>>IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE COVID 19 UPENDED OUR WAY OF LIFE AND TOOK THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

AS LIFE GRADUALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL, A LOOK AT THE TOLL THE PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW CENTRAL FLORIDA'S COMMUNITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD.

>>WHAT DID COVID-19 TAKE AWAY?

IT TOOK AWAY TOGETHER.

IT TOOK AWAY FAMILY AND SUPPORTS AND FRIENDS.

>>TONIGHT, COMING TOGETHER.

A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC AND HOW WE'VE EVOLVED FROM CHAOS TO RESILIENCY.

>>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS & EQUITY IMPACT FOR HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY.

>>AND I'M STEVE MORT OF WUCF'S NEWSNIGHT.

IN THIS PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK ON HOW THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED DIFFERENT GROUPS.

THROUGHOUT, YOU'LL HEAR OUR CONVERSATION WITH A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST AND WHAT WE EXPERIENCED AND WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

>>WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR CHILDREN.

IN MARCH OF 2020, ALMOST 400,000 CHILDREN IN CENTRAL FLORIDA LEFT FOR SPRING BREAK THINKING THEY WOULD RETURN IN A WEEK.

SOME WOULDN'T BE BACK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS FOR A YEAR OR MORE.

THIS IS THE NEW IMAGE YOUTH CENTER IN PARRAMORE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS KIDS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE BY PROVIDING A SAFE HAVEN, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, FOOD, TUTORING, AND MENTORING.

>>IT WASN'T A PLAN.

THERE WAS NO BUSINESS PLAN.

IT WAS NO THOUGHT BEFORE THE FACT OF COMING, SEEING THAT THERE WAS A STRONG NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE JUST SLOWLY BEGAN TO FULFILL THAT NEED.

>>WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THE STAFF SCRAMBLED TO MEET THE NEW SUDDEN NEEDS OF THE FAMILIES THEY SERVED.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALSO HAD TO IMPROVISE AND IN A MATTER OF DAYS, CREATE NEW WAYS OF LEARNING.

>>IF YOU CAN'T FEEL FREE TO STILL TYPE INTO THE DISCUSSION POST.

>>CHILDREN, INCLUDING MY OWN HAD TO ADAPT.

>>AND I HOPE YOU'RE ALL DOING WELL.

>>I GOT YOU.

>>ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, ABOUT 93% OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN REPORTED SOME FORM OF DISTANCE LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC.

PARENTS WERE SUDDENLY THRUST INTO THE ROLES OF TEACHER, IT DEPARTMENT, CAFETERIA, COUNSELOR, AND THE LIST GOES ON.

IN SOME HOUSEHOLDS, THERE WERE MOMENTS WHERE THE STRESS OF IT ALL FELT LIGHTER ON SOME DAYS AND MEMORIES WERE MADE.

EVERY PARENT HAS STORIES OF DAYS WHERE WE JUST MADE THE BEST OF IT.

HERE'S MY 86 YEAR OLD MOM JOINING MY DAUGHTER'S VIRTUAL PE CLASSES.

BUT IN MANY HOUSEHOLDS, THE EXPERIENCE WAS HEAVY.

PLACES LIKE NEW IMAGE WHO FOCUS ON AT-RISK KIDS AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES WERE ABLE TO REMAIN OPEN EVERY DAY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THEY KNEW THEY HAD TO BECAUSE THEY'RE A LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES.

>>THIS PLACE IS A SAFE HAVEN BECAUSE IN MOST OF THESE HOUSEHOLDS, WE DEAL WITH SO MUCH AND THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO.

>>SCHOOL DISTRICTS SCRAMBLED TO SET UP LOCATIONS WHERE KIDS COULD STILL PICK UP A SCHOOL LUNCH, KNOWING MANY FAMILIES RELY ON THOSE MEALS.

THE BREAK IN THE ROUTINE, AND THE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEM AT SCHOOL GAVE MANY KIDS ANXIETY.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>OLDER KIDS, INCLUDING THOSE IN COLLEGE, WERE ROBBED OF MILESTONE, LIKE TRADITIONAL GRADUATION.

>>SO, HOW DID ALL OF THIS IMPACT CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH?

WILL WE SEE LONG-TERM REPERCUSSIONS?

TONIGHT, WE TURN TO AUTHOR AND LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, DWIGHT BAIN.

