Teri Altpeter is In the News!

The following article is taken from the Safe Families for Children newsletter 8/19/15.  It features our own Teri Altpeter.  We are so blessed to have her on our team at Willow Creek!

Teri Altpeter is a SFFC Ministry Lead and a Volunteer Family Coach. Teri and her husband Tim,  along with their son Zane and daughter Lia  have also been a host family for 8 years. This family attends Willow Creek Huntley campus. Teri has been instrumental in assisting to build SF leadership teams at several of the Willow Creek campuses. She has been passionate about building community among the Safe Family volunteers.  

As a  Ministry Lead she has been able to network with families in our community and help match children to families that live close to each other so visitations between siblings can happen easily, organically. There is more joy in serving when serving together. Even if you can't host a child, there are so many different ways to serve by supporting a family that is able to. 

 

Teri is currently mentoring a new Ministry Lead. A next step for Teri will be to become an Safe Family Advocate. This is a new role for volunteers who are interested in assisting an Area Coordinator in growing the  Safe Family movement in the region where they live. We are so thankful for Teri, her expertise, and passion for seeing Safe Families spread in her community. It is exciting to think about the impact she will continue to have as a Safe Family Advocate.

TBRI Parenting Workshops

Don't forget to register for these TBRI® Workshops!

Register before September 1st to get early registration prices! Dates for the workshops are: 

September 19: Introduction and Overview

October 17: Connecting

November 14: Empowering

December 12: Correcting

Only 30 spots available per workshop or module!

Developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross at the TCU Institute of Child Development, Trust-Based Relational Interventions^® (TBRI^®) is an emerging intervention model for a wide range of childhood behavioral problems. TBRI^® is based on a solid foundation of neuropsychological theory and research, tempered by humanitarian principles.

It is a family-based intervention that is designed for children who have experienced relationship-based traumas such as:

*Institutionalization

*Multiple foster placements

*Maltreatment

*Neglect

For the past ten years, Drs. Purvis and Cross have been implementing and evaluating TBRI^®, and their strategies have proven extremely effective in creating healing environments for children who have come from "hard places."

The parent workshops will be led by Pam Shepard, LCSW and Supervisor of Post Adoption Services at Holt-Sunny Ridge Children's Services.  Pam trained under Dr. Purvis and Dr. Cross in Texas and is a TBRI ® Educator. Co-leading with Pam will be Shelly Roy from the University of Chicago Adoption Center. She is an LCSW, TBRI ® Educator and adoptive parent.

Register for the upcoming series by clicking below:

IL License #529708

Brought to you by:

Host a Chinese Orphan This Christmas

HOST A CHILD FROM CHINA THIS WINTER

CCAI is proud to announce our 2015 Winter China Hosting Program!  Please consider giving the gift of family and make a difference in an orphan's life for 3 to 4 weeks this holiday season.  

Families choose to host for a variety of reasons.  All families want to share the gift of holiday with an orphan; some families ultimately want to adopt the child they host; other families host a child to advocate for their adoption. Whatever your reason is for hosting, please know that you are impacting the life of a child in more ways than you will ever know!  

As the result of hosting, 86% of older children that were hosted through CCAI’s China Hosting Program over the past year have found their forever families.  These children may never have been adopted or even had the opportunity to be adopted if it were not for the hosting program. 

The Winter 2015 Photo Listing is available. Register now to see the photo listing of orphans who are participating in this program: https://www.ccaifamily.org/Hosting/Host-Register.aspx.  Registration is free. Once you register you will receive a confirmation email with a link and a password to view the private photo listing.  If you have questions, see a child you are interested in hosting this winter, or if you are interested in being a back-up host family, please contact the China Hosting Program Coordinator at hosting@ccaifamily.org or at 303-850-9998. We have volunteers who can answer questions after hours and on weekends: For the Eastern half of the US you can contact Kelly (407) 925-3732, and for the Western half of the US you can contact Michele (540) 847-9265. Many of the children will be placed on hold VERY QUICKLY!  

For more information on hosting a child from China this winter, please visit our website at http://www.ccaifamily.org/hosting/chinahostingprogram.aspx.  Please help us spread the word about CCAI’s China Hosting Program!  We have attached a flyer you can print to use at churches, schools, or other community organizations.  

Sheila King, LCSW

Domestic Adoption Program Coordinator

Parent Training Coordinator

China Hosting Coordinator

CCAI - where families grow and dreams come true

A Hague Accredited Adoption Service Provider

Phone: 303-850-9998 x42

Fax: 303-850-9997

Safe Families Volunteer Training

Wednesdays - September 2, 9 & 16, 2015
7:30-9:00pm

Willow Creek Community Church, Room B207
67 E Algonquin Rd.
South Barrington, IL 60010

The first two Wednesdays will be for all volunteers.
The final Wednesday will be for Host Families.

