CA with tag line 

 525 N. State Street � Suite 4 � Alma, MI 48801 
(989) 463-1422

 

 "The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence."

 

- Denis Waitley -

In This Issue
Upcoming Holiday Festivities
Family Expo 2014
Stand Up Step Forward
Who is a CASA Volunteer?
Ages and Stages Screening Tool
Scheduled Classes
Holiday Hours

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 
Executive Director
 
Ronda Sorensen
 Parent Educator  

 

Pam Mahin
RRC Coordinator

 

Ty Warczinsky 
GCSAC Coordinator
 
 Richelle Davis 
Prevention Educator
 
Heather Gardner
 CAC Coordinator
 
Michelle Zombeck
 CASA Coordinator 
 
Brenda Shafley
Office Assistant 
 

Board of Directors 

President
Wes Wickes
Youth for Christ
  
Vice President 
Jennifer Leppien
CASA
  
Treasurer
Michael Hetzman
Community Mental
Health - Gratiot Co.
  
Secretary 
 Kelly Piotrowski
Dept. of Human Services

Lori Apple
Comm. Mental Health - Isabella Co.
 
 Wendy Currie
Mid Michigan Dist. Health Dept. 
 
Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office 
  
Toni Davis
Women's Aid Service
 
Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimensions

Donalynn Ingersoll
Principal, Luce Rd. Elementary  
 
David Justin
 Alma School Board
  
Mike Morris
Detective, Gratiot Co. Sheriff's Dept. 
  
Kent Schulze
Dept. of Human Services
 
Jennifer Siefker
Tri Lakes Petroleum
  
Jennifer Stambaugh
DeafBlind Central CMU
  
 Carolyn Studley
Retired - Alma Public Schools
 
Kim Vetter
MI State Police
 
Joe Yourchock
Community Representative

Car

Seat Safety

 

Did you know that at Child Advocacy we can install and provide a safety inspection for your child safety seat?  Child Advocacy has a nationally certified safety seat technician available!
To make an appointment call
 989-463-1422
 or 800-552-4489

Permanent Prescription Drop Off

Sites

 

Alma Police Dept.

525 E. Superior St.

Mon. - Fri. 

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

 

Gratiot Co. Sheriff

226 E. Center

Ithaca

open 24 hrs./day

7 days/week

 

Both sites accept

prescription pills, liquids, and patches.

 

Lung Clinic

Lung cancer is the leading cause of deaths from cancer for both men and women. Tobacco use causes 87 percent of all deaths from lung cancer. Mid-Michigan Cancer Center is offering smoking cessation education.

If you are interested in learning more about the Lung Clinic, a free telephone screening is available by calling
 
989-463-9307
 
(press 2).

Quick Links

 
Join Our Mailing List

  

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Child Advocacy wishes you a happy and healthy holiday season.  We are thankful for the continued support we receive from the community to make Gratiot County a safe and enjoyable place to live.  

 

Please take a moment to relax and enjoy our informative newsletter - learn what a CASA volunteer does, how to survive the upcoming holidays, and learn about ages and stages screening tools.

 

Enjoy,

Child Advocacy Staff

 

Check out our website www.linkforfamilies.org.

 

 

Upcoming Holiday Festivities

by Ty Warczinsky

GCSAC Coordinator 

 

 

 

Before I get started, I would like to reiterate the success of our Take Back day.  On October 26th, we collected 121 pounds of unused or expired prescription drugs.  This is 121 pounds of substances that will no longer run the risk of being misused or contaminating our water systems. I would like to say hats off to my predecessor Lisa Cannon for her hard work in promoting this important community event.  

 

Now, I would like to use my given platform to ponder the upcoming festivities. The holiday season is here, and for most of us, this is a time in which we experience fun with our families, the hustle and bustle of shopping, and the nostalgia of trimming our trees.  It is a time that those with small children, who are bursting with excitement, get to use the famous line Santa is watching in order to coerce our kids into behaving.  

 

Unfortunately, though, not everyone has these luxuries.  What is coined the most wonderful time of the year can be a time of great sorrow for those who have lost loved ones, struggle with substance abuse, battle depression, and etc.  So, I say if you are joyful, be joyful, but look for ways to bring joy into others' lives, too.  If you are struggling, I encourage you to share your thoughts and struggles and honor your loved ones' memories.   If you are hosting a holiday party, maybe provide some nonalcoholic options for those who fight alcoholism. 

