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June 24, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Health Health Lead

Let’s Talk about It: Dare to Lead Training Shapes Mid-Shore Leaders with For All Seasons Beth Anne Dorman

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The opportunity to participate in For All Seasons’ Dare to Lead™ training last month opened my eyes to learning who I am as a leader and how I want my leadership to evolve moving forward. For All Seasons’ Center for Learning is offering community leaders the opportunity to develop bold, authentic leadership through this courage-building program based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. This January, the agency welcomed 12 local professionals to participate in the four-day training, designed to help us embrace vulnerability, cultivate meaningful connections, and develop a leadership approach rooted in integrity.

As both a community leader/volunteer and owner of my own company, I have had many great mentors over the years who have taught me about the qualities of a good leader. This course helped me to reflect on those lessons and to evaluate how I show up for those whom I serve. While we all have the will to be good leaders, I learned that there are specific skills that, when used correctly, enable us to be more effective in our leadership.

Even though I have been in the field of communications my entire life, this training offered me a new perspective in how to engage in problem-solving with my peers, leaning into vulnerability, and paying attention to my emotional literacy and the emotional literacy of others – showing up with an open heart and mind to discussions, conversations and meetings. I also learned how my body language, how I form my words, and how I organize my thoughts can be powerful tools in effectively communicating with others.

The section on values was particularly valuable in helping me understand the filters I use when making hard decisions. While I lead with my key values, I also learned that I need to be aware of the values of others when problem-solving—whether at home with my family, in the office with colleagues, or in the community.

One of the most confirming parts of the training was realizing that I am a risk taker and that when I take risks, there are often unexpected finds as a writer and as a civic leader/volunteer. Brené Brown uses a quote from Joseph Campbell to explain this concept, saying, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” That quote now holds special meaning for me. Understanding how to navigate the cave, having courage, and not being averse to risk will enable me to have better success in the future as I follow my heart.

One unique aspect of the Dare to Lead training was getting to know the 12 people training with me. I asked a few of them about what they took away from the training, and these are a few that were shared with me.

“The Dare to Lead™ course allowed me to explore my leadership style and to identify my strengths and areas to improve on. There were great takeaways for me to make immediate improvements in communication with my team. My team meeting structure has improved, as has our expectation of one another. I highly recommend this course for any leaders young or old(er),” comments Beth Brewster, Supervisor of Food Services, Caroline County Public Schools.

“The thought-provoking training encouraged me to embrace new perspectives, think deeper about how I engage with others, and helped reshape how I approach leadership,” shares Kelly Simonsen, Director, Corporate Communications for Easton Utilities.

The Dare to Lead program is facilitated by Beth Anne Dorman, President & CEO of For All Seasons, and Lesa Mulcahy, LCSW-C, Chief Clinical Officer, both Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitators and two of fewer than 300 professionals nationwide authorized to teach Brown’s leadership curriculum. Participants explore the foundational principles of courage-driven leadership, learning to build trust within teams, align their actions with their values, and confidently navigate challenges.

“The courage was contagious during this week of inspiration,” shared participant Sharon M. Pepukayi, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Talbot County Public Schools.

For All Seasons will offer another Dare to Lead™ training session from May 13 to 16, 2025, at Anchor Church in Easton. The program is open to professionals from all industries who want to enhance their leadership skills in both professional and personal settings. Each session runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. over four consecutive days, with breakfast, lunch, and training materials provided.

The training curriculum covers four core leadership skill sets: Rumbling with Vulnerability, which challenges common misconceptions about vulnerability and its role in effective leadership; Living into Our Values, which focuses on aligning personal and professional behaviors with one’s core beliefs; Braving  Trust, which teaches leaders how to build and maintain trust within their teams; and Learning to Rise, which explores resilience, growth, and how to navigate failure with courage.

Participants who complete the training will receive a certificate of completion and the right to display an “I am Dare to Lead™ Trained” badge on LinkedIn. Additionally, clinicians attending the program will be eligible to receive 24 Category I CEUs issued by For All Seasons, an approved continuing education provider for Maryland social workers and professional counselors.

