Virginia Mason Franciscan Health’s Post

My heart is asking me to listen on sidewalks a lot and double down on writing my book on Sidewalk Talk. And May marks 9 years of Sidewalk Talk. Happy Birthday Sidewalk Talk. 🎂 Holy $hittballs you have taught me a lot. I am doing "book therapy" right now because I want to say some dangerous stuff about our dehumanizing ways. I want to be clear in my psyche as I write. The Identity Trap (yes a nod to Yascha Mounk's book of the same name) we are in right now I will roar about. Listening on sidewalks has chipped away at my reverence to identity obsession while I remain committed to inclusion and justice. I am glad to have sorted how to run Sidewalk Talk sustainably to my spirit while allowing it to safely expand. I burnt myself out three years ago. Lots of soul work, mistakes, learning boundaries. Operationally, Sidewalk Talk has expanded beyond a background checked chapter leader model where folks must pay to be a leader bc the application process is costly. Many just wanted to listen with a friend and not do a chapter. So...Tah Dah...we listened. Sidewalk Talk now gives you the "How To" to grab a friend and go listen in a friend group on the Sidewalk safely and effectively for FREE ... not even needing to be expressly part of Sidewalk Talk. A complete democratization. We still charge money for our trainings on Listening and Conflict resolution and chapter leadership so we can cover operating expenses. But everything else is freely offered. Cool eh? Go listen? www.sidewalk-talk.org

We recently had Trash Arts visit us at our TYC HQ in Fort Widley to dicuss 2 opportunities to work together that will, in turn benefit and provide quality opportunities for the Young Creatives of Portsmouth. What I liked about Sam and Jackson was that - they came out to our HQ to dicuss this. They could have asked to meet for a coffee in a cafe (we get countless lovely requests for this each week). Trash Arts wanted to see where we worked from and what we do. This is great business and had me in a positive mindset about them as a company, before they even arrived to pitch their projects. Controversly, I don't like coffee and coming from a no income start in life and running a not-for- profit, I can't help but begrudge spending what equates to a lot of money a year on parking and drinks plus loosing 1 to 2 hours out of the day. Importantly, I got to show Sam and Jackon around the space where our young creatives make the magic happen. And they got a real feel for who we are and what we do. It turns out that I believe we may be coming from a similar place when you look at what we do and why within our home cities. I am happy to be working together. ** Please note - I would have happily met them at their own place of work for the same reasons. This is not a moan about me having to travel to network and connect, it's just an understanding of why, when you are working at grassroots level with community projects and not for profits, sometimes it may be better to consider going out to see where it happens or inviting them to you, over meeting in a Costa for a coffee 😉 https://lnkd.in/egMx4Rgf

"Westborough Unplugs" features a fantastic lineup of events and activities to help residents unplug and “tune in” to the people and places in the community. Part of "National Screen Free Week," this is the 5th Annual edition of the week-long event. #westboroughconnects #kindnessconnectsus #kindnessweek #kindnessweekwestborough #westboroughma #yardsigns #lawnsigns #promotion #largeformatprinting #displaygraphics #digitalprinting

Stay connected and keep your family safe with our range of walkie talkies! Check out our latest blog post for tips on how to use them effectively. #MidlandUSA #FamilySafety

Stay connected and keep your family safe with our range of walkie talkies! Check out our latest blog post for tips on how to use them effectively. #MidlandUSA #FamilySafety

Tonight is the first night of Passover and we want to wish all who will celebrate a peaceful and joyful holiday. This image was taken by our Chief of Chaos to Calm when she had a virtual seder with her family during the pandemic lockdown in April 2020. It will always be one of the strangest holiday experiences on so many levels. Beth wrote a blog about it few years ago that started off being about Passover but covered not only her emotions surrounding this particular Jewish holiday as well as what happened right before Passover in 2021, a mass shooting at one of Boulder's most popular King Sooper grocery stores. Beth quoted First Lady Jill Biden's statement from a White House seder that year... "Passover is a celebration of Jewish life but the message is universal." What's the message??? 🫶🏽 Simply put...peace, tolerance and love. With all that is going on in the world especially in the Middle East, it's hard to imagine that anyone is embracing that universal message but it is still something we think is part of our mission here at It's Just Stuff. And while we are just one small little business on this big giant planet, we still choose, as Beth's Mom always said, to believe that we can do something each and every day to reduce the chaos and create more calm. ☮️Please choose peace, tolerance and love always no matter what your religious or political beliefs. None of us can survive life without it. ✌️ #GarageOrganization #HomeOrganization #Declutter #TransformYourSpace #ItsJustStuff #professionalorganizer #downsizing #homeorganizer #clutter #organizing #Passover

Thursday, 12th September is R U OK Day These three simple words – “R U OK?” – can mean the world to someone. Today, let’s take a moment to check in on our friends, family, and colleagues. If you’re not sure, ask anyway. And remember, this isn’t just for today – let’s make it a habit to reach out and connect. While R U OK Day is an Australian initiative, we at Thomax extend this spirit of care and connection to our friends around the globe. We challenge you to do the same. Let’s create a world where everyone feels supported and heard. Together, we can make a difference. Who are you going to Ask R U Ok today? #AskRUOKanyday #ruokanyday #RUOKDay #MentalHealthMatters #ThomaxCares #GlobalSupport #AskRUOKanyday

Here’s a peek behind the scenes as our BeLocal Tulsa magazine comes to life in the print shop. ✨ #belocal #belocalmagazine #newmovers #hiddengems #newresidents #newcity #communitylife #communitysupport #localbusinesses #smallbusinesses #localtips

☘️May the blessings of St. Patrick be with you, and may your life be filled with joy and love！！！ St. Patrick's Day products can be used in many scenarios. Here are some examples: 1. Family gathering: When holding a St. Patrick's Day party at home, green tableware, tablecloths, clover pendants and other decorations can be used to create a strong festive atmosphere. 2. School activities: The school can organize St. Patrick's Day activities. Students can wear green clothes, wear clover headdresses, and participate in various games and performances. 3. Community celebration: The community can hold St. Patrick's Day celebrations. People can enjoy music and dance together and buy St. Patrick's Day special products. 4. Workplace: Companies can put green plants in the office or give employees small gifts for St. Patrick's Day to increase the fun of work. 5. Commercial places: Stores can launch St. Patrick's Day theme goods, such as green stationery, clover-shaped accessories, etc., to attract customers to buy. 6. Social media: People can share photos of themselves and St. Patrick's Day products on social media to show their holiday celebrations.

We are starting the week with gratitude and purpose. Planning this week reminds me of how we keep the wheels turning in community end-of-life care, using what we have and building authentic connections. 🚗✨ This beautiful photo of a trusty scooter with my name on it was a kind gift from a local Thursday morning tea group member. It reminds me of the importance of community, mobility, and creativity. As we stay connected, it's clear that access to transport for medical appointments and cemetery visits requires some creative problem-solving in our region, and together, we support each other. The little heart bowls in the background are crafted from modelling clay made from outdated end-of-life brochures, turning what was once obsolete into something that holds us literally as we navigate care and collaboration. In our work, we discover what people love and what makes their lives meaningful until the end. Now, more than ever, we’re writing our story of collaboration, knowing we need others to join us—people whose values of equity, justice, and accessibility align with ours. Here’s to those keeping the wheels turning in our communities and the many more who’ll join us on this journey. 💛 #communitycare #endoflifecare #funerals #equity #collaboration #creative #problemsolving #accessibility #justice #sunshinecoast #queensland