Support Center for Child Advocates Newsletter

2015 Child Advocates Toy Drive!

For many of the kids we serve, the holidays can be difficult. Some children may be separated from their parents, others from their siblings. Some are just starting out in a new home. At least 90% of our clients come from families living below the federal poverty level. And like every child, they are making wishes for a joyful holiday season. We invite you to make the holidays bright for these boys and girls.

Join our Holiday Toy Drive! We offer many ways to participate. Please read each volunteer opportunity carefully, as some changes have been made this year.

Buy gifts for our children (Birth to 21). We especially need gifts for teenagers. Gift cards are an easy way to give to this age group and our teens love them! 

Coordinate a Child Advocates Toy Drive at work, among friends and family, at your child's school, or at your church, synagogue or mosque. We will send you the names and ages of children - you tell us how many - on adhesive labels that can be distributed to your donors. We suggest a minimum of 10 children. 

Amazon Wish List. Purchase gifts or clothing from our client-specific requested holiday list. Click HERE to shop.

Volunteer at our Toy Drive headquarters (location to be determined) to help sort and bag toys during the weeks preceding Delivery Day.

Help deliver toys on December 19th - Delivery Day. To protect the safety and well-being of the children we serve, we are requiring all Toy Drive Drivers to complete a background check. If you have completed a background check in the past year, please send a copy of your clearance to Cate Galbally or fax to 267-546-9201, attention Toy Drive Clearance. Child Advocates volunteer attorneys and 2014 Toy Drive Drivers do not have to undergo another background check but will need to contact Cate Galbally to register. To complete a background check please click HERE.

Sponsor a needy family or teen on a larger scale. Many of our clients' families are impoverished, with large sibling groups or special needs children, and they may require more than toys.

For more information on how you can participate, please visit our Toy Drive Webpage or contact Cate Galbally - 267-546-9216
Thank You!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the Abington Foundation for their most generous grant award for Project Youth Educational Success (YES!). Led by our Education Law Attorney, Megan Rok, Project YES! provides additional case oversight to those clients who are at-risk for school failure, helping more than 150 children each year! Thank you, Abington Foundation, for your longtime friendship and your leadership support of our vital initiative!
 
A giant thank you to the Social Concerns Team of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, in Glenside, PA, for their generous support of our work! Their grant award came to us upon the recommendation of one of our wonderful Volunteer Attorneys. We are so very grateful for this!
 
We hope that YOU will think of us, too! If you are a member of a religious organization or charitable group that seeks to support great organizations like ours, please keep Child Advocates in mind! We'd also love to come out to talk to your group, school, or place of worship about our mission on behalf of abused and neglected kids! 
Center for Excellence in Advocacy

 
Over 75 people attended the "How to Handle a Child Abuse Case" Volunteer Training Workshop on October 28th at the PBI Conference Center.



Take A Stand
Our need for volunteers is ongoing. Our next Volunteer Training Workshops is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th from 9:00 - 4:30 (check-in starts at 8:30) at Ballard Spahr. Register HERE!

Workshops
Child Advocates staff presented two workshops at the Latino Behavioral Health Coalition Symposium on November 14, 2015 at Aspira Educational Campus. Staff Social Worker Mili Roca presented "Best Practices in Working with LGBTQ Youth" and staff Training Coordinators, Allie Dolan and Meghan Johnson presented, "Vicarious Trauma and Burnout: Supportive Strategies When Working with Clients in Crisis."
 
Webinar Series:
Thank you to all who participated in the first volunteer focused webinar, "Special Education Law" on Wednesday, November 4th - it was a huge success! This was the first in a series of webinars designed for Child Advocates Volunteer Attorneys. Information for upcoming sessions will be available soon. 

Upcoming Events

12/1/15 - #GivingTuesday
12/15/15 - Last day to volunteer as a driver and complete your background check

12/16/15 - Last day to deliver toys to our Toy Drive Site

12/19/15 - Child Advocates Toy Drive Delivery Day

4/13/16 - Annual Benefit Reception & Auction

5/15/16 - Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk

Who We Are


The Support Center for Child Advocates provides legal and social services advocacy to our most vulnerable children. It is our mission to advocate for victims of child abuse and neglect with the goal of securing safety, justice, well-being and a permanent, nurturing environment for every child.
 
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Support Center for
Child Advocates
1900 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103 
267-546-9200
Our Press
Our Board
Board of Directors 

Mark Gittelman, President
  
Deborah Baird, Vice President 
Susan Rubinovitz, Secretary  
 
Joe DeSimone, Treasurer

Board Members
 
Jeffrey Bagley 
 
Barbara Beckman


Erica Rae Cline
 
Deborah Cohen 
 
Kathleen Egan

Paul Finigan

Amy Fox

Dena Goldberg

Dr. Heather Green
M. Stroud Hellebusch  
 
Rosemarie Hoslyn  
 
Sherri Krensel

 
Janie Mershon
   
Kathy Ochroch
 
James Robinson
 
Jane Robinson
Catherine Rothenberger

James Steigerwald

Kelley Tate
 
Dr. Ilene Wasserman

Jennifer Welding