HERE'S PART OF NANCY'S CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON KIDS.

>>THERE'S A PHRASE, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD IT, NANCY.

WHERE PEOPLE SAY, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE KIDS.

CHILDREN ARE RESILIENT."

RIGHT?

YOU'VE HEARD IT.

YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD.

NOT TRUE.

CHILDREN LEARN RESILIENCE BY WATCHING THEIR PARENTS.

CHILDREN LEARN RESILIENCE BY WATCHING TEACHERS AND GRANDPARENTS AND ABUELA.

THEY LOOK AT ANOTHER GENERATION AND THEY GO, "OKAY, THEY'RE NOT FREAKING OUT.

AND HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO COPE."

AND SO CHILDREN LEARN AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.

ABOUT 80% OF WHAT WE KNOW WHEN WE GET TO ADULTHOOD ABOUT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, WE LEARN BY WATCHING OUR PARENTS.

WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR SOME PEOPLE, MAYBE TERRIFYING FOR OTHERS.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT CHILDREN, THE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, THEY JUST REALLY, THEY LOOK TO THEIR PARENTS AND THINK UP TO MAYBE ABOUT THIRD GRADE, FOURTH GRADE.

AND IF MOM AND DAD ARE NOT FREAKING OUT, AND MOM AND DAD ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT AT THAT POINT, TOILET PAPER.

AND MOM AND DAD ARE ABLE TO NOT BE MAD AT EACH OTHER BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IT, ARGUING WITH EACH OTHER AND BLAMING EACH OTHER.

>>"WELL, IT WAS YOUR FAULT THAT YOU DIDN'T GET TOILET PAPER.

NO, IT WAS YOUR FAULT.

I TOLD YOU TO GET THE TOILET PAPER.

NO, IT WAS YOUR FAULT."

ARGUING DOESN'T PROVE WHO'S RIGHT.

IT PROVES WHO'S BETTER AT ARGUING.

IT DOESN'T SOLVE CONFLICT.

IT ACTUALLY CREATES MORE CONFLICT.

AND WHEN YOUNGER CHILDREN WATCH THE ADULTS AROUND THEM FUNCTIONING IN A HEALTHY WAY, THEY TAKE A BREATH AND GO, "OKAY, I CAN DO THAT."

RIGHT?

SO WHEN YOU GET INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, TOUGHEST TIME, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MEMORY OF PRE-COVID WORLD.

THEY REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO TO A THEME PARK WITHOUT A FACE MASK, OR TO BE ABLE TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE AND NOT WORRY.

THEY REMEMBER INTO CONCERTS AND FOOTBALL GAMES.

BUT THEIR BRAIN'S NOT FULLY DEVELOPED ENOUGH.

THIS PART OF THE BRAIN, THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX, OUR BRAINS WILL GROW AND DEVELOP UNTIL WE'RE IN OUR MIDDLE TWENTIES.

I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WATCHING ARE SAYING, "WELL, THAT EXPLAINS A LOT BECAUSE I MARRIED HIM WHEN HE WAS 19."

WE'RE NOT GOING THERE.

THIS IS STILL DEVELOPING.

AND WHEN IT'S DEVELOPING, WE DRAW SO MUCH FROM THE WORLD AROUND US, FROM OUR TEACHERS, FROM OUR SCHOOL AND HAVING TO DO SCHOOL VIRTUALLY PREVENTED ME FROM HAVING ACCESS TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD.

AND THAT'S A TEACHER.

AND SO WHAT DO WE DO?

WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.

THERE'S A PRINCIPLE I LIVE BY, IT'S AN ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY CALLED STOICISM.

AND THE PRINCIPLE IS "DO WHAT YOU CAN, WHERE YOU'RE AT, WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT".

AND SO IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT, WHAT HELPS CHILDREN IS TO BE ABLE TO TALK, TO BE ABLE TO SAY, "HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON."

VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, WE'RE DOING IT WITH CRAYONS AND WE'RE DRAWING PICTURES AND WE'RE TALKING.

A LITTLE BIT OLDER CHILDREN, MAYBE WE'RE ABLE TO, THEY CAN VERBALIZE.

AND THEN YOU'RE RIGHT, WITH THE OLDER KIDS, "WHO I'M GOING TO BE CAPTAIN THE CHEERLEADERS NEXT YEAR, I'M GOING TO BE CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM."

