for sponsoring this e-blast. Contact us to learn about the new sponsorship
opportunities for your business.
For ease of reading, open and read on a computer.
Director's message
Dear Friends: 

Last fall, CFS had a table at the Pride celebration at F&M Park in Traverse City. Though it was rainy it was well-attended, and our team was able to connect with many youth and adults around the programs we offer, including Pete’s Place and foster family recruitment.

At one point, I ran into a friend and her small daughter. It was only the second time in a couple of years that I’d seen either of them, and only the second time I had met the little one, about 5 years old. 
 
A short time later, the child spotted me. She was alone and ran toward me, asking if I knew where her mom was. I took her hand and walked toward the table where I’d seen them earlier, and told the little one not to worry and that I was glad she found me. Her mom found us only minutes later.

It made me think about being a
safe person for children. And how everyone at CFS is such a person, from our staff to our foster and adoptive families to our volunteers.

In this newsletter you’ll meet a family that has truly been a safe harbor for children. Lisa and Rick Magee are remarkable for their commitment to kids, personally and professionally. In this new year, CFS’ 85th year of service, you will be reading many great examples of people in the CFS “family” who have dedicated much of their lives and themselves to this noble mission.

I’m so grateful to each of you for
your help in assuring that CFS continues to be a safe place for our community’s children. Let’s keep
up the good work!

Warmly,
Gina Aranki
Executive Director
CFS: 85 Years of Helping Children and Families.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW STORIES
How a weekend
“favor” turned into
a “forever family!”
Lisa and Rick Magee decided to start fostering children because Lisa saw the local need for more foster homes in her own Forest Area School District, where she is still a Special Education teacher. She witnessed the difficult time that kids had when they had to transition out of the school district and then back in as they were reunited with their biological parents. She approached Rick and their two teens (13 and 15) to see if they would be on board for becoming a foster family. This was 2007, and they were just getting their license to foster “local” children. They agreed that fostering and modeling what it takes for excellent parenting was something that they could do as a family. They had no intention of adopting or adding on to their family.

In 2009, CFS approached them about fostering a sibling group of four children, ages 1-4. They originally said no but agreed to help just for the weekend, while the CFS staff continued to look for other appropriate homes. However, when no other homes were willing to take on all four children together with three of the four in diapers, the Magees agreed that it was something they could do with the support of “the village” (as Lisa affectionately calls her community and school). They immediately recognized the need to keep this tight sibling group together. Landon, the four year old, was the “big daddy” of the other three.

They continued to foster the little
ones for two years before the adoption became final. The children had experienced lots of trauma in their short lives and there were many challenges along the way. Lisa and Rick were determined to give them more and more love with each new challenge. There were at least six years that neither of them had much sleep! They went through food hoarding, pottying challenges, aggressive behaviors, difficulty socializing with other children, sleepwalking, and then the
hormones hit.
Rick and Lisa were in a foster care support group that met at CFS on a weekly basis, and they got all the kids into therapy, starting with play therapy when they were very young. This adorable photo of the children was taken during one of the support group evenings, when the kids each picked out their favorite hand-knit hat (a donation that had come in earlier that day).

Fast forward 10 years and Lisa is still working at the high school in Fife Lake. Rick is our CFS YouthWork Field Manager, now mentoring young adults including many youth who were in foster care (see more in the YouthWork story below). Their oldest daughter Krystal is a teacher in Brethren. Their son Ryan is working in the construction industry, following in his father’s footsteps. Daughter Kassie and husband Bobby just had their first baby, a girl, in August 2020. They also plan to become foster parents when the time is right.

