Honoring the legacy of Eileen Johnson, a community leader and longtime patron, A Gathering of Good (agog) will set the stage for the kind of deep, meaningful conversation that Eileen was well known for provoking and sustaining throughout her life.

Through agog, Metropolitan Family Service will convene discussions on important social issues and engage community leaders to provoke thoughtful and well articulated conversations where we listen, speak, learn and most of all, move ourselves collectively toward a community that takes care of each other.

As more and more clamor for a walk-the-talk action plan, we want to recognize the need to first talk through the talk that leads to compassionate action. To do that, we must have meaningful conversations – with human contact and passionate discourse.

The 2009 agog dinner & discussion series focused on improving education. At the inaugural celebration on October 24, more than 400 people attended agog, raising nearly $260,000 to support Metropolitan Family Service and its educational programs for children and families in our community.

The 2010 MFS agog dinner & discussion series will address Building Healthy Communities and explore:

• What determines a healthy community - factors that contribute to health status in an individual or population. Includes income, education level, living environment, personal behavior, access to health care, genetics and social /cultural issues.

• Current brain research - early childhood development; importance of relationships; maintaining brain health

• Innovative approaches in healthcare – new healthcare models in delivery, prevention, technology, for the aging, etc.

• Starting in schools: Promoting healthy habits - childhood obesity; link between food and academic achievement; mentoring as a proactive intervention; teaching life skills

• Promoting lifelong health – nutritional choices, exercise, preventative healthcare; social support

• Healthy Aging - preventative programs, women’s health, chronic care management, older adult suicide prevention

• Creating enriching environments - how healthy and strong families support child development; planning and promoting healthy and sustainable communities

• Health Care Equity – address and reduce the root causes of health care disparities by improving access to and quality of care for all people

Metropolitan Family Service agog Steering Committee

Barbara Chalmers
David Goldberg
Dave Johnson
Eva Kripalani, co-chair

Joanne Luzietti
Mark Miller, co-chair
Nell Simkoff