Join our Junior Board of Directors and friends of the Agency on Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. at SoulCycle in Greenwich for “Cycle for the Community,” an engaging cycling workout that benefits both the mind and body. This event, sponsored by the Junior Board of Directors, will support Homeless Services at Family & Children’s Agency. Together, we can ride as one to make a difference in the community!

Tickets are available now!

Tickets include shoe rental fees. Raffle tickets will also be at available at the event to win 5 class spin series at SoulCycle in Greenwich.

Rock Star Ticket (one seat and gift bag)–$50

Legend Sponsor (one seat, gift bag, and ten raffle tickets)–$250

Warrior Sponsor (one seat, gift bag, and five raffle tickets)–$100

Please contact Janina Castiglia, Manager, Development & Marketing, at jcastiglia@fcagency.org or (203)-523-5719 with any questions.

What does “build” mean to you?

Students in the After School Program at Family & Children’s Agency will have the opportunity to interpret what this means to them through the art of photography.

Students in the program will participate in a six-week photography class led by local photographer Ron Landis. Their work will be featured in an exhibit, “Build”, at River Road Gallery in Wilton beginning June 6. A reception open to the public will be held that day from 4 to 8 p.m. for the exhibit opening.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to not only explore photography, but see their work on display and enjoyed by others,” said Jennifer Barahona, Director of Youth Development at Family & Children’s Agency.

The After School Program provides a safe and structured atmosphere for 50 Norwalk middle school youth to improve academic performance, develop character, and promote healthy peer interactions and lifestyles. Students meet after school five days per week at the Norwalk Community College campus.

On Wednesday, April 24, the Weston Women’s League will host the Annual Family Support & Prevention Baby Shower at Norwalk City Hall. The Weston Women’s League has hosted this event since 2008 providing lunch, crafts and gifts for pregnant mothers and mothers of newborns participating in the Prevention programs at Family & Children’s Agency. Approximately 33 pregnant or new mothers involved in the Prevention programs will be in attendance.

“The Weston Women’s League has done a tremendous amount of work to secure donations such as high chairs and swings, which will be distributed to clients with the greatest need,” said Mary Kate Locke, Director of Family Support & Prevention and Adoption. “This day is a lovely celebration for these women about becoming a parent.”

Family Support & Prevention services at Family & Children’s Agency provides support and guidance to parents and their young children through the Nurturing Family Network, Fatherhood Initiative, Maternal Outreach and Mentoring Service (MOMS) program, Healthy Start and Child FIRST.

To learn more or to donate, please contact Mary Kate Locke, Director, Family Support & Prevention and Adoption, at (203) 523-5754 or email mlocke@facagency.org.

The third week of April is recognized nationwide as the Week of the Young Child, a period to celebrate and focus attention on early childhood programs and services that meet the needs of young children and their families. This year’s theme, as deemed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, is Early Years are Learning Years.

In this spirit, Family Support and Prevention services at Family & Children’s Agency Hosted its 2nd Annual Literacy Event for parents and young children involved in Prevention programs on Tuesday, April 16 at Norwalk City Hall. Pear Tree Point Elementary School in Darien held a book drive for the event and will be at Norwalk City Hall to read, make crafts and play games with the children. In addition, each child will receive a tote bag filled with an age-appropriate book and a healthy snack.

If you would like to learn more about Family Support and Prevention services, please contact Mary Kate Locke, Director, Family Support and Prevention and Adoption, at (203) 523-5754 or email mlocke@fcagency.org.

“The only person who can take your goals away is you. We wouldn’t all be here today if we didn’t believe in you.”

Christian Chaparro, 20, graduated the Ansell Casey Life Skills Program along with three other youth.

These were inspirational words spoken by Jean Marie Cahill at the Specialized Foster Care Life Skills graduation, held on Tuesday, March 27 at the Silver Star Restaurant in Norwalk. Jean Marie, along with other members of the Specialized Foster Care staff, honored four graduates: Christian, Destiny, Spencer and Nathalia.

