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PERSON OF THE MONTH Through word-of-mouth, fundraisers, and social media, Care Coalition has been able to branch out far past Westchester County. Each month, Care Coalition leaders Kim Colasuonno and Chris DiSanto interview a "Person of the Month" who is someone who has gone through a mental or physical hardship and is willing to discuss their journey towards recovery and how their situation has impacted their life. This allows Care Coalition to highlight positive stories and prove that recovery is more than possible with the proper support. A recent interview was with a friend named Matt who just published a book about his story and struggles. Matt lost his father in 9/11, faced sexual abuse, and turned to drugs and alcohol to get him through his struggles. After getting arrested and possibly facing a major jail sentence, Matt decided it was time to turn his life around. Matt got clean, avoided jail time, and is now six years clean, proving that there is hope and a new beginning for all struggling. TOGETHER-WE-CAN During the beginning of the pandemic, leaders of Care Coalition realized that it was a scary time, especially for those who have mental health struggles and were essentially isolated from everyone outside of their homes. Dedicated to providing support from afar, the Together-We-Can project was formed. After reaching out to friends and family to send a video submission using the hashtag #TogetherWeCan to promote positivity, well wishes, and prayers, about 50 video submissions and 60 selfies were received and compiled into one video. Once posted, it received 11,000 views and spread awareness and love to all of those who watched. V U E N J .C O M 77

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