AND SPORTS WERE CANCELED AND EXTRACURRICULARS WERE CANCELED.

RIGHT?

AND SO WHAT DO WE SAY THOSE DEVELOPING BRAINS?

ROBERT FROST SAID, "HERE'S WHAT I KNOW ABOUT LIFE.

IT GOES ON."

AND I SAY TO THAT YOUNG PERSON, "LIFE GOES ON.

YEP.

IT'S DISAPPOINTING.

IT'S SAD."

RIGHT?

SO WE'RE GOING TO FEEL IT.

WE'RE GOING TO GRIEVE IT.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GROW RESILIENT AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN.

AND EVERY TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS, IT'S DISAPPOINTING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET FROZEN IN TIME.

>>FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS WHERE IT'S HARDER TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AND THAT'S AMAZING POINTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING AND WONDERFUL THOUGHTS FOR AN OLDER CHILD.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MANY CASES OUT THERE WHERE SOME YOUNGER CHILDREN WILL EXPERIENCE LONG TERM TRAUMA FROM ALL OF THIS BECAUSE OF THIS SUDDEN BREAK IN THEIR ROUTINES?

YOU ALWAYS HEAR WHAT THE YOUNGER KIDS ROUTINE, ROUTINE, ROUTINE, AND IT WAS JUST SMASHED.

>>AND THAT'S RIGHT.

THE TRAUMA FREEZES US IN TIME AND IT CAN FREEZE PART OF THE BRAIN.

OUR AMYGDALA FIRES UP AND THE PERSON GETS FROZEN IN TRAUMA.

IF THEY'RE ADULTS, OVER THE AGE OF 18, WE DIAGNOSE THAT AS PTSD, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND BEING ABLE TO KNOW WITH THAT CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, THEY CAN STAY STUCK THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THERE ARE WARNING INDICATORS AND SIGNS AND THINGS WE CAN SAY, THESE ARE THINGS MOMS AND DADS TO LOOK FOR.

THESE ARE THINGS CAREGIVERS YOU CAN LOOK FOR.

TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM IF THEY'RE STUCK IN THAT TRAUMA.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY STUCK.

THAT TRAUMA THE BRAIN WAS AFFECTED BY AT ANY AGE, WE CAN GO FROM PTSD TO SOMETHING CALLED PTG POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH.

AND THIS IS RESILIENCY.

AND THIS IS VERY POWERFUL BECAUSE PTG ACTUALLY MAKES YOU STRONGER THAN YOU WERE PRE-CRISIS EVENT.

POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH WITH PEOPLE THAT SURVIVED PULSE.

SOME OF THEM BECAME CHAMPIONS AND SPOKESPEOPLE.

AND MAYBE BEFORE THEY WERE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND TO SPEAK OUT.

AND NOW THEY ARE BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

AT PARKLAND, WE SAW STUDENTS THAT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN REGULAR STUDENTS WHO SAID, "I'M GOING TO WASHINGTON, DC.

I HAVE A VOICE."

AND THEY USE THEIR VOICE.

POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH AFTER SANDY HOOK OR AFTER VIRGINIA TECH OR AFTER LAS VEGAS OR AFTER GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

WHAT IF WE HAD SAFE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILY, WHAT IF WE HAD SAFE CONVERSATIONS IN THE CLUBS AND WHERE WE GO FOR OUR HOBBIES, THE FAITH COMMUNITY.

WHAT IF WE HAD SAFE CONVERSATIONS AT A REAL ESTATE OFFICE?

AND EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS OKAY TO NOT ALWAYS BE OKAY.

AND THAT IT WAS OKAY TO SAY, "IT'S BEEN A PRETTY ROUGH TWO YEARS.

HERE'S HOW I'M COPING.

HOW ARE YOU COPING?"

AND IT WAS NORMAL TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT BEFORE WERE BURIED UNDER STIGMA.

>>AND WE'LL COME BACK TO DWIGHT THROUGHOUT THE SHOW, AS WE DISCUSS HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE TURNED CHAOS INTO RESILIENCY.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>WELL, ANOTHER DEMOGRAPHIC WE WANT TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT, OUR SENIOR POPULATION.

A GROUP IMPACTED IN A LONG LIST OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

A PLACE THAT TOUCHES MORE THAN 200,000 LIVES ANNUALLY WITH A VARIETY OF SERVICES, INCLUDING UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND A FOOD PANTRY.

ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE OSCEOLA COUNCIL ON AGING'S CLIENTS ARE SENIORS, WHO TURNED TO THE CENTER FOR MEALS, ACTIVITIES, AND COMPANIONSHIP.

WHEN COVID HIT, THE CENTER WAS FORCED TO CLOSE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.

LEAVING MANY SENIORS CUT OFF FROM A PLACE THAT WAS PART OF THEIR ROUTINE.

WHEN THEY REOPENED 86 YEAR OLD, MARION DYER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF ISOLATION.

>>AT HOME, YOU LOOK AT TV AND YOU GET THE THINKING, YOU GET THE THINKING, YOU DON'T KNOW, THINK ABOUT THIS AND THINK ABOUT IT.

CAUSE I KNEW I HAD STARTED DOING THAT AND I WAS BEGINNING TO START CRYING.

AND MY SON SAID, "I GOT TO GET YOU OUT THE HOUSE."

SO HE FOUND THIS PLACE AND THEY INVITED ME AND I'VE BEEN COMING EVER SINCE.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO MISS A DAY.

>>IN TERMS OF IMPACT ON THE 65 AND UP POPULATION, THIS GROUP FACED HIGHER RISK AND HIGHER MORTALITY RATES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ADD TO THAT DISRUPTIONS TO DAILY ROUTINES AND THE DIFFICULTIES THEY FACED ADAPTING TO TECHNOLOGY, EVEN WHEN THE VACCINE BECAME AVAILABLE IN MANY COMMUNITIES.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AT FIRST WAS ONLINE.

THE INTERNET WAS ALSO ONE OF THE WAYS FAMILIES CONNECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>>WE WERE STRUGGLING.

WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE AFTER THIS SITUATION WITH COVID, THE NUMBERS INCREASED.

THERE'S A LOT OF SENIORS NEEDING HELP IN THE COMMUNITY.

>>ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, NEARLY 9.5 MILLION SENIORS IN THIS COUNTRY, LACK INTERNET ACCESS.

SO THE PANDEMIC OPENED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WAYS TO ENSURE SENIORS AREN'T LEFT BEHIND.

>>WE DO SEE GLIMPSES OF GOOD COMING OUT OF WHAT SENIORS EXPERIENCED DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE THE TOLL.

>>WELL, NANCY ASKED DWIGHT BAIN ABOUT THE OUT SIZED EFFECT THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON SENIORS.

>>THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION PRE-COVID, SAID THAT LONELINESS WAS ONE OF THE MOST DAMAGING AND DANGEROUS NEW MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS GLOBALLY, NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES.

CHRONIC LONELINESS, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAID, WAS MORE DANGEROUS THAN SMOKING 15 CIGARETTES A DAY BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH CHALLENGES AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF FEELING SO ISOLATED AND SO ALONE.

SO YOU ALREADY HAD PRE-COVID LONELINESS AS A SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OF PEOPLE FEELING DISCONNECTED BECAUSE WE WERE BUILT TO BE IN COMMUNITY AND WE DO BETTER IN RELATIONSHIP.

SO IF YOU TAKE ALL THAT AWAY AND THEN WE HAVE LOCKDOWN AND WE HAVE SHUTDOWN AND WE HAVE ISOLATION AND WE HAVE TWO WEEKS TO STOP THE SPREAD.

AND THAT WAS 102 WEEKS AGO.

AND YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT SEEN THEIR LOVED ONES IN TWO YEARS.

AND SO THAT ISOLATION ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE, OF COURSE, THE FEAR, SOME OF THEM HAD LIVED THROUGH WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II.

SOME OF THEM HAD REMEMBERED THEIR PARENTS TALKING ABOUT 1918 PANDEMIC.

SOME HAD LIVED THROUGH VIETNAM, KOREA.

SOME HAD LIVED THROUGH GREAT MELTDOWNS, GREAT RECESSIONS AND DEPRESSIONS.

SO THEY KNEW HOW TO GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES, BUT THE DIFFERENCE THEY KNEW HOW TO GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES TOGETHER.

AND WHAT DID COVID-19 TAKE AWAY?

IT TOOK AWAY TOGETHER, IT TOOK AWAY FAMILY AND SUPPORTS AND FRIENDS.

