ICM NEWS: Support the Celebration of Excellence Gift Card Campaign; REGISTER TODAY: Intro to CSEC for Mental Health Professionals Training - June 2012 Schedule; REGISTER TODAY: ICM Awareness Trainings: Mandatory Reporting Law Changes and the Faith Community - June 2012 Schedule; AFNAP Launches CSEC Campaign "Take a Stand Against Demand"

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People of faith are called by that faith
to speak for all children.

May 16, 2012

MAY IS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH: SUPPORT THE CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE "20 DAYS OF GIVING" GIFT CARD CAMPAIGN FOR GEORGIA'S FOSTER YOUTH

As partner sponsors of the 20th anniversary of the Celebration of Excellence, Interfaith Children's Movement and Gift for a Child are asking you and your faith community or organization to participate in the celebration of giving by sponsoring 20 gift cards in increments of $25 for Georgia's foster children who are graduating from high school or from a post-secondary educational institution.

Foster youth have to overcome many obstacles. Yet, they face even more challenges as they "age out" of the foster care system:

- Only 50% of foster youth will graduate from high school;

- 30% of foster youth will be homeless within a year of graduating from high school;

- One out of every 10 foster youth will enroll in college.

You can help smooth these graduating foster youths' transition to adulthood by providing a $25 gift card with which to purchase basic essentials. We ask that the gift cards are from merchants like Target or Wal-mart for ease of access and use.

The link to more information and a donation form is provided below. All donations need to be received by June 1, 2012. Gift for a Child is the fiscal agent for the Celebration of Excellence gift card campaign.

Celebration of Excellence Gift Card Campaign

The Celebration of Excellence graduation ceremony will be held on June 13, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. at the Georgia State University Rialto in downtown Atlanta.

Please contact ICM with any questions at ICM Celebration of Excellence.

INTRODUCTION TO CSEC FOR

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

JUNE 2012 TRAININGS

(Six (6) CEUs approved by NASW-GA & LPCAGA will be provided free of charge.)

This FREE session dispels some of the stereotypes about children exploited through the sex trade. We will cover who is vulnerable to recruitment, pathways to entry, risk factors, opportunities for intervention, appropriate and effective engagement with victims, and possible treatment strategies for commercially sexually exploited children. The program includes video segments.

Space is limited. Please use the corresponding registration link below to register for the training date of your choice.

Please ensure that you provide an accurate e-mail address that you can access at any time. You will be required to print certain materials for the training.

Please contact Pamela Perkins Carn at Interfaith Children's Movement with any questions.

Registration Links:

June (full schedule)

June 2, 8:45 AM - 4:00 PM

June 11, 8:45 AM - 4:00 PM

June 20, 8:45 AM - 4:00 PM

June 25, 8:45 AM - 4:00 PM

June 29, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

A FUTURE.NOT A PAST. LAUNCHES "TAKE A STAND AGAINST DEMAND" TO FIGHT COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN

Taking a stand against demand is simple and easy: Donate, Educate, Act!

Watch the video on YouTube at www.youtube.com/youthsparkinc;
Share via YouTube on Facebook and Twitter;
"Like" the A Future. Not A Past. Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/afuturenotapast);
Follow the AFNAP Twitter account (@afuturenotapast);
When you see informational messages or graphs on Facebook, please click the "share" button;
Re-tweet AFNAP Twitter posts as frequently as you can;
Donate your demand dollars at www.afuturenotapast.org.

MORE TRAINING, SERVICE OPPORTUNTIES AND INFORMATION

Faithful Families Eating Smart & Moving More Webinar

When: Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST

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Voices for Georgia's Children Fact Sheet on Georgia's Children in Early Childhood

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Seventeenth Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum: Building Quality Behavioral Health Community Services and Supports for All Georgians

Date: Friday, May 18, 2012

Location: The Carter Center

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Registration form

JOIN ICM IN BUILDING A "BRIDGE TO HARMONY"

"Religious persecution anywhere is a threat to religious freedom everywhere." Whether it is the imprisonment of pastors Sadegh-Khanjani and Yousef Nadarkhani by the Iranian government or one of the 1,322 "religious-bias" hate crimes in the United States, the victims deserve more than our shock and our silence. They deserve our commitment to build relationships of understanding, appreciation and respect across boundaries of religious institutions and spiritual practices.

Become a bridge builder and help build the "Bridge to Harmony" by sharing your stories of encouragement on ICM's facebook page of how you have reached out or how you plan to reach out in peace and friendship to persons not of your own faith tradition.

SPIRITUAL WITNESS FOR CHILDREN

One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.

Every child is a child of God and deserves justice and compassion. Every child deserves our prayers.

ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children.

ICM Mission and Goals

The Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) is an interfaith, grassroots, advocacy movement dedicated to improving the well-being of children in Georgia. ICM was formed in 2001 as an intentional association of individuals and communities of faith from all religious traditions.

The Interfaith Children's Movement strives to be a voice for all Georgia children, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard.

ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as:

ATTENTION FAITH COMMUNITIES--REGISTER TODAY! ICM AWARENESS TRAININGS: MANDATORY REPORTING LAW CHANGES FOR CHILD ABUSE AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE FAITH COMMUNITY

Effective, July 1, the new changes to the mandatory reporting law will take effect. On May 2, 2012, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law a sweeping criminal justice reform bill--HB 1176.

In addition to the many reform measures in this legislation, this bill also expanded the pool of mandated reporters to a broad range of persons who work with children or volunteer with programs or organizations that serve children.

Faith communities, including clergy, were not excluded from this expansion. Penalties for not reporting suspected child abuse range from fines to jail time.

Is your faith community aware of these changes? Are you prepared to implement them?

Contact Pamela Perkins Carn at Interfaith Children's Movement with any questions.

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REGISTRATION LINKS:

June 7 - College Park, GA College Park City Hall

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

(Registration 9:30 AM)

June 19* - Atlanta, GA Druid Hills United Methodist Church

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

(Registration 5:15 PM)

*Also stay for our ICM General Meeting from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (special guest presenters Dr. Julie Medlin and Dr. Steven Knauts, authors of Avoiding Sexual Dangers: A Parents Guide to Protecting Your Child

June 21 - Macon, GA Centenary United Methodist Church

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

(Registration & Lunch: 11:30 AM)

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Other dates and locations to be announced.

MAKE A

SPECIAL

CONTRIBUTION TO ICM TODAY

Your contributions create a better Georgia for all children. Make a monthly tax-deductible gift of $25.00 or a one-time gift of $100.00. Please click HERE now to make a secure, on-line, tax-deductible contribution. Do what must be done... GIVE to ICM today.