CORA CONNECTION FEB 2019

CORA CONNECTION

February 2019

You help CORA make a difference!

Another amazing year at CORA Services is well underway. A special thanks to our staff, funders, volunteers and other collaborators who helped make 2018 great. We couldn't continue our highly reputable services to children and families over the course of these past 47 years without you! If you haven't already reviewed our 2018 Community Report , please do so. It provides a thorough recap of our programs and services. As I look over the report, I am reminded of many great successes, tough decisions made on behalf of Philadelphia's young people and all of the work ahead for the entire CORA team, as we embark on new endeavors and continue to provide outstanding service to our children, youth and families.

I'd like to say a special thank you to the Plumbers Union Local 690, GM Financial, and all of those who generously contributed to CORA's annual holiday drive, or made a contribution allowing us to wrap up 2018 on a high note.

One of our areas of focus this year is to remain true to our organization's identity as a resource center for all families. Here are just a few of the upcoming events offered by the agency which may benefit you and your family.

Sincerely,

AnnMarie Schultz, CEO

Calm Down! Pay Attention! Stop! Focus!

Teaching Children Mindfulness

Calm Down! Pay Attention! Stop! Focus! These demands are often made of children across school, home, and community environments. While adults may have good intentions by providing response prompts to help kids pay attention and control their emotions, a critical component is often missing from our efforts.

For example, when an adult tells an upset child to "calm down," the child may be able to identify:

the Who ("he/she is speaking to me")
the What ("he/she is asking me to calm down")
the When ("I need to do this right now")
the Why (because I am crying/yelling, etc.)
But what about HOW

Self-regulatory behaviors including paying attention, calming down, and inhibiting behavior or emotional reactions are often demanded of youth, however, we fail to provide instruction on how to do so. How can we teach children and adolescents to develop self-regulatory mechanisms? Mindfulness-based strategies are one way to help both children and adults develop these important skills. Read the entire article here.

This article was written by Jessica Listino, EdS, NCSP, LBS, RYT , a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Licensed Behavior Specialist, and Registered Yoga Teacher. She works as a school psychologist in CORA's Nonpublic School Services Department. Jessica has completed the Mindful Educator Essentials training of the Mindful Schools Curriculum and she serves on the Programs & Research Committee of the School Mindfulness Project, which aims to bring mindfulness based programming to schools. She provides mindfulness based trainings for educators, in addition to implementing programming in classrooms. Jessica is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in school psychology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine..

Hallmark of CORA - A Caring Work Family

The Recipe for Dedication and Service

One might suggest that a supportive workplace consists of some of the same attributes as a well-functioning family.

With your family, you should feel safe to cry, to learn, and to express uncommon kindness. Safe to cry - that's a must in Good Shepherd organizations because there is so much sadness in some of the difficult situations we encounter in today's world. At Good Shepherd organizations, emotions are never forbidden, and colleagues are always quick to be supportive, never frightened by someone showing his or her "weakness". We recognize that compassion is a rare strength. A workplace family is a place where you are safe to passionately uphold your opinions, share and laugh about your mistakes, and be brave enough to try new things.

At CORA, our core values of Individual Worth, Reconciliation, Mercy and Zeal encourage and empower staff day after day.

Click here to finish this article and read about our staff that recently celebrated service anniversaries.

View our current career opportunities here.


	Last chance to sponsor, click here.

CORA welcomes children and families to visit our 2nd Annual Seussville Celebration on Saturday, March 2, 2019.

Children, grades 1-8, are encouraged to participate in the Art and Writing contest. Entries must be submitted by Monday, February 11th. Younger children are asked to submit artwork depicting a Dr. Seuss scene. Middle School students are asked to compose a Seuss style poem.

Learn more about the Elementary School Art Contest here.

Learn more about the Middle School Writing Contest here.

Contest entries will be reviewed by a CORA committee and finalists will be contacted the week of Feb. 25th. Winners will be announced at CORA's Seussville event on Saturday, March 2nd.

THANK YOU to our Seussville Literacy Sponsors!

Caring Community Sponsors:

Workforce Development Sponsors:

Junto 10

Community Service Hours Available, Volunteer Here!

Support CORA - Get your '19 Seussville Shirt!

You can support Seussville and show your CORA pride by purchasing a t-shirt online!

Other CORA gear is also available for purchase here.

*Chose "Pick Up (flat fee)" to pick up your merchandise at CORA

or you can pay to have it shipped directly to you.

Reflections on Human Trafficking Training

Human trafficking is not only an international problem, but one that exists in many of our own communities where we live and work. Communities need to be informed of trafficking indicators and learn to work collaboratively to identify high-risk areas and illegal businesses that exploit this population. To educate the community and bring awareness to this topic, CORA hosted a professional development workshop entitled "Working with Human Trafficking Victims".

Read the reviews here.

Click here to see the CORA Training Center's Spring Schedule

Coming Soon - Early Years Huntingdon Mills!

In January of 2020, CORA will be opening its third early childhood education center! Early Years at Huntingdon Mills will be located in the Olde Richmond section of Philadelphia in zip code 19125. The new facility will accomodate about 130 children and will feature an inclusion model to accommodate children on the Autism spectrum. Early Years Huntingdon Mills will serve children ages 2 - 5, preparing kids for success in kindergarten .

Our Early Years preschool programs develop the whole child in a fun and safe environment, fostering the love of learning through exploration and play for all children. For children demonstrating developmental delays, CORA aims to intervene early, when there is the greatest chance of correction, minimizing the need for more intensive services later in life.

Both of our current programs are Keystone STAR 4 sites. Spread the word to your family, friends and colleagues and encourage them to get their names on our Early Years Huntingdon Mills waiting list now!