ACCESS TO PLACES THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD'VE GONE IN THE CLUBS THAT THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH, THE MOSQUES, THE SYNAGOGUE, THE TEMPLE.

PLACES THEY NORMALLY WOULD HAVE GONE TO HANG OUT WITH THEIR FRIENDS, GONE, TAKEN AWAY.

DOING HOLIDAYS WITH THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE, OFF THE TABLE.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEN THAT ISOLATION.

AND HERE'S THE DANGER WHEN IT GETS TOO QUIET, BECAUSE THEN SOME OF THE UNRESOLVED TRAUMATIC THINGS FROM MY PAST BECOME VERY LOUD AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE REGRETS, IT BECOMES VERY LOUD.

AND THE ISOLATION, BECAUSE OVER HERE WE GOT BUSY PEOPLE.

THEY'RE TRYING TO COPE AND STAY IN BUSINESS.

AND HERE'S GRANDMA.

"OKAY.

MOM, ARE YOU OKAY?"

"YEAH.

YEAH.

I'M OKAY.

I'M OKAY."

"ALL RIGHT.

WELL JUST LET ME KNOW."

ISOLATION CAN SOMETIMES TURN TO DESPERATION.

AND WE KNOW OF THE OVER 900,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED SO FAR IN THE PANDEMIC IN THE UNITED STATES, THE MAJORITY WERE OVER THE AGE OF 65.

AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER, THERE IS A CONDITION, IT'S UNOFFICIALLY CALLED BROKEN HEART SYNDROME.

BUT THERE'S A CONDITION OF COMPLEX GRIEF DISORDER THAT IS SO INTENSE AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER IF SOME OF THE PEOPLE, MAYBE THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM DROPPED BECAUSE THEY FELT SO ISOLATED AND SO DESPERATELY ALONE AND SO DESPERATELY AFRAID OR FINANCIALLY AFRAID.

AND THEN WHEN THEY CAUGHT A VIRUS, THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FIGHT IT ANYMORE.

SO WITH THAT COMMUNITY, THEY NEED A LOT OF LOVE.

THEY NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT AND THEY NEED TO BE REMINDED, YOU WERE CALLED THE GREATEST GENERATION FOR A REASON, AND YOU ARE NEEDED.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A REALLY FASCINATING STORY OF A SHARK FISHERMAN WHO WAS IN A BOAT, OFF THE COAST OF CHILE AND FLOATED FOR 14 MONTHS IN AN OPEN BOAT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A CHEVY SUBURBAN.

AND HE FIGURED OUT HOW TO SURVIVE FOR 14 MONTHS, NO ENGINE.

HE FLOATED TO AUSTRALIA.

AND WHEN THEY SAID, WHEN HE WAS FINALLY RESCUED, BECAUSE THEY GAVE UP LOOKING FOR HIM AFTER HOWEVER MANY WEEKS.

AND THEY SAID, "WHAT KEPT YOU GOING?"

AND HE SAID, "MY DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER, I'VE NOT BEEN A GOOD DAD.

AND I WANTED TO STAY ALIVE BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR MY GIRL."

AND HE SAID, "I WANTED TO BE A GOOD DAD FOR HER."

RIGHT?

HERE'S THE POINT.

IF YOU ARE IN A MAJOR CRISIS AND YOU HAVE A PURPOSE, YOU WILL SURVIVE THE MAJOR CRISIS.

VICTOR FRANKEL SAID IN THE NAZI DEATH CAMP, HE SAID SOMEONE HAD TO STAY ALIVE.

HIS MOM DIED THERE, HIS DAD, HIS WIFE, HIS BROTHER, EVERYBODY, HE KNEW DIED.

BUT HE SAID SOMEONE HAD TO STAY ALIVE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE ATROCITIES OF THE NAZIS.

AND SOMEBODY HAD TO TELL THE STORY THAT IN THE WORST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU CONTROL YOUR MINDSET.

YOU CAN CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE, THE NAZIS COULD NOT TAKE THAT AWAY.

HE WROTE MAN SEARCH FOR MEANING, WHICH IS STILL A CLASSIC.

TWO WEEKS AFTER BEING RESCUED BY THE AMERICAN GIS, BECAUSE HE SAID, "I'VE BEEN WRITING THIS STORY FOR YEARS.

SOMEONE HAD TO STAY ALIVE."

RIGHT?

