C.A.S.A. Informational Meeting

CASA Needs YOU! Save the Date
	Join CASA in supporting and promoting court appointed volunteer advocacy to give abused and neglected children a voice.
Learn how you can give your time to help the CASA mission. Attend an information session next week!

 

 

Advocate Night

Tuesday, October 8 from 6 - 7:30 pm

Crystal Lake Bank & Trust

5100 Northwest Highway (Rt. 14)

Crystal Lake, IL

 

Are you interested in directly making a difference in a child's life by being their voice? Attend an informational session about becoming a CASA Advocate. Current advocates will be on hand to answer your questions and share their experiences.

 

Can't make it but want to know more? Email raechel@casamchenrycounty.org or call 815-363-5920 for more information.

 

Free Adoption Seminar

FREE Community Event - Ask the Doctor with Julian Davies, M.D.

October 2, 2013 • 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Crowne Plaza, Grand Rapids, MI

Dr. Julian Davies is a pediatrician with The Center For Adoption Medicine at The University of Washington Pediatric Care Center. Dr. Davies will start by speaking briefly about sleep and adoption. Then he will spend time taking questions from the audience members. Come join other families and professionals who want to learn more about adoption medicine!

No Registration Needed; First Come, First Seated!
Questions? Contact BCS Staff Development Department at staff_development@bethany.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make Change for Children Campaign

 

With a lot of passion and some planning, you can help raise awareness and funds to benefit the millions of children living without loving, permanent families. One hundred percent of the funds raised through this year’s Make Change for Children will support Joint Council’s advocacy and education programs, as well as on-the-ground projects in areas such as nutrition, foster care and adoption, orphan care, and women’s empowerment.

Last year 300 people donated to the Make Change for Children Campaign, which raised more than $110,000. This year we want to double the number of donors! We need your help. There are plenty of ways to become a Change Maker. 

1. Become part of Joint Council's Change Makers Team. Visit MakeChangeforChildren.org and click on "Register Here" on the left side of the website. After signing the waiver, click the button next to "Join a Team". Select Joint Council from the dropdown box.   
2. Start your own Team of Change Makers. Now is the perfect time to reach out to your school, place of worship and community to get them involved in supporting Make Change for Children. Sign up at  MakeChangeforChildren.org and invite your family, schoolmates, friends or colleagues to Make Change for Children. Click on "Register Here" on the left side of the website. After signing the waiver, click the button next to "Start a Team"
3. Start planning a party! If you're throwing a birthday, Halloween, or any sort of party this fall, give it a special purpose by turning it into a Make Change for Children event. Check out our resources page for information.  Email us at info@jointcouncil.org to let us know what you are planning.  We're here to help!
4. Pre-Order a Make Change for Children collection kit for your trick-or-treater or for your desk at work. Give your child the opportunity to learn what it means to help children in need.  Email the number of kits you'll need and your address to info@jointcouncil.org.

Help us meet the goal of doubling the number of donors. Our website  has lots of downloadable resources to help you become a Change Maker. If you have trouble registering or if you have questions/ideas, please contact our Make Change for Children Campaign Director, Elizabeth Muniot by email at elizabeth.m@jointcouncil.org or call her at 703.981.2874.

 

 Once again, thank you for your continued support.  

Rebecca Harris

Chief Operating Officer

Joint Council on International Children's Services

China Hosting Program

 

 

CCAI is Pleased to Announce

 

a new

 

China Hosting Program

 

Thousands of older orphans in China grow up without the chance to be adopted or to experience the love and care of a family.  This sad reality will and must be changed!   Today we are proud to announce a life-changing program – our China Hosting Program – which will make it possible for older orphans to spend five unforgettable weeks with a wonderful host family in the USA.

 

By hosting an older orphan, you can fulfill your dream to impact an orphan’s life and leave a permanent mark of love on a precious child.  Hosting is a great opportunity to invest your time, energy, money, and love on a human life who otherwise might never know his or her true value.

 

Won’t you join us to make a difference in an older orphan’s life?

 

For more information on the China Hosting Program, qualifications, and commitment, to view children’s photo listings, and to download a hosting application, please visit our networking hosting agency Project143’s website at www.p143.org.

 

New Web Site for Adopted Teens

Adoption Learning Partners and The Cradle are excited to introduce The BEAT (Beginning to Explore Adoption Together) an on-line site for adopted teens.

 

After research and feedback from adoptive families, they found that parents and teens alike were in search of a place online where adopted teens could learn and share with each other about what it feels like to be adopted. So they created The BEAT!

 

The goal is to help teens connect with one another, express their thoughts and feelings around adoption and hear from others with shared experiences in a safe and friendly environment.

 

Check out The Beat and if you know an adopted teen who would like to contribute to The BEAT, let them know!

http://www.adoptionlearningpartners.org/beat/

Annual Walk for Adoption

 

Walk for Adoption Chicago

 

Saturday, October 12, 2013 Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights, IL

9:00 a.m.

 

 www.walkforadoptionchicago.com

 

Walk for Adoption Chicago began in November of 2010 with the purpose of celebrating National Adoption Awareness Month.  The Walk was designed to share with the community the beautiful option that adoption can be for someone facing an unplanned pregnancy.

