October Newsletter
Support for School is Still Available
Vegas Strong Academy with Parks and Recreation
  • Accepts Urban League- Library locations only
  • Community centers- have a separate application for financial aide https://registration.lasvegasnevada.gov/NV/las-vegas-nv/catalog
  • Bring financial request to the community center directly
  • Call for openings
  • Yes, for children with special needs, have to toilet and feed themselves.
  • Dula community center, 702-229-6307 assist with the financial assistance process and criteria to qualify

SMUNA- Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy

Boys and Girls Club

YMCA
  • https://www.lasvegasymca.org/y-cares/
  • Enrolling Full/Half Day preschool ages 3-5
  • Preschool accepts Urban League assistance
  • Enrichment Program
  • Open M-F Full Day ages 5-15
  • Financial Assistance available
  • Accepts children with special needs. Must toilet on their own and able to self-feed

Battle Born Las Vegas Kids and Teens


Lifetime
  • https://my.lifetime.life/lp/distance-learning-camp.html
  • Learning camps
  • 2 locations:
  • Life Time Athletic Green Valley
  • 121 Carnegie St, Henderson, NV 89074
  • Life Time Summerlin
  • 10721 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89135
  • Ages 5-12
  • Call for financial information and acceptance of children with special needs

Boys Town
Lets Talk About Babysitters
As foster parents, it is important to have the option of going out with your significant other, family, and friends, and that means needing a babysitter. But what does that look like for children in care? Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a sitter, and things that you may need to tell them before leaving the house.
First, make sure your kiddos are comfortable with it.
Our kiddos come from hard places, and have trauma that they carry with them. Make sure to have open communication with the children about how they feel about having a sitter come into the home. They may have had bad experiences with babysitters, so be considerate of their feelings.
Look for experience
Babysitting children with trauma can present unique challenges, so look for a sitter that has experience in trauma informed care. If you are unsure where to start, ask for a recommendation! Other foster parents are bound to have someone to suggest, who they trust with their own kiddos.
Know your kiddos
All children have certain things that they need done a certain way, that's why we have routines and patterns. If your sitter is going to feed the children dinner, or put them to bed, make sure that they are informed of any routines that need to be followed. At dinner, do they drink a glass of milk? Juice? Water? At bedtime do they need a story? A song? Let your sitter know!
Big Behaviors
Babysitters need to know what to expect. A lot of our kiddos have big behaviors that we as caregivers know how to handle, but a sitter might not. Let your sitter know if there are any triggers or rough patches for your kiddos, and then how to handle them if the need arises.
Finally, don't be afraid to try
Parents going out alone is normal, and normalcy for our kiddos is the goal. It develops a healthy attachment for the kiddos, and gives you time to relax. If you are nervous about leaving them, start small, and work your way up. Stay updated with your sitter if you have to, just trust that this is healthy.
Community Resources
Food Banks

There are many locations in Nevada where families can get free and reduced food.
 
Clark County Food Resources

Three Square offers an interactive website which matches your zip code to food banks and provides the food bank’s days and times of operation.
Phone: (702) 644-3663

Just One Project offers free groceries for individuals and groups. Below is a quick snapshot of what they offer and a link to their site.
  • The Mobile Food Market  is: A mobile community market in Southern Nevada called Pop Up & Give at various locations. There are no requirements to be served.
  • The Senior Food Market is: Open weekly on Monday's and Friday's BY APPOINTMENT ONLY to serve seniors 60+ in need of food. To make an appointment call the office. The pantry is stocked with specialized foods for proper senior nutrition. The Just One Project welcomes all senior individuals and groups. There are no requirements to receive groceries and no lines to wait in. Seniors are welcome to attend the pantry once a month for grocery needs.
  • The  Senior Grocery Delivery  is: Grocery delivery made available for seniors Monday through Friday. Schedule BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
  • Emergency Assistance  is: FREE Groceries for Families. The Just One Project pantry is open weekly BY APPOINTMENT ONLY to serve families in need of emergency food assistance. To make an appointment call the office. They welcome all individuals and families in need. There are no requirements to receive groceries and no lines to wait in.

Phone: 702-462-2253
Hannah's Closet is a free clothing resource for foster families in the Las Vegas Valley. It offers clothes and shoes for ages 0-17, toys, and limited hygiene items, depending on availability. To shop, you will need to bring your placement letter, guardianship papers, or adoption decree. There are two locations, one north and one south, and both are available for monthly visits as needed. For more information and hours of operation, visit their Facebook pages, Hannah's Closet North and Hannah's Closet South. Business hours vary, as this is a volunteer-run resource.
Phone: (702) 546-8849
Website: www.fosteringhopelv.com

Crisis Support Resources Through Clark County School District
Families First PDF Guide



Safe-Voice: 1-833-216-SAFE (7233) for anonymous reporting
CCSD Police: 702-799-5411
Mobile Crisis Response Team: 702-486-7865
National Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
or
Nevada Crisis Line: 775-784-8090
 
If someone is having thoughts of self-harm, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Please call 911 for an immediate emergency situation. 
Webinar from the Adoption Exchange
This one-of-a-kind workshop provides caregivers with the unique opportunity to listen to three adoptees speak about how adoption has impacted and shaped their lives. The panel will consist of three adult adoptees: Lauren Fishbein (Latinx, international, transracial adoptee) Deontae Boswell (Black, domestic, transracial adoptee) Glenna Boggs (Russian, international adoptee). Lauren, Deontae, and Glenna come from diverse backgrounds and collectively have potent and powerful insights and knowledge to share.

In this workshop (a two-part series), the adoptees will introduce themselves, share their personal experiences, and answer frequently asked questions from adoptive parents. The second half will be open to the participants on the webinar so that they can ask their own questions to the panelists. 
 
We invite you to join us and listen to the stories and experiences of this incredible team!
This two hour webinar-based training is specifically designed for families and care givers who would benefit from an excellent overview of Nevada Medicaid services. The moderator, (Nichole Henderson, MS, LMFCT, I, ADC-I) will discuss and review various navigation tips, eligibility standards, benefits, and resources that are available for families and care providers, who care for foster/adoptive/kinship youth, to access in Nevada.

This webinar training will cover the following topics:
• Nevada Medicaid Navigation Tips
• Nevada Medicaid Eligibility Standards
• Nevada Medicaid Benefits
• Helpful links and Other Resource Programs
• Discussion to include participant polling and Questions and Answers Period for
participants to utilize
JUST FOR KIDS
Let's Make a Spooky Craft!
This video, by Easy Kids Craft, shows a fun way to make hand puppets out of paper! You can choose from Halloween classics like Dracula, Bats, Pumpkins, Witches, and Monsters. All you will need is
  • Colored construction paper
  • Scrap paper for the decorations
  • Googly-eyes (optional)
  • A glue stick
  • Scissors
Trainings