CA with tag line 

 525 N. State Street · Suite 4 · Alma, MI 48801 
(989) 463-1422

So often, children are punished for being human. Children are not allowed to have grumpy moods, bad days, disrespectful tones, or bad attitudes, yet we as adults have them all the time. None of us are perfect, and we must stop holding our children to a higher standard of perfection than we can attain ourselves.

Rebecca Eanes
In This Issue
About Us 

Child Advocacy is a non-profit agency with a mission to improve the welfare of children and their families through education, training, and support for the prevention of substance abuse and child abuse and neglect.


 Our Staff
   
Audra Stahl 
President & CEO 
     
Pam Mahin
Office Manager
 
Ty Warczinsky 
GCSAC Program Director
 
Sara Krebs 
Coalition Coordinator 
 
 Richelle Davis 
Prevention Educator
 
Michelle Zombeck 
 CASA Program Director    
 
Heather Therrien  
CAC Program Director
 
Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager

Mallory Harrier
CAC Intake Coordinator
 
Staci Bigelow
Event/Volunteer Coordinator

Morgan Rooy
CAN Program Director 
 
 
Board of Directors  

President
Carolyn Studley
Community Represenative
   
Vice President 
Matt Schooley
City of Alma Transportation
 
Secretary
Jennifer Stambaugh
DeafBlind Central
   
Treasurer
Sara Bonacci
Sara Bonacci Photography
  
Steve Benn
Detective/Sgt.
MI State Police

 
Wendy Currie 
Mid MI District Health Dept

Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office 
   
Jim Dubey
Garr Tool

Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimensions 

Tammy Halfmann
Mercantile Bank

David Justin
 Alma School Board
  
Jennifer Leppien
CASA

John Morey
CPA

Mike Morris
Detective/Sgt. Gratiot Co. Sheriff's Dept. 
     
Alison Morrison
Dept. of Health and Human Services 
   
Jamie Richardson
Doehring Schultz Insurance Agency

Jennifer Siefker
Tri Lakes Petroleum
  
Steve Vernon
 Gratiot Integrated Health Network

Wes Wickes
Central MI Youth for Christ

Mark Williams
Detective/Sgt.
Alma Police Depart.

Joe Yourchock
Community Representative


Car

Seat Safety

 

Did you know that at Child Advocacy we can install and provide a safety inspection for your child safety seat?  Child Advocacy has a nationally certified safety seat technician available!
To make an appointment call
 989-463-1422
 or 800-552-4489
Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Off
Site
 
Gratiot Co. Sheriff
226 E. Center
Ithaca
open 24 hrs./day
7 days/week
  
Alma Police Dept.
525 E. Superior St.
 Hours 
8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday
 
Breckenridge Police Dept.
 104 E. Saginaw St.
Hours
8:00 a.m.- 5:00  p.m.
Monday - Friday
 
St. Louis Police Dept.
108 W. Saginaw St.
Hours
Mon. 7 - 3 
Tues. - Fri. 8 - 4 
 
These sites accept
prescription pills and patches.
Program Needs

Gas Cards 
to help cover the cost for medical travel to Grand Rapids or help with transportation of foster children.

Gift Cards to Walmart and Meijer to purchase the specific needs of a child. 
 
Diapers
Baby Wipes
Formula
Baby Food
Drawing Paper
Puzzles
New Children's Books
Play-dough
Games for younger children to play
Capri Sun Juice Boxes
Bottled Water


Community donations help the quality of our programs and are greatly appreciated. Donations can be made directly at Child Advocacy or by contacting our office. (989) 463-1422

Your Feedback!

I really enjoyed the class and found it very useful and I hope to attend more classes.

Parent who completed the ACT Raising Safe Kids Class.

Quick Links

 
Join Our Mailing List
 
 
Why does the summer seem to go by so fast?

Please enjoy our August newsletter with featured program articles and mark your calendar for the upcoming back to school event. Details below. 

Child Advocacy Staff
Check out our website www.linkforfamilies.org .
Summer Hours
Starting the week of June 13  
Monday - Thursday
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Limited staff on Fridays, please call ahead.