The total cost for the training (inclusive of meals and materials) is $650, with a non-refundable deposit of $100 required at registration. Limited scholarships are available, and payment plans are offered to make the program more accessible. Interested individuals can register or learn more by visiting https://supportforallseasonsinc.org/daretolead or by contacting [email protected].

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Edna Parks Celebrates 109th Birthday at Dixon House

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Edna Parks of Trappe recently celebrated her 109th birthday at Dixon House, where she is a resident. Parks, who lived her life in Talbot County, entered Dixon House in May 2019. Before that, she lived independently until age 102, when she went to live with her son Roger Parks and his wife for two years.

For her birthday celebration, family, friends, and dignitaries gathered at Dixon House’s dining room to celebrate with Parks. She received proclamations from the Town of Easton and the Maryland Senate; a citation from the Maryland Governor’s Office; and a salute from Sheriff Joe Gamble. Easton Mayor Megan Cook and Easton Town Council President Frank Gunsallus were also in attendance. Scott Clausen and Ranee Reitz from St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Easton led hymns for guests.

“We are so excited for Edna and her special day. She had her favorite meal today – roast beef, chocolate cake and a Coke. Seeing everyone here celebrating with her made the day complete. She has lived a good life and we are thrilled to celebrate with her,” comments Linda Elben, Executive Director of Dixon House.

 

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One Mission Cambridge Celebrates First Anniversary

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One Mission Cambridge recently celebrated its first anniversary with a picnic at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. Over 100 people came to the event which provided food and drink.

According to Krista Pettit, Director of One Mission Cambridge, the organization served a record number of clients in the last two months. In May and June, One Mission Cambridge Center served 710 different individuals, supporting 1673 people, including 533 children, 772 adults, and 368 seniors.

“After one year, the news has spread about our services. Our location has proved ideal to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. One Mission Cambridge is about the Body of Christ working together – combining resources and people. This past year, our churches have come together in supporting our combined missions of loving God and loving our neighbors.  All Christian Churches are invited to participate in what we are doing,” she states.

One Mission Cambridge recently celebrated its first anniversary with a picnic at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge.

To date, One Mission Cambridge provides quality programs, including a food pantry, community navigation, community dinners, and counseling services.

Resident Terry of Cambridge, comments about One Mission Cambridge’s food pantry, “It’s so nice to be able to pick out what you want like the grocery store. I hate to throw away food because often somebody else with kids could use it. I also participated in a Bible Study they have during the day and have also met a lot of new friends at the community dinner. One Mission Cambridge is helping a lot of people.”

Another client of the nonprofit, Brenda of Cambridge, shares, “I am getting less from the grocery store at the end of the month because of inflation and my food stamps don’t get me through anymore. One Mission Cambridge is located in the right spot for the people who need it.”

For other clients, some who own their own homes, using the resources of One Mission Cambridge means being able to make ends meet to be able to stay in their homes. Married couple Ray and Pat of Cambridge are living on limited income due to disabilities. The couple even thought of selling their house to be able to pay their bills.

“This place has been such a blessing to us. We attend the community dinner once a month and shop at the food pantry beforehand where we can shop for our own food items. We even try to give back by giving other clients rides home,” states Ray.

“The older you get, there are not as many resources to help you. We are forever grateful,” adds his wife Pat.

One Mission Cambridge is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. for services. For additional information visit onemissioncambridge.org, Facebook, and Instagram, or call 410-901-3959. For further information about donating to One Mission Cambridge, contact Krista Pettit at 443-521-6825. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

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Haven Ministries Appoints Ed Wilson to Board of Directors

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Ed Wilson

Ed Wilson of Chester has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors of Haven Ministries and will serve as the organization’s treasurer replacing Dottie Wilson who has served as treasurer of the Board for almost 6 years.

