Happy Holidays!

Have a blessed holiday season!

Holiday depression tips

This week We Care Arts wants to help spread awareness around of how the hustle and bustle, bright lights and wonderful soothing music can actually cause people to experience depression during the holidays. One of our overall goals as a nonprofit is to contribute to the lives of as many people as possible. We felt like one way to do so is to insure everyone has a very joyous holiday season. We know that many people we serve along with people throughout our communities are having a difficult time at this time of the year. Here are some helpful tips to help minimize your stress/depression level.

According  to HealthLine.com there are many factors that can contribute to why people to experience the holiday blues. Several of these factors include :

·         Social Isolation

Cause: Social isolation is one of the biggest predictors of depression, especially during the holidays. Some people may have a small social circle or lack opportunities for socialization. People who have feelings of disconnectedness often avoid social interactions at holiday time. Unfortunately, withdrawing often makes the feelings of loneliness and symptoms of depression worse.

Tip: One of the best ways to deal with social isolation is to reach out to friends or family for support. You can also try talking to a therapist. They can help you figure out where your feelings come from and develop solutions to overcome them.

·         Grieving

Cause: Some people may be keenly aware of the loss of a loved one during the holiday season. Here are several ways to stave off the holiday blues that may descend at this time.

Tip: Begin a new tradition. Try planning a family outing or vacation, instead of spending the holidays at home.

Tip: Don't give in to holiday pressures. Feel free to leave an event if you aren't comfortable. Be willing to tell others, "I'm not up for this right now."

Other tips on how to find joy and balance include:

·         Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.

·         Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend.

·         Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

The success of our annual Cookie Walk

We had a great time at the Cookie Walk, our annual homemade cookie sale on Saturday, December 3 here at We Care Arts! With the help from all our supporters hundreds of pounds of delicious sweets were placed on every horizontal space in our large open room. We made more than $3,000 at this amazing sale! 

We are so grateful for all the wonderful supporters that attend our events throughout the year. But never more so than when they support the Cookie Walk.

To have cookies to sell, we put out the call to people who have made cookie for us before and also request cookie bakers through our email list and social media . Lots of people tell us that they will make cookies, but we never really know what amount of cookies we are going to get! Fortunately, every year we get tons of cookies and we are grateful to everyone who bakes for us!

                

We also want to thank all the volunteers who work our event so it always runs smoothly! They load cookies onto platters on Friday when the cookies are rolling in. Then, on Saturday, they keep our tables filled with wonderful goodies that our customers love to take home and share with their family and friends.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to all the people that make our Cookie Walk event a success!

Introducing another amazing talent at WCA

 This week, we would like to introduce you to John Deger, another one of our team of amazing artists.  He has been coming to We Care Arts since January 2012 after being referred by his therapist, and is more than happy to share his background, hobbies and passions for coming here.

John Deger was born in Centerville, Ohio. He is the youngest with two older brothers. While growing up, he enjoyed being the youngest as he was spoiled. 

John expressed some of his hobbies when he said, “I like painting, reading and watching sports, including the University of Dayton basketball team and the Cincinnati Reds.” 

He also truly enjoys advanced coloring books, mosaic art, and participates in two different bowling leagues.

 John shared how much he loves coming here when he said, “My favorite thing about We Care Arts is being around all my friends.  Everyone is so friendly."