Connection - The Family Care Network

THE
Family Care
Connection
Fall 2008
November is
National
Adoption Month
Events:
Sponsor a
Child for
Christmas
Adopt a
Family
Program
01 Letter from CEO
Isn’t it Great...
Our Mission:
03 National
Adoption Month
“To enhance the wellbeing of children and
families in partnership
with our community.”
04
05
Sponsor a Child
for Christmas
Adopt a Family
Program
06 Event Recap
Taste of the
Central Coast
08 Community
Connection
09
Inside Family
Care Network
Community Partners
& New Hires
Cover Photo by Scott Liddell
Contact Information
Administrative Headquarters
3765 S. Higuera Street, Suite 100
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
805.781.3535
Website www.fcni.org
Toll Free 1.866.781.3535
Santa Maria Office
1660 S. Broadway, Suite 101
Santa Maria, California 93454
805.349.9600
Email [email protected]
Jobs [email protected]
A Thought or Two
Isn’t it Great...
by CEO, Jim Roberts
I remember one fall day 30 something years
ago when I was a fairly new Deputy Probation Officer. I visited a community school
for the first time where some of my clients
attended. I drove up towards the school
on a winding country road which closely
hugged a small creek and was shrouded by
weathered old Cottonwood and Aspen trees.
This image is still very vivid to me. Golden
leaves shimmered in the afternoon sunlight
while their departed comrades blanketed
the neglected old road, manifesting an eerie, almost iridescent glow. I had to restrain
myself from singing “follow, follow, follow,
follow, follow the yellow brick road...” out
loud, although I admit, I did sing it in my
mind. When I arrived at the school, I was
greeted by a beautiful vintage apple orchard
and plenty of glares from a motley group of
teenagers eyeing my white, caged, county
vehicle. World War II era Quonset huts scattered around the perimeter of the orchard
and there was even a well-used 1940s pickup truck gracefully aging next to one of the
uppermost buildings. Except for the kids, I
felt like I had driven through a time-warp
tunnel and ended up in 1943.
Entering into the administrative building,
a short, stout man dressed in a red flannel plaid shirt jumped up to greet me. He
had thinning dark hair, black horn-rimmed
glasses and a friendly, round face with an
ear to ear smile. Grabbing my hand, which
he shook vigorously, he said “You must
be Jim, I am so glad to finally meet you.”
Then without hesitation he added “Isn’t it
great to be alive?!” I stammered, and then
answered “absolutely,” as I wondered who
this guy was. Turns out, he was the Assistant
Superintendent of Schools, in charge of the
entire alternative and special-education program. His name was Carl Schmitt. Carl and
I became very good friends, especially after
he married my boss, Esther, the most intelligent, thoughtful and caring person I have
ever worked for. But Carl, he had a passion
for life like no one I have ever known. No
matter whom the person or what the situation, Carl’s consummate comment was
“Isn’t it great to be alive?!” And he meant it.
He lived it. In his presence, one could not
avoid being overtaken and transformed by
his enthusiastic positive spirit.
Years later, I took my wife and three sons to
visit Carl and Esther during their retirement
in Northern California. We played games,
sang songs into the night (Carl was a professional jazz trombonist) and feasted on
Esther’s remarkable cooking. After several
days we had to move on, but not before Carl
hugged each of us and proclaimed his signature comment, “Isn’t it great to be alive?!”
That was the last I saw of Carl. He’s gone
from us now. But what a sweet memory…
what a remarkable man!
Now to set the record straight, Carl had more
than his fair share of trials and challenges,
but they never brought him down. With his
zeal for life and unmatchable positive attitude, he always came out on the other side
with “Isn’t it great to be alive?!” The truth is,
we only have two choices—two worldviews
from which to embrace the turbulence,
consternation and unexpected challenges
of life. It’s either “life is a bummer– woe is
me” or “isn’t it great to be alive?!” Without sounding too ethereal or philosophical, our attitude sets the stage and becomes
the foundation for producing positive outcomes. William James said it this way “Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes
of their minds, can change the outer aspects
of their lives.” Every one of us possesses an
un-restrainable human freedom; choosing
one’s attitude in any set of circumstances, is
to choose one’s way. As my mom taught me,
“Problems are only opportunities to accomplish the unimaginable.” Our attitude is the
transformative energy of accomplishment.
