Cache Community Connections
A Civic and Interfaith Council
Photo: Levi Portillo
About Us
Cache Community Connections (CCC) is composed of a group of interfaith religious and civic leaders….
Events
See what the Logan Tabernacle Interfaith Events Committee is planning.
Connecting Neighbors
Watch our community interview series.
Connecting Neighbors: Father Joshua Maria Santos
Father Joshua Maria Santos did not find himself outside his comfort zone when he first came to the United States from the Philippines. He was first assigned to a Catholic church in California in a community with a large Filipino population. It was as if he hadn’t left his homeland. Life was great!
A few years later he was re-assigned to a parish in Salt Lake City, and in 2019 reassigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Hyde Park, Utah. These experiences have continued to be positive for him. However, after only being here for a few months, the COVID pandemic hit. That change led him to experience the value of real community. As it turned out, St. Thomas Aquinas became a distribution point for food and supplies to those in need. Volunteers from across the valley continued to show up to contribute, sort, and deliver food to people all over the valley, even extending to Brigham City and Preston. Service is not about what faith you practice; it is just about helping others.
Father Joshua’s message is, “Faith matters, especially in these trying times, and our faith should lead us to be the kind of people who are always ready to love and care for our neighbors, especially those who are considered as the least, the last and the lost.”
You are welcome to contact Father Joshua by email at [email protected], or by contacting St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church at 435-752-1478.
Connecting Neighbors: Falene Hough
Chris and Falene Hough know all too well how autism can sneak up on parents and take them totally unaware. Two of their four boys are autistic. When their oldest son Aidan was diagnosed, Falene suspected there was something going on with him as he was non-verbal at two years old. They had his hearing checked and other testing done before he was diagnosed as autistic.
Even though their first son was diagnosed, they missed the signs with their second son. His issues were much different than his brother’s. When it was suggested that their second son Gavin might also have autism, Falene was able to link his sensory and anxiety issues as a totally different spectrum of autism than his brother’s.
One of the reasons the Houghs moved to Cache Valley from Texas was for a program at USU called Autism Support Services; Education, Research and Training (ASSERT). The program is given high marks by the Houghs and you can find more information online about the program.
Falene also suggests people Google “DSM5 Autism Diagnosis.” This provides the symptoms that professionals look for. She says being armed with that information and sharing it with your pediatrician can be a great help to move in the right direction.
You can also go on Facebook to Cache Valley Autism Support group.
Connecting Neighbors: Michael Bingham
ADHD has become a common word in today’s society that was often overlooked or under diagnosed in the past. Michael Bingham relates well with the challenges ADHD brings as he too has this diverse ability, as he prefers to refer to it.
Michael is an artist, sculptor, educator and activist for people with special needs and the founder of Jump the Moon, a nonprofit organization. He has harnessed the creative power of his own ADHD to create art and opportunities that bring out the best in people as they discover their own artistic talents.
For so many, Michael has uncovered the artistic talents buried under mental or physical challenges and provides lessons in art for those who never could imagine they “had it in them!”
The building for Jump the Moon (that name is another interesting story!), was located on Main Street in downtown Logan until the building was sold. Michael had to pack up and move out. For now he says Jump the Moon is homeless, but that hasn’t stopped him. If anything, with his positive attitude he holds onto his dreams and shows an excitement in his voice about his vision for the future. He considers this bump in the road a new opportunity to re-evaluate how things were done in the past and how things can be done differently in the future.
To learn more about Jump the Moon, the progress in starting up again and finding out how you can help, visit their website at jumpthemoon.org or contact Michael by email at [email protected]