On Wednesday, Oct. 11, Project Promise, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk youth, kicked off its Caterpillar Project (TCP) program for the 2017-2018 school year in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
“We are thrilled to be back up and running! It was very important to us that we resume programming as soon as possible to restore some sense of normalcy in the lives of our Caterpillars,” said Resa O’Reilly, president.
Project Promise has tailored the program to focus on the healing aspect after a major storm. There will be two main themes that focus on wellness and resiliency. Activities will be centered on helping participants look at their lives before the hurricanes, safely explore their emotions and thoughts during the storm, and assess what has changed because of the storm’s damage.
Resiliency related activities will focus on coping, courage, building or rebuilding connections to support circles, and re-framing. The goal is to build the mental strength to move forward beyond the trauma. Because this program is very beneficial, Project Promise has invited additional youth, ranging in ages from 7 to 17, to join the Caterpillars in these activities. Project Promise will take a holistic approach to healing and has partnered with Island Therapy Solutions to provide Trauma Informed Care sessions to all participants in a group setting.
Island Therapy Solutions is a multi-dimensional practice that provides psychological testing for adults and children, individual and group therapy, psychiatric care, couples therapy, family therapy, ABA autism services for children and adults, occupational therapy for children, and speech and academic tutoring services.
For more information on Island Therapy Solutions, visit the website: www.islandtherapysolutions.com or call 719-7007.
For more information about The Caterpillar Project or other Project Promise programs, contact Resa O’Reilly at 513-0446. Project Promise is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk youth on St. Croix by providing empowerment initiatives, cultural programs and family services. To donate or learn more about Project Promise, visit the website at www.projectpromisevi.com.