Family & Children’s Agency offers the Ansell Casey Life Skills Program to adolescents in foster care in the Fairfield County area. The 12-month program provides individuals guidance, as well as group support, for youths moving out of the foster care system and into independent living. Referrals to this program are made directly from the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Lorraine Reid and Janeen Reid, Specialized Foster Care staff at the Agency, are certified life-skills trainers through Ansell Casey, whose goal is to provide youth with a set of skills necessary to assist in their transition from DCF care to self-sufficiency. This approach is conducted through a variety of experiential learning approaches.

Before beginning the program, students are evaluated to determine their strengths and weaknesses before entering the program. Then, over the months, they learn skills to become self-sufficient including social relationships, managing their finances, health care, wellness, study skills and setting goals.

The four graduates received their diplomas along with “survival kits,” which included items to remind them of the lessons they learned.

To learn more about Specialized Foster Care, please contact Debbie Tadduni, Director, Specialized Foster Care, at (203) 523-5322 or email dtadduni@fcagency.org.

Click here to watch a video of coverage of the event, taken by It’sRelevant.com of Norwalk!

As a means of deepening our relationship with our corporate partners, friends, and community supporters, we are pleased to announce the Family & Children’s Agency Speaker’s Bureau Series. The Speaker’s Bureau Series entails Family & Children’s Agency subject matter experts from our four core focus areas, children and families, youth, adults, and seniors, to speak to your group over a brown bag lunch series, Lunch & Learn Seminar, webinar, or provide an informational table with brochures.

Potential Speaker’s Bureau topics include:

• How to care for your aging loved one
• How to become a foster parent
• The importance of character education in youth
• How to speak to a child about a tragedy
• What it means to be a mentor
• How you can support those experiencing homelessness in your community
• Parenting education for new mothers and fathers

For more information, please contact Marion Herbert, Manager, Communications, at (203) 523-5777 or email mherbert@fcagency.org.

Prevention Services at Family & Children’s Agency is hosting a Clothing Exchange to support the community at N.E.O.N. on Sunday, March 10 between 2-5 p.m. Please bring a bag of gently used clothing for babies, children, and adults to exchange. If you have any baby items in good condition, please donate them! All clothing items that are not collected will be donated to N.E.O.N. and Goodwill.

N.E.O.N

98 South Main Street

Norwalk, CT

For more information, please contact Mary Kate Lock, Director, Adoption & Prevention Services, at (203) 523-5754 or email mlocke@fcagency.org.

This event was originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8, but was postponed due to Winter Storm Nemo.

Learn about U.S. and International adoption opportunities. Everything you need to know to get started. There is no fee for the meeting, but advance registration is required.

Hartford Dates:

Monday, January 7
Monday, February 4
Monday, March 4
Monday, April 1
Monday, May 6
Monday, June 3
Monday, July 1
Monday, August 5
Monday, September 9
Monday, October 7
Monday, November 4
Monday, December 2

TIME: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

LOCATION: 151 New Park Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106

REGISTRATION: Register online or contact Jane Coughlin at  (860) 586-2365 or via email at jcoughlin@fcagency.org.

Norwalk Dates: 

DATES:
Thursday, January 24
Thursday, February 21
Thursday, March 21
Thursday, April 18
Thursday, May 23
Thursday, June 13
Thursday, July 11
Thursday, August 22
Thursday, September 19
Thursday, October 17
Thursday, November 14
Thursday, December 12

TIME: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

LOCATION: 9 Mott Avenue, 4th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06850

REGISTRATION: Register online or Contact Mary Kate Locke at (203) 523-5754 or via email at mlocke@fcagency.org.

Adoption 101

On a quarterly basis, Family & Children’s Agency hosts Adoption 101, a full-day educational session, for parents who are in the home study process at Family & Children’s Agency. Pre-registration is required.