“...our attitude
sets the stage
and becomes
the foundation
for producing
positive
outcomes.”
The Family Care Connection
01
A Thought or Two
Attitude adjustment begins through cultivating an “attitude of gratitude.” Thankfulness is much more dependent on attitude
than circumstance. No matter how bleak
or painful one’s life situation is, there is always a place for gratitude and thanksgiving. Again, it is a matter of perspective—is
the cup half full or half empty? Remember the pros of Charles Dickens, “Reflect
on your present blessings, of which every
man has many; not on your past or current
misfortunes of which all men have some.”
As we are thrust into one of the most difficult periods of economic turmoil and
international instability our country has
experienced in more than a generation, it
is important to remember to maintain a
Board of Directors
The Family Care Network
is governed by a Board
of Directors who meet
monthly to focus on broad
policy, vision and general
oversight. Our esteemed
Board is made up of the
following volunteers and
our CEO.
02
positive attitude, as tough as that may
be. Gratitude is interlocked with hope,
which serves as a buoy for the human
spirit in difficult times.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an individual
for whom I have tremendous respect
and awe, and whose writings have had
a sobering influence on me. For those
unaware of Mr. Bonhoeffer, he was a
German Lutheran pastor and leader in
the resistance movement against Nazism and anti-Semitism in Germany
during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
He was eventually arrested and cruelly
tortured to death in a public spectacle
in 1945. There are two characteristics of
Jim & Carol Allen
Co-Chairs
Dan Rowe
Vice-Chair
Terri Giacomantonio
Secretary of the Board
Richard Foster
Treasurer
Mike Sparrow
Community
Representative
The Family Care Connection
this courageous man which have played
an influential role in my life. First, he had
tremendous faith which was manifested
in his compassion, concern and undaunted efforts to bring benefit to the less
fortunate and victims of social injustice.
One of his most inspirational comments
for me is this: “The test of the morality of
a society is what it does for its children.”
Second, even though most of his life was
spent in the fires of adversity, Bonhoeffer
was a beacon of optimism, thanksgiving
and gratitude. Consider these powerful
words of his: “In ordinary life we hardly
realize that we receive a great deal more
than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich”, and “The
essence of optimism is that it takes no
account of the present, but it is a source
of inspiration, of vitality and hope where
others have resigned; it enables a man to
hold his head high, to claim the future
for himself and not to abandon it to his
enemy.” What more needs to be said.
Oh, to have the strength of character, a
zeal for life and the optimism of a Dietrich
Bonhoeffer or a Carl Schmitt. But, through
their living examples we have proof that it
is an attainable goal. So I eagerly take the
torch and begin running down the path
with a bold declaration “Isn’t it great to
be alive?!”
Sandra Purdy
Community Representative
Victor Silva-Palacios
State Hospital Representative
Lisa Figg
Foster Parent Liaison
Jim Roberts
CEO/Executive Director
Chuck & Rhonda Pickle
Santa Barbara Committee
Rotating Members
National Adoption Month
The Family
Care Network
Recognizes
National
Adoption
Month
“...one of the
greatest
(successes) is
how fortunate
they both
consider themselves to be
in having found
one another.”
Since 1990, November has been nationally
celebrated as National Adoption Month.
The purpose of celebrating adoption is to
provide a national awareness for the ongoing need for adoptive families, to celebrate
adopted children, and to call our nation to
action to ensure the safety, permanency and
wellbeing of all of our children.
Here at the Family Care Network, we work
everyday to assist the foster and high-needs
children and youth we serve in securing permanency, including recruiting and providing
adoptive foster homes. During the month of
November, the agency will celebrate 11 successful adoptions. The following story depicts one of these successes. We hope you
enjoy reading Joel’s story and that it encourages you to learn more about how you can
support adoption in our community.
