bair.org
Summer 2013
4th Annual Kinship Back to School Event
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hank you Covenant Community UMC for once again sponsoring the Kinship Back to School Event. Each school age child in the program will receive a book bag filled with school supplies specific to their grade and school. So where can your kinship child’s school supplies be picked up? There are several options! On Sunday, August 11th, Covenant Community UMC would like to invite you to their morning church service. School supplies can be picked up directly after the service. Services take place at 9:00 AM OR 11:15 AM. The church is located at: 11 Rocket Drive, Asheville NC 28803 (on the hill above A.C. Reynolds High School). On Tuesday, August 13th, Covenant Community UMC Friendship Gardens will be hosting an Ice Cream Social. You are invited to enjoy some homemade ice cream (yum!), socialize with other kinship families and of course grab your school supplies! The kids are also invited to play on the playground. The Ice Cream Social will take place from 4:00 - 5:30 PM, and you can drop in at any time. Covenant Community UMC outdoor pavilion is located at 11 Rocket Drive, Asheville, NC 28803 (on the hill above A.C. Reynolds High School - turn into the school entrance.) If you are unable to pick up your child’s school supplies at either of these locations, please call Laura May to schedule another pick-up date and time. Laura can be reached at the Asheville Bair office at (828) 350-5197.
Farm Day 2013 Fund raiser & Round Up for The Tack Room The Tack Room, a clothes closet ministry that aids Buncombe County Kinship families is holding a fundraiser to help support their mission. Join us for Farm Day 2013 to help support the Tack Room and provide for the on-going needs of local children, teens and families. Farm Day is scheduled for Saturday, September 7th from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and will be held at 36 Vance Ave. in Black Mountain. There will be farm animals, horse rides, smoked BBQ, a hay ride and farm games. The Tack Room, an outreach of The Blue Ridge Cowboy Church, is organized by Millie Lewis and would not exist without the help of volunteers and donors. The Tack Room ministry is unique in that an appointment will need to be set up in order to “shop” the boutique; all items are free but may be subject to limitations depending on availability. To make an appointment to “shop”, please text 828-7776033 and your request will be answered within 24 hours.
Who is Bair & What is Kinship?
Bair’s Asheville Location at Executive Park
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he Bair Foundation is a child and family ministry with 45 years of experience in the field of child welfare. Our Asheville office has been providing therapeutic foster care to local abused and neglected youth for the past three years. We recruit and retain quality homes in Asheville and the surrounding areas that are able to provide structure, stability, safety, and love to children in the foster care system. The Bair Foundation actively recruits teen homes and families who are willing to take sibling groups, as that is where the need is greatest. The objective of our ministry is to strengthen families and ultimately provide permanency for these children, either through returning home, foster-to-adopt, legal guardianship, or kinship care. Kinship Care is a program designed to help support a child who resides outside of his or her own home, either temporarily or for the long term, with a relative, godparents, stepparents or any adult who has a “kinship bond” with a child. Kinship Care is an option that allows a child to grow into adulthood in a familiar family environment instead of being placed in foster care. THANK YOU Kinship families for providing transitional care for your “kin” while their biological parents complete the steps necessary so their children can return home.
Questions? Laura May, Kinship Coordinator The Bair Foundation Executive Park Suite 217 - Bldg. 1 Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 350-5197 (877) 213-0723 toll free (828) 350- 5199 fax email: LMay@bair.org
Buncombe County Dept. of Social Services 40 Coxe Avenue, PO Box 7408 Asheville, NC 28802 (828) 250-5500 (828) 250-6235 fax
If you would like to help/give/hold a donation drive please contact Laura!
Kinship Resources Super Thrift Store Western Carolina Rescue Ministries
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tore proceeds are used to support Western Carolina Rescue Ministries of Asheville. Items for sale include clothing, furniture, books, dishes and other household goods. *If you are a Kinship Provider in Buncombe County’s Kinship Program, you can receive up to $25.00 worth of clothing free of charge to you. Simply tell the cashier you are a kinship provider, provide your last name and you are good to go!
(828) 254-0010 624 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28806 A Big THANK YOU to Biltmore Baptist Richard Bellflower Connect Group for partnering with The Super Thrift Store to provide clothing to our kinship families! Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Augustine Project Literacy Council of Buncombe County The Asheville Augustine Project seeks to improve the academic achievement and the self esteem of low-income children and teens who struggle with literacy skills. The project trains tutors who provide these students free, 1-on-1, long-term, instruction in reading, writing and spelling. Tutoring usually takes place 2-3 times a week at the child’s school during the school day if teachers and administrators are amenable. Alternate tutoring sites may include after school programs. Hours: Monday, Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
(828) 254-3442 31 College Place Suite 221 Building B Asheville, NC 28806 Eligibility: Must be in 1st through 12th grade and qualify for free or reduced lunch; Students must test below grade level in reading, writing or spelling.
