May 2020
E-Newsletter
Events, Information and Resources from Family Voices of MN
Resources, information and other parents who understand what you are going through
Welcome New and Returning Staff

Candi Seil joined our team in March. She is the mom of two boys, ages 4 1/2 and 3. She comes to Family Voices of Minnesota with experience in government, legislation, healthcare and media. She will be working as the Public Relations consultant for Family Voices of Minnesota and seeking new opportunities for Family Voices of Minnesota to tell our story, grow our network, expand capacity, and partner with other organizations. She resides in Shakopee.
Serenity is a busy mom of four children, including her son Edan, who has Down Syndrome.

Serenity has worked tirelessly over the last 6 years to investigate and explore a variety of programs and supports to help Edan reach his full potential. She is a passionate advocate about serving the needs of families with disabilities in the Northland. Serenity resides in Duluth.
Thank You For Your Generosity
Thank you to all who gave and fundraised for the #GiveAtHomeMN campaign. Your donations earned Family Voices of MN just over $3200 and will allow us to reach more MN families raising children and youth with special health needs and disabilities throughout the state.

These families can experience isolation in the best of times and the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified that isolation. Help us continue to connect these families with the information, resources and family connections they need.


If you are interested in hosting a fundraiser for Family Voices of MN, please reach out to Candi Seil directly at candi@familyvoicesofmn.org.

Your gift and support makes a different any time of year.
Parent Panel Webinar: At Home With Kids
Join us to learn practical tips and tools for families who are at home with their kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move from distance learning into summer parents continue to face challenges as we find our typical summer activities are cancelled or closed. Learn tips from a homeschooling mom about creative activities and year-long learning opportunities you can do with your child(ren). We'll also discuss the mental health struggles of being confined, without typical supports and social outlets. We'll also discuss access to medical care, telehealth and how families can be prepared if they need to seek urgent or emergent care. Join us to get survival tips and share your own ideas. If you know friends or colleagues that would be interested in this topic, please forward the registration link below. This webinar is free and open to all.

Thursday, May 28th | 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Social Connection During Physical Distancing
It is important to nurture our social connectedness even as many of us continue to collectively distance.
Explore opportunities to stay connected through our virtual groups and connect with other parents. Choose from a quick Community Coffee Break, Journaling for Self-Care or choose one of our long running Parent Groups. All of our programming is built with you, the parent, in mind. We hope to see you soon.
Important Links

Disability Advocacy and COVID-19 The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) covers resources and actions advocates can take to support people with disabilities’ needs and concerns so they are adequately addressed in COVID-19 efforts. Note that these efforts are in collaboration with hundreds of advocacy organizations around the United States!

Resources for Families Whose Children Are Home From School Check out our growing list of resources and activities for families. Come back frequently as we are continuing to update the list.

Essential Services During COVID-19 Get information on essential services.
Spread the Good News
If you find this newsletter to be helpful to you and your family, please consider forwarding it to other families raising children with special healthcare needs. Now, more than ever, we need to stay connected. We are in this together.