VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Jay Height:
Hi, it’s Jay Height here at Shepherd Community, and it’s a beautiful Fall day. Football’s happening finally and the Colts winning and, amidst all of the challenges, we have some good news and we’re making great impact. We appreciate everyone’s support as we try and invest in the lives of our neighbors.

Jay Height:
One of the ways we do that is with the mental health. We have our counselor who is seeing our neighbors and is coordinating services and is making the connections that is so important. Some of the statistics tell a very sad story, the increase in Narcan use, the increase in overdoses, increase in suicides. and so we know that this is, from a mental health standpoint, a very difficult time. And here at Shepherd community, we’re doing everything we can.

Jay Height:
Well, the things that we’re trying to do, you can do as well, which is: call your friends, talk to them, check in on them, let them know that they’re not isolated. While we may have to social distance, we don’t have to distance in our relationships. We can call. We can text. We can do those things that make folks realize they’re not alone.

Jay Height:
I think, really, as we deal with these issues of mental health and isolation, it is important that they know they’re not alone. And through your support and the help of so many, we’re going to do everything we can.

Jay Height:
As we roll out this new plan, the Paraclete Plan, where we’re making sure we are connecting with folks every week, all of the families in the programs, we’ve been building up to this and we’ve been testing it and it’s working well. And so I’m excited. If you’d like to volunteer, you could call some folks and check on them. But also remember in your own lives, in your own communities and neighborhoods, make sure you’re checking on those folks, your family. These are difficult days, but together we can make this work. We’re on the road to recovery, won’t you join us?