Monday, March 9, 2015

Understanding Poverty Workshop



The Vulnerable Children's Ministry

Presents a Workshop

“Understanding Poverty”
With Guest Speaker Lynn Clay, Certified Poverty Trainer

Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Willow Creek Community Church
67 E. Algonquin Road, So. Barrington, IL
(Room B204/206 near the chapel)

Caring for those who come from a background of poverty can be confusing and complicated. We can do a lot of damage by assuming everyone should be “like us.” Sometimes an attempt to help can cause harm to the very people we wish to serve. This workshop will help us learn how to step into relationships with people who have a different way of approaching life, as well as teach us how to maneuver between the two worlds. 

This workshop is designed for:
·         Adoptive Families
·         Foster Care Families
·         Safe Families Hosts
·         Those involved in orphan care
·         Those who care about vulnerable children

6:00 Dinner together (Atrium)
7:00 Worship service (Lakeside Auditorium)
7:30 Workshop (room B204/206)

Please register for the workshop at www.willowcreek.org/midweekclasses
 
Childcare is available with Midweek for Kids (ages 0-5 years).


Suggested book of the month: When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Joint Council Fundraising Gala






 



Cocktails will not be served at 6 pm.
Dinner will not be served at 7 pm.
There will be no program at 8 pm.
Followed by no dancing at midnight.
You will not need a new dress, suit, a trip to the salon, manicurist, a babysitter, a taxi or the hours to pull it all together.


JOINT COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
Will not need a venue, centerpieces, caterer or a band.
 
Goes to the Programs & Services which serve the approximately 
8 million children
Suffering without the love and protection of a forever family.

What?
On March 13th, families around the country will stay home with those they love most in support of the world's orphans and vulnerable children.

Where?
The comfort of your own home! Post, Tweet and Share pictures of your Stay at Home Gala evening! #StayAtHomeGala2015
 
RSVP today to show your support for those children who are still waiting for their forever family. 
RSVP

Donate:
Don't have the time to participate? We would still greatly appreciate your support to help end the suffering of our world's most vulnerable children.

Share with others:
Know someone else who'd like to go? Forward this to someone else.


Thank you for all of your continued support,

Jennifer Mellon
Interim Executive Director
Joint Council on International Children's Services
Please share your pictures from the night!
 
 
 
 






Sunday, March 1, 2015

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit!!!

CAFO2015


 

Adoption. Foster Care. Global Initiatives

The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ CAFO2015 Summit inspires and equips Christians to care for orphans with wisdom-guided love. The CAFO Summit has become the national hub for what Christianity Today called, “the burgeoning Christian orphan care movement.” Last year’s conference drew 2,600 foster and adoptive parents, orphan advocates, pastors and leaders from 35 countries. Together, we explore effective foster care, adoption, family preservation and global orphan ministry. READ MORE

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Hope for Orphans Livestream

 
MARCH 5th at 8pm CST:
The Future of Adoption From China & New Chinese Hosting Program

Featuring Joshua Zhong, President of Chinese Children Adoption International & Paul Pennington President Hope for Orphans.

Joshua Zhong and his wife Lilly founded CCAI in 1992 and have placed over 11,400 children for adoption. CCAI was ranked as its #1 partner agency in the world by the Chinese Central Authority last year. Joshua is a graduate of Columbia International University and Denver Seminary.




REGISTER HERE>>

Monday, February 23, 2015

Learn More About Serving Vulnerable Children!



The Vulnerable Children’s Ministry
Invites you to an informational meeting

Hear 4 brief talks about the many ways that we can serve orphans or vulnerable children.  Representatives from each area will be on hand for questions and conversation.

    Adoption
    Foster Care
    Safe Families for Children
    Royal Family Kids Camp and Mentoring Program

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015
Willow Creek Community Church
67 E. Algonquin Road, So. Barrington, IL


6:00 Dinner together (Atrium, near the Lakeside Lobby)
7:00 Worship Service (Lakeside Auditorium)
7:30 Informational Meeting (Room 204/206)


Registration encouraged www.willowcreek.org/midweekclasses

Childcare available for age infant through grade 5 at Midweek for Kids.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

5 Things One Mom Wishes She'd Been Told Before Adopting her Black Son

Alexander Landau, 21, was hospitalized when he was 19 years-old after he was stopped by Denver Police. Landau at his attorney's office, Tuesday May 3, 2011, was given a $795,000 settlement after beating during a traffic stop by police. RJ Sangosti, The DeMSN News 2/18/15:

