Woman Making a Difference: Amy Bloom Connolly
by Ginny Robertson
[On Purpose Woman Magazine, Apr/May Issue]

Amy Bloom Connolly is full of wonderful stories about the impact of her S.H.I.N.E. Program on a wide variety of communities. And when Amy tells her stories, she SHINES. S.H.I.N.E. stands for Support * Honor * Inspire * Nurture * Encourage. Its purpose is to develop citizen-leaders who practice and teach nurturing skills. S.H.I.N.E. brings a transformative process into neighborhoods, inspiring people to nurture themselves, their families, and their communities.

Amy draws her inspiration from many sources, including Buddhist mindfulness approaches, the family strengthening work of The Nurturing Parenting Programs©, and the community-building work of Meg Wheatley. She cultivates a mindful approach in her professional work and personal life, teaching an 8-week course in Towson called Nurturing Ourselves through Mindfulness, based on the pioneering work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. You may have seen his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts on Bill Moyers’ Healing and the Mind.

Amy started her career as a teacher/therapist with a Master’s Degree from Bank Street College in New York. Her work with children with autism and schizophrenia focused on finding positive potential in each child and nurturing self-esteem through play-based activities. In Amy’s words, “This set me on a path to do what’s now called strengths-based work. It’s about finding what is healthy and whole in a person, and then building on that.”

After the birth of the first of her two sons twenty-six years ago, Amy wanted to find a creative way to share her knowledge with others. She developed the POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM in Durham, North Carolina for new moms who sought “on the job” training. With this program, the original concept for S.H.I.N.E. was born! Over the years, S.H.I.N.E. grew and changed as it was introduced into new communities and adapted to the needs of each one.

An innovative program of unique design, S.H.I.N.E. has had tremendous impact. It provides a forum for self-discovery, a dual focus on personal growth and community development, a social skills laboratory to generate insights and practice life affirming skills, an oasis to restore and sustain connections among people, and opportunities to strengthen self-sufficiency and leadership. One program graduate says, “School may have prepared me for the challenges of my career, but S.H.I.N.E. has been helpful in preparing me to meet the many challenges that I encounter daily in the various areas of my life.”

S.H.I.N.E. has been implemented in many places throughout Maryland—KentSHINES in Kent County, Sarah’s House in Anne Arundel County, The Amazing Grandmother’s Program in Baltimore City, KIDSHINE and S.H.I.N.E. for Para-professionals at Tench Tilghman Elementary School, and at Banner Neighborhoods in East Baltimore (where it was called “Taking Care of Me”).

S.H.I.N.E. is based on a simple model of bringing together “a place, people and a process.” (Amy credits her dear friend Daisy Nelson White for this phrase). Each session begins with the ringing of Tibetan bells, or tingshas. This beautiful calming sound invites people to relax and become more present to themselves and to the group. The facilitators embody a nurturing presence, working in every moment to create a safe and nurturing environment. People learn to practice listening with great care and attention to themselves and others, in a non-judgmental way.

One new participant at a recent gathering commented, “I came in here feeling angry, but after listening to y’all talk, I’m going to leave with a smile on my face... and I’m coming back!” During each gathering, participants share the Tibetan greeting tashi deleh, which means “I honor the greatness within you.” And in the program, participants do indeed honor one another. One woman, who is now a program facilitator, said, “Every Tuesday is a very special night. It’s a time of comfort and peace. The people here were all very different; our differences have melted away. We got across bridges and brought down walls.”

S.H.I.N.E. encourages participants to discover who they are. One graduate who now edits the newsletter said, “I think this program works because we often ask people to give what they don’t see themselves as possessing. Nurturing starts at the most basic levels by building self-esteem while healing our bruised and battered inner selves. Where there is a firm foundation, amazing things are possible.”

S.H.I.N.E. has produced some impressive outcomes. In 3 years in the East Baltimore project, 67 residents have been trained and 4 are now facilitating the program for their neighbors. In written evaluations, over 90% of the participants rate the program very good or excellent. Over half of the program graduates volunteer in some way for their community! Guided by Shirley Lloyd from Banner Neighborhoods, an extraordinary woman who has been the program’s neighborhood champion, graduates now gather monthly for fellowship, recruitment and planning meetings.

These networks of caring and support can be models for positive change in urban areas everywhere. Members volunteer as mentors in neighborhood youth programs, create neighborhood reading clubs for community children, write and distribute a community newsletter, and implement monthly support programs for graduates. They participate more actively in their community associations and events and have become leaders in their community. The benefits are long-lasting and far-reaching.

Plans for the future include providing advanced workshops and facilitator training for people who live and work in southeast Baltimore and introducing Nurturing Ourselves Through Mindfulness to the neighborhood. The Julie Community Center, through the visionary leadership of its Director, Sister Barbara Ann English, SND, is providing a home for the program. S.H.I.N.E. has been partially funded through the generosity of the Zanvyl and Isabelle Kreiger Fund, and from private donors, and through the Baltimore Community Foundation.

There are many ways for you to support S.H.I.N.E.! Substantial funding is still needed to continue program expansion. Smaller donations such as gift certificates for program refreshments, copying and meeting supplies are always welcome. And, program administrators need newer computers! Anyone with expertise and resources for web design and video production, as well as accounting, computer, and organizational skills could also be of great help. For more information, contact Amy at amyshines@comcast.net or 410-339-7607.

Thank you, and tashi deleh!

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