiving, #AssistedLiving, #SkilledNursing (including #MemoryCare), Prince Hall Masons and their families now have access to senior living that’s affordable, safe, and, for many, close to home. Read more about this significant development in the latest issue of California Freemason: https://lnkd.in/g9Dai72C #MasonsofCA #MasonicHomes #SeniorLiving #PeaceofMind

Trigger Warning ⚠️ Unmarked gravesite Imagine your people searching for their children in government-created schools, only to realize they won’t come home. The government then funds a program to help find them, but caps the funding from $3 million to $500,000. What an insult. "Opaskwayak Cree Nation says it's found evidence of unmarked burials on the grounds of a former residential school in northern Manitoba. A three-day search using K9 human remains detection dogs has indicated six areas of interest at the former site of the McKay residential school in Fisher Island, about 10 kilometres north from Opaskwayak and 11 from The Pas. OCN said in a release Friday the areas may hold multiple burials which were left undocumented. The finding comes more than three years after the community began preparations for the search, with efforts coming to a halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Coun. Edwin Jebb, who has been on working on the search since the beginning, it was an emotional few days. "It did affect me when I'd seen the dogs at work," he said. "Running around sniffing, and suddenly they got excited, and they started barking: I knew they'd found something. That'sThat's when it really hit me." The McKay residential school — sometimes spelled MacKay — operated on Fisher Island from 1914 until 1933, when a fire destroyed it. It was rebuilt in Dauphin more than two decades later, where it remained open until 1969." CBC It’s unbelievable what advocacy can do when we unite. As we remember our history, we must never let those in power use our pain for political gain. I wonder if Trudeau lifted the capp because it’s an election year? Food for thought! Another First Nation has uncovered unmark graves by a residential school. How many schools have burial grounds next to the playgrounds? Prayers to all Indigenous peoples and communities affected by residential schools in Canada and the USA. 🧡 Video credit TikTok @mhsector #IndigenousRights #ResidentialSchools #UnmarkedGraves #JusticeForIndigenousChildren #TruthAndReconciliation #SystemicInjustice #IndigenousSurvivors #CulturalGenocide #Canada #FederalGovernment #Advocacy #IndigenousLeadership #IndigenousSovereignty

60% of people say that making sure their family is not burdened by tough decisions as they die is “extremely important” although 56% of these people have NOT talked with their loved one about their end-of-life decisions. 82% of people say it’s important to put their wishes in writing; only 23% have actually done so. 70% of people want to die at home when in reality 70% die in a hospital or skilled nursing. Did they tell anyone what they wanted? Who will advocate and honor our wishes if we never mention them? By planning ahead, we can spare our surviving family and loved ones future stress and discord as they mourn our loss. Join Hoag Faith Community Nursing for a Train the Trainer Course, so you can advocate for your congregations & communities. Complimentary books & workbooks for the first 25 enrollees at the Hoag events. To register - kellie.gonzalez@hoag.org Community Seminar on Saturday, August 24th offered at University United Methodist Church, Irvine. To Register - pastorcathie@uumcirvine.org #adults #clergy #registerednurses #socialworkers #deacons #retired #volunteers #physicians #philanthropy #estateplan #senioradvocates #endoflife #hospice

Civil society organizations have always held our county together! We probably have to go back to the Civil War to find a time where we were more divided. Regardless of how you voted, I think we can all agree that our country is odds with itself. So it can be helpful to go back to history and reflect on observers from the past. One of them was Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman, who travel around the United States in the late 1700s making insightful observations about American Society. Here is what he had to say about civil society organizations, which today we would refer to as nonprofit or voluntary organizations: “Americans of all ages, conditions and all dispositions constantly unite together. … To hold fetes, found seminaries, build inns, construct churches, distribute books, dispatch missionaries to the antipodes. They establish hospitals, prisons, schools by the same method. Finally, if they wish to highlight a truth or develop an opinion by the encouragement of a great example, they form an association… Among democratic nations all citizens are independent and weak; they can achieve almost nothing by themselves and none of them could force his fellows to help him. Therefore they sink into a state of impotence, if they do not learn to help each other voluntarily. But by joining forces in an association, individuals could solve the collective action problem.” It will not be government or business that will help to bring our country together. It will be our local Food banks, our churches, synagogues and mosques; our advocacy organizations, environment, organizations, nonprofit healthcare systems, Farmers associations. These are the places Americans of all stripes come together to address our common problems, have civil conversations, disagree without being disagreeable, find ways to make our community, nation and world a little better place.

