Greetings!
March is Parenting Awareness Month!
Child Advocacy has a variety of services to offer parents in need. Please visit our website to learn how we can help!
Parenting is for a lifetime!
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter,
Staci Bigelow
Volunteer/Event Coordinator
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Child Advocacy March Virtual
Lunch & Learn
Thursday, March 4, 2021
11:30 am - 1:00 p.m.
Please see the detailed flyer below for event information and registration details.
Responsible Prescribing Conference for Health Care Professionals Treating Addiction: Medications for Opioid Use
Thursday, March 4, 2021
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Please see the detailed flyer below for event information and registration details.
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Virtual Meeting
Monday, March 8, 2021
1:00 p.m.
Please email Emily at
Caregiver Support Group Virtual Meeting
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
6:00 p.m.
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Virtual CASA Information Session
March 11, 2021
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
If you would like to learn more about this program or attend our next CASA Volunteer Training, please attend our next Information Session!
Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlceyopzIqHtb-SqVk_HASHhCH89VUctHr
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
DARKNESS TO LIGHT'S Steward of
Children Virtual Training
March 25, 2021
12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration required and limited to 15 participants. Contact Morgan Rooy at 989-463-1422 or morgan@childadvocacy.net by 3/22/2021 to reserve your space.
For more information on upcoming events and trainings please see detailed flyers below or visit our website at ChildAdvocacy.net
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About Us
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
audra@childadvocacy.net
Pam Mahin
Office Manager
pam@childadvocacy.net
Staci Bigelow
Event/Volunteer Coordinator
staci@childadvocacy.net
Ty Warczinsky
GCSAC Program Director
ty@childadvocacy.net
Emily Rayburn
GCSAC Coordinator
emily@childadvocacy.net
Sara Krebs
GCSAC Prevention
Coordinator
sara@childadvocacy.net
Lexi Morton
GCSAC Prevention Educator
lexi@childadvocacy.net
Morgan Rooy
CAN Program Director
morgan@childadvocacy.net
Richelle Davis
CAN Prevention Educator
richelle@childadvocacy.net
Michelle Zombeck
CASA Program Director
michelle@childadvocacy.net
Rachel Molands
CASA Recruitment Coordinator
rachel@childadvocacy.net
Heather Therrien
CAC Program Director
heather@childadvocacy.net
Jennifer Stambaugh
CAC Victim Advocate
jennifer@childadvocacy.net
Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager
nicole@childadvocacy.net
Board of Directors
President
Carolyn Studley
Community
Representative
Vice President
Jennifer Leppien
Community Representative
Secretary
Garth Anderson
Commercial Bank
Treasurer
Sara Bonacci
Community
Representative
Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Jim Dubey
Garr Tool
Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimensions
Andrew Fias
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
Tri-Lakes Petroleum
Michelle Stillwagon
Gratiot Integrated Health Network
Katie Tobias
Katie Tobias State Farm
Annette Weller-Collison
Kahn Consulting, INC.
Mark Williams
Alma Public Safety Administrator
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100 Acts of Kindness
We are approaching one year of COVID...it seems like it was only yesterday that we were able to go wherever, whenever without masks on…and yet it also feels like we have been wearing masks forever and fighting COVID forever. It has been 1 year.
During this time, we have seen many things- both positive and negative. The things that are helpful to focus on are ALL of the positive things we see. These positive interactions help us to get through the stressful times, the quarantine times, and the sad times that inevitably arise in our lives. In the past year, we have seen communities come together, front line workers step up to bravely face the pandemic head on…and acts of kindness both large and small. In a time where so much is uncertain, and so many things are unclear, there is one thing that is clear:
We all could use some positive news and kindness in our lives.
The Gratiot County Substance Abuse & Suicide Prevention Coalition wanted to help spread positive news and kindness in our community, so we recently held a 100 Acts of Kindness Campaign. This campaign ran throughout the month of February. Anyone could submit a story about any act of kindness that they witnessed or participated in during the month of February, and we shared these stories on our Facebook page and website www.gratiotdrugfree.org – please visit our website or Facebook page to see the stories! It was amazing to see and hear about all the positive things going on every day in our community. Thank you to everyone who took time to submit a story, we are grateful for the light that you helped to spread in our community.
