Doma Finds New Home at The Y!

As the old advertisement goes, before Martin Luther King, Jr. changed the world, he was just another kid at the Y. No one will ever know what the Y did for MLK—help with confidence, provide community, exercise body and mind? And now, in 2012, the Y may be doing something just as great to the people of this country—they house Freedom a la Cart—a social enterprise which teaches survivors of sex trafficking job and nutrition skills. The problem is that while survivors of trafficking have legendary loyalty and terrific work ethic, they have never kept a schedule, managed money, or worked in a job where they weren’t beaten and controlled. The rest of us grew up watching our parents’ careers, got our first jobs at 16, blew our first paychecks on cute jeans and music for driving fast. We messed up and learned work skills eventually. But survivors of sex trafficking didn’t do much of any of that, and they have kids to support and lives to create. After two years of great recovery with the likes of Amethyst, Maryhaven, Southeast and CATCH court, they are ready for the world. But they don’t have the work skills necessary to find, secure a job, let alone a career.

Doma—our little non-profit, doma means ‘home’ in many languages—saw this missing link to success in life, and we started our business. But it was homeless, just like our ladies; we cooked out of a bar, out of church kitchens, desperate for a kitchen we could afford, we searched for months. I know there is a cart-before-the-horse analogy here, but I’m watching my word count.

And here came the Y, marching down the street to help us so much, giving us a beautiful kitchen, an ice machine, making everything clean and lovely. And how have we repaid them? We’ve been late for two catering events. We showed up at one with thirty beautiful salads and no forks. Growing pains, being new to the business, working with an unskilled staff in a new space. We thank the Y by inspiring them to flex their patience muscles. Now we have an expediter, a work-list and checklist for every event, a timeline. Through the Y’s generosity, we are learning the skills that will keep Freedom alive—which is crucial for the well-being of our ladies. Everyone needs job skills, and o how the ladies love being a part of this life.

So right now, in many ways, Freedom is just another scrubby kid at the Y. But ten survivors of sex trafficking have the first job they can trust in their entire lives. And twenty more survivors know that when they are ready to work, Freedom and the Y are here for them. Even women in jail as I write this (yes, survivors of sex trafficking are often in jail—it’s a long story, call me) have been told while in shackles and tears there is legal and sustaining work for them when they are free—the relief and wonder in their faces make my life whole.

But this is just the beginning! What if every major city had social enterprise for survivors of trafficking? What if Cause Cuisine blossoms all over the country? What if women who have been shackled for a living have a chance at Freedom? The Y has many, many commercial kitchens! But we will start small and remember the forks, learn to keep an eye on the time.

So, what is the Y doing for women survivors of trafficking? It is immeasurable as the sea and strong as the sky. All we can do is say, thank you.

Kae Denino
US Project Coordinator
doma USA/Freedom a la Cart
Guest Blogger

Early Detection Can Save Your Life!

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness month.  It is a time set aside to increase awareness about this important issue.  The American Cancer Society estimates that this year, more than 240,000 new case of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.  Nearly 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer.  Roughly 1 in 6 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime (1 and 7 in Canada). 

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in American men.  Despite these statistics, there is hope.  With early detection and treatment men can live happy, healthy and long lives.  In fact, more than 2.5 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.

 

Typically, prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men.  In fact, nearly two thirds are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older and it is rare before age 40.  The average age at the time is diagnosis is 67.  At the age of 49, Dan Hennessey was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  With the help of early treatment and detection, the support of his physician, family and community, Dan is cancer-free today. 

During his prostate cancer journey, Dan began to write as way to express his thoughts and feelings about his prognosis.  His writings evolved into a book, “With the Snap of a Glove,” in which he shares the vulnerable, human side of prostate cancer and its impact on relationships in his life.  A Canadian resident, Dan considers prostate cancer a global issue and is determined to spread his message all over the world. 

Passionate about creating awareness, Dan contacted the YMCA of Central Ohio recently to share his story and to ask for our support promoting awareness about early detection and treatment.   Across the nation and in countries all over the world, the Y is a leading force on health and well-being.  At the Y, we believe that practicing and supporting healthy lifestyles means more than just simply being active.  It’s about maintaining a balanced spirit, mind and body.  We are also committed to creating awareness about important issues that impact our community.

Recognizing the impact prostate cancer has on families, Dan created a video to encourage dialogue between teens and their parents and to promote awareness to a new generation.  We hope this video will help stimulate dialogue in your homes about this preventable disease.  More importantly, we hope that it will help to save a life.

Thank you Dan for sharing your journey with us, and we hope that it will inspire you!

 

 

 

 

The Y tackles Childhood Obesity!

 

September is designated as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past 30 years.  Nationally, more than 23 million children and teens are obese or overweight.  For African American and Hispanic children the rates are much higher.

Childhood obesity has immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being. Studies show that children that are overweight or obese are more likely to be at risk for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Obese children are also more likely to at risk of developing type 2 prediabetes and be at greater risk for developing bone and joint problems, sleep apnea and experience issues with poor self-esteem. Long-term, children and teens who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and more susceptible to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis.

Healthy lifestyle habits, including making healthier food choices and increasing physical activity, can help reduce the risk of childhood obesity and other related diseases. As a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility the YMCA of Central Ohio offers the following tips to help families in Central Ohio incorporate regular physical activity and healthy eating into their lives.

Eat Healthy: Make water the drink of choice (supplemented by 100 percent fruit juices and low-fat milk) and have fruits and vegetables available at every meal. Snack time should include foods that contain whole grains and lean protein instead of saturated and trans fats.

Play Every Day/Go Outside: Kids and adults should have at least an hour a day of unstructured play outside (when possible) with children having a goal to obtain 300 minutes of physical activity per week.  Just starting out, start small with 10 to 20 minutes at a time.

Get Together: At least once a day families should dine together, with kids involved in meal preparation and clean up. In addition, adults should spend one-on-one time each day with their kids.

Reduce Screen Time: Time spent in front of a television, computer, cell phone and video game should be limited to two hours per day.

Sleep Well: Kids and adults need to keep a regular sleep schedule—10-12 hours per night for kids and seven to eight hours for adults.

For more information on how your family can live a healthy, active life, visit ymcacolumbus.org/health-well-being-fitness