Looking to learn more about empowering families to thrive? Join Bonnie Chan as she interviews over 20 experts around the topic of family empowerment. Look for Cathy Ireland, P.H.Ec. and OHEA member being interviewed! 

In these interviews, you’ll discover how to:

•  Strengthen connections within your family in this digital age,
• Support your children to THRIVE in mind-body-spirit, 
• Create connection and harmony in this fast-paced life, and
• Nurture the unique abilities of your children and their authentic selves.

Each interview will only be available for 48 hours starting October 16. 

Click HERE to sign-up for this free webinar. 

OHEA is pleased to announce Dharshi Lacey as one of six speakers for our leadership workshop. Titled "Career Leadership While Influencing the Community," this event is your chance to take your career in a completely new direction!

​Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA) is hosting a leadership workshop on Saturday, November 17, 2018, and you will not want to this miss event. Titled “Career Leadership while Influencing the Community,” this is your chance to take your career in a completely new direction!
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Here’s why you should attend:

The Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA) is pleased to announce a leadership workshop being held in November 2018. The objective of this workshop is to increase awareness, through leadership, of the nonprofit sector to boost a resume, influence a community and network with Home Economists.
 
What: Career Leadership while Influencing the Community – a Workshop
When: Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 8:30 am to 3 pm
Where: Brescia University College, London, Ontario
Cost: Students $5
          OHEA members and guests $20
Payment: Cheque or credit

Submitted by Mary Carver, P.H.Ec.

Bravo to Ottawa Home Economists who held the annual Pant-a-Thon event at Algonquin College on September 4-7, 2018. 536 pairs of culinary uniform trousers were hemmed (over four days) resulting in a donation to the Algonquin College Food Cupboard of $4,275.00.

Recent studies show that the disease burden of mental illness in Ontario is an alarming 1.5 times higher than all cancers put together and more than 7 times that of all infectious diseases. Spanning from children to middle-aged adults, many are suffering from mental and emotional distress. Rates of anxiety and depression are occurring on a larger scale making it important to build emotional and mental strength.

​Experts at Mental Health America (MHA) found that good feelings can boost one’s ability to deal with stress, solve problems, think flexibly, and even fight disease. Hence why creating a positive mindset by taking care of your body’s emotional and mental needs is an important part of self-care for both children and adults.

The International Federation of Home Economics (IFHE) has released a Disaster Assistance Partnership (DAP) Call to Action following discussions with colleagues from Puerto Rico at the AAFCS Convention in June. Hurricanes IRMA and MARIA last September devastated many parts of the Caribbean and much of Puerto Rico. These areas have few resources to devote to the recovery of Home Economics programs. The DAP and International Home Economics Services (IHES) Board agreed they needed to take action similar to what was done for the Caribbean Islands. Local, state, national and international colleagues and supporters will work together with Puerto Rican colleagues to coordinate the response.

The organization is in need of donations of teacher resources including textbooks and curriculum materials, as well as equipment and materials for culinary, foods and nutrition, clothing, child development, family resource manage, hospitality, and crafts courses, etc. Materials in both English and Spanish are useful. Additional money for shipping and purchase of some items needed but not donated will also be required.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Individually: Contribute items in good condition that would be useful and/or donate money for shipping and expenses.
As an RCS Affiliate, FCCLA or other organization: organize and plan for gathering materials, such as designating a coordinator for DAP, set time, method and location for gathering donations and boxing items for shipment.
Assist on Site in South Carolina: Need help with sorting, packing, labeling and shipping the donated items.

To see more information about this initiative, contact information for the DAP Coordinator and suggested items needed, please visit the IFHE website here. 

The Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA) would like to congratulate the New Brunswick Home Economics Association on the 100th anniversary of their association. One hundred years as a professional association is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates your members' dedication to the profession of Home Economics, as well to their own personal and professional development. 

The work of the Home Economists of New Brunswick over the last 100 years has lead to advocacy across many sectors - the result of which has been improved quality of life for individuals and families in their community and beyond. An important testament to the value of their work is also the fact that the number one suggestion received from New Brunswickers to make their province healthier was to have mandatory Home Economics classes! (1) This finding has contributed significantly to the growing conversations across several jurisdictions about this much-needed curriculum change.

The New Brunswick Home Economics Association also had a conference on June 1-3, 2018. Their theme was "Celebrate the Past, Embrace the Present, and Look to the Future." We hope this three day event was filled with knowledge, creating connections, and encouraging Professional Home Economists to further develop this profession. 

Once again, we would like to congratulate the New Brunswick Home Economics Association on this monumental accomplishment. 

References:
New Brunswick Medical Society. (2017). Top 3 in 10: Taking back New Brunswick’s Health.

The Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA) is proud to show support for the Fresh From the Farm Healthy Fundraising for Ontario Schools. This fundraising initiative provides schools the opportunity to raise funds by selling Ontario fruit and vegetables to the community, while promoting healthy eating and supporting Ontario farmers. Launched in 2013, Fresh From the Farm is entering in its sixth year and 1165 schools have raised over $1.1 million for school initiatives selling 2.7 million pounds of Ontario produce.