Wilson, a retired financial executive, has over 35 years of extensive accounting, finance, and banking experience.  Most recently, he worked as part-time Executive Director of Finance for Lighthouse Church, a “Mega Church” in Glen Burnie Maryland. Before that, he was Senior Vice President of the Shelter Group/Brightview Senior Living, a property management and senior housing company. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a Certificate in Accounting from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Peter Grim, Executive Director of Haven Ministries, comments, “I’d like to thank Dottie Wilson for her years of dedication to the Haven Ministries Board of Directors serving as our Treasurer. She has been instrumental in the growth of this excellent organization serving under-resourced individuals in Queen Anne’s County. I am pleased to announce that Ed Wilson has joined the board and has been elected as our new corporate Treasurer. Ed brings with him a wealth of experience and has a firm grasp of the financial aspects of non-profit organizations such as Haven Ministries.”

Ed Wilson moved to the Eastern Shore a year ago and was introduced after his wife began volunteering at Haven Ministries Food Pantry.  When he learned more about the organization, it reminded him of the position that Lighthouse Church was in 10 years ago – poised for major growth.

“Haven Ministries has a real vision for the future. They need someone with a background in accounting and high-end finance to help them continue to reach their goals,” he adds.

“Having been founded over 20 years ago, Haven Ministries has experienced significant growth due to increased need in recent years and our financial systems need to keep in pace with such growth. Ed will be working with me to enhance our systems to best meet the needs of those we serve. I am excited to work with Ed to bring Haven Ministries to the next level of service to help our neighbors in need in Queen Anne’s County,” Grim states.

In reflecting on his retirement years, Wilson comments, “I think as a retired person, now is the time to give back. This volunteer work is fun and I’m doing something meaningful and helping people. It gives me purpose. Everybody has different gifts. I happen to love numbers. Peter has got a vision and I would like to help them to get the organizational structure in place to get to the next level.”

For further information about supporting Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries.  Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center, and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Store in Chester, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

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Talbot County Department of Social Services Raises Awareness of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

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Lee Newcomb, LCSW-C, Adult Services Social Worker with the Talbot County Department of Social Services

According to the University of Southern California Center for Elder Justice, every year an estimated five million, or one in 10 older Americans experience elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. World Elder Abuse Day will be recognized globally on June 15, 2023. Locally, Lee Newcomb, LCSW-C, Adult Services Social Worker with the Talbot County Department of Social Services, will provide a brief lunchtime presentation on Elder Abuse Awareness/Prevention, followed by a brief question and answer session, on June 15 at 11:45 a.m. at the Talbot County Senior Center at Brookletts Place at 400 Brooketts Avenue in Easton, Maryland. Participants are encouraged to bring a bagged lunch.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of the abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

According to the U.S. Center for Elder Justice, elder abuse is the mistreatment or harming of an older person – including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, along with neglect and financial exploitation. Many social factors—for example, a lack of support services and community resources—can make conditions ripe for elder abuse. According to Newcomb, financial exploitation and neglect are two of the most common forms of elder abuse. Financial exploitation includes theft, fraud, misuse or neglect of authority, and use of undue influence as a lever to gain control over an older person’s money or property. The U.S. Center for Elder Justice reports that older people throughout the United States lose an estimated $2.6 billion or more annually due to elder financial abuse and exploitation.

“Banks and caregiver agencies are the biggest reporters of financial abuse and exploitation,” Newcomb states.

She adds, “As far as neglect, some people don’t know they are facilitating abuse – like neglect. Neglect is the failure or refusal to provide for an older person’s safety and physical, or emotional needs. Because seniors often live alone, this neglect can go unreported until someone reports it.”

