CA with tag line 

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

 


HAPPY NEW DREAMS
HAPPY NEW DAYS
HAPPY NEW DESIRES
HAPPY NEW WAYS
HAPPY NEW YEAR
HAPPY NEW YOU

- Ana Antunes


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

Staci Bigelow
Event/Volunteer Coordinator

Ty Warczinsky 
GCSAC Program Director

Sara Krebs 
GCSAC Prevention
 Coordinator
 

Kelsey Wooten
 GCSAC Prevention Educator

Morgan Rooy
CAN Program Director

 Richelle Davis 
CAN Prevention Educator
 
Michelle Zombeck 
 CASA Program Director    
 
Danielle Schmidtman
CASA Recruitment Coordinator
 
Heather Therrien  
CAC Program Director
 
Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager

Mallory Harrier
CAC Intake Coordinator
 
 
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

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. 
 
Drawing Paper
Puzzles
New Children's Books
Play-dough
Games for younger children to play
Capri Sun Juice Boxes
Bottled Water

Baby Pantry
Diapers size 5 & 6
Diaper Bags
Formula - 
Purple can Gentle Formula
Yellow can Infant Formula
Baby Food 
(Fruits and Vegetables)



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!

What you all do for your community is just so amazing, and inspiring to a person like myself who is just starting my career in the human service field.

CMU Family Studies Volunteer

Quick Links

 
Join Our Mailing List
 
 
This month Child Advocacy is pleased to offer our Free Family Carnival & Expo to residents of Gratiot County.  This event is a fun-filled day for all families.

Team tables are also available for our Trivia Night The Sequel, please see below for event and registration information. 

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter,
Staci Bigelow
Volunteer/Event Coordinator 
Check out our website www.linkforfamilies.org .
Upcoming Events
 
 
Family Carnival & Expo 2018
Saturday, January 27, 2018 
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 
Youth for Christ 
2550 W. Cheesman Rd. -  Alma
 
For more information please contact Child Advocacy at (989)463-1422 or info@linkforfamilies.org or to register as a vendor please click here to print off a registration form.


CASA Trivia Night  The Sequel
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Alma Elks Lodge # 1400 - Alma
Doors open at 6:30, Trivia Play begins at 7:30

No Silent Auction, No Big Production, No Kidding
Just Trivia!

Team tables now available.  Click here to print a registration form, for more information please contact Staci at (989)463-1422.
Above the Influence
Submitted by: Kelsey Wooten
GCSAC Prevention Educator



Above the Influence is in full swing! For those of you who aren't familiar with this youth campaign -- the GCSAC collaborates with schools in the area to bring awareness of positive and negative influences that can affect the youth in our communities. The Above the Influence campaign gives students tools they need to rise above negative influences. The program is comprised of high school students who seek leadership opportunity and strive to live above life's obstacles and hardships.

In the month of December, Ashley, Alma, and Ithaca high school students used their leadership skills to educate fifth graders. They broke into small group sessions which included two portions: In the first portion, high school students talked to the fifth graders about peer pressure. They discussed what negative and positive peer pressure may feel like and then informed the younger students on what they can do if they are faced with such peer pressure. In the second portion, the high schoolers delved a bit deeper into discussion. The two age groups discussed the affects of negative and positive influences in their lives, in and outside of school. Each group session concluded with fifth graders reflecting on what they want to "live above", some examples we saw were "drugs", "bullying, "smoking". Although the group sessions were set up to benefit the younger students, the older students walked away feeling equally impacted.

We are very proud of the high school students who dedicate their time to making the Above the Influence campaign run in our school districts! Above the Influence Basketball Nights are the next project that the students are working on to educate their communities. Stay tuned!

Shop with a Hero 2017
Our 6th annual Shop with a Hero was a huge success! Thank you to  Gratiot County Community Foundation, 100 Women Who Care,  Optimist Club of Gratiot County,   Alma Meijer,   Alma Wal-mart,   MI State Police, Alma Police Department, St. Louis Police Depatment,   Clippers Barbershop, First Congregational Church - Breckenridge,  all of our Heros, and our wonderful volunteers! 
 
With all of this support, we were able to touch the lives of 66 children in Gratiot County! 
        Re-accreditation
Submitted by: Mallory Harrier
CAC Intake Coordinator

Over the past several weeks, the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) has been preparing for re-accreditation status through the National Children's Alliance. The CAC was originally accredited in 2013, shortly after it's opening, and must reapply every five years. Accreditation status is important to the CAC as it is a true testament of how the CAC Multidisciplinary Team works together through the treatment, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse cases. This coordinated effort reduces trauma and aids in the healing process for children and families who come through our door.

According to the National Children's Alliance, the purpose of accreditation is "to ensure that all children across the United States who are served by Children's Advocacy Centers receive consistent, evidence-based interventions that help them heal."

In order to receive re-accreditation status, the CAC must complete a comprehensive application process demonstrating how the center meets each of ten required standards. The standards are as follows:
  1. Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
  2. Cultural Competency and Diversity
  3. Forensic Interview
  4. Victim Support and Advocacy
  5. Medical Evaluation
  6. Mental Health
  7. Case Review
  8. Case Tracking
  9. Organizational Capacity
  10. Child Focused Setting
The application is due in January and the site team will arrive in July. The site team meets with Child Advocacy board members, CAC staff and members of the multidisciplinary team, takes part in a case review meeting, and then scores the site for adherence to Accreditation Standards - determining whether to grant accreditation based on their findings. For more information about the National Children's Alliance or the Accreditation Standards, please visit www.nationalchildrensalliance.org.
Scheduled Classes
 

Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group
Tuesday, January 9
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
East Superior Christian Church - Alma

 
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Meeting
Monday, January 8
1:00 p.m.
YFC - Alma, 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.
Happy New Year!!

What an exciting year 2017 was for Child Advocacy!  We welcomed 3 new staff to our team and took on the Baby Pantry.  We had an exciting year of fundraisers, events, and team building.  We made new friends, gained new supporters, and most importantly we served thousands of CHILDREN and their families in 2017!!! 

I would like to THANK each and every one of you who supported us by attending our events, donated money, donated your time and talents, or just offered us words of encouragement and support.  I say it often, but we truly can not do any of the things that we do without your help and support.  We are grateful to be a part of this community and we will continue to work hard to make Gratiot County a safe place to live and work.

Cheers to 2018!  

Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
President & CEO