The Walk for Adoption Chicago mission is to:

• Promote both a positive view of adoption and positive adoption language.

• Walk annually in celebration and support of birth families and their loving decisions to place their child with another family.
 
• Give children that have been adopted the opportunity to associate with children that may have similar life situations.

• Assist families in building a strong network of people that can share foster care/adoption resources and help others through the adoption/foster care process.

• Offer participants a wide array of adoption resources and educational materials from a variety of sources.

• Offer ideas for adoption advocacy practices within personal communities.

• Share personal stories of hope, patience, and comfort with those who are WALKING A SIMILAR PATH.

Chicagoland Alliance Meeting for Ministry Leaders

Upcoming Adoption, Foster Care & Orphan Care Conferences

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

 

Church & America's Foster Youth 

SEATTLE - September 14

Join this regional in-depth training designed to empower churches to cultivate effective, sustainable ministry to children and families touched by the foster system. LEARN MORE

 

 

Miriam's Heart Regional Conference

NEW JERSEY - September 14

This orphan-focused and church-based initiative will brings together churches and church-goers from the northeast to partner and collaborate to both develop and support orphan-focused church ministries and to raise awareness within the church. LEARN MORE

 

 

Hope at Home

ATLANTA - September 27-28

This adoptive & foster parenting conference will be a time of refreshment as we encounter the Father’s heart towards adoptive families.

LEARN MORE

Together for Adoption

LOUISVILLE - October 4-5

Six rich general sessions. Sixty tool gathering workshops. One breathtaking Story. Be inspired and equipped for adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry. LEARN MORE

Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference

TEXAS - October 25-26

Big Questions. Honest Answers. Real Hope.  

The 2013 conference will feature unique content across 2 full days - and you are invited to any or all of the events. LEARN MORE

 

 

Wounded Children, Healing Homes

DAYTON - October 26

The vision of this free event is to provide parents with a sense of whom God their father is and who God has called them to be as adoptive and foster parents. LEARN MORE

 

 

CAFO Families for Children: 

Engaging Faith for Foster Youth

ORLANDO - November 8

This first-of-its-kind national conference will dive-deep on how to effectively love and serve youth in foster care.  This will inspire and equip churches, families, and professionals for sustainable ministry to children and their families.  LEARN MORE

 

Training Offered for Prospective Safe Families Hosts

Safe Families for Children Host Family Training Day  September 28th

Prospective Safe Families are invited to a live, accelerated Comprehensive Training Session at Willow Creek North Shore on Saturday, September 28, 2013.   Offered as an alternative to online training, this event is designed to equip you to welcome a child into your home and move you through the training process efficiently. The live Comprehensive Training Session includes everything you need to become a certified Safe Family-all in one place.    Start or submit your application Schedule a Home Study Complete your training hours Meet like-minded families who will support you Doors open at 8:30 AM for those who need to start an application, schedule a home study, start a background check, or ask one-on-one questions. Training session begins at 9:00 AM sharp. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. There will also be a variety of special giveaways throughout the training session you won't want to miss! Free parking is available adjacent to the Church.      Reserve your spot today by register online at  Host Family Training.  We look forward to seeing you on September 28 to equip and encourage you in your journey. If you have further questions please email  Tom Csora or call 773-573-6759.

Vulnerable Children's Ministry Monthly Community Gathering

We want to invite you to the launch of our NEW Vulnerable Children's Ministry Community Gathering for Adoptive, Foster, and Safe Families at Willow Creek, So. Barrington.

 

In the past, we have held monthly potlucks on Sunday nights, but after much prayer and discussion, we decided to move these monthly gatherings to Wednesday nights (still on a once-a-month basis) in the hopes of making it more convenient for our families to attend by utilizing the Wednesday night childcare at Willow. We also want to increase and strengthen our community by sharing a meal and taking part in corporate worship! We are very excited about this switch and we hope you will join us in celebration!

 

The first gathering will be held on Wednesday, September 11th. Here are the details:

• 5:30pm-7pm - Meet in the Atrium for sharing a meal. If you are facing the Atrium from the main lobby entrance, we will be off to the right-hand side (your right) in the little area that is close to/underneath the stairs that lead up to the lounge area by the Seeds bookstore. There will be signs and/or table cards that will have our ministry name on them, so you can also look for those. 
• 7pm-7:30pm - Worship in the Lakeside Auditorium
• 7:30pm-8:30pm - Program portion of the evening - Room B207 (by the Chapel)

 

The focus of September's gathering will be on topics related to Safe Families. If you are a current or prospective Safe Family, or even simply interested in learning more about this part of the ministry and how you can support Hosting families, then you don't want to miss this! We will be discussing Care Center updates for Safe Families, family coaching, debriefs, and upcoming events for the Vulnerable Children's Ministry.

 

Please RSVP to vcministry127@gmail.com and let us know if you will be joining us for the program portion of the evening. Also, if you would like to sit with us during worship or meet with us before the program, please meet us in the Atrium prior to worship. We look forward to seeing you there!