Common risk factors for elder abuse are often found in seniors who have dementia, mental health or substance abuse issues, are experiencing social isolation, or are in poor physical health. Emotional and behavioral signs of elder abuse can include unusual changes in behavior or sleep, fear or anxiety, being isolated or not responsive, and depression. Physical signs include broken bones, bruises, and welts; cuts, sores, or burns; untreated bed sores; torn, stained or bloody underclothing; unexplained sexually transmitted diseases; dirtiness, poor nutrition or dehydration; poor living conditions; or lack of medical aids (glasses, walker, teeth, hearing aid, medications).  Signs of financial exploitation include unusual changes in bank accounts or money management, unusual or sudden changes in a will or other financial documents, fraudulent signatures on financial documents, and unpaid bills.

According to Newcomb, most elder abuse happens at home and nine out of 10 abusers are relatives. She adds, “Because many cases of elder abuse go unreported, we as citizens are encouraged to be on the lookout for warning signs of maltreatment and to report suspected abuse as soon as possible.”

Programs such as Adult Protective Services (APS) and the Long-Term Care Ombudsmen are here to help. For reporting numbers, contact Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 (www.eldercare.acl.gov).

If you or someone you know is in a life-threatening situation or immediate danger, call 911 or the local police or sheriff.

Additional ways citizens can help include helping to prevent isolation by calling or visiting older loved ones and asking how they are doing regularly or signing up to be a friendly visitor to an older person in our communities. Family members, friends, and caregivers can also reach out to Adult Services at the Talbot County Department of Social Services for tools to help care for the elderly in their care. Other resources in Talbot County include the Talbot County Senior Centers at Brookletts Place in Easton at the St. Michaels YMCA, Upper Shore Aging, Talbot County Health Department’s Senior Care Program, the Maryland Department of Aging, and the Maryland Department of Human Services.

For further resources on elder abuse, contact Lee Newcomb at the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-770-8741.

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Talbot County Department Announces 2023 Resource Parent of the Year

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Kathy Jenkins of Easton has been selected as Talbot County Department of Social Services’ Resource Parent of the Year.

Kathy Jenkins of Easton has been selected as Talbot County Department of Social Services’ Resource Parent of the Year for her commitment to providing a loving and safe place for children and supporting families in Talbot County. Jenkins became a licensed foster parent with Talbot County 11 years ago after retiring from a career with Bowie State University.  She decided she wanted to do something part-time related to social work as she has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling and psychology – both from Bowie State University. As a foster parent, she decided to do the respite program part-time – taking children in foster care on weekends and giving biological parents and foster parents respite.

Jenkins has one child, a daughter now 27 years old. She recalls that because she couldn’t have any other children, she considered adoption when her daughter was a teenager. In 2015, she was asked to foster a baby, whom she adopted the same year when she was 56 years old. Jenkins embraced her role as a new mother again and continued to do respite for young children.

“I love it because it is something in my heart I wanted to do,” she comments.

Jenkins comes from a large family herself and is a family-oriented person. When children in foster care are placed in her care, they join in the family activities and are accepted with open arms.

“I care a lot. I give everything I have to them. Kids need love, someone to care, someone to talk to, and someone to listen. I do for them what my mother did for me.”

“Kathy provided permanency through adoption for one of our children and provided respite care for many children throughout the Eastern Shore over the years. This year, Kathy has provided for a child in foster care and has been instrumental in keeping the family connections. She has been an advocate for the biological parents, providing support, coaching, and an open heart. Kathy not only provides a loving and safe place for children, but she provides that same love, compassion, and support to their parents. She is a role model to other resource parents and truly focuses on building, not replacing,” comments Paris Quillet, Special Project Coordinator at Talbot County Department of Social Services.

“I can help children in foster care understand how to be positive in their circumstances, as well as support biological parents who may be struggling. It’s important to help reunite children with their biological families,” adds Jenkins.

“It’s amazing how my life has been going – doing what I am doing. I love having an impact on these children’s lives. God blessed my heart to be who I am.”

In her free time, Jenkins takes her heart to places around the world through mission trips, supporting families in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and the Philippines.

“It’s helping those who don’t have what we have here.”

