March 2015
Announcements from SAFF
Greetings!
On Friday March 20.. the first day of Spring.... a fundraiser for SAFF's programs will be held at the Comma Coffee in Carson City.
A World Dance Celebration will feature dances from diverse international cultures. The event is free but donations will be accepted.
Sponsored by Paradise Salon Spa & Wellness in Carson City, this event promises to be a joyful colorful celebration.
Since it's also the Persian New Year, SAFF's Executive Director will be performing a special Middle Eastern dance! 7:30 at Comma Coffee in Carson City. Come celebrate dance, Spring, and music!
A World Dance Celebration will feature dances from diverse international cultures. The event is free but donations will be accepted.
Sponsored by Paradise Salon Spa & Wellness in Carson City, this event promises to be a joyful colorful celebration.
Since it's also the Persian New Year, SAFF's Executive Director will be performing a special Middle Eastern dance! 7:30 at Comma Coffee in Carson City. Come celebrate dance, Spring, and music!
Career Fair UNR
A week ago, SAFF was a participant and assisted in organizing a career fair for 150 middle school and 150 high school youths with low-income families.
Sponsored by the UNR Scholars Department, SAFF's Executive Director organized creative partners from the community who assist SAFF in helping foster and adoptive youth participate in creative activities.
Joseph is featured in the photo with career fair participants from the Reno Little Theatre, Junior Philharmonic, Good Luck Macbeth Theatre, Tiffanie Story Vocal Studio, Fascinating Rhythms Dance School, and Beckwith Photography.
SAFF is fortunate to have partners who are professionals in the arts and offer opportunities for our youth in the foster and adoptive homes. Says Joseph " We had such a great time meeting with the students!
Each of us seemed to know so many of the kids! As I've told my students for many and many years.. "you have choice in life.. you can be creative or you can be destructive, but you can't be both!"
Sponsored by the UNR Scholars Department, SAFF's Executive Director organized creative partners from the community who assist SAFF in helping foster and adoptive youth participate in creative activities.
Joseph is featured in the photo with career fair participants from the Reno Little Theatre, Junior Philharmonic, Good Luck Macbeth Theatre, Tiffanie Story Vocal Studio, Fascinating Rhythms Dance School, and Beckwith Photography.
SAFF is fortunate to have partners who are professionals in the arts and offer opportunities for our youth in the foster and adoptive homes. Says Joseph " We had such a great time meeting with the students!
Each of us seemed to know so many of the kids! As I've told my students for many and many years.. "you have choice in life.. you can be creative or you can be destructive, but you can't be both!"
SAFF'S NEW PROJECT.. RADIO
Long before coming to SAFF and becoming the Executive Director, Joseph was a producer, director and host of many television and radio shows. "Ito our knowledge I'm the only person who ever interviewed on television the best childhood friend of the legendary Anne Frank".....
.... so when Joseph was offered the opportunity to produce and host a radio show titled THE GRANDPARENT SHOW, Joseph met with SAFF Board Officers about how this project could help grandparents raising grandchildren in the foster care system.
... The first episode was broadcast live on 101.3 FM last Saturday and was also heard internationally on the internet. "MY co host was Christiana Frank Daniels who is a talented actress and founder/director ofKIDSCAPE which teaches children and teens the power of public speaking, performing, etc."
... The first episode was broadcast live on 101.3 FM last Saturday and was also heard internationally on the internet. "MY co host was Christiana Frank Daniels who is a talented actress and founder/director ofKIDSCAPE which teaches children and teens the power of public speaking, performing, etc."
Our first guest was SAFF's Board Member, Laurie Roberts the co-owner of Nevada Equine Assisted Therapy. Laurie spoke about the power of horses in helping kids with behavioral disorders. Joseph spoke about a foster youth ( name withheld, of course), who was both a victim and witness to domestic violence. "After tutoring him for six month his grades went up to A's and B's! And doing horse assisted therapy with Laurie and Bambi at NEAT for about 6 months, he said "horses taught me I can communicate without being angry.".
The second show featured Tracy Susselin whose 3 daughters were students of Joseph. Tracy spoke about her 3 year old grandson with a chronic hospitalization childhood and how grandparents need to be supported and "included in the game plan.".
The second show featured Tracy Susselin whose 3 daughters were students of Joseph. Tracy spoke about her 3 year old grandson with a chronic hospitalization childhood and how grandparents need to be supported and "included in the game plan.".
"Over 56% of children in foster care nationwide are being fostered by their grandparents. Can you imagine being in your 70's and 80's and raising elementary, middle and high school grandchildren?" asks Joseph. "There are over 2.7 million grandparents in America raising their own grandchildren. We can offer them advice, ideas, and support. And of the 100 students in foster and adoptive homes SAFF is now tutoring, a substantial percentage are living with their grandparents."
This radio program was inspired, says Joseph, "by a grandma in Washoe County who was licensed as a foster parent to raise her 3 grandchildren. This dedicated grandma was also undergoing chemo for cancer. She reached out to social services who asked SAFF to help with tutoring and horse assisted therapy. After the kids worked with SAFF's tutors and NEAT's horses, and after grandma was declared cancer free ( YEAH!!)... she told Joseph, "the tutors and the horses were such big help to me. Sometimes it was the only times when I could feel the energy to recuperate knowing my grandchildren were getting extra help!
This radio program was inspired, says Joseph, "by a grandma in Washoe County who was licensed as a foster parent to raise her 3 grandchildren. This dedicated grandma was also undergoing chemo for cancer. She reached out to social services who asked SAFF to help with tutoring and horse assisted therapy. After the kids worked with SAFF's tutors and NEAT's horses, and after grandma was declared cancer free ( YEAH!!)... she told Joseph, "the tutors and the horses were such big help to me. Sometimes it was the only times when I could feel the energy to recuperate knowing my grandchildren were getting extra help!
SAFF is hoping that with donations from the community businesses , this project may become a radio series. Broadcast 1 will be repeated on Saturday March 28 and Broadcast 2 on Saturday April 4.. from 8:30 to 9 am.. on local radio 101.3 FM or on the internet www. Americamatters. us.. "live broadcast".. if would like to donate to keep this program on the air.. pls contact SAFF.
AmazonSmile Foundation
Sierra Association Of Foster Families will be receiving a $10.00 donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation as a result of AmazonSmile program activity between April 1 and June 30, 2014.
Click on the image to shop with AmazonSmile and help to support Sierra Association of Foster Families.
Click on the image to shop with AmazonSmile and help to support Sierra Association of Foster Families.
Reminder!
If you need to reach Joseph.. email him at [email protected]... your message will go to his phone.. political campaign season is here.. and Joseph can't do his work and take care of his own family when political robo calls are non-stop!