Middletown WORKS turns ‘me first’ concept on its head

By Rebecca Lemanski, Director | Middletown WORKS
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What do flower pots and foster parents have to do with each other? Well apparently, when you bring together people from various backgrounds and diverse perspectives, unlikely things happen.

These unlikely combinations have been emerging as a result of our Community Cafés, which began in January 2019. During these events, community residents, staff from nonprofit agencies, business owners and parents gather together to talk, share food and participate in unique activities, such as  “table talks” and a “marketplace.”

During a marketplace, community members have an opportunity to state their name and make an offer, a request, a declaration or simply pass.

Members have offered things like clothing, art supplies and handmade slippers. Others have made requests such as, “If anyone is able to offer me a ride to the grocery store this Saturday, please let me know,” or “I’m looking for new flower pots — mine are broken,” or “We are looking for foster parents in the Middletown/Middlesex area, so if you know of anyone, please let me know!”

After sharing this story at a team meeting, one of our partners shouted, “from flower pots to foster parents!”

Our culture is highly individualized — placing a huge focus on self-expression and self-interest, with little regard for the collective whole.  Creating intentional space(s) where people can be themselves, and gather with others they may not normally see on a regular basis allows for these unlikely ideas to emerge.

How many times have you heard the phrase: “Just do you.” Middletown WORKS is working to change that.

We intentionally put relationships first. In the words of David Brooks, an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, “Culture changes when a small group of people, often on the margins of society, find a better way to live, and other people begin to copy them. We need to create hubs where these decentralized networks can come together for solidarity and support,” Feb. 18, “A Nation of Weavers”.

For just under a year, we have been working diligently to create hubs for people to come together to dialogue across differences, and connect with others in our neighborhood. Along with offering a monthly café, we have also been offering monthly conversation circles.  These are more intimate and take place on the third Thursday of the month from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Family Wellness Center, 635 Main St. We welcome all single parents and/or anyone who cares about single-parent families in Middletown to join us for conversation and light refreshments.

As Middletown WORKS expands, we are looking to grow not only good ideas, but also our social network. All individuals and businesses who would like to make a difference for Middletown’s single-parent families are invited.  Increasing the prosperity of Middletown’s single-parent families will take all of us coming working together.

We invite you to reach out and get involved by visiting us on Facebook, going to our website or joining us at our next Community Café, scheduled for Thursday, August 8, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at Wesleyan University.  You might be pleasantly surprised by what you experience!