August has arrived! As we attempt to figure out what "back to school" time will look like for us, we acknowledge that the families in our community are mulling over the same types of decisions and hoping to keep their children safe, but also fully supported academically, emotionally and socially.
We are following each of our individual schools and larger school systems closely to understand their plans for reopening. Each of our schools are unique in their plans. Some are fully virtual, others are hybrid, and others are fully live face to face instruction.
We wish you all the best as you approach important decisions for your family in this new school year. CORA exists to support children and families and we recognize that these are particularly confusing times. Our doors remain open to serve anyone struggling with the support and resources needed to help them along. If you have any questions or concerns you would like to address with someone as you consider the best options for your child(ren), we urge you to reach out to CORA. Allow us to support you through this process.
Thanks for all that each of you do to support CORA in advancing our mission at this time and always.
AnnMarie Schultz
President & CEO, CORA Services
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CORA Receives Connelly Grant and Surpasses COVID Fundraising Goal!
CORA is thrilled to announce that, thanks to a generous grant from the Connelly Foundation, we have exceeded our CORA vs. COVID goal, raising over $125,000 since May 1, 2020 when the campaign was launched! The agency is extremely grateful to Connelly and all of the compassionate members of our community who contributed to help CORA continue serving children and families during this unprecedented time, when they need support more than ever.
As providers around the city of Philadelphia struggled with whether or not they can or should reopen in person services for children, CORA recognized that many families needed to return to work and were desperate for quality childcare in a safe environment. With this in mind CORA made a plan to support these families to the best of our ability. On July 6th, CORA reopened two Early Years Early Childhood Education facilities and launched four in person summer camp locations as well as virtual programming for children ages K-8. Our 2020 summer programming can only accommodate a limited number of children in comparison to previous summers in order to go live safely. As you can see from the YouthCOR photos attached, things are going great so far!  The $25,000 Connelly Foundation grant will help cover increased costs for staff and supplies needed in providing summer programming for youth in grades K-5 as a result of COVID-19. The agency cannot express enough how thankful we are for this support from Connelly and others which has helped us push forward despite much uncertainty. CORA has served children, youth and families in and around Philadelphia since 1971 and is committed to adapting to the serve the needs of the community with care and compassion for 50 more years, with the help strategic like-minded partners like the Connelly Foundation.
The CORA vs. COVID link to give remains open as our need for support to provide high quality services for children and families is ongoing.
Click here to donate now!
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Did you spot us on the news?
Learn how to help your kids cope.
Featuring Allison Talbot, School Psychologist at CORA Services
At CORA, Children are the Heart of the Matter. Back to school time, particularly this year, is a good time to pay special attention to how kids are managing this potential stressor. It's important to listen to your children's concerns and fears, and be honest and reassuring. This will help them maintain some control in the current situation and this is essential to helping them cope. Kids are resilient, they just need some reassurance. Our very own Allison Talbot, School Psychologist at CORA Services, talks about ways you can provide that reassurance effectively.
To watch the full interview, click here!
Do you have questions or concerns that you'd like CORA to assist you with? Connect with us today. Call 215-342-7660 or email [email protected].
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An article featuring CORA's EY Director, Melody Connell
Melody Connell, CORA's Early Years Huntingdon Mills Director, is quoted in a recent WHYY article discussing masks and safety issues with regard to young children. As programs in Philadelphia and across the country navigate the reopening process, see what Melody and others in Early Childhood Education have to say.
CORA continues to recruit children and families to fill spots that will be available this fall at our Huntingdon Mills locations and many may be eligible to enroll tuition free if they qualify through Pre-K Counts. Please email [email protected] for more information.
To read the full WHYY article, click here!
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CORA Services offers a broad range of professional development opportunities to equip professionals in the educational, social services and psychological fields to do their work effectively.
Today, we announce the release of our 2020/2021 Professional Development Workshop schedule, and you are FIRST to know about it! Without further ado, our schedule (which, by the way, is still growing, so check back on our website for newly-added workshops!):
2020/2021 Professional Development Workshops:
9/22/20 (Tues) - VIRTUAL EVENT
10/2/2020 (Fri) - VIRTUAL EVENT
Bindu Methikalam - Chestnut Hill College
10/20/2020 (Tues) - VIRTUAL EVENT
The Impact of Trauma on Education
Katherine Streit, MSW, LSW, M.S.Ed., Uplift Center for Grieving Children
11/4/2020 (Wed) - VIRTUAL EVENT
Managing Difficult Behaviors/Social Emotional Learning
12/2/2020 (Wed) - VIRTUAL EVENT
12/15/2020 (Tues) - VIRTUAL EVENT
Managing Difficult Parents
Presented by Troy Brindle, Springfield Psychological
Katherine Streit, MSW, LSW, M.S.Ed., Uplift Center for Grieving Children
Curious about Continuing Education Credits?
