Greetings!
Observed as “a day on, not a day off,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. So many of you volunteer every day. So many of you have a career dedicated to serving others. Even with the added layers of complexity of volunteering under COVID, we are so inspired by all the ways you are making a difference --from book drives and donation drives to grocery shopping for older loved ones to organizing online events. AmeriCorps has put together 10 ways to safely help your community during COVID-19.
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This year, the Marcus Center's Celebration of Dr. King's Birthday was recorded and is available to watch here. It features youth interpreting Dr. King's words through art, speech, and writing contests.
Consider signing up for a virtual six-part series on eliminating racism by our neighbors here on Dr. King Drive--the YWCA. The winter 2021 series of Unlearning Racism: Tools for Action© begins on January 27th. Find out more and register here.
Make sure to keep scrolling for special training opportunities, webinars and info on the next book club! Thank you for all the ways, big and small, you make a difference in our community.
Sue
Susan Conwell, JD
Executive Director
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CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Former Foster Youth Give Back |
During the last CASA training, we were honored to swear in several new volunteers who were formerly in foster care. AmeriCorps Member Chloe Gaynor talked to two of them about their motivation for becoming CASA volunteers. |
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Ever since leaving the foster care system Amanda Salas has been waiting for the right opportunity to become a CASA volunteer. Her experience as a foster youth with the CASA program and Kids Matter motivated her to apply to become a CASA volunteer so she can better support foster youth in Milwaukee. As a foster youth Amanda visited Kids Matter where after sharing her experience with staff members, she was encouraged to request a CASA for her case.
Having a CASA changed Amanda's life--she felt she was going down a “bad path” and the support she received from Kids Matter and her CASA changed her trajectory. Amanda says, “Kids Matter made me who I am today.” She wants to help others avoid her experience by becoming a CASA and in the future fostering or adopting kids herself. Amanda has always known that she would apply to become a CASA and now she finally can help others in the way that CASA helped her.
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Shannon’s experience as a foster youth often left her feeling alone and unsupported. In foster care, she had 16 placements in 4 years. Now as a CASA volunteer, Shannon hopes to prevent others from having similar experiences to hers. While in foster care Shannon was never assigned a CASA, she learned value of “having someone in your corner” and wants to provide that support to others.
Following her time in foster care, Shannon knew that she wanted to give back to other youth in foster care system. Now she has found the stability and happiness she needed in her own life to be able to support others. Shannon says that she wants to “show youth the control they have over their own lives even in the foster care system.” She hopes to use her experience to provide guidance and support to those who are struggling. As a former foster child, she knows that she will be able to form a strong connection with any child she works with. Shannon plans to eventually become a foster parent and start a group home for teens. We cannot wait to see all the amazing work Shannon will do as a CASA and beyond!
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Interested in becoming a CASA volunteer? The next training class begins January 27th. For more information and to fill out an application, email volunteer@kidsmatterinc.org or call 414-344-1220.
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This holiday season, a local high schooler, Iulia, went above and beyond to ensure that kids who are in the foster care have the items they need! For Iulia to move up a level in taekwondo, she was asked to complete a community service project. She choose to collect donations for Kids Matter to shed light on challenges faced by foster kids and to recognize Kids Matter’s work in the Milwaukee community. Iulia wanted to do a project that she believed would have a direct impact on her community, so she decided to involve her neighbors in a donation drive to help support foster children in Milwaukee.
Iulia organized the donation drive completely on her own, only asking for a ride from her mom. She created her own flyer and passed out donation bags to 250 community members. Iulia wanted to help the youth in Milwaukee, but she also had a larger goal of engaging her neighbors in something meaningful. She received many donations as well as notes from her neighbors. People reached out via email to thank her and share their own experiences with the foster care system and why the cause was meaningful to them. Iulia put so many hours into her incredible donation drive--we are so thankful for her bringing people together in spirit during these challenging times!
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Unlearning Racism: Tools for Action |
Unlearning Racism: Tools for Action©, the YWCA's six-part education series affords participants the opportunity to learn about the impact, history, manifestations, whiteness, and addressing racism in one’s sphere of influence. Each part is held on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Register here and read about the course in the Journal Sentinel below.
Winter 2021 Schedule and Topics
January 27: The Impact of Racism
February 3: The Roots of Racism
February 10 Manifestations of Racism
February 17: Understanding Whiteness
March 3: Your Role in Addressing Racism
March 17: Taking Action Against Racism
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I've experienced racism all my life. But a course called ...
When I signed up for the six-week course "Unlearning Racism" at the YWCA, I didn't expect to learn anything new about race relations in Milwaukee. As a Black man living in one of the most segregated cities in the nation, I've experienced racism...
Read more
www.jsonline.com
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POA for Health Care Training |
Kids Matter Inc., in collaboration with DCF Bureau of Youth Services staff, will host a training for county/tribal caseworkers, contracted service providers, foster parents, and other supportive adults for youth currently/formerly in foster care about the importance of having a Power of Attorney for Health Care. This training will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 from 12pm-1:30pm via Zoom. View the flyer here.
RSVP for this training opportunity by completing this online form by Thursday, January 28, 2021.
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Webinars from National CASA/GAL |
Did you know about one in four trafficking victims are children and the average age is 14?
National CASA/GAL provides online training resources for CASA and GAL staff and volunteers to help recognize and advocate for human trafficking and child exploitation victims:
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Join the Kids Matter Book Club |
The Kids Matter book club will meet on Monday, February 1st from 6 pm to 8 pm over Zoom to discuss The Attachment Effect: Exploring the Powerful Ways Our Earliest Bond Shapes Our Relationships and Lives by Peter Lovenheim.
Attachment theory is having a moment. It’s the subject of much-shared articles and popular relationship guides. Why is this fifty-year-old theory suddenly in vogue? Because people are discovering how powerfully it sheds light on who we love—and how. Part journalism, part memoir, part psychological guide—The Attachment Effect is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to better understand the needs and dynamics that drive the complex relationships in their lives.
If you’d like to join the discussion, email volunteer@kidsmatterinc.org to become a member. Please have "Book Club" in the subject line and include your name, preferred email address, and let us know if you're a CASA volunteer in the body of the email. We hope to see you over Zoom!
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