DATES:
Friday, February 15, 2013

Friday, June 7, 2013

Friday, October 4, 2013

TIME: (For all meetings) 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

LOCATION: (For all meetings) 9 Mott Avenue, 4th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06850

REGISTRATION: Contact Mary Kate Locke at (203) 523-5754 or via email at mlocke@fcagency.org

On a quarterly basis, Family & Children’s Agency hosts Adoption 101, a full-day educational session, for parents who are in the home study process at Family & Children’s Agency. Pre-registration is required.

DATES:
Friday, February 15, 2013

Friday, June 7, 2013

Friday, October 4, 2013

TIME: (For all meetings) 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

LOCATION: (For all meetings) 9 Mott Avenue, 4th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06850

REGISTRATION: Contact Mary Kate Locke at (203) 523-5754 or via email at mlocke@fcagency.org

For the first time since flooding from Tropical Storm Sandy damaged the Agency’s primary service location, the Specialized Foster Care and Homeless Services programs at Family & Children’s Agency has returned to the South Norwalk community on Jan. 28. While returning to South Norwalk is significant for the Agency’s staff to provide comprehensive support to its clients, it is particularly beneficial for clients of the Community Connections Center, a day center providing professional support to those experiencing homelessness, who have sought out services at the Center’s temporary location at Grace Episcopal Church since the storm.

“Relocating back to the South Norwalk community is critical for the Community Connections Center clients,” said Chris Jachino, Director of Homeless Services. “Transportation for clients has been a challenge as the Agency has been supplying bus tokens for the clients to reach Grace Episcopal Church. It’s key that the Community Connection Center will now be in close proximity the local Norwalk shelter. Additionally, the staff can provide more services, such as Earned Benefits Online, for clients with additional computers in an office setting.”

The Agency’s primary service location at 149 Water St. in South Norwalk, which supported Homeless Services, Specialized Foster Care, and Family Support and Intervention, for families in crisis, was left unusable after severe flooding in Tropical Storm Sandy. Due to the longstanding relationship between Family & Children’s Agency and Grace Episcopal Church at 1 Union Park in Norwalk, the Center was able to temporarily relocate to the church to continue services to its clients. In response to the damages at 149 Water St., the Agency established the Family & Children’s Agency’s Sandy Relief Fund to rebuild and support the programs served from that location. The Relief Fund received outstanding support from a variety of area funders, including a major contribution from radio stations STAR 99.9 WEZN, 95.9 The FOX, and 99.1 WPLR of Cox Media Group Connecticut.

“The Agency is thrilled to be moving forward from Tropical Storm Sandy and reestablishing its presence in the South Norwalk community,” said Robert F. Cashel, President & CEO. “We are grateful to Reverend Lois Keen and our friends at Grace Episcopal Church for providing space during this period of transition.”

Family & Children’s Agency supports adult members of the community, and beyond, throughout the life cycle. We build better lives by supporting clients who may be experiencing homelessness. The Community Connections Center is the first step for many clients toward rebuilding their lives. The center is open seven days a week and offers vocational skills training and helps adults learn about federal and state resources available for those experiencing homelessness. The center provides formerly homeless adults the opportunity to learn skills that they require to maintain housing and independent living in the Supportive Housing Program. The overarching goal of the program is to reduce the cycle of homelessness. With no more than 12 clients per case manager, the staff offers full support to clients.

For more information Homeless Services at Family & Children’s Agency, please contact Chris Jachino, Director, Homeless Services, at (203) 505-2046 or email cjachino@fcagency.org.

For more information as to how you can donate to the ongoing Family & Children’s Agency Sandy Relief Fund, please contact Clare Chimento, Vice President, Development & Marketing at (203) 855-8765, email cchimento@fcagency.org, or visit www.FamilyandChildrensAgency.org to make an online donation. Donations to the Agency may also be sent directly to Family & Children’s Agency, Attn: Clare Chimento, 9 Mott Ave., Norwalk, CT 06850.