Joel* came to the Family Care Network when
he was only six years old. Both of his parents
had passed away in an automobile accident
and he had no other family to take care of
him. His first placement with the agency
was into an Emergency Shelter home. Sadly,
due to his parent’s sudden death, Joel dealt
with many behavioral issues which made it
difficult for him to get along with adults,
including his Shelter parents and teachers.
Worried about his failing grades and his
unwillingness to following directions, Joel
was referred to the agency’s Therapeutic
Behavioral Services (TBS) with the hope that
his behaviors could be improved and he
wouldn’t be sent to a group home.
Once in TBS, Joel was matched with a male
In-Home Support Counselor (IHC), Ben. Joel
and Ben began working together on ways
that Joel could communicate better and express his needs to others more appropriately.
It was hard at first for Ben to earn Joel’s trust,
but with time, patience and consistency,
Joel was soon listening to Ben and working hard to follow his example. At school,
Joel learned how to follow directions and
take space when he felt himself becoming
overwhelmed. At home, Joel’s foster parents
were able to support him in his efforts to
communicate better by setting up a rewards
system and following through with consistent consequences.
Soon, Joel was stabilized enough in his behaviors that TBS services could be reduced
and his team could begin working on placing him in an adoptive home. When his
Social Worker began to explore different
placement options for Joel, Ben expressed
his desire to adopt Joel, sharing how special
Joel was to him and how he really treasured
the close and caring relationship the two
had built. For Ben, becoming Joel’s adoptive
dad seemed like a natural step to take. The
team and Joel were delighted with Ben’s decision and soon everyone was working hard
to make the adoption possible.
Ben’s adoption of Joel will be final this
coming winter. The two are currently being
served by the Family Care Network’s Wraparound Program in order to make sure that
the transition from foster placement to adoptive placement is a smooth one for the new
little family. While there are many parts of
this story that both Joel and Ben think are
successes, one of the greatest is how fortunate they both consider themselves to be
in having found one another. Additionally,
Joel’s grades have significantly improved and
he now states that he looks forward to doing
his homework each night with his adoptive
dad. And at the ripe ol’ age of eight, Joel is
already looking forward to following in Ben’s
footsteps by becoming an IHC.
*Names of clients and photos are fictitious to
protect their identity.
The Family Care Connection
03
Events
Spreading Real Joy This Christmas
Every December the
Family Care Network
opens its doors to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas with the children,
youth and families it
serves by holding two
Christmas Open House
events. These events are
a time of real togetherness, as we share special
treats, participate in fun
crafts and enjoy holiday entertainment. But these Open House events
aren’t just holiday parties, for underneath the
party atmosphere lies the true joy that we as
an agency celebrate—the joy of working in
partnership with our community to gift those
we serve with a true Christmas celebration
they might not otherwise have. The reality
is that for many Christmas is not always a
time of celebration, but rather it can be a
time of uncertainty, loneliness and hopelessness as they face a holiday without their
family, a stable home or financial security.
For over 20 years, the Family Care Network,
directly guided by our mission “To enhance
the wellbeing of children and families in
partnership with our community,” has been
dedicated to bringing the miracle of Christmas into the lives of every person we serve
to combat these harsh realities. By partnering with our community for our Sponsor a
Child for Christmas gift gathering effort and
our annual Christmas Open House events,
the agency and the community work handin-hand to make the Christmas wishes of
those we serve come true.
Sponsor a Child for Christmas
Since late September, staff and generous
volunteers have been busy working on the
annual Sponsor a Child for Christmas effort, mobilizing the community to fulfill the
Christmas Wish Lists for the over 450 children, youth and families the agency will
serve this December. As a completely community-sponsored event, Sponsor a Child for
Christmas is a unique way for our community to remind children, youth and families
that they belong to a community that truly
cares about them and their needs.
04
Annual Christmas Open House
The agency offers those we serve a truly
memorable Christmas experience by hosting
two Annual Christmas Open House events;
one for San Luis Obispo County and another
for Santa Barbara County. At the Christmas
Open House events, staff and the community
again partner together to provide holiday-inspired treats, as well as child-friendly activities like face painting and cookie decorating. Santa and Mrs. Claus are also on hand,
so parents are encouraged to bring their
cameras. This year’s San Luis Obispo event
will include a performance by the Claddagh
School of Irish Dance. Both Christmas Open
House events are open to the public and offer the community a great way to personally
impact a child’s Christmas experience.