Landon, now 17, enjoys football, basketball, and baseball. He is in the construction trades program at The Career Tech Center and Lisa describes him as “the most amazing model citizen. He’s the sweetest, kindest, most helpful person I know!” He still looks after his younger sisters and they have very open and honest conversations about their background. The girls are in choir, volleyball, art class, driver’s ed, and church youth group! And when Sadie, their youngest, graduates from high school, Lisa will be ready to “retire!"
YouthWork Update
YouthWork is “plowing through this winter!”
"This is one of our busiest winters yet," said Mary Williams, YouthWork Team Leader and Member Support. YouthWork is working in partnership with the City of Traverse City doing maintenance of ski hills and trails at Hickory Hills; historic restoration on
a house in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; intermittent repairs at at Twin Lakes Park (YouthWork's home/headquarters); and construction of a beautiful boardwalk at Leo Creek Preserve
in Suttons Bay.
Mary, Augusta, Jon, Adam, Tequila, Erin, Zach, Kevin, David and Rick (Magee) are all a part of a dedicated team of mentors and leaders who are building projects together with young adults who want to learn, grow and succeed. They have accomplished an impressive list of projects this past year and for the first time since the program began, they have a full winter project schedule that will keep several teams busy till spring!

Rick Magee, our YouthWork Field Manager, has an extensive background in construction trades and has been leading and supervising Youth Conservation Corps crews for 15 years. His “diverse skillset and encouragement, patience and teaching abilities have had a consistent and powerful impact on every member of our team,” noted Mary Williams. “Rick’s genuine care for the individuals we serve and his incomparable work ethic and hilarious jokes make him one of the strongest leaders and most outstanding role models our staff and members could ask for,” added Mary.
YouthWork is Recruiting for Summer 2022!
Click here to learn more.
A Generous Employee!
In addition to so many generous donors, we are so lucky to also have employees with big hearts. CFS Family Support Worker Tricia Coffey was awarded a $250 gift card at her second job at Target, and an additional $250 gift card to give to the charity of her choice. She decided to use both gift cards to buy toys and items including a bookshelf for a CFS Family Visit Room. Thank you, Tricia! Your generosity warms our hearts!
Mental Health Reset 2022: Striving for Stability
Who wasn't glad to say goodbye to 2020? The tumultuous year challenged every aspect of our mental (and physical) health. And 2021 hasn't been much different. Depression, anxiety, unstable moods, social isolation and existential fear shattered our peace and wore everyone down. 

Now that 2022 is here and the pandemic's end is somewhere in sight, resolve to put your mental health back in order.
Experts describe steps on how to move forward and reclaim your
emotional equilibrium:

  • Anchor your day with a morning routine. 
  • Reach out to others to stave off isolation. 
  • Find low-stress ways to connect from a distance. 
  • Take an in-depth relationship inventory.
  • Find fun, creative activities to boost your spirits. 
  • Exercise regularly – ideally outdoors. 
  • Use mindfulness and meditation to stay present.
  • Try out a mental health app.
  • Make restoring good sleep a priority. 
  • Eat healthfully. 
  • Seek immediate help if you're endangered. 
  • Address substance abuse and relapse. 
  • Choose and express gratitude. 
  • Remember to be kind to yourself. 
  • Look for light and hope at the end of the pandemic tunnel.
  • Hang in there.

Source: U.S. News and World Report 1/14/22

Consider Helping With a Non-Cash Gift!
Are you working on your taxes and finding that you’re paying a lot? Do you know about smarter ways to give, while reducing your taxes?

For example, if you’re 70+ years old, you can give through your traditional or Roth IRA, while receiving tax benefits (up to $100,000) without that donation being counted as taxable income when it is withdrawn. Contact your financial adviser or CPA today and ask if you are a candidate for a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to be made directly to the charity of your choice. (Hint=CFS!) 
If you chose to support CFS in this way, please note our organization as:

Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan
3785 Veterans Drive,
Traverse City, MI 49684
Tax ID EIN number 38-2534222.

For more information on how to make a transformative gift, please contact Linda Sommerville, Development Director, at lsommerville@cfs3L.org or
231-946-8975 x1025.
CFS has achieved a 2021 Platinum Seal of Transparency with Guidestar, showing our commitment to integrity and accountability. By providing information about our goals, strategies, capabilities, and vision, we are highlighting the difference we help to make in the world.
Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan
3785 Veterans Drive, Traverse City | (231) 946-8975
3434 M-119, Ste F, Harbor Springs | (231) 347-4463
Third Level/Pete's Place | (231) 922-4800