Legal Wellness Clinic at TFD

We recently welcomed the Legal Wellness Clinic back to The Firehouse Dream for another Legal-Aid Wellness Check-Up for the community. Just like the first visit, community members had the chance to sit down with a licensed attorney and walk through a series of questions covering key areas like housing, immigration, family matters, employment, debt and credit, and future and safety planning. These conversations offered space for clarity, reassurance, and help with next steps. After each check-up, our community members received a Legal Wellness Plan outlining any areas of concern and resources to help them move forward.

We are grateful for this continued partnership and for the opportunity to bring accessible legal support directly to our community.

When Parents Lean In: Practical Sexual Awareness for Parents at Every Stage

This workshop, led by La Toya Lee, was an intentional and reflective one. It wasn't just about listening, but also about sharing what we already knew and learning from each other in a safe space. The conversations focused on how adults approach topics like safety, boundaries, and sexual awareness with children, while also looking at different signs and behaviors that might show when a child needs support.

During the workshop, a moment that stood out to everyone was the self-reflection activity where we used mirrors. It was a simple but powerful reminder to pause and think about how we show up and the role we play in helping create safer environments for youth.

Legal Wellness Clinic at TFD

This month, we were grateful to host with the Legal Wellness Clinic team for their very first Legal Check-Up at The Firehouse Dream. Community members had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a licensed attorney and walk through a series of questions covering key areas such as immigration, housing, family matters, employment and public benefits, debt and credit, and future/safety planning.

After each conversation, participants received a personalized Legal Wellness Plan outlining any areas of concern and next steps they could take. It was a meaningful way to offer clarity, support, and peace of mind to our community.

We’re thankful to the Legal Wellness Clinic team for partnering with us and for their commitment to making legal guidance more accessible to our community.

Tequihua Self-defense at TFD

Last week, we hosted a Tequihua self‑defense workshop led by our facilitator, Valerie Sanchez, welcoming a space dedicated to empowering women through practical self-defense and martial arts. We brought together ten community members, including four moms who brought their daughters to learn alongside them. The room filled quickly with curiosity, laughter, and a shared commitment to learning how to stay safe and confident.

We opened with stretches and introductions. Adults shared their names and what they do, while the kids lit up as they told us who they hope to become when they grow up. From there, Valerie guided everyone into a proper fighting stance and introduced basic techniques called cookies and turtle stance.

Participants paired up to practice what they learned, cheering each other on as they tried new movements. Valerie then led a round of punches and kicks, giving everyone a chance to build strength and trust in their bodies. We wrapped up the workshop with a circle of team high‑fives!

Winter/Spring Youth Programming Showcase

Thank you to the Village of Maywood for putting together the Youth Programming Showcase. We had such a fun time connecting with our neighbors as we shared our programs and initiatives. We shared resources that are available, from our one-on-one talk therapy program, our financial counseling, art therapy at the firehouse and more. We also shared about volunteer opportunities coming up for our Mental Health Kit giveaway at our local schools.

It was so great to meet new neighbors and see familiar faces, and to get the chance to connect and learn more about the different types of resources Maywood has to offer for our community!