 FOSTER CARE AUXILIARY NEWSLETTER MAY 2007 |
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| Board Member Focus |
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 Christine Cano, Ink Cartridge & Cell Phone and Grocery Store Fundraiser:
Christine joined the FCAOC at her first Foster Family Picnic after the placement of her Fos/Adopt twins several years ago. She volunteered to be involved right away on the next year’s picnic committee and has been helping ever since. Christine also gives her time at our thrift store, helps on member distribution days, has helped at many events, and attends meetings when her time permits. She does this in addition to mothering her now three year old twins and her job as a nurse at Miller’s Children’s Hospital. She is truly an amazing lady to whom the Auxiliary is extremely grateful for her choice to help contribute.
Christine has recently been appointed to the FCAOC Board to encourage more participation in the ink cartridge/cell phone recycling program we belong to and our Grocery Store fundraising programs. If you shop at Albertson’s or Ralph’s, did you know that they will donate a small percentage of your purchases to the Foster Care Auxiliary? And that we get a small amount for each cartridge and cell phone turned in to our recycling program? Even better than one family’s ink cartridge donations would be if each family could find a company to donate. Our program does all the work and pays for the postage. Call Christine to find out more 714 349-8825, or just bring them to the distribution center. Christine also makes sure that we are stocked with Krispy Kreme Cards and Carl’s Jr. Books to sell as fundraisers. She is a valuable asset to FCAOC and I hope you will join me in acknowledging her efforts to help our program grow and succeed.
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| President's Letter |
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 WOW! May already. Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Foster Care Month. Did you know that I have a copy of ‘Mother’s of Other’s’ in our library? It has photos and quotes from some local foster parents from more than 20 years ago. The name says it all…Mothers of Others…that’s us. (and Dad’s too) In all the mothering and fathering each of you do, remember to take the time to care for your wonderful selves.
Since this is one of the few newsletters we mail out, please put September 29 on your calendar now for the Annual Foster Family Picnic which will be held at Kiwanis Land in Garden Grove again this year. Take note of the other plans we have too, like the Bella Terra event on the 19th to celebrate foster care month and get the word out in the community about foster family needs. We know that not everyone can be a foster parent, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if more people in the community were informed about foster parenting and what they could do to help foster parents in their efforts?
I hope that you will take advantage of the special offers in this newsletter and come in and say hi on member distribution days.
As always, if I can answer any questions or if there is anything you would like to discuss, do not hesitate to give me a call.
Kathy Harvey, President
Foster Care Auxiliary of Orange County |
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CHECK OUT OUR LIBRARY! |
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 Books may be checked out as you need them and should be returned at the next scheduled member distribution day or arrangements made to keep them longer. Check out this link on our web site to see the books available. |
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| Reminders And Important Notices!! |
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 Members Only Distribution Days
May 4th - Fri from 11 - 2
May 7th - Mon from 9 - noon
*May 12th – Sat from 9 – noon *NOTE-this is the 2nd Sat to avoid the FP Conference*
Members, please bring your own bags
**Shoppers, Bring your own Bags on Member Shopping Days! **
Every member can shop one time per month choosing between
the 1st Monday, 1st Saturday, or 1st Friday of most months.
Nature’s Cradle
The Foster Care Auxiliary has a Nature’s Cradle they would like to loan to a member who needs it. Please contact an Auxiliary Board Member to arrange to pick it up. If you don’t know what a Nature’s Cradle is, come by the store to see it in action…a reproduction of what the infant should feel like in its mother’s womb. Soothing and comforting to those newborns that are colicky or experiencing traumas like drug withdrawal.
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Thrift Store Special
May 4th – May 12th Buy any item in the store that is priced $3 or under (most items) and get the 2nd item of equal or lesser value for FREE !
**Limit of 5 free items.
Check out the weekly silent auction on selected items in the thrift store on your next visit.
Thrift Store Hours:
Mon. & Sat. 9am-4pm Tues
Thurs, & Fri. 11-6
Closed: Sun. & Wed.
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Meetings and Events Upcoming events:
Upcoming events: Visit our on-line calendar for the latest information
http://calendar.yahoo.com/fostercareaux
May 5th: Foster Parent Conference
May 17th: Board Meeting
May 19th: We’ll be doing something special at the Bella Terra Mall to celebrate Foster Care Month…come on by and say hi!
June Quarterly Meeting....more details soon
July 28th: Not sure of the specifics yet, but we’ll be hosting a baseball event, so stay tuned and be ready to RSVP when the time is right.
September 29th: Foster Family Picnic
October 20th: Pumpkin Picking Event at Tanaka Farms
Monthly Board Meetings are generally the 3rd Thursday evenings of each month…location will be announced. Contact any board member or check the web site for current information.
