Morning Coffee for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
We host a monthly gathering on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 10:00-11:30am. One of the main purposes of Morning Coffee is to connect service members, veterans, and their family members to the resources and services available to them.
Read this article from the Ware River News about our inaugural gathering:
Morning Coffee - formerly known as Welcome Home Place - is housed at the Palmer Public Library, 1455 North Main St., Palmer, MA 01069. The doors open from 10:00-11:30 a.m. for veterans, active duty military, National Guard/Reserves, and family members to stop by for coffee and conversation and information.
In a survey conducted by the Brookfield Institute among veterans in Ware, “The highest response was from veterans who wanted more information about resources and benefits available to them as a result of their military service,” Rutherford said. “The second highest-response was for a drop-in center.”
Morning Coffee will answer both those needs and more. There will be a multi-pronged approach each month — conversation, holistic healing practices, knowledgeable hosts, and resources.
“And then, we’ll put up list of options to have people select their interests for future programs,” Rutherford said. Options range from how to apply for disability benefits to attending plays to chair massage to a photography club.
“The need was probably always there, but no one was acknowledging it,” she said. “The Vietnam veterans were treated very shamefully when they came home. The war was culturally unpopular. They were told to ditch their uniforms.” said Rutheford. The Rev. Dr. Beverly Prestwood-Taylor, founder of The Brookfield Institute, has experience with trauma healing and building resiliency in veterans and has worked extensively with both combat and non-combat veterans of all eras.
Thank you for your support, Country Bank!