If you planned to attend the regularly scheduled Tuesday afternoon Social Service
Speaker program a couple weeks ago you might have been surprised
to pass someone in Winnie the Pooh pajamas who accompanied you to a
“Slumber Party”, instead. SBEC Employment Coordinator Sandy Osmanski
arranges to have a variety of speakers meet with participants Tuesday
afternoons. These speakers come from a wide range of agencies and services in
the Erie area: Safe Harbor Behavior Health of UPMC, Erie County Care
Management, Northwestern Legal Services, City of Erie Police Department,
Emmaus Ministries, and others. SBEC offers as much practical information as
possible and helps facilitate connections that will be of help to the participants
and staff in their daily challenges.
Sometimes the staff recognizes a different kind of need to be addressed and a
change of routine is welcome. In place of the Social Service Speakers’ Series
seasonal family engagement activities are planned. With cooler weather coming
soon the staff organized a “slumber party” to offer “some fuzzy sleep gear” for
participants and their children. To enhance the theme, everyone was invited to
wear “work place appropriate pajamas”. SBEC was able to provide new
blankets, pillows and cases, and slippers for all those enrolled in the program.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the informal atmosphere that was created by and for
all. Breakfast items, donut holes, muffins, and mock mosas were shared by
staff and participants. A special touch: SBEC Community Helpers made the
muffins! The time spend in relaxed, enjoyable conversation at the “Slumber
Party” was another way to create opportunities for respectful family engagement
with each other.
There are different ways to address the many needs of our folks. A
“Slumber Party” can be one of them!