SO THERE'S PURPOSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAIN.

AND THAT GIVES US INTERNAL POWER.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>FINALLY, TONIGHT OUR CENTRAL FLORIDA WORKFORCE, THE PANDEMIC TRIGGERED AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS IN THE LABOR MARKET.

>>THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTIC SHOWS THE COUNTRY LOST MORE THAN 20 MILLION JOBS IN JUST TWO MONTHS IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

ECLIPSING THE 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THE GREAT RECESSION.

>>IN TOURISM DEPENDENT CENTRAL FLORIDA, THE IMPACT WAS DISASTROUS.

BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND JUNE OF 2020, THE REGION LOST NEARLY A QUARTER OF ITS LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY JOBS.

WITH ITS THEME PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS, CENTRAL FLORIDA'S LABOR MARKET IS ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE TO ECONOMIC SHOCKS IN THE NATION.

AND WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND MASSIVE EMPLOYERS, LIKE DISNEY, CLOSED THEIR DOORS, MANY WORKERS WERE PLUNGED INTO CRISIS.

AMONG THEM, EMILY WALL, A MOTHER OF TWO, FURLOUGHED FROM HER JOB AS A SERVER AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM.

>>IT WAS PANIC AND STRESS AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS.

>>EMILY SOON DISCOVERED SHE WASN'T ALONE, AS DISNEY WORLD, THE LARGEST SINGLE SITE EMPLOYER IN AMERICA LAID OFF OR FURLOUGHED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS.

THE SUDDEN CHANGE LED TO THE CREATION OF EAR FOR EACH OTHER.

A PAGE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT IMPACTED DISNEY EMPLOYEES, NEW BUSINESSES, AND SIDE HUSTLES.

EMILY, ALSO A PERSONAL TRAINER, STARTED A KIDS' FITNESS CLASS DESIGNED TO GET KIDS MOVING AND SOCIALIZING AFTER A DAY OF VIRTUAL LEARNING, >>I WAS ABLE TO RECREATE MYSELF AND REBRAND MYSELF INTO SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A PASSION FOR AND I JUST BROUGHT IT TO OTHERS TOO.

AND KEPT MY KIDS HAPPY, KEPT OTHER KIDS HAPPY.

AND MY REVIEWS WERE, EVERYBODY LOVED IT.

AND THE PARENTS WERE SO HAPPY THAT I EVEN GOT THIS THING GOING.

>>FOR MANY, THE PANDEMIC OFFERED A CHANCE FOR REINVENTION AND IT HAPPENED ON A DIME.

ENAS GEBALY COULD NO LONGER TRAVEL TO EGYPT TO SEE HER FAMILY.

HER HUSBAND ALSO HAD TO CLOSE HIS BUSINESS.

>>MY WHOLE LIFE, CHANGED.

LIKE UP AND DOWN.

>>SHE ENROLLED IN A CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM RUN BY SECOND HARVEST.

SHE WANTED TO COOK TO FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THE RELATIVES SHE COULD NO LONGER SEE.

>>THEY TRY PUSHING ME AND HELP ME A LOT.

YOU HAVE TO START A BUSINESS.

AND I SAID, "IT'S LIKE TOO MUCH FOR ME."

BUT NOW I HAVE MY BAKERY.

>>HER BUSINESS, NOSA'S BAKERY HELPED HER, HER HUSBAND AND THEIR THREE KIDS WEATHER THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC.

>>IT'S ABOUT TRANSFORMING LIVES SO THAT PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY, DON'T EVER NEED THE SERVICES OF A FOOD BANK.

AND WE SEE THAT EVERY DAY IN OUR 400 PLUS GRADUATES THAT GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT ARE ALL OUT THERE WORKING NOW AND HAVE A MUCH BETTER SHOT AT SELF SUFFICIENCY.

>>THE REINVENTION OF SO MANY IN THE WORKFORCE HAS LED TO THE SO-CALLED GREAT RESIGNATION AND A LABOR CRUNCH FOR EMPLOYERS SEEKING TO HIRE BACK POSITIONS ELIMINATED AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.

BUT OUR STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS NOW LOW, AT JUST 3.9%, AS A POPULATION STUNNED BY THE RAPID ECONOMIC TURMOIL OF THE PANDEMIC TRANSITIONS FROM CHAOS TO RESILIENCY.

