UFF welcomes community to ribbon pinning ceremony
The community is invited to attend United for Families’ fifth annual Stop the Tears Ribbon Pinning Ceremony, an event that will mark National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention month and draw attention to recent improvements to the local child-welfare system.
The event, scheduled for 10 a.m. April 9 at 10570 S. Federal Hwy., is part of United for Families’ broader Stop the Tears campaign to break the cycle of child abuse.
United for Families launches Second Annual Community Luncheon to Stop the Tears
United for Families unveiled its version of the annual campaign last spring during a special “ask” event that raised $25,000 and earned the organization more than a dozen multi-year donors.
Now the organization is ready to do it for a second time and invites the entire community to its Second Annual Community Luncheon to Stop the Tears, noon, April 22, at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center.
The complimentary luncheon, sponsored by Riverside National Bank, is the culmination of an education and outreach program the organization launched nearly three years ago, said Christina Kaiser, United for Families’ Community Relations Director.
United for Families names Erickson Child-Welfare Professional of the Quarter
Fort Pierce – Ashley Erickson, an adoptions specialist for Children’s Home Society, was awarded the United for Families Child-Welfare Professional of the Quarter Award February 11 during an in-service training about working with poverty.
United for Families, which hosted the training, is the community based care agency that coordinates and oversees child-welfare services in St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. Erickson’s employer, Children’s Home Society, is part of United for Families’ network of providers and provides case-management services in Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties as well as adoption services in all four counties.
Erickson is the first member of the adoptions teams to win the award.
United for Families created the award as a way to recognize and better support the efforts of dependency case managers and other child-welfare professionals, who coordinate services for children in the dependency court system.
Erickson’s supervisor, Michelle Dorrington, said Erickson is always eager to help her families during their greatest times of crisis.
“Adoptions has never won an award so it was a wonderful surprise not only for me but my whole unit,” Erickson said. “Receiving this award means a lot; it means that my work, attitude and dedication really are appreciated.”
A district-wide Supervisor of the Year also was announced during the training.
The 2009 Supervisor of the Year is Andrea Willocks, also a Children’s Home Society employee who has worked as a child-welfare professional for a decade.
I feel very honored and grateful to United for Families for recognizing my hard work and dedication,” Willocks said. “I also want to thank my unit, as I would not be supervisor of the year without their hard work and support.”
Both Erickson and Willocks received a cash bonus for their accomplishments. In addition, Erickson received complimentary tickets to United for Families’ signature gala, Le Bal Masque, and automatically will be entered into the Child Welfare Professional of Year Award contest. The winner of that award will receive an additional bonus during the March 5, 2011 gala.
For more information about United for Families, or to contribute, please call Christina Kaiser at 398-2920 Ext. 298, or visit www.unitedforfamilies.org.
Runners race to Stop the Tears
Christian Meuntener outdistanced the field and second-place finisher Morgan Sautter by 47 seconds to win the United for Families’ annual Stop the Tears 5K Run/Walk at South Beach Park on Saturday.
The winning time was 16 minutes, 27 seconds.
Julia Thomas, the overall female winner, finished the course in 19:36.
The race was in support of eliminating child abuse with 163 runners and walkers completing the course.
Haitian orphans update
As of January 18, all Haitian children coming into the Treasure Coast are pre-adoptive children who were previously matched with adoptive families prior to the earthquake. These children were granted humanitarian parole so they could enter the U.S. and be received by their adoptive families. At this time, no Haitian children have been brought over to be placed in foster care or state custody.
Congress honors local foster/adoptive parents
United for Families has much to celebrate this November, during National Adoption Month.
Not only is the number of local adoptions increasing, but one of United for Families’ foster homes recently was honored with the Congressional Angels in Adoption Award.
Pat and Mike Iania, of Port St. Lucie, have been foster and adoptive parents since 1993. They were nominated for the award by Rep. Tom Rooney and were one of 12 individuals and groups to receive the honor in Florida.
Donations
We can all become part of a caring community - your donations and support help children overcome hardships and obstacles.
United for Families (#CH20325)is registered with the state under the Solicitation of Contributions Act. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by the state.
If you would like to donate, please send your donation to:
10570 South Federal Highway, Suite 300
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952
Online Donations
To make an online donation, please click the PayPal button below:
Click this button to make a donation to United for Families