• The San Luis Obispo County’s Christmas
Open House will be held on Thursday, December 11th from 3:00-6:30pm at the SLO
Nazarene Church.
• The Santa Barbara County’s Christmas
Open House will be held on Friday, December 5th from 6:00-9:00pm at the Church of
the Nazarene in Santa Maria.
• For more information on these two events,
please contact the agency at 781-3535.
The Family Care Network urges you to remember the true meaning of Christmas this
year by Sponsoring a Child for Christmas or
by volunteering your services or goods at
one of our annual Christmas Open House
events. By partnering with our agency, you
can touch the lives of children, youth and
families in need, reminding hundreds that
Christmas really is a season of miracles.
For information on how you can
participate in Sponsor a Child for
Christmas or how you can volunteer at one of the Annual Christmas
Open House events, please contact
the agency at 781-3535 or visit our
website at FCNI.org.
The Family Care Connection
How the
Sponsor a
Child for
Christmas
Effort Works:
• Each Family Care Net-
work child and family
writes out their Christmas
wishes on a Wish List card.
• Every Wish List card
is then presented to the
community in order for
an individual to select
it and commit to fulfilling the wishes. When an
individual commits to
fulfilling a card, they can
do this on their own or
enlist help from their
friends and family.
• Once a Wish List card
has been fulfilled, all
unwrapped gifts are delivered to a Family Care
Network office. Gifts
intended for San Luis
Obispo County recipients
should be delivered to our
San Luis Obispo office and
gifts intended for Santa
Barbara County recipients
should be delivered to our
Santa Maria office.
• Once the gifts are re-
ceived by the agency,
teams of elves (made up
of staff and volunteers)
wrap everything to be delivered to clients.
Caring for Clients
Adopt a Family Program
In the current state of economic uncertainly, it is especially inspiring to hear stories
of people giving of themselves to help those in need. One such story at the Family Care Network involves the creative and generous people at First Presbyterian
Church of San Luis Obispo. Over the summer, First Presbyterian’s Associate Pastor,
Andrew Rock, and Director of High School Ministries, Brian Gonzalez, approached
the Family Care Network with their idea to start a new ministry within their church
called Adopt a Family. The program’s purpose would be to help their congregation
grow together by serving outwardly, and would involve connecting willing church
members with Family Care Network families in need. Since the program’s inception, both the agency and volunteering church members have benefitted from the
unique relationship that has developed.
The inspiration behind the Adopt a Family effort stemmed from Pastor Rock’s and
Gonzalez’s desire to help their congregation grow together by serving outwardly.
Once Andrew and Brian had an idea of what they wanted to do, they approached
the Family Care Network and inquired about the needs of its families. Tim
Carscaden, an In-Home Support Counselor with the agency and a member of First
Presbyterian, helped to connect the church with the agency’s Wraparound Program. In partnership with the agency, program guidelines were set, which entailed
a First Presbyterian group serving an agency Wraparound family for the duration of
one year. The type of ‘service’ to be provided would be agreed upon by both the
‘adopted’ family and the First Presbyterian volunteers, but would most likely include projects such as car repair, home improvement, gardening and other needed
services.
Since being matched with a Wraparound family, the volunteer church group has
had two contacts with their adopted family, both of which went very well. On
their first scheduled work day with their adopted family, volunteers helped plant a
garden, clean and organize the kitchen and install a bed. Pastor Gonzalez said that
“The day could not have gone any better.” As the family expressed their gratitude to
the church members, the team reflected on how thankful they were that they could
serve in such a capacity. The second project completed for the family, initiated by
the Senior High group at First Presbyterian, involved the teens purchasing seven
days of gifts for the family with the instructions that they were to open one gift a
day for seven days. Gifts ranged from candles to school supplies to blankets. The
next workday is scheduled for November and will include such projects as painting
and replacing interior doors to help the family prepare for a future housing inspection.
