News...
Third Annual High Five 5K
Wet and Wonderful!
It didn't start out looking that way...rain had been predicted for a couple of days and it came down hard overnight. The morning of Saturday, October 11th, looked to be a washout for the annual High Five 5k fundraiser run/walk, set to go off at 9:30 AM at the Horizon's Beach Club on Town Neck in Sandwich, MA. Well, yes, it rained and this probably dissuaded a few from showing up, but remarkably, so many did turn out...runners, walkers, kids, adults and volunteers. Despite the weather, this year's run was perhaps the best ever. As always, the folks from the Mullet Marathon organized the race, but more, they and the Family Continuity volunteers refused to let the weather get the best of the event. The weather took a distant second place to the fun and family atmosphere. Refreshments, music and prizes, provided by our great sponsors (not to mention shelter inside of Horizons), kept everyone in a party spirit.
In total, over 200 registered for the run that raised money for the Family Continuity "Family Support Fund" to help individuals and families in urgent need throughout Massachusetts.
We want to thank all of our helpers, sponsors and the Mullet Marathoners for a great event. You can find information about the race, a complete list of sponsors, a list of all of the participants, winners for each division, and a host of great pictures at www.highfive5k.com.
Check it out and be sure to plan to join us again next year. We GUARANTEE a great time!
|
|
Support Family Continuity
while shopping at
 Simply go to
and select
Family Continuity Inc
(FCP Inc)
as your charity of choice and a portion of your purchase will be donated to the agency! It's the same Amazon you know and love, just better because the agency benefits!
Give it a try - it doesn't cost anything and the selection and prices are the same as if you were shopping "regular" Amazon!
Please feel free to share this information with family and friends as well!
Happy Shopping and Thank You for supporting family success in every community.
|
|
REAL STORIES
| |
Sam's Essay...
Sometimes our "Real Stories" come in the form of "thank-you" letters from parents or relatives of our clients, other times our staff relate the experiences of the families and individuals with whom they work. Recently, unsolicited and quite by surprise, we were lucky enough to receive this essay from a young person involved with our Therapeutic Mentoring program in Peabody.
It was her 4th grade assignment in response to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
When I Grow Up
When I grow up I want to be a Therapeutic mentor. I'd like to be a mentor because they
help people with special problems. Everyone has problems but these special problems need more care than others do. My family has some special problems and we have a Therapeutic mentor. Some of the problems can be suicidal thoughts, drugs, really bad stress, and anxiety. I love to help people and this is how I want to help people. I know what some people might be going through and I want to help them get through it.
|
|
|
We believe in our mission of "supporting family success in every community" and hope you do too.
Please consider helping us advance our mission by making a charitable contribution to Family Continuity today.
View our donation options here.
|
|
|
Newsletter ~ November 2014
|
Greetings from the CEO, The month of October has been a busy one. In early October our staff came together in Lawrence from all six of our sites to take part in Family Continuity's All Staff Training and Staff Recognition day. Immediately thereafter, many staff stayed for Skip Stuck's retirement celebration. The official transition of leadership for the agency is now complete with the conclusion of both of these highly successful events. My thanks go out to the staff and board members that contributed to the success of this important day for the agency. On October 11th, the 3rd annual Mullet Marathon High Five 5K road race was held in Sandwich MA. All proceeds will be used to support our Family Support Fund. This fund provides one time emergency funds for Family Continuity families in need. The event has become a fun family event on the Cape and was well attended. Despite the cold and rainy weather, the number of registered runners was the highest number since our involvement with this event. Congratulations to all of the runners this year! At the end of October, our Peabody site became a member of its' local Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber staff conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome us into the organization, with the Honorable Tom Bettencourt, Mayor of Peabody, presiding. We also received a Citation from the House of Representatives commemorating this event. We are pleased that this event has increased our visibility in the community and creates opportunities for new partnerships. I continue to be amazed by the work that Family Continuity does everyday, by a very talented, skilled and dedicated staff. It is an honor to be the leader of a strong and vital organization. I look forward to what lies ahead as we work to continue to successfully transition into the ever changing health care environment.  |
|
Family Corner
What gifts do you want to give
your children?
Certainly television, newspapers and advertisements everywhere try to lure us toward the newest video game, updated smartphone and luxury car. Clothes, toys and games have become so much a part of the holiday season that we forget that the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, are there to remind us of what we've been given, not what we are hoping to get. In this spirit, maybe this is a good time to think about what might be the greatest gift of all...Teach Your Kids the Gift of Giving.
