March 2013 Announcements from SAFF
NOW... ON TO EASTER ACTIVITIES!
RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE FOR EACH EVENT
Please do not simply "show up" without a reservation. There are limited resources and we don't want to have to turn anyone away at the door. Please read carefully and enjoy on behalf of SAFF and a few of our wonderful community partners! TUESDAY - MARCH 26.... 10 am to Noon 35 Easter boxes filled with $25 worth of hygiene products, candy, etc. along with large Easter baskets will be distributed to:
THESE GIFTS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AT.....
You MUST email Joseph at JGalata(at)aol.com to reserve a basket and gift box. There are only 35 at this point in time! If you know of a grandparent who doesn't have a computer and can't email.. have them call Joseph on his cell phone. 
TUESDAY 03/26, WEDNESDAY 03/27, THURSDAY 03/28, & FRIDAY 03/29.....
SAFF'S IN-HOME/AFTER SCHOOL ACADEMIC TUTORS will be taking the Easter Baskets to the homes of elementary school children they are currently tutoring and the other foster children in the same homes. Tutors are taking the reservations for these Easter Baskets! WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY MARCH 27 and 28... Easter baskets will be distributed to the children are brought to Washoe County Social Services by their foster parents, relative foster parents, grandparents... to visit their birth parents for an Easter visitation. Please bring the children to the conference room at WCSS... their birth parents will be able to pick out an Easter Basket and give them to children. Photos will be taken of the kids with their parents! Reservations are not needed for this event as WCSS will be printing us a schedule of family visitations. 
EASTER SUNDAY...
The Fellowship Community Church along with the Faith Ministry of Reno.. at 9:30 and 11:30... will host an EASTER CARNIVAL OF GAMES with FOOD and CANDY for foster parents, birth parents, grandparents who:
Once again....this Easter season... (hopefully no snow!!!)....a few of the many community agencies who partner with SAFF, are working towards helping our kids, as well as foster parents, grandparents, and birth parents, celebrate Easter with a little more joy and happiness! We thank our community partners.. and remember.. reservations are a MUST for each activity, Easter basket and gift! |
*** WELCOME TO THE FAMILY TABLE! ***
The Sierra Association of Foster Families is working with a team of foster parents, therapists, educators, writers, artists, educational tour directors, and incredible puppet designers and puppeteers to create an exciting new program for children, teens, foster parents, birth parents, grandparents, and extended family and friends on how to break the cycle of physical, verbal, emotional, and silent violence, child abuse and neglect.
Thanks to the constant support and encouragement of Washoe County Social Services, SAFF is able to create and facilitate creative and unique programs which can help make a strong and active contribution towards breaking the cycles of negative behaviorisms which cause our area’s children and teens to enter the foster care system. Thanks to the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services we have learned via first-hand experience the importance of foster parents and birth parents and grandparents working together to strengthen family re-unification and permanency, which includes SAFETY, HAPPINESS, and VIOLENT FREE FAMILIES. 
With the new project in development, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY TABLE!, SAFF’s community partners are Changing Seasons Counseling, Studio7ARTS, Ali’s Alley Black Box Theater, Pan*, Puppet’s Dream, Destination Tahoe Network, MakeMyWebfolio, as well as many skilled, experienced, and talented individuals representing various cultures and professions. Of course, once this project is up and running, we will be looking for additional community partnerships.
With evidence-based curricula, creative artistry, and experts with knowledge about violence-free conflict resolutions, strengthening family inter-connectedness, and resiliency, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY TABLE! will help both children and adults built nurturing skills as an alternative to abusive, neglectful, and violent practices. 
While we are developing this exciting educational-recreational-advocacy project, our work with other established programs continues! The overwhelming number of youths participating in our In-Home/After School Academic Tutoring program increases in success (which is why I must continuously hire more and more tutors from UNR); foster and adoptive care youth are participating in equine assisted therapy program with NEAT in larger numbers and outstanding successes; kids continue to study vocal, writing, and dance arts with such wonderful teachers as Tiffany Story at her vocal studio; our intensive advanced trainings focusing on teaching parents about the importance of educating the youth they care for; our “I’M LUCKY KID!” media campaign continues to inform the public that the youth in foster care are fortunate to have excellent foster parents and social workers.
At this time we surely do thank the Unitarian Fellowship for their March 2013 fundraising support, and, of course, March 16-17 we have TV Stars from the hit shows GLEE and SMASH here in Reno as a fundraiser for our educational projects! Thanks to so many people, organizations, agencies, and businesses! Education is the means to success! |