I am now remarried and my wife, Abby, recently remarked that it is a testament to Peggy's work that the organization she created is still thriving. Many people initiate projects that close down as soon as the founders move away or pass on. REACHH has carried on. Thank you to all the staff and supporters.
Jon Averill
By: Kristal Straub
Baby Welcome Baskets: Eligible recipients of the baskets have children from birth to one year of age. There are no income guidelines. The baby welcome baskets and referral forms are displayed at the local DHHR, WIC, Head Start, doctors' offices, FMRS, and local restaurants. The baskets are delivered at a home visit. The basket contains baby items and educational reading materials on topics including nutrition, brain development, family dental care, baby bottle tooth decay, breastfeeding, and community resource information.
At the visit a parent educator conducts a prenatal screening, which consists of questions about services that they are or are not receiving, and discusses any pregnancy concerns or breastfeeding information with the parents.
Post Partum Depression (PPD) assessment of the new mom is conducted and referrals for families to needed services are made. This program has been very successful in detecting signs of PPD with moms being referred to mental health services due to having a high screening score. Through the baby welcome baskets, staff have referred many applicants to other community resources that they were not aware of such as Parents as Teachers, Birth-to-Three, food banks, WIC, home repair programs, and Right From The Start.
During the 2008-2009 fiscal year we delivered 38 baskets.
Community Baby Safety Showers: The community baby safety showers are held quarterly at REACHH-FRC. They bring parents together to discuss child safety, health and nutrition, and the well-being of their new baby through educational topics and fun and games.
Items related to child safety such as smoke detectors, child safety gates, outlet covers, cabinet locks, bathtub thermometers, door knob covers, and medicine spoons are included as prizes. Through parenting education topics during the baby shower, parents become aware of their role in their child's development and learning. Topics which were presented this year included flue prevention, setting limits, baby-proofing your home, and indoor learning activities.
Child Abuse Prevention Month: Several community awareness activities took place in observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. Six members of the Summers county Community received awards as "Friends Of Children". These awards are always very appreciated by those who receive them. This year, Maria Madariaga, Reverend Dr. Barbara Romfo, Jeff Davis, Becky Green, Sy Satow, and Yvonne Satow were honored for their dedication to making the summers County Community a better place for children and families. The Child Abuse Prevention Month Flag was flown at the Summers County Courthouse and the Board of Education Office. Pinwheels (the new symbol of Child Abuse Prevention Month) were 'planted' in the REACHH-FRC flowerbeds by playgroup participants. A family night was held with a bingo game on stress (for the parents) and a "regular" bingo for kids was held. A community presentation titled "Beyond Stranger Danger" was held in Hinton. Prevention of abuse was identified and discussed. The children at the Hinton Area Elementary School After School Program completed an art activity on "Happy Homes". Two newspaper articles on prevention were submitted to the Hinton News. As you can see, April is a busy month!
Partners in Prevention activities are funded by TEAM for West Virginia's Children, the Claude Worthington Benedum foundation, WV DHHR, and the WV children's Trust Fund. Baby items including quilts, afghans, and diapers were generously donated local community groups and individuals including the Talcott Charge of the Methodist Church, Hinton First Baptist Church Ladies Auxiliary, and the Marie Quilters.
By: JoAnn Miller
During the 2008-2009 grant year, 24 children were registered for the After School Program and 33 for the Summer Fun Program. Of those students, many had difficulty with reading and math. Many also had social skill deficits, and at least 70% live in poverty. Some just needed a safe place to be. Many of the participants have had intervention from child Protective Services. During the After School and Summer Fun Program, children received a healthy snack. Activities consist of healthy snacks or meals, organized outdoor play time, and arts and crafts. Literacy activities and educational field trips are also key components of the program. In addition, the Second Step Curriculum is used to increase the social and conflict resolution skills of the participants.
There are no financial guidelines for any of the Starting points programs or services. During the '08-'09 Fiscal Year, the Starting Points Program was funded by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the Hinton Area Foundation and the Hollowell Foundation.
For Fiscal Year '09-'10, we are currently providing an expanded Summer Fun Program which includes a bagged lunch and a bagged supper for each participant, a county-wide bus service, and weekly field trips. With the additional funding we have received from a wide range of local community members and groups, we are also now able to divide the children up into two groups (K-2 and 3-5) which makes programming easier and more effective. We look forward to reporting on our current summer's events to you in the 2010 edition of this newsletter!
By: Amber Stover
At the CAC, we rely daily on partnerships. Without these important relationships with prosecutors, mental health providers, physicians, law enforcement, and funding sources we would not be able to work toward our mission of serving child victims. The increase in the number of victims served compared to last year demonstrates the strengthening of our partnership with law enforcement, prosecution, and child Protective Services. It is through these partnerships that we are able to provide a coordinated response to child abuse. Through our work with the Multi-disciplinary Investigative Team (MDIT) we have been better able to coordinate services for victims and prosecution of offenders. During these meetings we are able to ensure that cases are being tracked and that agencies involved have the most up to date information. It is also through these meetings that we are able to ensure that cases do not fall between the cracks of the system. Sometimes referrals are made to child Protective Services, but are screened due to non-caretaker abuse. Before our strengthened MDIT, these cases were sometimes not followed up on. We now receive these referrals and make regular contact with law enforcement to ensure these cases are taken seriously.