We know that kids love getting presents at the holidays, but what truly makes the season special is the genuine sense of goodwill all around them. That's why now is the best time to show a child how to spread that warmth by helping others. Sure, it helps others, but it's even better for your child. Children love being helpful (it makes them feel grown-up), and volunteering gives them the chance to experience the rewards that come from making someone else happy. When your child gives, here's what he gets...
The Courage to initiate change.When a child improves someone else's life, he sees that he can change the world around him -- and even himself -- for the better.
New Compassion for all beings. Helping communities, people, and even animals in need helps kids flex their caring "muscles".
An Enthusiasm for teamwork. Working with others toward a common goal shows kids that sharing responsibility can have a bigger impact than going it alone.
Powerful pride. Volunteering is a win-win experience for kids: Every little bit they do helps, and that, in turn, is a great self-esteem booster. You can't match the feeling when a child realizes that they did something to make someone else smile.
It's never too early to expose your child to activities that help others. Here are some tips to help motivate children to give back.
Start small/Start young. Teach your toddler about generosity by encouraging her to share her toys, rewarding her for helping around the house or showing her how to give a loving hug to someone who is crying or hurt.
Praise kindness. When your child does something nice for someone, compliment him. Say, "Thank you for helping Mommy pick up those clothes" or "It's so nice of you to share your book with Sam."
Set an example. Let your kids see you doing generous acts - your example of helping others will make an impression, because if parents do it, children are more apt to.
Talk about reaching out. Slip a newspaper article about a family in need under your child's plate and discuss it over dinner or direct her attention to causes that spring from the news.
Get their input. By asking your child for her ideas (e.g., "Our neighbor, Mrs. Jones, is sick. What should we do?"), you're saying that her opinions count.
Remember the end goal. Showing children the full circle of their volunteer work makes them want to do more. After your child has collected canned food for the homeless, take her with you to drop it off at the shelter or church so she can see firsthand the results of her work. Nothing is more powerful or motivating than seeing, first hand, the impact on others of good deeds.
This Holiday Season, spend some time teaching your loved ones the joy of giving to others. You won't regret it.
Holiday Donations needed!
Speaking of Giving, Family Continuity and the families it serves could use your help for the Holidays. Please check out our Make a donation link in this newsletter to learn more about how your contribution to our Family Support Fund can help a needy and deserving family.
|
|
Program Highlights
Peabody Office Ribbon Cutting
The Peabody site held an extremely successful Open House at its offices at 9 Centennial Drive, Suite 202, on Monday morning, October 27th, at 10:00am. Many community members and partners were welcomed to the site to meet Family Continuity's new CEO, Barbara Wilson, and new Site Director, Jen Orlando. Peabody's Mayor Ted Bettencourt cut the ribbon celebrating our new office space which was reconfigured/renovated recently. In addition, staff were on hand to give tours of the new site and share information about the programs and services we provide from the site throughout the North Shore.
Family Continuity wishes to give a big thank you to the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce, particularly Deanne Healey, Executive Director, along with Julie Daigle, Karen Sawyer and Maria Terris from the Chamber, who came to show their support for Family Continuity as a new Chamber member.
To learn more about Family Continuity's services provided through the Peabody office, email Director Jen Orlando at jorlando@familycontinuity.org or call at 978-522-5008... and check out this month's "Real Story" for Sam's essay about the impact the agency has had on her life.
Family Continuity Expands Integrated Services in Lawrence
We are excited to announce another outreach program designed to reach individuals and families in need through the integration of mental health services within the medical service community. Family Continuity recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) where we will begin providing clinical services at its Winthrop Street practice this month. The GLFHC is a large and highly-regarded health clinic serving over 40,000 individuals in the Lawrence area. The start-up at Winthrop Street, which serves about 6000, is the first step in what we all hope will be an active and growing partnership.
If you have any questions and would like to learn more about this or other programs offered through the Lawrence Clinic, please contact Director Ellie Espinosa at eespinosa@familycontinuity.org or by phone at 978-620-2550.
|
|
|
|
Family Continuity is a great place to work. We might just be the perfect fit for you.
Check out our employment opportunities
here
|
|
|
|
|
