Learning to 'live well'
Apr. 13—Combating homelessness often requires assistance beyond times of crisis.
The Living Well Program started in Lockport CARES, a homeless shelter in the city, focuses on giving participants the tools they need, "in order to live life well."
Ruth Verratti got the idea for the program after she and her husband had a meal at a restaurant and she ordered tea.
"I ordered a hot cup of tea," she said. "This poor, young waitress looked at me. Very confused. She brought back a black Coca-Cola cup with scalding hot water, a tea bag and a straw."
Verratti said she was "fighting tears" when it happened because the waitress just didn't know how to make tea. She knew then that there needed to be a class for basic life skills in Lockport.
The Living Well program is now being held at the Save the Michael's Recovery Center at 144 Main St., with the entrance at the rear of the building looking at Walnut Street.
The program began in 2018 but has been at Save the Michaels since January of 2022 due to space requirements.
What's offered is a series of seven classes, one of which is held each Wednesday morning between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
Class topics include nutrition and cooking, clothing repair, budgeting/finances, addictions — risks and recovery, boundaries, grief and loss and healthy image.
Verratti talked about each of the classes in turn and noted that they are for all people and apply to all people. Anything that is not universal is not taught.
"For instance, we don't have a class on parenting," she said. "It doesn't apply to absolutely everyone. The subjects that we do have, no one is going to say, 'There's nothing for me to learn there.' "
Tammy Bundrock, one of the instructors who helps with the Living Well Program, said she's been working with Verratti for 20 years as a volunteer on a variety of issues. These days she's teaching the healthy image class.
The owner of Waves Salon, Bundrock talked about the class.
"What I teach is that we are individually unique and beauty is not just from the outside, it's also from the inside," she said.
Bundrock said it's been a rewarding experience. Self-esteem is the first component of a healthy image and that will help in a job interview, she said. After that, it's simple tips on how to take care of hair, skin and nails. And at the end, everyone gets a free haircut.
"That's just a bonus," Bundrock said. "It's really important to me to show that our image of ourselves really does exude into our day-to-day life."
Right now Verratti is making plans to grow the program in other locales and teach people to run each class themselves.
"The long-term goal is for me to be able to hand a binder, called the Living Well Program, to a church or organization and they can run the program in their church because you only be in so many places," she said.
In the meantime, she's doing her best to be wherever the program is requested. In January and February, it was held at Madonna's House, a women's recovery center. At the end of April, it will be launched in Albion at the God's Voice Ministries, Verratti said.
"There's a little cafe in front that we'll run it in," she said.