Recognizing that allegations of sexual abuse affect the entire family, we strive to provide support to the child victim, the non-offending caregiver, and other children in the family. When children are referred to the CAC - either by Child Protective Services or Law Enforcement, we look at the needs of the entire family. During the initial appointment with the child, staff talk to the non-offending caregiver to ensure the entire family's needs are met and to ease their fear and anxiety about child abuse allegations. We were able to purchase books for caregivers about healing and recovery when your child has been molested. One mother called the CAC to ask about the status of her child's case and thanked us for our support through this process. She stated that she felt completely helpless and that her world was crumbling, but our guidance and information was very encouraging and the book that she received from us had definitely helped her through his difficult time.
Ultimately the children, their non-offending caregivers, and the community at large benefit from the CAC and the coordinated response to criminal child abuse. It is through our partnerships with the MDIT and with our funders and donors that these services are possible. This past fiscal funding for the Child Advocacy Center was provided by the sisters of Saint Joseph Health and Wellness Committee, The West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Hinton Area Foundation, and the Ken Allman Community Fund.
By: Yvonne Hayes
REACHH-FRC opened the Mercer County Parents As Teachers (PAT) office July 1, 2008. Yvonne Hayes and Angela Allen are the Parent Educators with the PAT Program in Mercer County. In Summers County, Jennifer Adkins, Marie Coleman, and JoAnn Miller serve as Parent Educators.
Parent Educators provide home visits, referrals to community resources and assist with weekly playgroups. They also provide understanding, support and material aid (diapers and other baby items) to those enrolled in the PAT Program.
Parents As Teachers families receive:
- Personal visits/home visits during which the parent educator will share age-appropriate child development and parenting information, help the parents learn to observe the child, and address their parenting concerns.
- Parent group meetings/Playgroups which are opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development through parent education and child education activities. Parents learn and support each other, observe their children with other children and practice parenting skills. Playgroups are offered weekly whereas family nights are offered monthly and community baby showers are offered quarterly.
- Screenings to assess the child's overall development as well as health, hearing and vision.
- Resource network that links families to other community services. Families also receive a monthly newsletter which informs parents of community resources, events, and parent/child activity suggestions.
In the first few years, children learn more and learn at a faster pace than at any other time in life. Parents shape their child's future through the kinds of experiences they provide. Babies are born to learn, and parents are their child's first and most important teacher.
The program is designed to meet the needs of any parent, regardless of level of education or past parenting experience. It is open to anyone with a child to include prenatal through age 5 (or kindergarten entry). There are no income guidelines. Teen parents, two-parent families, single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, and college educated parents are currently enrolled and benefiting from what PAT has to offer.
Parents are supported by PAT-certified parent educators trained to translate scientific information on early bran development into specific when, what, how and why advice for families. By understanding what to expect during each stage of development, parents can easily capture the teachable moments in everyday life to enhance their child's language development, intellectual growth, social development and motor skills.
For the Fiscal Year '08-'09, forty-two families received a combined total of 147 home visits. 100 group activities were offered in the two counties. 451 individuals participated in a home visit and/or a group activity. PAT is funded with grants from WV Parent connections/Edvantia with funds from the WV Department of Education and WV DHHR..
By: Marie Coleman
New this year was our Middle School After School Program called InFusionFun, held at the First Presbyterian church on the corner of Third and Ballengee Streets. Geared for sixth through eighth grades, we provided a healthy snack, homework help, and activities. The program is offered after school three days a week.
Some of the activities we participated in were community oriented. The participants enjoyed packing groceries each Monday for the church's food distribution program. Other activities were hands-on such as making grape and apple jelly, banana bread, and learning to use a sewing machine to make a pillow. Several presenters conducted other hands-on activities throughout the school year. Jewelry making was conducted by Kristal Straub in the fall, origami by Sharon Ginsburg during the winter, knitting by Maria Madariaga in the spring, and paper-making by Barbara Romfo at the end of the school year.
A field trip to Lewisburg took us to China Palace for dinner followed by Greenbrier Valley Theater to see a play. In April we went to Magic Mart to by yarn for knotting. On a warm day in May we walked to Big Four Drug Store for ice cream. The last day we celebrated all of our fun with dinner at Sugar Mills Restaurant.
InFusionFun is funded by the First Presbyterian Church of Hinton and the Social and Ecumenical Committee of the West Virginia Presbytery.