“...go and serve
with no strings
attached, no
agenda, and
give without
condition.”
The Pastors state that the heart of the Adopt a Family program is the concept that
“Love Wins.” It is the desire of First Presbyterian to go and serve with “no strings
attached, no agenda, and to give without condition.” Church members know that
under the agency’s guidelines they are not allowed to evangelize, further confirming their ultimate goal to serve out of the pure motive to help and care for another,
believing that simple projects of service can do more to change a person’s heart
than larger more complex programs.
Due to the immediate success of this Adopt a Family program, the Family Care Network is hopeful that other churches and community groups will consider adopting
more agency families, as it has many families who could benefit from additional
help and support. The Adopt a Family program is flexible and can be altered to
serve the needs of specific families and the community group wishing to serve. If
you would like more information about the Adopt a Family program, please contact Julie Wilson at [email protected] or 805-706-0542.
The Family Care Connection
05
Event Recap
Wholly Jazz
The 5th Annual Taste of the Central Coast
At the 5th annual Taste of the Central Coast, the Family Care Network
celebrated 21 years of serving the
community. Held on September 14th,
this year’s event was truly remarkable,
bringing together a sold out crowd of
nearly 350 community members, 100
volunteers, and numerous restaurants,
wineries, sponsors and donors, all
working together to enhance the wellbeing of children, youth and families in
our community.
“...the Taste of
the Central
Coast once
again proved
itself to be a
premier
event...”
06
This year’s Taste of the Central Coast
featured twenty-three top savory and
pastry chefs from establishments such
as Windows on the Water, Lido and
Éclair Bakery, as well as sixteen wineries and breweries such as Castoro
Cellars and Firestone Walker Brewing
Company. Held for the fifth consecutive
year at the Cypress Ridge Pavilion in
The Family Care Connection
Arroyo Grande, guests enjoyed beautiful Central Coast weather while
listening to the live music of Wholly
Jazz. The event also included a silent and
live auction, which featured once-in-alifetime experiences such as a Renaissance Feast fit for a king at Eagle Castle
Winery, as well as luxurious vacations
to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and
the Monterey Plaza Hotel. This year’s
emcees were again local radio personalities, Chad and Andy from Cat Country
96.1. The auction was presented by the
auctioneering team of Maximum Benefit
Auctions, featuring Dr. J Scott Vernon. By
combining fine food, wine, music and
the community, the Taste of the Central
Coast once again proved itself to be a
premier event supporting local foster
and high-needs children and families.
Event Recap
“The Family Care Network thanks
everyone who participated in this
special event...”
The afternoon event also afforded the agency
the opportunity to spotlight two dedicated
and remarkable community members with
the Circle of Serving award: Mrs. Phyllis
Madonna and Mr. Jim Diani. Both Mrs.
Madonna and Mr. Diani have served the
community selflessly for many years. Mrs.
Madonna, co-owner of the Madonna Inn,
has worked tirelessly to provide hope to
women and children on the Central Coast by
donating her time, energy and resources to
those in need. Mr. Diani, likewise, has a long
history of working to build a quality community that is conducive to healthy children and
strong families. We thank the Central Coast
community for joining us as we honored
these two extraordinary individuals.
The agency also honored special guest, Jane
Russell, at the event. While Ms. Russell may
be best known for her starring role in films
like “The Outlaw” and “Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes,” her legacy extends far beyond
the silver screen into the hearts of the over
38,000 children who have found “forever
families” as a result of her tireless efforts in
adoption and foster care reform. Thank you,
Ms. Russell, for providing a voice to the
voiceless.
Jim Roberts (left) and Jane Russell
The Family Care Network thanks everyone who participated in this special event,
including those who worked behind the
scenes to make the event a success. You all
have positively impacted the lives of children and families in our community and we
look forward to seeing you next year at the
Taste of the Central Coast!
The Family Care Network extends a big
thank you to this year’s Taste of the Central
Coast sponsors—Bryan J. Crawford from
Charles Schwab, McCarthy’s Wholesale and
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital.