If you or someone you know is struggling during this difficult time, ask for help now by calling the crisis hotline at Gratiot Integrated Health Network(989-463-4971), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), or the national Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741).
Cultivate kindness everywhere. A simple act could be the spark that inspires someone to continue.
For additional information on the Gratiot County Substance Abuse & Suicide Prevention Coalition, call 989-463-1422 or email Emily Rayburn, Coalition Coordinator at emily@childadvocacy.net.
Sara Krebs
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator
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Baby Pantry Adaptations During the Pandemic
When the first round of shutdowns happened last spring, Child Advocacy, like most of state, had to quickly figure out how to pivot services to keep staff, volunteers, and clients safe. We are proud that our services have continued throughout the pandemic with no interruptions. The process in shifting how we provide services was a learning experience to say the least, and we want to share some of the innovative ideas that have come from our Baby Pantry.
To start, we closed down the Baby Pantry to the public and began offering drive-thru style events in our parking lot. We set up tables, hauled our totes up the stairs, and waved clients in as they arrived. We provided clients with three times the amount of diapers, wipes, food, and formula because the demand was so high, and we heard countless stories of clients being furloughed or losing their jobs altogether. We even took the Baby Pantry on the road and set up in the parking lot of a mobile food pick-up location. This way we were meeting people where they already were, eliminating an additional trip.
As restrictions lifted, we started offering curb-side pick-up for our clients during our usual operating hours on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Clients simply call us to place their order, and our volunteers deliver the items to the curb once they arrive. Since moving into our new building in November, we have streamlined the process; clients park underneath the carport near the Baby Pantry entrance, and our volunteers swiftly bring items out (no more climbing flights of stairs!). We also haul out our equipment items and totes of bottles and shoes for clients to look through while they await their order.
Just a few weeks ago, we developed an Online Order Form for Baby Pantry clients. Instead of calling, clients now have the option of placing their orders through the internet. One of the perks of the Online Order Form is that it lists all of our available items, allowing clients to see what we have in stock. This is especially helpful for our newer clients who had never been into our old Baby Pantry space. Those who order online know what type of items we carry and they have the option of requesting specific items they need.
Because of the unique challenges this pandemic has caused for so many people in our community, we recently began offering foods for older children. Now, children aged 1-5 can receive snack food items when their caregivers visit us. Thank you to the Gratiot County Community Foundation for supporting this new service in our Baby Pantry, and thank you to all the donors who have helped stock our shelves for the older children. The demand of this service has taken off, and our clients are grateful for the extra support.
Additionally, it is important to share that other Baby Pantries in Michigan have been collaborating and navigating this pandemic together. Back in the spring, we realized the importance of connecting with other baby pantries as a source of support and learning; we wanted to know how they were operating, and wanted to share our ideas too. This transformed into the creation of a Michigan Baby Pantry Database where we can easily contact each other (thank you to our interns Jenna and Madison!), and regularly scheduled meetings where we get together to discuss how things are going and ask questions from others who are in our same shoes. These meetings have been exceptionally helpful to us, and we are thankful for the new ideas that have come from them. We look forward to continuing these meetings beyond the pandemic, and even plan to one day hold annual Baby Pantry conferences.
Our Baby Pantry is open every Wednesday from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Place your curb-side pick-up order by calling us at 989-463-1422 or completing the Online Order Form at https://childadvocacy.net/baby-pantry-form-2/. All Gratiot County residents with children aged 0-5, including expectant parents, are eligible for Baby Pantry services, no income requirements necessary.
Morgan Rooy
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Director
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Greetings,
I wish I could say Spring is in the air, but as I type this I am staring out the window at snow, snow, and more snow. I don't know about you, but my mood has not been great. The combination of the cold weather, lack of sunlight, and living one whole year through a pandemic has definitely affected my mental health. So, let's talk about that. How are you? Are you getting the help you need? I know it's not always easy to reach out and ask for help, but if you are reading this then you are someone we at Child Advocacy care about. There is no shame or stigma attached to taking care of your mental health, so please reach out to your family physician, or our friends at Gratiot Integrated Health Network (GIHN) at (800)622-5583 if you are in need of help. We care about you!
Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
President & CEO
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