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About Us
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Child Advocacy is a non-profit agency with a mission to
improve the welfare of children and their families through education, training, and support for the prevention of substance abuse and child abuse and neglect.
Our Staff
Audra Stahl
President & CEO
Pam Mahin
Office Manager
Staci Bigelow
Event/Volunteer Coordinator
Ty Warczinsky
GCSAC Program Director
Emily Rayburn
GCSAC Coordinator
Sara Krebs
GCSAC Prevention
Coordinator
Alexa Morton
GCSAC Prevention Educator
Morgan Rooy
CAN Program Director
Richelle Davis
CAN Prevention Educator
Michelle Zombeck
CASA Program Director
Rachel Letsche
CASA Recruitment Coordinator
CAC Program Director
Jennifer Stambaugh
CAC Victim Advocate
Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager
Nikky Holton
CAC Intake Coordinator
Board of Directors
President
Carolyn Studley
Community
Representative
Vice President
Jennifer Leppien
CASA
Secretary
Jamie Richardson
Doehring Schultz Insurance Agency
Treasurer
Sara Bonacci
Community
Representative
Garth Anderson
Commercial Bank
Brett Baublitz
Transportation Director/City of Alma
Annette Weller-Collison
Kahn Consulting, INC.
Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Jim Dubey
Garr Tool
Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimentions
Tom Fick
Michigan State Police
Tammy Halfmann
Mercantile Bank
David Justin
Alma School Board
John Morey
CPA
Mike Morris
Gratiot County Sheriff
Alison Morrison
Dept. of Health and Human Services
Jennifer Siefker
Mark Williams
Alma Public Safety Administrator
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| Car Seat Safety |
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Did you know that at Child Advocacy we can install and provide a safety inspection for your child safety seat? Child Advocacy has a nationally certified safety seat technician available!
To make an appointment call
989-463-1422
or 800-552-4489 Please see new carseat guidelines on our website.
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Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Off
Site
Gratiot Co. Sheriff
226 E. Center
Ithaca
open 24 hrs./day
7 days/week
Alma Police Dept.
525 E. Superior St.
8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Breckenridge Police Dept.
104 E. Saginaw St.
8:00 a.m.- 5:00
p.m.
Monday - Friday
St. Louis Police Dept.
300 N. Mill St.
Mon. 7 - 3
Tues. - Fri. 8 - 4
These sites accept
prescription pills and patches.
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Program Needs
Gas Cards
to help cover the cost for medical travel to Grand Rapids or help with transportation of foster children.
Gift Cards to Walmart and Meijer to purchase the specific needs of a child.
Drawing Paper
Puzzles
New Children's Books
Play-dough
Games for younger children to play
Capri Sun Juice Boxes
Bottled Water
Baby Pantry
Infant Formula
(yellow can)
Gentle Formula
(purple can)
Diapers
Safety items
Wipes
Newborn outfits
C
ommunity donations help the quality of our programs and are greatly appreciated. Donations can be made directly at Child Advocacy or by contacting our office. (989) 463-1422
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Happy Fall!
Please join us for our 7th annual Trivia Night on Friday, November 22nd. Full details can be found below along with other classes, trainings, and events hosted by Child Advocacy.
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter,
Staci Bigelow
Volunteer/Event Coordinator
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Game Day Challenge
Bring $5.00 to work on
Friday, November 15th and sport your MSU or U of M gear!!
If the team you are sporting loses the big game on
Saturday, November 16th then you owe another $1.00 on Monday.
Whoever raises the most money will get the traveling trophy to display for the next year!! Any version of the game challenge is acceptable, the goal is to raise money for child abuse and neglect prevention.
Contact Staci at (989)463-1422 for more information.
Trivia Night
Friday, November 22
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Alma Elks Lodge #1400 - Alma
United Way is matching all of the proceeds
up to $10,000!! Trivia Night is our largest fundraiser of the year, please consider sponsoring a table or donating to our silent auction.
Click the link to register:
or Text
TRIVIA to 40403 and follow the prompts provided.
Contact Staci at (989) 463-1422 for more information on this event.
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Submitted by: Jennifer Stambaugh
CAC Victim Advocate and
Michelle Bartnik
Gratiot Integrated Health
Network/CAC Therapist
Since the Summer of 2017, the Children's Advocacy Center has been offering a 5-6 week art therapy group for teen girls as a part of our victim support programs. As the group has grown, we have evolved our service offerings based on need, which resulted in the addition of a second group this past summer. Through support from the Gratiot County Community Foundation, we were able to expand our programming to include both a high school and a middle school age girl's art therapy group. We have titled the groups, "The Art of Being a High School Girl" and "The Art of Being a Middle School Girl."