 

All of our lives are filled with obstacles to overcome, so may we join together as a community and all do our parts to make this holiday season just a little better for someone... because we never know what silent sorrows s/he keeps.

Child Advocacy Family Expo 2014

Saturday, January 25
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Central Michigan Youth for Christ
2550 W. Cheesman Road - Alma

FREE Family Fun for all ages!
 
This is a valuable one-stop event with informational resources and fun for ALL families of Gratiot County.  There will be more then 60 businesses and organizations in Gratiot County on display.  Fun activities are planned for the kids including games, interactive activities, clowns, face painting, and more.
 
If you are interested in participating in the Family Expo as a vendor, please call Child Advocacy at (989) 463-1422.
cac

 

 

Stand Up Step Forward

By: Heather Gardner

CAC Coordinator

 

 

 

Recently the Michigan Chapter of the National Children's Alliance in conjunction with the National Children's Alliance developed a one minute public service announcement (PSA) on the importance of reporting suspected child abuse.  The public service announcement is for the National Stand Up Step Forward PSA.  This PSA is brief, but the impact speaks volumes.  Please take just a minute of your time and click on the link below to view the MINCA Stand Up Step Forward PSA. 

 

 mivoice4kids.org 

 

Who is a CASA Volunteer?

By Michelle Zombeck

CASA Coordinator

 

 

Are you looking for an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of children?  CASA might be right for you.

 

In 1977, Judge David Soukup, a Seattle juvenile court judge felt he needed more information about the children he was making life-altering decisions for.  He conceived the idea of citizen volunteers speaking up for the best interests of abused and neglected children and Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) was born.

 

What Exactly is a CASA?  A CASA "is a trained community volunteer appointed by a judge to speak up for the best interests of an abused, neglected or abandoned child involved in a juvenile court deprivation proceeding. Bringing urgency to a child's needs both in and out of a courtroom, CASA volunteers advocate for safety, permanence and well-being for children through independent recommendations." (www.michigancasa.org/about-us.html)

 

Who is a CASA Volunteer?  CASA's are regular people making significant contributions to the lives of abused and neglected children.  CASA volunteers come from all walks of life with a variety of professional, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. 

 

For many abused children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.  Independent research has demonstrated that children with a CASA volunteer are substantially less likely to spend time in long-term foster care and less likely to reenter care.

 

Please contact Michelle Zombeck,CASA Coordinator of Gratiot County, for more information (989) 463-1422.

RRC

Ages and Stages Screening Tool
By Pam Mahin
RRC Coordinator

 

We now have the Ages and Stages Screening Tool available in our Lending Library for providers to check out.   

 

Ages & Stages� is a quick and easy screening tool designed to be used with children 2 months - 60 months of age. Overall development is assessed in 5 areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social.

 

This easy to use tool is helpful in detecting children's strengths and needs, and can help to identify children at risk of developmental delays. Ages & Stages� encourages parent involvement, uses inexpensive and readily available materials, and can be a FUN experience for the children!

 

What a service you could be providing to parents by offering developmental screenings of children in your program, or providing parents with information so they can do their own screening of their children.  Often times when developmental delays are found early, they can be corrected with proper intervention.  Call our office at 1-877-614-7328 to find out more.

Scheduled Classes

  

 
Great Start to Quality Orientation 

Aids/Relative  

Friday, December 13

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Wilcox Non-Profit Center - Alma

$10 prepaid fee required

Visit www.greatstartconnect.org for other classes offered.

 

Other Trainings/Groups 

 

Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group

Tuesday, December 10

6:00 p.m.

Youth for Christ - Alma 

 

Please call our office at (989) 463-1422 to register or to get more information.

 Holiday Hours

We will be closed December 24th-January 2nd

Due to limited staffing through the holidays, we recommend you call first, before venturing out to our office.
989-463-1422
Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Thank you for your generosity and support throughout 2013!  We have had an amazing year at Child Advocacy! 

The support we have received from this community has allowed our staff to provide services to thousands of children and their families in Gratiot and Isabella Counties.  Thank you!

May the New Year bring you and your families many blessings! 

 

  
Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
Executive Director