Dear Friends and Colleagues,

September welcomed the fall season, although the weather in Southern California does not yet feel like it. We continue to have hot days near the 90’s and compromised air quality due to the fires. No matter where we live, I think we can all agree that this year is about RESILIENCE.

Did you know that October 2020 has two full moons? A full moon is a time to celebrate your growth, take note of what progress you have made, and to reflect on how far you have come. At Hired Power, we are grateful to have risen to the year’s challenges. We have adapted and grown stronger as a team, and we have the honor to celebrate each other’s milestones.

It continues to be a long and difficult 2020, and we have seen the epidemic of addiction and mental health increase as much as 30%, according to federal agencies and experts. Fear and isolation, along with COVID-19 restrictions, have increased the difficulty in accessing critical services.

At Hired Power, we continue to see the silver lining through it all. As a community, we band together and provide vital outreach into our communities, and we continue to provide life-saving services to our clients and families. Yes, we are all feeling the Zoom fatigue, but I remain so grateful for the access to resources that maintain our connection to vital care and support. I am grateful for a team that has remained resilient, flexible, and consistent in the creativity to not only meet the challenges of 2020, but to stand strong and overcome these crises by providing exceptional client care.

As we enter the last few months of the year, I encourage you all to be mindful of self-care. I recently watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix. If you haven’t yet seen it, I encourage you to take the time. It created space for me to examine my relationship with social media and to create a healthy detachment that wasn’t previously there. It is remarkable how social media has impacted our lives, and it is worth reevaluating our relationship to it, and to rediscover life’s precious moments without it.

I hope you all enjoy Halloween and get the opportunity to see a few cute children in costume, even if it’s from a distance.

Lastly, every voice matters. VOTE!

Nanette Zumwalt & The Hired Power Team