By: Amber Stover
Monthly parenting classes utilizing a curriculum entitled "Children in the Middle" for parents who are getting a divorce or who are involved in a custody case with another parent are facilitated by staff members Amber Stover and Maria Madariaga. Parents are mandated by family court to attend a two hour class.
According to the curriculum, 1 in 4 marriages will end in divorce. Studies show the harmful effects of divorce on children which can lead to difficulty in school, truancy, teen pregnancy, and difficulty maintaining relationships. The class teaches parents how to minimize these effects on children and that it is often the way parents act during the divorce that is harmful to children more than the actual divorce itself.
The curriculum identifies common stressors on children during the divorce and how parents put their children in the middle of conflict. These situations include disputes over money, quizzing a child about another parent, sending messages through your child, and talking about the other parent in front of children. We teach parents how to avoid these situations and how important it is to maintain a civil relationship with the other parent. Parents leave with a workbook that covers all the material from the class and also exercises that they can do with their children.
We also stress the importance of communicating with their child and giving their child tools that will help them through a difficult situation. We stress that parents teach their children to use "I" messages and give them permission to tell parents when they are uncomfortable with something or are upset with How their parents are acting. By allowing children to have a voice during a time when they have no control over the change in their family is incredibly empowering to children.
The classes provide a wealth of information to parents and it is unfortunate that they are only available to parents getting a divorce. The communication skills and the idea of putting our children first instead of in the middle would benefit all parents.
The program is funded by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. During fiscal year '08-'09, thirty-two people attended the course.
We would like to thank the following people, agencies and companies for their donations of time, services, money, or works of art over the last fiscal year. Without their efforts we could not provide these much-needed services for our community. We apologize for anyone we may have overlooked.
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Larry Levine Shalom Tazewell Skip Mills Sonia Galloway Jon Averill Chris Chanlett Kay Westfall Ken Romfo Evelyn Phillips Garry Wheeler Torula Avery Abby Averill Barbara Romfo Ken Allman Alisha Smith Brianna Smith Andy Sampson Monica Gilpin Janet Rush Paul Kreyling Gary Garland John Magan Lydia Bales |
Jenny Lee Ellison Elizabeth Bare Patricia Wilson Ruth Baker Henry Hancock David Stanley Connie Hyler-Both Wanda Massie Rachel Dash Joe Golden Peggy Burkhart Mary Ellen Griffith Fred and Brenda Vass Elizabeth Rumelt Mark Weber Joanne Kinoy Daniel Doyle Linda Stein Jeff and Donna Jaffee Helen Powell Kathy Cross Cleo Matthews Regina Gwinn Eckle |
Perry Mann Jerry and Nancy Aldridge Kim Huffman Earl Stracener Virginia Mahan Kim Woods Angie Smith Sy and Yvonne Satow Lynn Crowder Jason Stover Amber Stover Virginia Hatcher Anganita Martin Ed and Nancy Cales Amy Bowling Donna Daugles Maria Madariaga Rich Marr Debbie Cantrell Marie Coleman Everett Crawford Kim Rhodes Roy Buckland | Tammy Rand Gail Keyes Sylvana Marr-Madariaga Kay Payne Sharon Ginsburg Nancy O'Farrell Curt Messer Austin Persinger Greg and Tish Westman Kristal Straub Marsha Springston John Richmond Carol Jackson Robert Clanders Martha and Victor Morgan David Ziegler Rick Bostic Ann Tamea Diana Hunt Carol Capalungo Dave and Nancy Sotak Don and Susan Sauter Richard and Judy Peterson |
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First Century Bank of Hinton Massie Insurance Agency State Farm Insurance Company New River Animal Hospital Catholic Community Services Jarrell's Exxon Talcott United Methodist Church First United Methodist Church of Hinton First Baptist Church of Hinton Hinton House Apartments | First Presbyterian Church of Hinton Practice Link Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlor Dollar General Big 4 Drug Store Dr. James C. Miller, DDS Summers County FRN Marie Quilters Sugar Mills Restaurant Pasquale's Restaurant |
City of Hinton Summers County Head Start Humpty Dumpty Day Care Center Summers County Commission The Guesthouse The Greenbrier General Lewis Inn Wakerobin Gallery Pasquale Mira Eight Rivers Web Design |
411 Temple Street
Hinton, WV 25951
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~~HOW TO DONATE WITHOUT IT COSTING YOU A CENT~~
To support REACHH-FRC on an ongoing bases, take your card to the Customer Service window at your local Kroger store and "re-load" the card with the amount of money you anticipate on spending at the store. When re-loading your card, you can pay with cash, use a debit card, or use a credit card. When paying for groceries with your card, you still also use your Kroger Plus card to get Kroger specials. Every four weeks Kroger will review our account and send us a check for 5% of the money that has been re-loaded onto the cards.
To purchase a card (or cards) from REACHH-FRC, just send a check for $5.00 for each card requested to the above address and we will send you the pre-loaded cards.
© REACHH-Family Resource Center 2009