Our time together is spent using art and creative crafts to discuss and process relationships, school, social media, and many more age-related topics. Trauma-focused therapy techniques are used in order to help girls better understand the impact traumatic experiences have on mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. The group also provides opportunities for girls to connect with each other, share stories, and support others on a similar journey.
This summer our middle school group focused on the development of personal Coping Skills Toolboxes (see picture below top) and our high school group pieced together the "Broken Bowl" (see picture below on the bottom).
In addition to our Summer girl's groups, we also provide both middle school and high school girl's art therapy groups that meet after school one time per month during the school year.
"When we deny the story, it defines us. When we own the story, we can write a brave new ending."
-Brene Brown
To view a video slideshow of the Children's Advocacy Center High School Girl's Group, please click here:
www.linkforfamilies.org/sites/all/themes/jackson/CAC_S
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Submitted by: Sara Krebs
GCSAC Prevention Educator
The Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition (GCSAC) was able to donate 36 prescription lock-boxes to Gratiot County Commission on Aging this summer. The lock-boxes will be distributed to Gratiot County residents who are active in Commission on Aging programs.
Unfortunately, prescription medication abuse is a growing problem in the U.S.
Almost 218,000 people died in the U.S. between 1999 and 2017 from overdoses related to prescription opioids and overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were
five times higher in 2017 than in 1999.(CDC) Locking up medications is one important step that you can take to help prevent prescription medication abuse. In addition to locking up your medications, GCSAC encourages you to properly dispose of unused or outdated medications at one of Gratiot County's 5 Prescription Dropbox locations: Alma Police Department, Breckenridge Police Department, Gratiot County Sheriff's Office, St. Louis Police Department, or our mobile Dropbox. To learn more about location hours and GCSAC, visit
www.gratiotdrugfree.org
GCSAC, a program of Child Advocacy was able to purchase the lock-boxes with grant funds provided by Mid State Health Network through the SOR grant. This funding opportunity allowed coalitions throughout the state to purchase materials to help prevent prescription medication abuse.
If you are interested in learning more about the Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition, please join us at our monthly meetings, which are held the second Monday of the month at Mid Michigan Medical Center- Gratiot in the Wilcox Auditorium at 1pm. GCSAC meetings are open to the public- if you have any questions, please contact Emily Rayburn, Coalition Coordinator at 989-463-1422.
Pictured:
Emily Rayburn (GCSAC Coordinator), Kristi Betzer (Commission on Aging In Home Services Supervisor),
Jen Cook (Commission on Aging Director), Ty Warczinsky (GCSAC Director), Sarah McClung (Commission
on Aging Home Delivered Meals Coordinator), Sara Krebs (GCSAC Prevention Coordinator)
(Left to right)
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Scheduled Classes
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Meeting
Monday, October 14th
1:00 p.m.
MidMichigan Medical Center Gratiot - Wilcox Auditorium
Please call Emily at 989-463-1422 with any questions.
Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group
Who: Non-biological caregivers (foster, adoptive, kinship, etc.) and their children.
Where:
East Superior Christian Church (605 E. Superior St. Alma, MI)
When:
Tuesday, October 8th 6:00-8:00 p.m. (the second Tuesday of every month)
Why: Because parenting is one of the most difficult jobs and having support from others is crucial. Did we mention free childcare and snacks?!
Please call our office t o RS VP at (989)4 63-1422 or email morgan @linkforfamilies.org.
The Baby Pantry
Every Wednesday
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wilcox Non-Profit Building - Alma
For more information about the Baby Pantry please contact Morgan Rooy at (989)463-1422.
1st Thursday of every month
Alma Public Library
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m
Child Advocacy will be hosting monthly lunch & learns on a variety of topics. We hope you will join us. Please email Staci at staci@linkforfamilies.org to RSVP or call (989)463-1422.
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Happy Halloween (almost)!
October is one of my favorite months of the year! Both of my children celebrate their birthdays in October, the weather is usually fantastic, and I love Halloween!
If you have new or gently used Halloween costumes that you would like to donate we would LOVE to hand them out in our Baby Pantry. We are looking for donations of costumes from newborn to size 6 in kids.
The Game Day Challenge and Trivia Night are right around the corner. Both of these are fun ways to donate to Child Advocacy. Check out the details above and please join us!
Have a wonderful Fall!
Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
President & CEO
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