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Dear Florida Network Friends,
 
Summer is officially in full swing! This season can be a relaxing time to enjoy the warm weather for many, but it also can be very difficult for some families.
 
With school out and more time spent at home, there tends to be a rise in family issues during the summertime. And without school lunches and programs, some families may struggle to make ends meet. If you or someone you know is looking for a safe place for youth to go, please visit our website to find help near you.
 
We strive to prepare our agencies and shelters as much as possible so that if and when natural disasters inevitably hit the state, our youth remain safe and sound. As you keep reading, you will find more information about how to prepare.
 
We hope you and your family have a great summer!
 
Keep the faith,
 
Stacy Gromatski, Ed.S.
President and CEO
Florida Network of Youth and Family Services

IT'S HURRICANE SEASON: ARE YOU PREPARED?


 
It's officially hurricane season - are you prepared? If you are one of our member agencies and you experience a tropical storm/hurricane this season, please go online to dashboard.floridanetwork.org and complete the "Pre-Storm" and/or "Post-Storm" forms. Call our office if you are in need of assistance: 850-922-4324.

General tips from Ready.gov:
- Know where to go if evacuation is necessary.
- Turn on emergency notification alerts for your area.
- Have a disaster supply kit prepared with a flashlight,  batteries, cash,  first 
aid supplies and copies of your critical  information  if you need to evacuate.


LEGISLATIVE VISITS

Check out our blog post about legislative visits to our agencies and shelters. As legislators visit our member agencies throughout the summer, we will add their visits to this blog post.

Stacy Gromatski, Sen. Aaron Bean, Kim Sirdevan
June 6, 2017 - Sen. Aaron Bean visited Youth Crisis Center

FLORIDA JUVENILE JUSTICE ASSOCIATION BOARD RETREAT





Florida Network President and CEO Stacy Gromatski attended the Florida Juvenile Justice Association Board Retreat last month. Here are her comments on the event: 

"It was a pleasure to attend the FJJA Board Retreat in Sarasota on June 26-28. It was a full agenda, discussing matters of importance to the entire juvenile justice continuum. Under the leadership of the Chairman of the Board, Pam Alvarez and an engaged and committed Board of Directors, the organization is well positioned to successfully take on many challenges and opportunities over the next few months. The Florida Network is a proud association member of the FJJA and I am looking forward to pursuing future strategic alliances that will benefit all of Florida's children."
 
NOTEWORTHY NETWORK MEMBERS


Tampa Housing Authority
Tampa Housing Authority is dedicated to providing quality affordable housing, facilities and supportive services to families in the Tampa area. Thank you for all of your hard work! 
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Arnette House in Ocala, Florida provides programs and services to strengthen families by providing skills and knowledge to help improve life at home. We appreciate your dedication! 
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Sarasota YMCA, we thank you for being a place of escape and refuge for youth in need in the Sarasota Community! We are proud of you for making sure #TheNetworkWorks!


At Sarasota YMCA 's end of the year meeting, their staff was recognized for their hard work and dedication to their clients and families! This staff lived out their theme of the year, 'family,' by supporting each other, offering guidance and processing concerns. 

BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT


Meet  Cynthia Handley , our board member of the month! She  has maintained an active role in Brevard County civic life. She was chairman of Crosswinds Youth Services and served on the Crosswinds Capital Campaign Committee. 


In the Musings from Tallahassee section, a team member will share their thoughts on a variety of topics from life lessons to cooking to favorite memories advocating on behalf of Florida's youth and families. Today's musings are from Florida Network Data Analyst Jeniffer Abdullah!

From Intern to Staff Member

The same day that I walked across the stage and celebrated earning both a Master of Social Work and Master of Business Administration, I accepted a new role at the Florida Network. The following weekend, I went to the beach and then drove home with my cousins to Lawrenceville, Georgia.

One week after graduating, I returned back to Tallahassee to begin my new role at the Network as Data Analyst.

In some ways, I felt like I was continuing my internship. Kirk was still my supervisor. I still viewed Lauren and Tiffany as mentors rather than coworkers. I was still working with data. In other ways, the stark contrast between the roles of intern and young professional was evident. In a short period of time, I went from sending emails to the Network team to responding to agencies that were now asking me questions and answering the phone. I went from going to class after my weekly 32-hour internship to now going to the gym and joining an Ultimate Frisbee team after work.

Advancing into a new role has also introduced a few steep learning curves, but I'm confident that I'll be able to overcome them and be able to strengthen my ability to be an asset to this team with time.

As I reflect on the musing that I wrote as an intern, I realize how many opportunities for success the folks in this office have given me. On the surface, I was afforded the chance to work here. On a deeper level, though, the Florida Network team has given me invaluable support and created an ideal environment for my personal and professional growth at this stage of my life. From conversations with Celia and Michelle about my goals to Megan, Jess, and Terry answering 1,000 questions about JJIS, I'm very appreciative to be here.

Issa Rae tweeted this morning that she "didn't become a morning person until [she] started doing what [she] loved", and that is my goal as I continue to grow in this role at the Network. 

OPERATION FUTURE GRADUATION
Photos by: Alfreda Funnye

Have you seen our new photos from the last day of our 2017 Annual Meeting? We enjoyed watching and applauding young, future graduates. Thank you, Alfreda Funnye, for taking these amazing pictures!




To see more photos, please visit our Annual Meeting photo album on Facebook, and to read more about this event, please visit our blog!
 
MEMBER AGENCY AND SHELTER EVENTS

We're offering our members a spot in our newsletter for events. If you're one of our 29 agencies and 28 shelters and have an event coming up, email Michelle at michelle@floridanetwork.org to be featured here.
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Center for Family & Child Enrichment  and Miami Bridge  were featured in Miami's Community Newspapers for their recent accomplishments at our Annual Meeting. Center for Family & Child Enrichment received Agency of the Year and Miami Bridge's Jimmy Brown received Youth Care Worker of the Year. Check out the article here.

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Click on the image above to find more information.
 
CDS Family and Behavioral Health Services, Inc. is hosting an Enhanced Summer Residential Program for 10-17-year-olds. The program includes activities to improve communications, increase self-esteem, learn leadership skills and become empowered to make better choices. The "Why Try?" curriculum will be implemented throughout the different activities. 
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Click on the image above to find more information.

SNAP (Stop Now And Plan) is an award winning evidence-based program for boys and girls ages 6-11 with behavioral problems. CDS Family and Behavioral Health Services, Inc. will be hosting SNAP classes at their locations this summer. 
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CDS Family and Behavioral Health and Services, Inc. will also be hosting Family Action Counseling for children ages 6-17. The goal is to strengthen communities by strengthening families. 
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Lutheran Services of Florida's shelter,  Lippman Youth Shelter, has recently created several events for their youth. Interview for Success is held every Monday of the month, Master Chef Cook-off is the third Sunday of every month, Staff vs. Youth is the last Friday of the month and Make Over Day quarterly on Wednesday. 

 
Make Over Day: The youth got their hair done and attended a free concert on the Hollywood Beach boardwalk. They thought it was amazing and loved their make over!

 
We now have an Instagram! We would appreciate it if you gave us a follow @FloridaNetwork!

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