POUGHKEEPSIE – Paula’s Public House, a gastropub in Poughkeepsie is kicking off the holiday season with a special event to benefit the American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley. The event, titled ‘Finding Hope After Chaos,’ will include an opportunity to meet and hear from Dr. James Halpern, a longtime Red Cross volunteer and disaster mental health expert who currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter.
Paula Young, owner of the pub that attracts a wide cross-section of the community said “Every community in this nation has faced a crisis of some sort, and when disaster happens, it is the American Red Cross that arrives with the help and assistance that folks need. I am delighted to host this event and look forward to hearing about Dr. Halpern’s experiences facing catastrophes in the face. The Red Cross is anywhere and everywhere when people are in danger or harm’s way, and for me, that is what makes them such an inspiring and worthwhile organization.”
Dr. Halpern will speak about his Red Cross disaster response experiences in the aftermath of events including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. His remarks will focus on how the Red Cross helps people find hope in the midst of even the most heart-wrenching situations.
Doctor Halpern is Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Counseling and founding Director of the Institute for Disaster Mental Health at The State University of New York at New Paltz. Additionally, Dr. Halpern has consulted for the United Nations on Assisting Victims of Terror and developed six training modules for the United Nations Emergency Preparedness and Support Teams as well as a training module for UN mission leaders. He is also the author of Disaster Mental Health Case Studies: Lessons Learned from Counseling in Chaos (2019), Is Disaster Mental Health Helpful? Revisiting the Response to the Sandy Hook School Shooting (2014) and Disaster Mental Health Interventions (2017) among others.
‘Finding Hope After Chaos’ will be held on Sunday, November 24 from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at Paula’s Public House, 2186 Hackensack Road in Poughkeepsie. Guests will enjoy live music and a complimentary glass of beer or wine, courtesy of Paula’s Public House. 15% of proceeds from any additional purchases made at the pub that day will be donated to the American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley.
The event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $20 at the door. Attendees may RSVP via Facebook. For more information, please contact Kelly Formoso, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley, at (518) 618-5731 or kelly.formoso@redcross.org.