CORA is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. CORA Services maintains responsibility for the program and its content. CORA Services is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to sponsor continuing education for certification under Act 48. The PA Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors has approved the credit hours for this conference. CORA Services has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5802. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CORA Services is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Certificates of attendance will be awarded to participants who attend the entire workshop and complete the evaluation form. Partial credits will not be awarded. Late arrival or early departure will preclude awarding of CE credits.
Interested in even more events?
Check out our partners at Good Shepherd Mediation for their list of upcoming workshops by clicking here!
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*We are available for Parenting Consults.
Call with your questions/concerns.
*We can assist with access to Community Resources.
What do you or your family need?
*To be directly connected, for FREE, to one of our Family Resource Line staff, please call during the hours listed above.
To access or share this information in Spanish, click here.
CORA's Family Resource Line is supported in part
by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation.
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Time for another
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT!
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Bill DeMarco with his wife Carleen DeMarco.
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Q: How long have you been involved with CORA?
I've served on CORA's Board of Directors for 18 years, 2 years as chair, 1 year as vice chair. I've served on a number of committees during my tenure with CORA. I was fortunate to contribute, with other board and committee members, to many positive solutions to a variety of issues that came up over the years.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best advice I've ever received was to respect as many if not all relationships that one has had and will have in life. I've done that, it made a big difference in both my personal and professional experience.
What advice would you give to someone looking to join CORA's Board?
My advice to anyone who is lucky enough to become a CORA board member is to always stay true to CORA's mission in whatever is asked. It makes so many decisions so much easier.
What initially attracted you to our agency?
Meeting with Sister Charity and understanding her philosophy and drive for children and families made the opportunity to become a board member a very clear choice for me.
What program at CORA would you consider to be your favorite?
My favorite program is the Intensive Prevention Services (IPS), but all of CORA's services are truly outstanding.
For more information on our IPS program, please click here.
What is a dream project or additional program would you like to see CORA offer?
I would love to see the programs reach further into the general population offering family services to corporations, unions and social organizations. I had a great run in my professional career in sales and corporate finance. I had a lot of success and worked with many great people, but my years with CORA were even more rewarding. The mission, the staff and the ties to children are beyond my corporate years. It keeps me highly energized.
Thank you, Bill! We are so grateful for your 18 years of dedication and leadership!
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The Bridge Way School Welcomes Angela Smith!
 The Bridge Way School, located in Northeast Philadelphia, is the city's only recovery high school serving students in grades 9 -12 who are in recovery from substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health issues. They're proud to announce that they have hired a new Head of School, Angela Smith.
Angela was most recently with Congreso de Latinos Unidos working with students in the truancy court system. Prior to that, Angela was Director of Postsecondary Supports at el Centro de Estudiantes/Big Picture and before that at Mastery Charter School.
Angela comes to Bridge Way with much experience in social-emotional learning curricula, teacher mentoring and coaching, and post-secondary planning for students after they transition from high school. She has taught Life and 21st skills, as well as art. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she already has fantastic ideas about everything from interdisciplinary planning to strengthening the integration of our academic and recovery support programs.
In addition to bringing skills to strengthen our curriculum and methods of instruction, I believe that Angela brings an understanding of who Bridge Way students are and why empathy, compassionate and clear boundaries, and respect are so important to building relationships with all students, particularly those in recovery.
If you have a family member who could benefit from a strong high school academic program with recovery supports, or know someone who does, please reach out to Rebecca Bonner:
Email:
Tuition is free for most families.
Alert: Bridge Way plans to be opening for classes in the fall. Enrollment is limited to comply with COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Stay tuned for more information.
Article by:
Rebecca Bonner, Director at The Bridge Way School
For more information about The Bridge Way School:
Call: 267-437-2194
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Early Years is Having the
MOST FUN!
From hatching, raising and releasing butterflies, to learning about the arts, to making delicious ice cream sundaes and everything in between, Early Years kids and staff are making the most of the summer of 2020!
We are having a blast learning about other countries and cultures, all the fun things to do at the beach, and next week is DINOSAUR WEEK! We are grateful for our happy and healthy kiddos and look forward to continuing to make memories with them for the remainder of the summer!
Our 3 Early Years locations are still enrolling for fall and there are FREE PHL-PreK and PRE-K Counts spots available for qualifying families on a first come, first served basis. Reach out ASAP to the directors listed below to enroll your child today!
To learn more about our Early Years Program, contact:
Visit our website for additional information by clicking here.
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CORA's COVID-19
Updates and Resources
We have been monitoring the COVID-19 Crisis, and have put together a list of helpful resources and articles.
You can find them by visiting our website:
You will find resources such as:
How to Resolve Landlord/Tenant Conflict
Virtual Recovery Support and AA Meetings
Supporting Children during COVID-19
Successful School Routines at Home
Advice for Newly Remote Workers
Emotional Health Support
Finding Free Meals
Free Activities
And much more!
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You can experience some feel-good shopping when you buy your gifts on Amazon using the special link smile.amazon.com. All you have to do is designate CORA as your charity of choice and shop as you normally would, and
Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase amount to CORA Services!
Same products, same prices, same services as the Amazon you know, just a link that will help CORA help more kids!
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