August 2015
 news and notes

Become a Foster Parent
Have you thought about becoming a foster parent?
Maybe you know someone who is a foster parent and have wondered if that might be right for you and your family. Foster parenting can be rewarding but it can also be challenging. Many children entering foster care have experienced abuse, neglect, or other trauma. If you have a desire to make a positive impact on the life of child, you can make a difference by becoming a foster parent.

Family Ark is looking for adults who care about children and have patience, dedication, compassion, a stable home environment, sense of humor, and a healthy balanced outlook on life. Foster parents can be individuals or couples aged 21 or older. Some foster parents have raised or are currently raising children and some have never raised children. Foster parents come from all walks of life, various income levels and careers.

Some of the benefits of becoming a foster parent include: training, peer support, 24-hour on-call support, careful matching of children with the foster family, frequent visits and contact from supportive staff, respite care, and monthly payment to help provide for the needs of the child.

Are you still interested? Call Laura Keeney at (812) 292-8479 or email lkeeney@thefamilyark.org.

At Family Ark, we love our foster parents! 
Family Ark Receives Funding to Provide Workshops
Family Ark was recently selected by Region 18 Community Partners for Child Safety (DCS) for funding of Prevent Child Abuse Workshops. Family Ark will provide two workshops in 2015-16. These upcoming workshops will be open to the community and free of charge and will highlight child abuse prevention best practices. Family Ark previously received DCS funding for child abuse prevention workshops in 2014 and 2015.
2015 Harvest Homecoming - Come and See Us!
Family Ark is excited to participate at Harvest Homecoming 2015 in New Albany, Indiana! This year's theme is "A Hot Rod Harvest" and Family Ark will have a booth "revved up" and ready to go! Come by and see our display and say hello at Booth #P50 on Pearl Street!

From the Harvest Homecoming website:
Honored by the Library of Congress Bicentennial Local Legacies Project in 2000, Harvest Homecoming, a festival drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to New Albany, Indiana, has been thriving and growing for 48 years.
The festival was conceived as a means of bringing the people of Southern Indiana together to share in its wealth of talent, historic background and beauty.
What is now over a week of events began as a three-day "Pumpkin Festival," a civic effort by the Tourism Bureau of the New Albany Chamber of Commerce. It is now run exclusively by Harvest Homecoming, Inc., a non-profit organization fully operated by volunteers and sponsors.

Trivia Night Fundraiser - Friday, November 6th
Calling all Trivia enthusiasts!                                                       
Save the date for Friday, November 6th at 6:00 pm for Family Ark's second Trivia Night Fundraiser. Last year's winning team - Trivia Knights - could be a contender again this year...unless your team can win! There will be great giveaways and snacks with proceeds benefiting Family Ark's child and family programs.The cost is $25 per person or $200 for a team of 10. Venue to be announced soon! Registration or sponsorships are available by contacting dnichols@thefamilyark.org. Get your team ready! 
                                                                   
Family Ark Staff Highlight!
Family Ark's Day Reporting and Treatment Program DRTP), opened in December 2014, has already seen great success! During program hours, youth ages 12-18 (referred from DCS or Probation as an alternative to detention) participate in diverse learning activities that include educational planning and tutoring, life skills training, independent living skills, anger management, family involvement, community service projects, evidence based treatments and recreational activities. Youth who have graduated through the program are experiencing greater success at home and at school. Their relationships with their peers and their family members have improved and their pro-social and communication skills have increased.

Family Ark's DRTP staff - Ashley Williamson, LCSW, DRTP Supervisor and Alex Smith and Sara Miller, DRTP Case Managers provide the structure, encouragement, knowledge, and consistency that really makes this program work! Ashley said this about the program - "If I can help just one youth become a successful adult, that is one less person who is caught up in the system. I love being part of that change and development, not just in a student's life, but also in society."
Sara Miller shared her thoughts - "
I love seeing the kids realize their full potential and begin to make goals and plans for their future!"

Ashley Williamson, LCSW, DRTP Supervisor
Alexa Smith and Sara Miller, DRTP Case Managers

 
Remember Family Ark with AmazonSmile!
Holiday shopping will begin soon! If you shop at Amazon, select Family Ark as your charity of choice!

How does AmazonSmile work? 
When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from almost one million eligible organizations. In order to browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. Here's where you select Family Ark! For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer's selected charitable organization. Thank you for thinking of Family Ark's children and families!  
Holiday Giving Opportunities!
Every year, Family Ark relies on generous donors like you to help provide heart-warming memorable holidays for the children we serve.

Many times, our children in foster care or in our home-base programs, have never experienced a holiday abundant with new toys, clothing and other items. Family Ark has been able to provide that kind of holiday because of the wonderful giving spirit from so many in our community.

Can
you please help us continue this tradition of providing for our children during the holiday time? Contact dnichols@thefamilyark.org if you or your company would like to sign up as a Giving Partner.