>>WELL, NANCY TALKED TO DWIGHT BAIN ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC TRANSFORMED SO MANY PEOPLE'S CAREERS.

AND SHE STARTED BY ASKING HIM WHETHER IT WAS THE RESULT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO FEEL IN CONTROL.

>>FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY DIDN'T REALLY START TO EXAMINE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THEY FELT PRESSURE.

AND SOME PEOPLE WILL BLOW UP A RELATIONSHIP OR A JOB BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FEEL IN CONTROL OF SOMETHING.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO CONTROL.

"MY BOSS WOULDN'T CARE."

THE INTERESTING THING IS THE PEOPLE WHO SAT DOWN WITH THEIR BOSSES AND SAID, "I'M FEELING PRESSURE.

AND I NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES."

A LOT OF BOSSES SAID, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE."

HERE'S A PRINCIPLE, NOT JUST IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

AND THE PRINCIPLE IS THAT SILENCE YOU'VE HEARD IS GOLDEN.

UH-UH.

SILENCE IS DEADLY BECAUSE IN A TIME OF CRISIS, IN A CHALLENGING TIME, A HIGH STRESS TIME, IF PEOPLE GO QUIET, IF PEOPLE GHOST YOUR TEXT AND YOUR VOICE MESSAGES, YOU'LL DRAW A WRONG CONCLUSION.

AND SOMETIMES IF PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP ARE VERY SILENT AND THEY DON'T TELL THE EMPLOYEES, "THINGS ARE CHALLENGING, NOBODY'S GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOB."

PEOPLE DRAW WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND THE ABSENCE OF INFORMATION AND ESPECIALLY IN A CRISIS, PEOPLE WILL MAKE UP INFORMATION.

WE'VE SEEN IT AFTER EVERY HURRICANE, AFTER EVERY NATURAL DISASTER, THE THINGS YOU COVERED IN THE ISLANDS.

"WELL, THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DELIVER ICE AND WATER.

THEY DIDN'T DELIVER ICE AND WATER.

THEY'RE DOING THIS.

THEY DON'T LIKE US.

BUT THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE GOT ICE AND WATER."

AND THE ABSENCE OF INFORMATION, PEOPLE MAKE THINGS UP BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GRAB HOLD TO FEEL IN CONTROL OF SOMETHING.

AND SO WHAT WE SAY TO THE 24 MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE SO FAR QUIT THEIR JOBS MORE THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES?

AND DID THEY QUIT BECAUSE IT WAS THAT BAD?

MAYBE.

BUT THE PART I WOULD SAY INSTEAD OF QUITTING, STEP BACK AND SAY, "WHAT ARE MY GIFTS, MY TALENTS, MY ABILITIES?

WHAT'S WORK IS INTERESTING TO ME?

WHAT MATTERS?

AND THEN LOOK FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT FIT THAT BECAUSE THEN IT WON'T FEEL LIKE WORK.

I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO WORK ALL THE TIME AND MISS MY KIDS."

WORK LIFE BALANCE MATTERS NOW.

AND IF SOMEBODY'S WORKING FOR A COMPANY AND THEY FELT MISTREATED, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, NOT HEARD, UNDERVALUED, AND SOMEBODY SAYS, "WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY A THOUSAND DOLLARS RAISE."

THEY'RE ALREADY GONE.

BECAUSE MONEY IS NOT WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR JOBS.

MEANING IS WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR JOBS.

MIT DID A STUDY AND SAID, AND IT WAS SHOCKING TO SO MANY EXECUTIVES.

I WAS LIKE, "WELL, WE JUST NEED TO PAY PEOPLE MORE MONEY, PAY MORE MONEY, PAY MORE MONEY."

MONEY DOESN'T PROVIDE WORK LIFE BALANCE.

MEANING IS THE GOAL.

PEOPLE WORK FOR MEANING MORE THAN THEY WORK FOR MONEY.

AND WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO DEFINE WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU, WMM WHAT MATTERS MOST, WHEN WE DEFINE THAT AND SOMEBODY SAYS, "HERE'S WHAT MATTERS IN MY LIFE.

AND HERE'S WHAT MATTERS IN MY WORK."

AND AN EMPLOYER CAN SAY, "WELL, HERE'S SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT FIT THAT."

YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN THE PAST AS WE SHOULD BE.