Jim Roberts (left), Phyllis Madonna and Jim Diani
The Family Care Connection
07
Community Connection
Back to School BBQs Bless Family
Care Network Clients
This August, the children, youth and families served by the Family Care Network were
blessed with two amazing back-to-school
BBQs. The first of which was hosted by Ryan
Chambers and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s
AGO fraternity on August 16th at Meadow
Park in San Luis Obispo. The second was
hosted by Mike Suden and Vandenberg Air
Force Base’s Flight Test Squadron 576 on
August 17th. Both groups took it upon themselves to help support the educational needs
of those we serve by not only giving them
a fun-filled end-of-the-summer BBQ event,
but by also giving away free school supplies
to all children and youth in attendance.
Prior to both BBQs, motivated individuals
spent weeks collecting school supplies to be
distributed to agency clients, including: pencil sharpeners, binder paper, mini-staplers,
pens, colored pencils, glue sticks and other
school essentials. The groups were also able
to gift brand new backpacks to every child
in need of one.
At the BBQs, guests were invited to enjoy
a bounce house, games (such as a water
balloon toss, basketball, football and horseshoes) and a delicious BBQ buffet. Following
the events, both groups commented on how
wonderful it was to hear the many soft spoken “thank you’s” from all the children, not
to mention all of the appreciation expressed
by their parents who attended.
The Family Care Network extends a big
THANK YOU to Ryan Chambers and the men
from AGO, Marianne Fronte and friends, and
Mike Suden and the people of Flight Test
Squadron 576 for their tremendous generosity and commitment to helping the children
youth and families served by our agency. You
all blessed those in need in our community
in a truly remarkable way! We here at the
agency look forward to working with each
of you again next year on these most special
Back-to-School events.
Giving Back: A Mary Kay Party
On October 2nd, staff and clients of the
Family Care Network were treated to an evening of glamour and personal pampering as
they attended a Mary Kay party. The party,
however, wasn’t just about trying the latest
beauty trends. Sylvia, a Mary Kay representative and the party’s host, planned the Mary
Kay party in an effort to raise funds for the
agency’s mission. Having grown up in foster
care, Sylvia wanted to give back to the system that helped her. At the party, Sylvia gave
40% of each of her Mary Kay sales to the
agency, directly supporting the children and
youth it serves.
Shirla Lovegren, a Mary Key director who
worked with Syliva, has since taken up Sylvia’s cause by continuing to give 25% of her
Mary Kay sales to the agency through the
month of November when buyers mention
the Family Care Network. Shirla describes
Sylvia as an “inspiration”, because she has
overcome so many obstacles in her life to
become “a woman of integrity, strong faith,
08
The Family Care Connection
strong work ethic and great courage.” Mary
Kay, a company known for its generous support of local communities, has a philosophy
of making women feel special and building
their confidence and self-esteem. In light
of this philosophy, Shirla explains that supporting an agency such as the Family Care
Network is like “helping the women of the
future…and making a real difference for future generations.”
The agency thanks Sylvia, Shirla and Mary
Kay for their creative partnership and ongoing generosity. We know that together, we
can continue to enhance the lives of those
in need on the Central Coast.
For more information on Mary Kay or to
order product, please contact Shirla Lovegren at (559) 287-4487 or via her website at
www.marykay.com/shirla. If you would like
to know of more ways that your business can
partner with the Family Care Network, please
contact Ken Miles at (805) 781-3535.
Inside the Family Care Network
Thank You to Our
Community Partners!
The agency’s Community Partner’s Program works to help create long term
relationships with local businesses
and organizations who commit to providing services in order to help fulfill
our company’s mission. Thank you
for serving alongside us as we work
together “to enhance the wellbeing
of children and families” living here
on the Central Coast. Your ongoing
support, commitment and compassion
are always greatly appreciated.
Access Foundation
Adrian Krulewecki, DDS
Central Coast Autohaus
The following is a list of needed items and
open volunteer opportunities that we are
asking to be filled by community members
who are interested in supporting our mission “to enhance the wellbeing of children
and families” in need.
