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In This Issue
Children of Promise
Raise the Age
Meet Our Ride for Kids Co-Chair
Curry College Make an Impact
School Year Comes to a Close
Quick Links
Save the Date!

Swing for Kids golf tournament

August 5, 2011

Charlton, MA

 

Bright Futures Adoption Center's Annual Picnic

August 13, 2011

Hale Reservation 

 

Rodman Ride for Kids

September 24, 2011

Foxboro, MA

We are proud to announce our DDAP Program received a $15,000 grant from 

the Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation!  Thank you!  We are grateful for your ongoing support. 

Children of Promise: What's New This Summer? 

 

This May we were honored Former Clientsto be featured in Investigation Discovery's documentary, Children of Promise: The Legacy of Robert F. Kennedy.  Highlighted were three of the Agency's former clients, Bianca, Ulises and Brian.  As another former client once said "once an RFK kid, always an RFK kid." Below is what they are up to this summer: 

 

- Bianca is enrolled in her second summer class at Bridgewater State University and is working with The Home for Little Wanderers' ASCL (Academic Support for College and Life) program right on campus.

 

- Ulises is busy working at our Lancaster Campus as a Residential Counselor and is doing great in his role.

 

- Brian was voted onto the RFK Children's Action Corps Board of Directors in June and is staying busy at work and enjoying the summer with his family.

 

Click here to learn more about Children of Promise. 

Let's Act to Raise the Age in Massachusetts

 

RFK Children's Action Corps is proud to support CfJJ's (Citizens for Juvenile Justice) campaign to Raise the Age of juvenile jurisdiction from 17 to 18.  

 

Learn more about raising the age with CfJJ's Fact Sheet.

 

Please join CfJJ in supporting the inclusion of 17-year-olds in the Massachusetts juvenile justice system by signing on to their statement of support. This statement articulates several reasons why Massachusetts should join the other 38 states in setting the upper limit of juvenile court jurisdiction at 18. If you would like to sign on, please email [email protected].

Meet Our Ride for Kids New Co-Chair

Good friend and supporter of the agency, Christine Rose, joins Keith Carroll as this year's co-chair of the RFK Ride for Kids Committee.  We sat with Christine recently to find out why she volunteers her time and why the Ride for Kids is important to her.

 

Christine and Paul

Christine Rose and Paul Woods at our  

Embracing the Legacy event, 2011

How did you first become involved in the RFK Children's Action Corps?

I was introduced to the agency when I started working at State Street (then Investors Bank and Trust) in 2006 through my boss and RFK board member, Paul Woods. He mentioned a volunteer opportunity at the agency's annual Fairway for Kids golf tournament and I took him up on it. After meeting the staff and learning more about the agency I knew it would be a good fit for me. That summer I was invited to visit the Lancaster Campus. I will never forget that trip. While I was there a young boy with blond curly hair took my hand and asked me if I wanted to see his room. I was hooked. That fall was the first year I participated in the Ride for Kids and this year will be my sixth.

 

What do you like most about the Ride for Kids?

It's fun! I've done similar events and this is my favorite. Everyone is in good spirits from the volunteers who greet riders at 6am, to the volunteers at the rest stops throughout the day, community members cheering from their front porches, and of course the RFK Road Crew! During the BBQ Party at the end of the day I always take a minute to think about how many riders are there for the various agencies but at the end of the day everyone is there for the same reason, to help kids. That's when I go over to the RFK table and tell them to sign me up for next year!

 

What does it mean to you to ride on behalf of kids?

I look at it this way, if by me getting up just a little earlier for Committee meetings and a spending a few summer Saturday's training makes a child's life just a little better, then it is all worth it. 

 

What do you hope to accomplish as Ride for Kids Co-Chair?

I'm so excited to serve as co-chair this year with Keith Carroll, an RFK Board Member. We've already had two awesome committee meetings where everyone is energetic and brings new ideas to the table about how we can do more. This year my goal is to reach out to new sponsors and secure at least two new teams. I want to reach people who have never heard about RFK Children's Action Corps or the Ride for Kids and show them what they are missing! I also am working to recruit more riders to join Team State Street. 

 

Why do you think people should get involved?

The question should be why wouldn't someone want to get involved? I feel very fortunate to have family and friends who have supported me throughout my life.  Most of the kids who benefit from the Ride for Kids do not. Knowing that there is an opportunity nearby to have fun, get outside, and help kids...so again, why wouldn't you get involved?

 

A little Extra...

Besides hanging out with friends and family (including 19 cousins and her sister!), Christine likes to spend summer weekends on the Cape, days at the beach and time with girlfriends. Her favorite bike trail is Shining Sea bike path in Falmouth, MA.  She says it's the best because it's not only beautiful, as it goes along the beach, but Seafood Sam's is along the way for a pit stop, which makes the 20 mile ride a little easier!   

 

To learn more and to get involved in the 2011 Ride for Kids, click here

Curry College Interns Make an Impact

Our DDAP program (Detention Diversion Advocacy Project) just completed a semester
long internship partnership with eight students from Curry College all majoring in criminal justice.
Curry College interns

Curry College students Danyel and Melissa with Nichelle Sadler


Curry College Professor, Peter Hainer, approached our DDAP Program Director, Nichelle Sadler, to see if his students could work with DDAP for the spring semester to witness first-hand the issues present in the juvenile justice system. The interns shadowed DDAP youth advocates, and observed in the juvenile justice court in Dorchester.  The court experience offered a new lens for the students. In court, interns saw first-hand the family support, or lack thereof, learned about the incident that brought the youth to court, and created their own perceptions on the charge rather than having limited information from a written report. The interns were able to get familiar with the probation process as well, and understand the juvenile justice system as a whole.  Click here to continue reading. 

As the School Year Came to a Close...

 

Our programs across Massachusetts held events to celebrate the accomplishments of the boys and girls in our programs.  Youth across the agency were honored for

Justin on the RFK Difference

Justin on the RFK Difference

outstanding progress both academically and behaviorally.  Staff, family members and friends were proud to watch youth receive awards and even a high school diploma was handed out!   

 

View the video to learn how the individualized attention given at RFK Children's Action Corps makes an enormous impact in the life of a child.

 

View more video clips and photos from recent celebrations on our Facebook page. 

Children Deserve Better.
Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps is a private non-profit licensed child welfare agency with approved private schools, foster care and adoption services. More than 800 children and families come to one of our 17 residential and community-based programs across the state each year. 

At the Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps we have seen remarkable transformations others deemed impossible. 

 

For more information and to get involved visit www.rfkchildren.org.