Today, Jenkins relies on a network of foster parents in Talbot County who help provide her with respite care when she needs it as she continues to foster children. In addition to her son, now age eight, Jenkins is caring for a one-year-old child in foster care.

Talbot County continues to need more foster and adoptive parents to help meet the needs of children of all ages, most recently including infants and school-aged children. The agency also gets requests from time to time for sibling groups and older teens who are soon aging out of foster care and need guidance in transitioning into adulthood. For further information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent, call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 or visit midshoreresourceparents.com.

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Earth Data Selected for Water Quality Data Collection Project in Dorchester County

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Earth Data, Inc. of Centreville was recently selected by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth, and ShoreRivers to implement a comprehensive data collection, reporting, and analysis project that focuses on a portion of the Transquaking River in Dorchester County, Maryland. The local and regional advocacy organizations seek to better understand pollution problems in the Transquaking River, which the Maryland Department of the Environmental lists as impaired by phosphorus and nitrogen pollution that harms aquatic life.

As part of the project Earth Data will install multiple flow and temperature monitoring stations that will continuously monitor, record and transmit data via a cellular network to a cloud-based server. The specialized equipment will include state-of-the-art ultrasonic area/velocity flow sensors that utilize continuous wave Doppler technology and advanced signal processing to provide high-accuracy readings. Additionally, Earth Data field geologists will regularly collect physical surface water samples from multiple locations for laboratory analysis of selected parameters. The work is expected to culminate in a comprehensive report that will summarize all flow, temperature, and water quality data, including publicly available climate and precipitation data.

Eric Flickinger, Director of Geospatial Services at Earth Data, and Jeff Chipman, Senior Geologist at Earth Data, collecting and transmitting water quality data in a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.

“We are very excited to support this important water quality monitoring project,” states Earth Data president Mark Williams. “We’ll be furnishing and installing some state-of-the-art equipment that will enable both Earth Data and local water quality advocacy groups to monitor key parameters in near real-time using cloud-based technology.”

Earth Data project manager Jeff Chipman explains, “In addition to collecting physical samples for laboratory analysis, during all surface water sampling events Earth Data will use a sophisticated multi-parameter water quality meter to measure and record key data that will be incorporated into the data analysis and summary reports.”

“As part of the project Earth Data’s geospatial team will develop a custom cloud-based data tracking portal to facilitate timely data visualizations and accurate data storage and retrieval.”

Monitoring is expected to begin early summer 2023 and last at least 18 months.

For more than 48 years, Earth Data, Inc. has been providing field-oriented water resources and geospatial consulting services using high-tech tools to collect, analyze, manage, and distribute data in sophisticated ways. For further information, visit earthdatainc.com.

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Spiralis Gallery Introduces Contemporary Afro-Caribbean Art to Eastern Shore

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A new online art gallery is the perfect platform for Easton resident Gail Patterson to share her deep affinity for Afro-Caribbean art, particularly Haitian, by presenting this genre to Eastern Shore residents and beyond.  The online gallery, Spiralis Gallery, will launch its opening with some of its artwork being featured at Out of the Fire Restaurant in Easton, Maryland beginning July 12, 2023. The show, “Things Fall Together,” will then run for 10 weeks at the restaurant for diners to enjoy. All artworks are for sale.

Patterson, a physician and art lover, launched her original gallery at Art Basel Miami and the Outsider Art Fair in 2012-2013. For ten more years, her demanding medical career forced her to put her art gallery dreams on hold until now.

The new online gallery, Spiralis Gallery, has its opening show, “Things Fall Together,” at Out of the Fire Restaurant in Easton, Maryland on July 12, 2023, showcasing Easton resident Gail Patterson’s deep affinity for Afro-Caribbean art.

“This genre of art has always resonated with me, with its vibrant colors, exquisite patterns, and strong spiritual imagery. And I am drawn inexorably to outsider artists, whose creations come directly from their souls,” comments Patterson, director and curator of Spiralis Gallery.