All children regardless of race or zip code deserve the opportunity to learn and grow, develop the skills they need to become contributing adults, and achieve the future they envision for themselves.  In our NCYL blog, I dive into a California bill that bolsters diversion programs that keep kids in their communities and out of the juvenile justice system. Learn more about California's Youth Reinvestment Grant and why it's so vital that we build on its progress:  https://lnkd.in/gq9ey-r8

Marshawn Wolley: Black Hoosiers are coming together, want to be heard Black Hoosiers from around the state want their voices to be heard. Housing and community violence—two issues that Black communities statewide wanted to see progress on—did not move through the session as hoped. While plenty of bills were proposed, the vast majority did not even receive a hearing. A survey sent out to Black Hoosiers revealed that community violence, affordable housing and mental health were among the top concerns around the state. While community violence is a broad concept, in conversations and further outreach with community leaders across the state, we learned that responsible gun ownership—a framing of the issue that should resonate on both sides of the aisle and had some legislative proposals—did not move. There is quite a bit of work that needs to be done. 👉 Only 10.9% of Black students passed the last state standardized test. 👉 The state has a Black and white homeownership rate gap of 37.6%, according to a WISH-TV Channel 8 report, which also found homeownership rates had not improved much for Black Hoosiers over 60 years. Black Hoosiers will continue to work to be heard at the Indiana General Assembly. Continue reading full article here --->https://buff.ly/43bXXhA #blackhoosiers #indianapolis #indiana

Recent data on pre-K education in #Pennsylvania revealed much work remains to improve investments in pre-K education in the state. In Pennsylvania, about 54% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds, or about 78,000 kids, do not have access to pre-K. The Pre-K for PA campaign is asking lawmakers to boost funding in the fiscal budget as the June 30 deadline approaches. Kari King, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said they support Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed $33 million increase for pre-K, which would strengthen the sector and expand access to high-quality programs. "The funds would aim to increase rates for providers," King explained. "Pre-K is an area where, like many other sectors, there's a workforce shortage. And so the funds in the state budget will really go to those programs and an effort to make sure that they're sustainable, and they have their doors open to serve kids with high-quality pre-K." The Pre-K for PA campaign also asked the General Assembly to approve a proposed investment of $2.7 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program to increase the per-child rate and examine it to equal the pre-K Counts rate increase. Disclosure: Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children/KIDS COUNT contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Early Childhood Education, Education, and Health Issues.

🧡 Monday, September 30: Remembering the Children: Orange Shirt Day & National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Let’s honor the survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities, and remember the children who never returned home. This day is a time to reflect on Canada’s painful past and its lasting impact on Indigenous peoples. 🧡 NDTR: A Call to Action The idea of a federally recognized holiday dedicated to reconciliation was proposed in 2015 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) as part of their 94 Calls to Action. In Call to Action #80, the TRC called upon the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, to establish a statutory holiday to honor Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. NDTR is a day to reaffirm to Survivors and all those affected by the residential school system that they matter and will never be forgotten. 🧡 The Significance of September 30 NDTR takes place annually on September 30. This date was chosen because it is the time of year when children were taken from their homes and forced to go to residential schools. The timing also presents an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the upcoming school year. It encourages Indigenous Peoples, local governments, schools, and communities to come together and create a more equitable world for future generations. Since 2013, September 30 has been observed as Orange Shirt Day, a movement to recognize the colonial legacy of residential schools and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Orange Shirt Day recalls the experience of residential school Survivor Phyllis Webstad, who at age six was stripped of her brand-new orange shirt on her first day attending the St. Joseph Mission Residential School near Williams Lake, B.C. 🧡 This weekend, let’s educate ourselves, engage in meaningful conversations, and support Indigenous-led initiatives. Together, we can contribute to the healing and the reconciliation process. #NDTR #OrangeShirtDay #EveryChildMatters #TruthAndReconciliation

It mentions in the #FamilyPreservation redesign discussion paper that Family Preservation services are highly rationed, the question I have is what attempts have been made to expand the resourcing commitment to family preservation services to reduce rationing!

The redesign discussion paper is out folks! If you want to be part of the sector response workshop and you're not already connected in with the Family Preservation Sector Network, make sure you get in touch👉 https://lnkd.in/gZxfia95