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WISH FROM THE AUXILIARY
I am still hopeful that someone knows a CPA who might want to help the Foster Care Auxiliary with an audit. Call me…Please? 714 778-3383 We are a 501c3 so any donation would be tax deductible.
Base board installation for several small rooms.
Carpet & installation.
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| THANK YOU UCI ALPHA PHI OMEGA SERVICE VOLUNTEERS |
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Twenty volunteers from Alpha Phi Omega of UCI spent three days in April volunteering to sort and hang clothes for the thrift store, straightening up the shelves and racks, stocking the distribution center and organizing the extra stock, in addition to putting together an excel program of our library books. This was a great group of exceptional students who believe in volunteering and giving back to the community. They worked hard in what ever capacity was needed. They get an A+ for their efforts!
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| WHY SHOULD I HAVE E-MAIL AND HOW CAN I GET IT IF I DON’T HAVE A COMPUTER? |
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| You can view past issues of our newsletters on the web site at any time, but there are times like in April when we were given 211 Angel Baseball tickets and only a few days to give them out that will only be offered to our members through email…or like our weekly bakery donation only offered through email. Email is here to stay and is so much more efficient than ‘snail’ mail or phone calls and faster too. If you don’t have a computer to receive last minute offers that sometimes come our way and our regular newsletters, you might consider asking a friend or relative to let you use their email or you can set up a free email account at the library.
Simply go to the public library closest to your home and fill out a very short application form. Ask the library staff if you need help setting up an email address. You will need to bring in your ID (Driver's License or Passport) and a utility bill to show your valid home address. When you check out library books, you can do so from any branch with the same library card and drop it off at any location! It is really very convenient.
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| THANKS TO THOSE WHO MAKE OUR MISSION POSSIBLE |
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This has been a very busy month for the Foster Care Auxiliary.
I would like to thank some special volunteers:
Tom Brooks though his generosity has helped us with the appearance and function of the Distribution Center. Come in and see for yourself. As I read this I realize that what I say is totally insufficient. Thank you to Tom. We are enjoying our new clean space whenever we are here and hopefully more people will want to come in and take part in all we do to support and encourage fostering.
Steve Noffsinger of Pacific Carpets helped us by donating all of the carpet for the distribution center, and it looks great. Thank you Steve.
Ron Kozima grabbed the bull by the horns and supplied and installed a kitchenette for our employees and volunteers to use for clean up and food preparation. Thank you Ron.
It feels good to help. It feels good to see people helping.
Please come and visit and let us know what you think.
Martin Harvey
Third vice president
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| FOSTER OR FORMER FOSTER YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS…APPLY NOW! |
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Pick up an application from our office or download one from our web site and get your foster or former foster youth to fill it out and apply for our scholarship if they are out of high school and pursuing higher education.
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| Your Space |
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This is your space…what would you like to share with other foster parents? What are your needs and what do you have to offer?
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| The Gift of Reading |
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 We have our first two trained tutors to start our adult literacy program through Read OC. If you know a motivated adult or teen who is at least 16 and not going to a traditional high school, have them contact us for information if they have a desire to learn to read, write or speak English at our center.
Literacy isn’t just about reading a book. It is about functioning in the world. It’s about being able to fill out a job application, use a computer or an ATM, order from a menu without pictures, and communicate in an emergency for a child.
Learning to read creates a ripple impacting every area of our lives. Lessons are individualized, confidential, and highly goal-oriented. Tutors structure the learning process around the goals of the learner, using materials that relate to those goals.
Call or email our center to get information on the reading literacy program. Let’s get started! |
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| Foster Family Friend |
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| There are volunteers who would like to help foster families by playing a game, reading, helping with homework, etc. in your home. These volunteers are not to be babysitters, but can create some spare time for foster parents. Call or email me if you are interested in being matched with a Foster Family Friend. 714 778-3383 fostercareaux@yahoo.com |
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| FREE HAIR CUTS! |
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 Supercuts is offering free haircuts at specific times so that the newly licensed people, so they can practice. They have their degree but just need to learn the “Supercut” way and they are always looking for people who want a free haircut. You can call Linda at 714 526-2055 for an appointment during the weeks of May 7 and May 21 and the weeks of June 4 and June 18…walk toward the back of the store and and whoa-la…free hair cut. You can also drop in anytime between 9am – 2:30pm on Thursday or Friday of the previous mentioned weeks without an appointment for a free cut.
These free hair cuts are only available at Supercuts, 932 W. Orangethorpe, Fullerton (corner of Euclid and Orangethorpe) Be sure to tell them thanks and mention the Foster Care Auxiliary. Click here for a driving map from Google. |
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| Our Board |
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