The gallery will focus on emerging and mid-career artists, with a secondary lens on Outsider artists or “art brut.” She adds, “The Gallery’s new online presence amplifies the visual narratives of Afro-Caribbean artists by presenting bold pieces, colorful fiber art, bricolage, and sculpture. In so doing, our fervent hope is to connect cultures and people in meaningful ways, thereby emphasizing and exploring our common humanity.

Patterson bought her first piece of Haitian art in 1990, a small painting of a little girl’s face by Louisiane St. Fleurant – one of five artists who initially joined the experimental Saint Soleil art movement. She recalls, “I was transfixed by the girl’s smile, her direct gaze, the vivid colors and patterning – the painting brought me such a frisson of joy, that I knew I would want to look at it every day.  It felt instantly like home – like somewhere I had been or wanted to go.”

“What I did not know at the time was that this purchase would catalyze my relationship with Haiti, a place I have gone many times over the years for volunteer medical service, a place of great happiness and immense sorrow, a place where misery and triumph are mixed in the blender of life in equal parts.”

Over the years, Patterson continued to collect Haitian art, including contemporary, mainstream, and self-taught artists.

“Perhaps it’s the colors, the magic of symbols and mysticism, or the naive portrayal of everyday life that appeals to me. I have met many artists and bought from them directly at their homes, from the back of motorbikes, or in their own ateliers. In Haiti, art is life, art is necessary, a profound and vital expression of connection to the world – part of the spiral of the universe, where things are meant to be connected in ways we can’t even imagine or know. In one artist’s words, ‘It’s not me who voyages, it’s my spirit through my paintings that travels,’” she reflects.

“I have collected with the firm belief that the opposite of poverty and degradation is not peace and contentment but rather, creation in all its forms. In Haiti, art is essential, and that creative force is behind the extraordinary outpouring of work.”

Gerard, Red and White Flowers in Bird Vessel, Oil on Canvas, 29×38 inches.

Patterson’s vision is to find ways to showcase this artwork as a new addition to the thriving local art scene on the Eastern Shore. Her mission is to display and promote artists’ works as a way to bring people together and show our common humanity.

“In my opinion, the purpose of a gallery is not just to sell art but to create community, make space for conversation, and foster and support relationships,” she adds.

Spiralis Gallery will initially have an online presence that refreshes frequently as new artists join the ever-growing roster. For inquiries about sales and exhibitions, contact director and curator Gail Patterson at [email protected] or 908-625-8704 or visit https://spiralisgallery.com/.

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Mid-Shore Foster Parent Support Group Helps Families Navigate Life’s Ups and Downs

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Parenting is not easy, but when you add an element like foster parenting into the mix, the challenges can sometimes become daunting. Talbot County Department of Social Services (TCDSS) has developed a creative solution to help foster parents through a support group, using a therapist agency, Families Connected from Baltimore County. Melissa Lenet, one of the founders of Families Connected is the facilitator for the foster parent support group on the Mid-Shore.

Melissa Lenet, one of the founders of Families Connected, and the facilitator for the foster parent support group on the Mid-Shore.

Sharon Caldwell of Easton, who has been a foster parent in Talbot County for 29 years, has participated with Lenet in the monthly evening virtual Support Group that started three years ago for foster and adoptive families. She has one biological daughter and two adopted daughters, ages 18 and 20.

“In the support group, we can learn from each other. Melissa is there to walk us through any concerns we have. She has been especially helpful as I guide my two daughters into adulthood, helping them transition to independence. We are very fortunate to have her as a resource,” Caldwell states.

Lenet, who has a therapeutic foster care background, states that there are themes that are unique to the foster parent population – specifically around trauma-informed parenting. Most children in foster care have attachment disorders and they have all experienced trauma after being removed from their families. Secondary trauma is happening to the foster parent and the foster family’s biological children because of the primary trauma experienced by the child in foster care.

“You really can’t do foster care without addressing trauma. Whenever a child is removed from a family, the whole family system is disrupted. This secondary trauma is a huge theme as we provide support to foster families,” Lenet explains.