"The Art of Being a Girl"
Submitted by: Nicole Showers
 CAC Case Manager


This summer, the Children's Advocacy Center launched a new program: The Art of Being a Girl. This six-week experience was developed for teen girls who have received services through the Children's Advocacy Center. The program offers a therapeutic space for these girls to explore and heal from the physical, emotional and psychological trauma that is associated with sexual abuse.

Centered around art, mindfulness and symbol, the program aims to empower girls by identifying and reducing trauma symptoms through the development of coping skills. At the conclusion of the program, each teen will have a box to take home -  the box is filled with tools they created themselves that will help them continue to use the skills they learned. 

We are excited to provide this opportunity for girls to connect, share their stories and experiences, and support each other. The Children's Advocacy Center team routinely explores innovative support initiatives that might benefit children and caregivers who visit the CAC.
An excerpt from Someone 
There For Me
Submitted by: Michelle Zombeck
CASA Program Director


The followings stories are real and came from the book "Someone There For Me" published by the CWLA Press. 

My name is Pamela. 
I am the oldest of seven children. We almost took care of ourselves. I was only fourteen, and I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. Everybody told us it would be a couple of weeks in foster care but it turned into months, then years.

Suddenly a new person walked into the life of me and my sister. With the constant changing of social workers and counselors, I didn't know what to expect. She asked us what our interests were, and we set up a time to meet every week. For the first time in awhile I felt that this just might be a good thing.

As the weeks went by, we got to know each other better. I realized I could talk to her about problems, not only personal problems, but problems about the house we lived in. She was our voice, our stability, and our friend.
It turned into a lifelong relationship. She may not have even realized her impact on my life because she was simply just being a friend. Someone you can talk to, someone you can trust. I have found that it's the simple things that make someone complete as a person.

My name is Archie. 
I was 12 and my brother was 13 when the first-time CASA volunteer met with us in our foster home. I remember the smile on her face and a quality about her that put us at ease. We were in a high level of care when we entered the system because we was angry that our sister was not put in the same home....plus we had been living on the streets, in cars, and in shelters. The CASA quickly learned that we weren't going to school because we was missing clean clothes, meals, and support that would allow us to make school a priority.

My CASA was there when no one else was. She was there when we fought our biggest struggles in foster care. She inspired us when we felt most uninspired. She motivated us to keep our grades up and stay in school. She also motivated us to dig deep within to overcome our toughest emotions. She gave us a high level of confidence.

My brother and I overcame our challenges and achieved many things. We earn A's and B's and in a much lower level of foster care. My CASA worker helped me to get into activities and take leadership roles. She put forth so much effort to ensure our success and without her immense inspiration and concern, I would not have the motivation or the desire to make a difference in the lives of others.


Learn more about becoming the voice of a child in need by contacting Child Advocacy and ask to speak to CASA Program Director Michelle Zombeck.

Scheduled Classes
 

Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group
Tuesday, August 8
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 
DHHS Foster Parent Appreciation Picnic
Hubscher Park 
8300 W. Washington Rd. - Sumner

 
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Meeting
Monday, August 14
1:00 p.m.
RESD - Ithaca , MI 
 
Please call Sara at 989-463-1422 with any questions
 
 
The Baby Pantry
Every Wednesday
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wilcox Non-Profit Building - Alma
 
For more information about the Baby Pantry please contact Morgan Rooy at (989)463-1422.


QPR Training
Wednesday, August 16
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Alma Public Library
Cost is FREE

To reserve your spot please contact Ty Warczinsky at (989)463-1422 or ty@linkforfamilies.org.


Substance Abuse Coalition Lunch & Learn
to share information about the coalition, membership and the prevention programming we provide to the community.
Wednesday, August 16
11:45 - 1:00 p.m.
Alma Public Library

For more information or to RSVP please contact Sara at (989)463-1422.
Greetings,

The summer is flying by and the staff at Child Advocacy are busy, busy, busy!  Believe it or not we have started planning our Shop with a Hero Christmas Outreach event, the Family Expo, and all of our other events that take place during the school year.  We have decided to host our Community Open House for the Baby Pantry in September, instead of August.  We thought it would be best to engage the community after school is back in session and summer vacations are a wrap.  Stay tuned for the date and times for this Community Open House.  We are excited to share our new program with all of you.

Once again we thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
President & CEO