Alex Landau’s mother Patsy Hathaway believed that love was enough when it came to raising her adopted black son—until he was beaten up by Denver police in a routine traffic stop. Landau says he was attacked after asking for a warrant; police say they thought he was reaching for one of their guns.
“Had I prepared Alex properly, he would have suffered less,” says Hathaway today, five years after the 2009 incident. “I regret this. But he would not have become the leader that he is destined to be either. Alex is in a position to help reduce others’ suffering, as well as to expose injustice and racism.”
Landau, who was given a settlement by Denver Police in 2011, is now a student and an activist. His mom wants everyone to know what she learned: a list of ways adoptive parents of kids can better support their children of a different race throughout their lives. 
  1. "Preschoolers experience prejudice. So teach younger children the best you can [about racism], in simple language. Lessons can become more elaborate as kids mature."
  2. "Children should deeply understand that racism is not their fault; there’s nothing wrong with them. Try to explain that without vilifying others."
  3. "Universalize it. Talk about white slavery in Greece, the Jewish experience, the struggle that Hispanics face. It’s not just blacks who have suffered; it’s a problem of how people treat each other. You don’t want children to feel that it’s just their race, or who they are."
  4. "Talk about the movement, the civil rights leaders and how they made a difference. Introduce people your children can identify with and want to emulate."
  5. "When kids are older, parents need to get practical about how to handle potentially dangerous situations like police stops. Make sure your kids know their rights and that they understand the recommended way to handle themselves with the police. We want our kids to live to become peaceful agents of change."
Hathaway's story is part of Time's special report on interracial adoption, available exclusively to Time for Family subscribers here.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

TBRI Training for Parents & Social Workers

Trust Based Relational Interventions® (TBRI®): Connecting Principle
Holt-Sunny Ridge Children's Services and The University of Chicago Adoption Center are excited to announce the second of four workshops on Trust Based Relational Interventions® (TBRI®), presented by Pam Shepard, LCSW and Linda Walsh, NP.

Saturday, February 21, 2015
9:00AM to 2:00PM
Location: Holt-Sunny Ridge Children's Services
270 Remington Boulevard, Suite C
Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Are you looking for parenting strategies to help you address your child's trauma history?
Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), is an emerging intervention model developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross (authors of the popular book "The Connected Child") at the TCU Institute of Child Development.

The second workshop of the series will focus on the TBRI ® principle "Connecting."
The goals for this workshop are to: 
  • understand what secure attachment looks like between children and caregivers, 
  • learn helpful ways to help build a connection with children who come from hard places, 
  • understand the impact attachment history can have on children's behavior, 
  • gain awareness about how our own attachment history influences the way we parent, 
  • and learn appropriate proactive strategies to empower children with behavioral tools
Workshop fee: $35 per person; includes workbook; 30 people maximum;
CEU's for LSW/LCSW for additional $10; forms for foster family DCFS self-submission training credits available; no child care provided. Register by Tuesday, February 17, 2014; no refunds for participant cancellation; lunch: pre-order or bring your own. 

For more information about TBRI visit www.child.tcu.edu.

For workshop questions contact Pam Shepard, LCSW at 
pams@holtsunnyridge.org or call (630) 754-4522.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The New CAFO Academy



The Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) team is excited to announce the new CAFO Academy, a partnership between CAFO, the Christian Leadership Alliance, Azusa Pacific University and ECFA. The CAFO Academy is designed to help international orphan care leaders take their leadership and management skills to the next level of God-honoring excellence.

The Academy is open to the local leaders of national and regional orphan care movements around the world, as well as the field and home office leadership staff of orphan-serving organizations. Substantive discounts are provided for staff of CAFO member organizations.

The Academy seeks to advance the vision of CAFO’s Global Movements Initiative: to see the local church in every nation rise as the primary answer to orphans in its midst. Emerging regional and national orphan care movements around the world can benefit greatly as the faithful men and women who are guiding them develop key skills needed to serve their movements with excellence.

Starting in early January 2015, the CAFO Academy will offer 10-week online modules. Each is designed to develop essential leadership skills to empower leaders of emerging orphan care movements worldwide. Students participate in class materials, online discussions and offline reading on the latest developments in topics such as:
  • Executive Leadership
  • Resource Development
  • Effective Management
  • Board Governance
Learn more and register at www.cafoacademy.org.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Get Involved Serving Vulnerable Children



The Vulnerable Children’s Ministry
Invites you to an informational meeting

Hear 4 brief talks about the many ways that we can serve orphans or vulnerable children.  Representatives from each area will be on hand for questions and conversation.

    Adoption
    Foster Care
    Safe Families for Children
    Royal Family Kids Camp and Mentoring Program

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015
Willow Creek Community Church
67 E. Algonquin Road, So. Barrington, IL


6:00 Dinner together (Atrium, near the Lakeside Lobby)
7:00 Worship Service (Lakeside Auditorium)
7:30 Informational Meeting (Room 204/206)


Registration encouraged www.willowcreek.org/midweekclasses

Childcare available for age infant through grade 5 at Midweek for Kids.