“With the support group, people come and update the group on what they are dealing with and ask questions. I provide some structure when I see that it would be helpful and help redirect conversations when needed.”

Sharon Caldwell of Easton who has been a foster parent in Talbot County for 29 years.

Because the foster care support group is virtual, the group can reach more people. Foster parents don’t need to get childcare to attend and participate from home.

“Some of the common things we help parents with are how to talk to their foster children about their stories. Another big issue is helping parents know how to explain about their families when they are out in public and certain children may be of another race or culture,” Lenet explains.

“We also work with foster parents on how to work with birth parents, how to keep boundaries, and how to deal with the developmental stages of their foster/adoptive children, as well as talking a lot about grief and loss.”

“A lot of my work is trying to strengthen those connections that are already there between foster parents and their foster children. I refer to the support this group provides as placement disruption prevention. Because it’s hard enough to get the foster parents and retain them, we don’t want to disrupt the lives of the children again through re-placement,” she adds.

Paris Quillet, Special Project Coordinator for TCDSS, finds the support group to be a real asset to the Mid-Shore foster parent community. She states, “This resource has been transformational for our parents. It is a safe place for them to come and feel supported. Parents in the support group also provide support to one another. They share what they’re going through. When a new baby comes in, parents in the group will make a meal for the family. It’s been a great asset to foster and adoptive parents.”

The support group is unique in that it is available to foster and adoptive families from Dorchester County to Cecil County.

“Talbot County has been an incredible agency to work with. They’ve been really attentive and communicative and very professional. I also give TCDSS huge props for providing this service for families. It is such an act of kindness and generosity to pay for this and to provide subsidies for families who need individual therapy in addition to the support group. For these families, it’s going to be lifelong for them and it can really make a difference,” Lenet adds.

In addition to providing private therapy to individual families, Families Connected provides staff training for Departments of Social Services across the state of Maryland.

“We are giving the parents permission not to have all of the answers all of the time. We also give them permission to outsource the answers and help to validate their success and hard work and provide encouragement through these support groups,” adds Lenet.

“I see the group as an anchor for resources for each other. It’s a place they know that they can come to even if they just need to get a resource.”

Talbot County continues to need more foster and adoptive parents to help meet the needs of children of all ages, most recently including infants and school-aged children. The agency also gets requests from time to time for sibling groups and older teens who are soon aging out of foster care and need guidance in transitioning into adulthood. For further information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent, call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 or visit midshoreresourceparents.com.

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One Mission Cambridge Sponsors Fund a Flat Challenge Food Drive

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Krista Pettit, Director of One Mission Cambridge with a flat of food.

One Mission Cambridge is sponsoring a “Fund a Flat” challenge in May. During the month, citizens can donate a case of a product to help One Mission Cambridge keep its shelves stocked. The nonprofit has seen a large increase in demand for food items – having more than 100 people needing food over the last two months.

Although One Mission Cambridge’s Food Pantry is supported by churches and individuals, as well as Aldi as a Retail Recovery Partner, the demand is exceeding the supply.

“We continue to see new people coming to our Food Pantry. When the supplemental funding from COVID was discontinued in March, the demand increased significantly. It now takes $2500 every three weeks to adequately serve the community with food,” comments Krista Pettit, Director of One Mission Cambridge.

“Citizens, churches, businesses, and community organizations can participate in this challenge. Help us keep the shelves stocked by funding a flat. For less than $10, you can purchase a flat of canned goods from a local store, such as our community partner Aldi. Participants can create a fun video on social media to challenge three friends to do the same,” she adds.

Throughout the month of May, One Mission Cambridge is collecting flats on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. and on Mondays from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Visit Facebook and Instagram @onemissioncambridge @onemissioncam for additional times.

For further information about donating, contact Krista Pettit at 443-521-6825. One Mission Cambridge is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon for services. Visit onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.