APPLETON (NBC 26) -- A new partnership between the Appleton Housing Authority and Goodwill is helping families manage stress and attitude through the coronavirus pandemic.
Through the partnership, families with the housing authority are brought to Goodwill for a stress and attitude program. Leaders say they've put a focus on positive thinking.
“I think right now it’s trying to find those silver linings or trying to find those that progression," Goodwill's David Foertsch said. "A lot of people focus on the death rate and increase in cases and everything like that, but we’ve also made progress. I think focusing on those positive progressions is really a key to maintaining a positive attitude during this time.”
Another thing stressed through training is to concentrate on things that can be controlled.
“It’s huge. All of us want to feel some level of control of what is happening," Danielle Koepke with the Appleton Housing Authority said. "We want some level of control in our day, and to have that taken away increases our fear level, our anxiety.”
Koepke said that the pandemic has created several stressors. Families she works with are concerned about jobs, schools, and uncertainty. She said it's important to find ways to cope.
“So what types of things can you do," Koepke said. "Can you go outside, can you meditate, can you find fun things to do with your family?”
Through this pandemic, many of these services have gone virtual. For more information, visit the Appleton Housing Authority or Goodwill's websites.