Community
Wish List
• Welcome baskets for independent
living teens
• Bathroom scales
• Bicycles and helmets (for Adults)
• Twin beds
• Twin bed sized bedding
• Bath towels
• Diapers (all sizes) and baby care products
• Volunteers for Christmas Open House events
• Male mentors
• Tutors
• Reading specialist
If you would like more information on any of the items listed here or if you would
like to know more about ways you can partner with the Family Care Network,
please contact Ken Miles at (805) 781-3535 or at [email protected].
Continental Motor Works
Exploration Station
Food Bank Coalition
Idler’s Appliance
Jiffy Lube
Welcome to our Newest Hires
(October-November)
Lyons Auto Repair
McCarthy Wholesale
Mark’s Plumbing
Mike’s Shoes
New Life Painting/DreamMaker
Bath and Kitchen
New Tyes
North County Christian School
Thrift Shop Mall
Old Mission School Thrift Shop
Pickle Auto Repair
RDE Mortgage Company
Ron Barbieri, DDS
Salvation Army
Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center
Union Asphalt
VTC Enterprises
Wayne’s Tires
Marjorie Barrietos In-Home Support Counselor
Matthew Coy Facilities Maintenance Clerk
Mayra Gonzalez Social Worker
Jennifer Hall In-Home Support Counselor
Lyndal Hayes In-Home Support Counselor
Etta Marie Hughes Youth Development Specialist
Jennifer Loux In-Home Support Counselor
Clairol Lozano In-Home Support Counselor
Terence McCoy In-Home Support Counselor
Tiffany Moenoa In-Home Support Counselor
Yesenia Mora Social Worker
Veronica Moreno In-Home Support Counselor
Ashley Neumann In-Home Support Counselor
Molly Pendley In-Home Support Counselor
Kelsey Remple In-Home Support Counselor
Jean Reyes In-Home Support Counselor
Alyssa Rogers In-Home Support Counselor
Rechelle Sumajit In-Home Support Counselor
Ruby Trejo In-Home Support Counselor
The Family Care Connection
09
THE
Family Care
Connection
Fall 2008
Fam
‘87
‘07
20 Years
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
PERMIT NO.361
.
i
N ly C
et are c
work, In
Family Care Network, Inc.
3765 South Higuera Street, Suite 100
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Coming Attractions
Annual Holiday Open House Events—Free Admission
Come celebrate the holidays with the community while enjoying food, holiday crafts, family entertainment and visiting with Santa!
Santa Barbara County Open House—Fri., Dec. 5th from 6–9pm at the Church of the Nazarene, 1026 Sierra Madre Ave., Santa Maria
SLO County Open House—Thurs., Dec. 11th from 3–6:30pm at the San Luis Obispo Nazarene Church, 3396 Johnson Ave., SLO
The Polar Express Night—December 7th at Sylvester Winery, Paso Robles
Enjoy a special reading of The Polar Express aboard the historic Pullman train cars as well as holiday treats, a musical performance by
“The Uncommonne Carolers” and a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus! There will also be wine and cheese tasting for adults. For the
first year, this event is open to the public. Admission is free for Family Care Network clients and their families, but $5 per child and $15
per adult for the general public. Funds raised through ticket sales at the event will benefit the Family Care Network.
For General Public tickets, please call Sylvester Winery at (805) 227-4000
Family Care Network Children and Families: To claim your free tickets, please call (805) 706-0507
Readings at 4:30pm (Reserved for FCNI children & families), 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Hosted by Sylvester Winery – 5115 Buena Vista Drive, Paso Robles
“The Uncommonne Carolers” Choir Concert—Thursday, December 23rd at 7:00pm
Enjoy the music of “The Uncommonne Carolers,” a choir of twelve dressed in Victorian costumes, as they share the sounds of the season
a cappella style. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $15 for preferred seating. All funds raised at this event will benefit the Family
Care Network. For tickets call Linda Wilson at (805) 543-1551.
Hosted by Thalia Productions at the San Luis Obispo Mission – 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
The Family Care Connection is a quarterly publication of
The Family Care Network, Inc. It is designed as a communications tool to give a snapshot of the programs and services
we provide, and to distribute useful information to those
who work with children and families.
AGENCY’S SERVICES
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