COMMUNITY ROUND TABLE RECAP The Community Affairs committee proudly hosted our annual Community Roundtable this past Friday night. The participants heard from Laura Caruso from Pelham Together,  Will Iannuzzi from The Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle, and Junior League member Dr. Emily Upshur and her colleague Dr Sarah Bren.Kicking off the event, Laura Caruso shared the specific struggles that teens have faced since Covid-19’s introduction. She indicated that we as parents and community members can guide them towards engagement and help meet their needs for social interaction by validating their need for that personal connection, and discussing with them safe ways to socialize, and providing opportunities to interact through activities, internships and volunteerism for causes they support. Will Iannuzzi discussed the economic impacts that COVID-19 has had on our neighbors in New Rochelle, specifically touching on food insecurity and gaps in childcare, employment, and education.  While organizations such as Feeding Westchester and the newly launched Pelham Cares have been of vital importance, there is still a great need for tutoring, job opportunities, and tutoring for students of all levels. Dr. Emily Upshur and Dr. Sarah Bren gave us an overview of what the mental impact of Covid-19 might look like in our children: personality/emotion intensity changes, clingy behavior, seeking control and acting out. They also shared the concept of the ‘Good Enough’ Mother and the process of relationship conflict/resolution called ‘Rupture and Repair,’ where we learn that mistakes and conflicts actually deepen our connections when subsequently repaired. They explained that the tear/repair process is actually what forges resilient and complex bonds rather than conflict-free ‘perfection,’ and it is that process that ultimately increases attachment and contributes to strong interpersonal connections. To watch the full session, here is the link for the meeting recording: https://zoom.us/rec/share/ALeN-LAUmsXXiw9d_hBC37OhitBLj9L8IY5w0886-JYbCVfSdFq-NzbmN4v-HRt6.3gM2bJAMt-2BOaIN Thanks so much to our amazing speakers, organizers, and audience for a rich and meaningful session!