|
From the Desk of Bob Simmons, Executive Director
|
| What Proposed NC Budgets Could Mean For Children And Families |
|
|
|
The NC House released its proposed budget in mid-May and the NC Senate released its proposed budget in mid-June. Now the chambers will work to reconcile the differences.
In general, the House proposal is not generous to children and families and the Senate proposal is even less generous. Both continue a pattern of cutting taxes on those who can most afford to pay and cutting services to those who most need the help.
There are some positive developments in the two budget proposals, including identical increases in funding for Nurse Family Partnership programs and increases in the age of foster care (21 in the Senate and 19 in the House), but the negative far outweighs the positive.
Here are three examples of critical differences between the House and Senate proposals:
- While the House came up with $5 million to replace non-recurring funding and to maintain the current level of NC Pre-K, the Senate allocates only $2.3 million, resulting in the loss of 520 seats for low-income children.
- The same penny-wise and pound-foolish theme holds true in the Senate's lack of adequate funding for K-12 schools, where $223 million of cuts over the next two years removes 13,881 teaching assistants from the State's classrooms. The House funds these positions.
- The Senate also cuts $185 million from the agencies providing mental health services. Mental health services for our children are already inadequate and these proposed cuts appear to demonstrate a disregard for the welfare of the State's children, especially the State's least affluent children. The House funds these services.
Read more about the proposed budgets here
|
|
|
|
Third Annual Young Professionals Mixer
|
|
July 22, 2015
Fillmore Charlotte
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 pm
Join the Young Ambassadors Group and young professionals from 15 other local non-profits for an evening of music, fun, and connecting. Tickets are just $10
Learn more and purchase tickets HERE!
|
|
September 17, 2015
Mint Museum Uptown
|
| Hosted by the Young Ambassadors Group of the Council and one of our most popular events, this trivia themed event takes place on September 17th at the Mint Museum. Proceeds will go to support CFCR programs that benefit children in need. Corporate sponsorships are available at a variety of levels and provide a perfect opportunity for your employees and guests to connect and learn more about our community in an atmosphere of fun and friendly competition. Find out how your company can participate here. We'd love to have you join us! |
| 
Congratulations to CFCR board president, Ed O'Keefe, on being named the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year by the Charlotte chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
Each year the AFP honors individuals, groups, organizations and businesses that, through their hard work and dedication, have enhanced philanthropy, their communities and the world. Ed was nominated this year by several organizations, including the United Way of Central Carolinas and Council for Children's Rights, for his philanthropic efforts and leadership on their behalf.
Read more at the web site
|
|
Volunteer Training Now Online
|
Our Custody Advocacy Program (CAP) on-site live training sessions take place once or twice a year, depending on need and demand. But now you don't have to wait for training. For those who are not able to attend the live session, want to get started sooner or who wish to refresh their knowledge and skills, on-line videotape training is now available year round.
The online training consists of 7 sessions, each approximately 1 hour in length. Once approved, you will receive all handouts, instructions and a link to the video playlist. Contact Ann Dorsett volunteer coordinator, for more information.
|
Council for Children's Rights has selected its board of directors for the 2015-2016 year. Ed O'Keefe (Moore & Van Allen) will continue to serve as president until the end of 2015 at which time, Brandon Lofton (Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.) will assume the president role.
While we welcome new member Dana Christian (RoundPoint Financial Group), we also take a moment to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of four outgoing members: Michael Rose, Martha Schmitt, Bruce Steen and Barbara Spradling. Over the years, each has been an outstanding partner in the work and has served multiple terms on the Council's board. We are grateful for their dedication and passion for the mission of the Council and for their generous gifts of time, talent and treasure.
A complete listing of the 2015-2016 board is available at our web site.
|
|
 |
|
|
CFCR Names New
Director of Development
|
|
Amy Tribble Assumed New Role on July 6
|
Council for Children's Rights is pleased to announce that Amy Tribble has joined us as the Council's new director of development.
