It's time for cooler weather, tailgating, and gatherings with friends or family. Cook up a batch of this traditional Texas chili in the slow-cooker, courtesy Food Network magazine, and warm up together!

Slow-Cooker Texas Chili:
Total time: 7 hr 30 min (including time in slow-cooker)
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 7 hr (cooks while you work or play!)
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 4.5-ounce cans chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3/4 cup chili powder
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles
• 1 to 2 tablespoons green hot sauce
• Sliced scallions, fresh cilantro and/or sour cream, for topping
• Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Toss the beef with 1 tablespoon each brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the beef in batches until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not crowd the pan). Transfer to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chilies, cumin and chili powder and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and the tomatoes and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low, 7 hours. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the hot sauce to the chili. Serve with scallions, cilantro and/or sour cream for topping, and chips, if desired. 
Photograph by Antonis Achilleos.

Staffing requests increase during the holidays!

Client Partners - We strive to be prepared for last-minute shift requests as much as we can because we know your needs can vary greatly from day to to day. That being said, we foresee another busy holiday season with high demand for Associates. Any preparations you can make now in anticipation of your needs will increase the chance for us to place your preferred Arbor Associate(s) and ensure fulfillment.

Associates - Be sure to update your availability in your portal each week so that you can be contacted and offered shifts. If you plan to be away at all during the holidays or in the future, please let Arbor supervisor know AND indicate it in your portal. If you need training on how to use the portal, please contact your Arbor supervisor. 

If you've been to the infamous Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in the last decade, you've likely seen the work of Arbor's own Jon Conway! Jon is one of our Cranston Branch's most requested Associate and is passionate about working with children with developmental needs. He is also a creative artist and one of the master carvers for the Spectacular. Jon sat down with Associate Staffing Coordinator Andrea Corado to bring us the behind the scenes scoop! Check out the interview below these amazing designs! ​

Q: Out of the 5,000 or so pumpkins displayed throughout the Spectacular how many pumpkins have you carved this season? Most of the 5,000 pumpkins are jack-o'-lanterns. We have around 120 intricate pumpkins on display. Of those I have done 13. But these pumpkins rot and need to be replaced. We refer to this as a "round." We will have 4-5 rounds of pumpkins. By the end of this year I will hopefully have done around 60.

Q: Does the carving of the pumpkins end once the Spectacular begins? Or does it continue throughout the season? I will be carving pumpkins until the first week of November. The show runs through the month and the pumpkins rot. The pumpkins are continuously replaced as needed. 

Q: The Spectacular has become a family tradition for many New Englanders over the years. How important is it to all involved to continue to provide this experience? Is there pressure to make the next season more Spectacular than the previous one? If there is any pressure for the show to be more spectacular, it is put on to ourselves. Personally, I enjoy a bit of competition with some of the artists. 

​Q: What is the Spectacular’s theme this year? How is the theme announced? The theme is "time travel". The theme is decided by our founder/creator, the "Lord of the Gourd" John Reckner. I believe he starts planning the next year the day show ends.

Q: What is your favorite design this year? How long did this design take to carve out? I have a group that I like. The theme is "time travel" and we go through some decades. I have been able to do some 80's and 90's themed pumpkins which has brought me back to those times. As far as how long does it take, the process usually goes that we draw out all of our pumpkins and then carve them at a later date. On average I take anywhere from 6-15 hours per pumpkin. 

Q: Where does the carving take place? And do your family members/ friends join in on the pumpkin carving? So, we have two teams here. The park team and the pumpkin artists. The artist’s work in Oxford MA. We draw and carve them in Oxford then load into a box truck down to Roger Williams Park Zoo where they are then gutted and fitted for a light. I do bring my kids, especially my daughter. We have to train the next generation of pumpkin carvers!

Q: How did you become involved with this event?I know a guy. Just kidding, kind of. I moved to Oxford MA when I was a teenager and became friends with people that worked with or knew the family that put on the show (back then it was in Oxford). Over time I carved a few pumpkins for them here and there. Then about ten years ago I started working for them every year. 

Q: What happens to all the pumpkins once the season is over?! They are brought to compost.

The Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular is running now through November 5th. 

Do you have a secret talent or know anyone connected to Arbor who does? Let us know!  

With abuse and sexual harassment making headlines in the news again, we would like to highlight the importance of October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month and provide general information about identifying harassment in the home or workplace. 

According to The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), Domestic violence is defined by "the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional/psychological abuse." While the term "domestic" implies a shared household, abuse from an intimate partner can occur in any intimate relationship between adults or teens.

Are you concerned about your own relationship or that of a friend or family member? Learn about the warning signs and cycle of abuse here. And, go to Jane Doe, Inc. to find a wide-range of resources including statistics, where to find 24/7 confidential help, and how to advocate for social change relating to domestic violence.

People experiencing sexual harassment or assault in the workplace can feel intimidated and unsafe at their jobs.

• How can employees and managers address this issue with more ease? Arbor Associate's Human Resources Manager, Ada Vaidya, agrees with these summarized statements via Trinet.com - Employees take cues from management on what constitutes as acceptable behavior in the workplace. Employers can shape their workplace culture by adopting and enforcing policies requiring employees to treat their peers with respect, and by educating managers and employees on proper conduct and conversation in the workplace. In many instances of sexual harassment, the accused does not realize their behavior is unwelcome. They are unaware that their actions or words not only make the victim uncomfortable but also could constitute sexual harassment. Educating employees on appropriate behavior and instructing managers on recognizing and intervening when inappropriate behavior occurs will lead to quicker resolution of issues and limit liability. Click here for more insight about identifying and addressing harassment in the workplace.
• Check yourself - make sure you are not committing acts of harassment and/or learn your rights as a victim here.