The Board of Directors and the Executive Director are honored to announce .... the Sierra Association of Foster Families has been awarded a $132,000 grant from the Frank M. and Gertrude R. Doyle Foundation for another year of In-Home/After School Academic Tutoring for our youth in Washoe County Foster Care.

We certainly thank the Wal Mart Foundation and the Nevada Energy Foundation for their generous grant funding which enables us to continue educating the youth in foster care about health and exercise!

For one night only, celebrated writer/performer Jeanmarie Simpson will be in Reno to read her newest solo work-in-progress, Mary's Joy. The play explores the life of Mary Dyer, the first colonial woman executed in the "New World." She was hanged in Boston June 1, 1660 because she was a Quaker.

Simpson is well known in the region. She founded the Nevada Shakespeare Company and served as its artistic director from 1989 until 2008, performing and directing in dozens of celebrated productions. 

The reading will take place at the Non-Profit Center, 1301 Cordone Suite 212, 7pm. Lots of parking. Seating is limited, early attendance is encourage, as there will be no late seating. Complimentary food, wine and other beverages will be provided. Donations encouraged to benefit the Sierra Association of Foster Families, Joseph Galata, Executive and Creative Director. 

According to Galata, "The Sierra Association of Foster Families is a 501c3 non profit serving children, teens, and adults within the foster care system. These children are abused, abandoned, neglected their birth parents live in poverty and suffer from various vulnerabilities foster parents are the temporary custodians of the children until the birth parents work their "court action plan" to get their children returned. Our organization focuses on the education of the youth. 85% of adults in prisons do not have high school diplomas and 70% of those adults were children or teens in foster care. We also focus on creating healthy identities for the youth and we are advocates for both the birth parents and foster parents. 

See www.positiveparentingtogether.org. Our programs include. In-Home/After School Academic Tutoring, Horse Therapy, Education Not Incarceration Media, Foster-Birth Parents Working Together, and Health and Happiness Exercise Programs. I have been trying to introduce the importance of ARTS into the world of foster care, with theatre projects."

MORE INFORMATION: 
Sierra Association of Foster Families 
775/828‐9977 Office
775/338‐7596 Cell 

During the month of February 2012,  Joseph Galata – Executive Director for the Sierra Association of Foster Families – gave presentations on the “Education of Children and Teens in Foster Care” to members of the Lion’s Club, Kiwana’s Club, and Federal Frontier Credit Union. In January, Joseph delivered a 30 minute presentation and performed a “spiritual-ethnic dance” for the congregation of the Unity Center in Reno. During January 2012, Joseph was interviewed for 60 minutes on a radio show and spoke about the need for financial donations to expand all of SAFF’s educational programs.

Please contact Joseph at [email protected] if your organization, business, agency, and/or media channels would like to have a presentation on the exciting educational programs at SAFF – programs which benefit youth in foster care to stay in school, progress academically and graduate, develop healthy identities, improve self-image and esteem, be creative and educated thinkers, and stay away from negative peers and free from incarcerations.

On March 9, 2012, Jeanne Marie-Simpson, founder of the Nevada Shakespeare Company, and an award winning actress and playwright will present a round table reading and discussion of her newest play “MARY’S JOY” to SAFF’s guests from Reno’s theatre/education community. This project focuses on a woman during the early American years who was prosecuted for her principals and beliefs. It is an inspirational and educational true story that will help youth in foster care understand the values of trust, faith, hope, courage during difficult times. The public is welcome to attend. The event is free of charge, but donations will be accepted to benefit SAFF’s educational programs.

In March – tentatively scheduled for March 16 - a four hour educational training program on the education of youth in foster care will be presented at the SAFF building. 4 hours of re-licensing credits will be awarded to participating foster parents. To reserve a place at  the table (limited to 12 participants) email Joseph at [email protected].