 REGISTER 

When under-resourced families face personal or financial crises, the children are affected. Today, an alarming number of parents are socially isolated and lack family support, often compounding problems, feelings of desperation, and likelihood of child neglect or abuse and the subsequent need for foster care placement.

Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is dedicated to family support, stabilization, and most importantly, prevention of child abuse. Parents voluntarily place their children in safe, loving homes while other volunteers support the parents.

If you are interested in becoming a Safe Families volunteer, please register for one of the training sessions listed above. You may also register if you are a current volunteer who would like to update your training.

Contact Teri Altpeter at terialtpeter@att.net with any questions.
For more information on Safe Families for Children, visit: safe-families.org

Adoption Fund 5K Family Fun Run

Support Group for Adoptive Parents

Calling All Adoptive Parents!

 

Are you struggling to parent your adopted child?

 

Have you run out of ideas to connect?

 

Are you feeling isolated–like no one fully

understands how hard it is? 

 

We have a word of hope for you!

 

 

Join us for a monthly support group with

other adoptive parents.

Meetings are on the second

Monday of every month

from7:30-9p.m. 

 

Group discussions will be led

by AmyTanner, LCSW.

 

 

You will find that Amy is passionate about adoption and has years of experience in supporting and educating adoptive parents.

 

Contact Amy today for more information about cost 

and to reserve your spot!

 

847-438-4222 x17 or amy@cherryhillcounseling.com

 

Cherry Hill

Counseling Center

61 S. Old Rand Rd.

Lake Zurich, IL 60634

www.CherryHillCounseling.com

 

 

 

Bikers for Bethany Event

FOOD and MUSIC Friday, August 28 · 7:00 PM All are welcome! Saturday ride participation not necessary. JOIN the RIDE Saturday, August 29 · 9:00 AM You won't want to miss this outstanding escorted Ride in West Michigan! SUPPORT the CAUSE Bikers for Bethany supports Bethany's mission of finding a loving home for every child. MORE INFORMATION Both events held at: Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson 2977 Corporate Grove Dr Hudsonville, MI 49426

"If You Were Mine" Workshop Available Online

If You Were Mine is now available online!

Hope for Orphans recently shared their new website with all of their initiatives and resources highlighted. This includes HFO’s If You Were Mine video-based workshop as an "on demand” resource for the first time through Right Now Media and Vimeo on Demand. The If You Were Mine adoption exploration workshop has been used in hundreds of churches and by thousands of families investigating adoption from a biblical and practical perspective.   Hope for Orphans is excited to announce their partnership with Right Now Media that has helped over 10,000 churches and ministries gain access to the best Christian digital content. It’s essentially the “Netflix of Video Bible Studies” because churches will have instant access to thousand of great videos for kids, youth, parents, married couples and more from some great teachers. If You Were Mine will now be part of this great resource. If you don’t have access to Right Now Media, you can access this resource directly through Hope for Orphans and their Vimeo on Demand interface and can be viewed as content on demand for your orphan ministry, small group, workshop or private use. This 7 part series will explore topics like:     • God’s heart for the orphan     • The realities and channels of adoption     • The processes and challenges of adoption     • Developing a plan for finances     • How to select an adoption agency     • How to prepare your family, yourself and your home     • What to expect after your child comes home In addition to the video resources, they've made the If You Were Mine workbook available in their online store.

Watch If You Were Mine Session 1 for free!

If You Were Mine on Right Now Media

If You Were Mine on Vimeo on Demand

If You Were Mine Workbook

Balancing Structure & Nurture Workshop

 

Join us this month for our workshop

Balancing Structure and Nurture

August 26, 2015

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM

Willow Creek Community Church

67 E. Algonquin Road, So. Barrington, IL

Room B207

Parenting is tough for everyone. Everyone has opinions, suggestions and advice even when it isn’t asked for! Parenting children who come from hard places brings different parenting struggles. For example, it’s understandably frustrating when John (age 8) reacts and responds to any type of correction by throwing himself on the floor and having a meltdown for an hour that looks more like what a 3 year old might do. 

The “Balancing Structure and Nurture Workshop” draws from several different concepts taught in both TBRI ® (Trust Based Relational Intervention) and Theraplay ®. These parenting interventions and therapy models have helped kids like John tremendously by teaching parents how to help their kids regulate their emotions and behaviors.

Our guest speaker is Pam Shepard, LCSW, Supervisor of Post Adoption Services at Holt-Sunnyridge Children’s Services. Pam is a licensed clinical social worker extensively trained to provide therapy for adopted children, teens, adult adoptees, adoptive parents and families. Pam has been trained in Theraplay®, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI). She sees clients for individual, family, and group therapy. Pam has worked in the field of child welfare since 1996.

**Registration for this event is not required.

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Childcare for infants through pre-K is available and Awana is available for Kindergarten through Grade 5.  Find out more about MidWeek for Kids >>