BUT WE KNOW THAT MATTERS TO YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO SPONSOR SOME THINGS AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO REALLY KIND OF LEAD THAT CHARGE FOR US.

AND WE LOOK AT WHAT MATTERS MOST.

AND WE LINE UP WITH PEOPLE WHO SAY, "I AGREE WITH THAT."

THAT'S HOW YOU CAN UNITE A COMMUNITY.

LOOK AT THE ROOT WORD COMMUNITY.

THE ROOT WORD IS COMMON.

WHEN WE LOOK AT COMMON VALUES, WHEN WE LOOK AT SHARED EXPERIENCES, WHEN WE LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS WHO SAY, "THIS IS WHAT MATTERS, MY FAMILY.

THIS IS WHAT MATTERS, TIME WITH MY KIDS.

THIS IS WHAT MATTERS.

HEALTHY WORK LIFE BALANCE, PHYSICAL HEALTH, HEALTHY BODIES, AND BEING ABLE TO SAY, LET'S COME TOGETHER AND MAKE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM THE BEST."

AND I BELIEVE RIGHT HERE, MY HOMETOWN, THAT WE CAN START SOME CONVERSATIONS, JUST LIKE THIS ONE.

AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, "YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE LIVE."

BECAUSE HEALTHY PEOPLE, THEY TALK ABOUT HARD THINGS.

HEALTHY PEOPLE DON'T SAY, "I GOT YOUR BACK."

THAT'S A CLICHE, HEALTHY PEOPLE SAY, "I GOT YOUR FRONT."

LET'S TALK ABOUT GOOD STUFF.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HARD STUFF.

LET'S TALK ABOUT ALL STUFF BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT AND THEY COME TOGETHER WITH COMMON GOALS AND COMMON VALUES COMMUNITY GROWS, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO STEP BACK AND SAY, "I REMEMBER THE PANDEMIC.

I REMEMBER HOW DISJOINTED WE WERE BEFORE.

AND I REMEMBER HOW WE CAME TOGETHER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CRISIS DOES."

>>FOR PEOPLE RETURNING TO THE OFFICE AND NOW WE'RE TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS.

BUT WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ABOUT MANY THINGS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.

HOW DO WE GET ALONG?

>>THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION.

SO EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN SOMEBODY SHARES AN OPINION, USUALLY IT'S NOT BASED ON DATA.

IT'S BASED ON OPINION, WHICH CAN BE INFLUENCED BY SOMETHING CALLED COGNITIVE BIAS.

AND WHEN PEOPLE HAVE BIAS, IT BLINDS THEM TO THE TRUTH AND TO THE REALITY.

SO FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, "YOU KNOW, HERE'S HOW I SEE IT, BUT HELP ME SEE IT BETTER."

RIGHT?

SO A HEALTHY PERSON, A MENTALLY HEALTHY PERSON IS ABLE TO SAY, "I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS FROM ALL POINTS OF VIEW."

BECAUSE UNTIL YOU HAVE THE BACKSTORY, YOU DON'T HAVE THE REAL STORY.

AND BEING ABLE TO SAY, "HELP ME UNDERSTAND."

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL GO BACK TO OFFICE BUILDINGS.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY, "OH, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I GAVE UP TRYING TO PROVE THAT I WAS RIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO SAY, I'D RATHER HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU THAN PROVE THAT I WAS RIGHT."

AND WE CAN OPEN CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PRETTY LONELY SOMETIMES BEHIND A SCREEN.

AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL LONG TO BE BACK IN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP AND HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS.

JUST LIKE THIS ONE.

>>WELL, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY, NEW REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH, IN COLLABORATION WITH ORANGE COUNTY ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

THIS SPECIAL WAS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE MANY WAYS FAMILIES WERE IMPACTED BY COVID-19.

AND IT WAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE REALLY FOR EVERYONE.

>>IT WAS.

BUT HERE'S ONE THING WE CAN ALL DO REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU WERE IMPACTED.

HAVING OPEN, AUTHENTIC, HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER IS ONE WAY TO START DEALING WITH THE FEELINGS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS THAT BUILD UP IN HOUSEHOLDS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND THAT WAS THE GOAL OF THIS CONVERSATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR PARTNERSHIP.

>>THAT'S RIGHT, NANCY.

AND FROM ALL OF US HERE AT WUCF TV.

>>AND FROM ALL OF US AT HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.