Come Chill at Our Community Composure Centers!
Now that the steamiest weeks of summer are here, it’s natural to feel concern about community violence, as—for a variety of reasons—hostilities tend to increase during these longest days of the year.
Tragically, gun related homicides are the leading cause of death among teens and young adults in our nation. Yet Baltimore City residents face an even more appalling statistic: since 2016, homicide has been the #1 cause of fatalities of children aged between 7 and 17.
As well, the Baltimore City Health Department recently reported that during the first six months of 2022, 11 infants are suspected to have died due to unsafe sleep environments. This is the first time in more than a decade that we’ve seen such an alarmingly high number of sleep-related infant deaths in such a short time span.
Fortunately, to address these disturbing trends, two UMB initiatives have recently launched to support people throughout our city:
· B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB) has introduced an ambitious citywide #safesleep awareness campaign to better educate families and caregivers about creating safe sleep protocols. Click here to learn more.
· In July 2022, BHB and Promise Heights/SWCOS also began co-hosting several weekly wellness-based “Community Composure Center” sites in partnership with local faith-based and community-based organizations. Anyone needing respite is welcome to drop-in and cool off from the summer temperatures, receive water and nutritious snacks or a healthy meal, receive referrals for direct services and essential supplies, and also meet 1-on-1 with a social worker or spiritual counselor.
The two Community Composure Center sites are:
Memorial Episcopal Church at 1407 Bolton Street (open 11am-3pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 12, 19, 21, 26, and 28)
New Metropolitan Church at 1501 McCulloh Street (open 10am 12pm Wednesdays, July 20 and 27, and August 3, 10, 17, and 24.)
Ultimately, this initiative was established to assist all residents to decompress from life’s stressors while also providing specific resources to support their minds, bodies, and spirits. BHB and Promise Heights/SWCOS are thankful to be working with our community partners to make these essential services available to everyone.
Visitors can expect to find these benefits when they visit a Community Composure Center:
COOLING: Doors open for several hours throughout the week to provide spaces cooled by central air conditioning where residents and congregants can ‘cool down’ while receiving food, water, and on-hands support services provided by community health workers, social workers, and spiritual counselors.
FOOD: Each week, Freedom Food will distribute healthy, hot prepared family meals to address food shortages and inflationary pricing that have impacted so many in our community. In some cases, the sites also offer food pantries to support other food and nutritional needs.
OUTREACH: BHB and Promise Heights/SWCOS and other site staff are available to make referrals and connect families to direct support services, such as substance use, mental health, and other issues.
MEDITATION/PRAYER: Counselors and faith leaders will also be on site to provide community members/visitors with spiritual support in the form of the arts, mediation, prayer, and deep breathing.