This move marks a return to the agency for Tribble, who had previously led our development program from 2002-2011. "I am incredibly honored and thrilled to be returning to Council for Children's Rights," she stated. "I welcome the opportunity to work side by side with our talented board and staff, generous donors, volunteers, friends, and indispensable public and private partners to assure the health and success of our entire community - the kind of health and success made possible only when all children grow up safe, healthy, and educated."
A fundraiser and administrator with nearly 20 years' experience in non-profit arts, health and human service sectors, Amy most recently served as director of development for the Men's Shelter of Charlotte. She began her duties at the Council on July 6. Welcome back, Amy!
Read more here.
|
|
Need Doesn't Take A Vacation
|
| 
Legal record boxes. Children's books to use as incentives and rewards. School uniform polo shirts. Legal pads. Small items that we use daily, distribute when we can. If you visit the Council's gift shop at #summershareCLT.org or follow the link to Amazon.com, you'll find these and other items on the Council's Wish List. Some - file folders and copy paper - are things we use every day. Others, like books for children and young adults, are items that tight budgets don't always have room for but that make a big difference in the work we do for children.  The idea behind #summershareCLT - a two week campaign (July 13-26) - is simple: need doesn't take a vacation. Spearheaded by the good folks at ShareCharlotte, #summershareCLT hopes to underscore the importance of year-round giving. When you visit the "gift shop" you can browse the wish lists of over 40 local non-profits (including the Council for Children's Rights). Whether you choose to donate items from our frequently updated Amazon Wish list or make a financial contribution, know that your support makes a difference and is deeply appreciated.
You can also make #summershareCLT a big success by helping us get the word out to others who may wish to donate:
- Like us on Facebook and share our #summershareCLT posts
- Follow us on Twitter and retweet our #summershareCLT tweets.
|
|
Every Monday for the past several years, Council staff could count on opening their email and finding a quote for the week from managing attorney, Robert McCarter. It could be Baudelaire, Langston Hughes, or the Moody Blues - whatever struck Robert's fancy or struck a chord with recent events. It inspired, cajoled, made us think, made us laugh.
Last Monday, July 5, there was no quote. Robert McCarter announced in June that he had decided the time was right and he would retire on June 30 after a long and distinguished law career.
A graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law, Robert's career included serving as the Associate County Attorney for Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, representing the Department of Social Services in all juvenile proceedings. Closer to home, he was a co-founder of The Children's Law Center, which later merged with the Council for Children to form the Council for Children's Rights in 2006.
After a number of years in private practice, Robert tried to retire, but was soon drawn back to the work of representing the rights of children. In January 2008, he joined Council for Children's Rights as a part-time attorney on the Custody Advocacy Team and later, in March 2013, was appointed managing attorney overseeing three teams of attorneys, advocates, paralegals, and support staff. When the Council found itself without an executive director this past fall, the board turned to Robert and he graciously agreed to serve in an interim capacity during the ED search process.
"Robert has spent his legal career improving the lives of children in our community," shared Bob Simmons, CFCR executive director. "From his participation in the founding of the Children's Law Center to his willingness to come out of retirement to serve as the Council's Managing Attorney and then as Interim Executive Director, Robert has helped build and maintain the Council as a leading champion for children's rights. We will miss his warm humor and inspirational commitment around the office every day, but we are happy that he will continue in his re-retirement as a regular volunteer and a constant friend for us all."
In his farewell note to the staff, Robert left us with this parting thought. "When you and I and all of us who do this work are asked why we do it, we say 'it's rewarding' or 'it's meaningful' or something else along those lines. We don't really know how else to tell folks about the incredible highs, lows and inbetweens that we experience day after day. We learn about life first hand by being included in other people's lives. Their lives are unlike our own but equally as human. How lucky we are to be able to experience that, both high and low."
How lucky so many children in our community are today because of the years of hard work and passionate advocacy Robert McCarter gave on their behalf. We send him into a well-deserved "retirement" with our thanks, best wishes and a quote -- an old Irish Blessing he shared with us all this past spring:
"May your blessings out-number
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go."
|
|
|
|
|
|
