July 18, 2025
Dear Church,
This summer and fall, we are welcoming a few new groups to Grace, as we continue to deepen connections with our local community and steward our building as a space for gathering and care.
One of the groups we’re excited to partner with is DARTS, to house an additional location of their Breathing Space program. This is a group respite program, primarily designed for individuals with early-to-mid stage memory loss, providing social engagement and supervision to care receivers while caregivers receive up to a four-hour break.
The Breathing Space will begin meeting at Grace in September, which means they are currently recruiting for volunteers and signing up participants! They provide volunteer training, and there is a paid staff member guiding and supporting the group. Volunteers provide friendship and social engagement, and when we met with staff from DARTS to discuss this partnership, they shared that their volunteers find Breathing Space to be a highlight of their week!
And if you are caring for a loved one with memory loss, you might be a fit for the program – to receive respite and needed time for yourself while your loved one has structured time with community. If you’d like to talk more, you can reach out to Pr. Sarah or myself, or directly reach out to DARTS. More information for caregivers and volunteers can be found here: https://dartsconnects.org/caregiver-services/.
In Christ,
Pastor Reed
Every Friday, we send an email to the congregation and any others who would like to learn more about the Grace community. The last four Friday emails are posted below.