Helping Kids Understand Bullying
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ids who know what bullying is can better identify it. They can talk about bullying if it happens to them or others. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include: •
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
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Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. It’s important the kids know ways to safely stand up to bullying and how to get help.
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Encourage kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others being bullied. The adult can give comfort, support, and advice, even if they can’t solve the problem directly. Encourage the child to report bullying if it happens.
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Talk about how to stand up to kids who bully. Give tips, like using humor and saying “stop” directly and confidently. Talk about what to do if those actions don’t work, like walking away.
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Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids.
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Urge them to help kids who are bullied by showing kindness or getting help.
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Model How to Treat Others with Kindness and Respect: Kids learn from adults’ actions. By treating others with kindness and respect, adults show the kids in their lives that there is no place for bullying. Even if it seems like they are not paying attention, kids are watching how adults manage stress and conflict, as well as how they treat their friends, colleagues, and families.
Buncombe County Schools strives to foster a climate of respect and personal responsibility among students, and does not tolerate bullying in any form. Anyone with knowledge of a situation involving bullying can either report the incident to school officials, or if preferred, may report the situation anonymously by either going to the school’s homepage to complete an online form (Click on Report Bullying) or by calling our Anti-Bullying Hotline at 225-5292 to leave a message. All calls or completed forms will be addressed by school officials within two business days. For more information on bullying, please visit: stopbullying.gov OR http://www. buncombe.k12.nc.us/domain/4877
Free Kids Clothes At Salvation Army Stores
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his time of year, “back to school” shopping can be a financial burden, but Salvation Army stores in West Asheville and Arden have an offer you can’t resist. Through the end of August, they’re giving away free clothes to kids from 4 to 12 years-old. The Salvation Army is encouraging families to come in and pick out a free outfit (a top & bottom) for each schoolage child in your home. Remember, this offer continues through the end of August at the New Leicester Highway locale, and the Hendersonville road location in Arden.
Leicester Hwy Family Store 91 Leicester Hwy Asheville, NC 28806 828-254-6836
Arden Family Store 2247 Hendersonville Rd. Arden, NC 28704 828-687-7148
Support Groups Monthly Caregiver Support Group
Bair’s Monthly Kinship Caregiver Support Group
Homewatch Caregivers is pleased to announce that Suzannah Tebbe Davis, Agency Director, is facilitating the Reeves Chapel UMC monthly Caregiver Support group. This group is open to unpaid caregivers and family members who are taking care of a loved one. The group meets for fellowship, to exchange ideas and to bring in relevant guest speakers.
When you go to a kinship support meeting you get a chance to connect with other kinship caregivers by sharing stories and information, offering support and listening to each other.
Where: Reeves Chapel United Methodist Church 225 Sardis Rd. Asheville NC 28806
Mark Your Calendars!
When: The 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 PM
August 21st, 5:30 September 19th, 5:30 PM October: Dinner & childcare provided, location to be announced
For further information please contact: Rev Jay Bissett at 828-772-4362 or Ginger Robertson at 828-713-9948
Come out and join us, have fellowship and network! Please contact Laura May for more information or questions.
Where: Bair’s Asheville office Executive Park Building 1, Suite 217, Asheville Contact: Laura May 828-350-5197 email: lmay@bair.org
Helping Your Child Establish Good Study Habits
Play & Learn
The summer continues to fly by, and the beginning of a new school year is on the horizon. Homework may be the last thing on your families mind, but its importance once school begins should not be forgotten. Having a plan that will allow for good study habits is important to help your home run smoothly. Here are a few tips for how you can do this:
Play & Learn is a preliteracy program for parents/caregivers and their children. Classes are offered for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers at a variety of times, days and locations. For additional information about the infant/toddler classes contact Jessica Bachar at 828.350.2932. For questions about the preschooler classes, contact Mara Holland at 828-350-2904.
Make a regular study time when your child is expected to do homework, say from 4:00 to 6:00 pm every day or maybe after dinner time until an hour before bedtime. Make sure everyone in the household respects that time and leaves the child free to study.
Play and Learn is sponsored by Smart Start of Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools Preschool.
Take an active role in supervising homework and asking about assignments. Remember, there is a big difference between supervising and doing. If your child is having trouble, do not hesitate to offer guidance, but make sure she or he has learned the subject material. Provide the necessary supplies, and make sure they are kept all together just for homework. Nothing is more distracting than hunting for a pen or having a sibling use up their notebook paper. -Adapted from circleofparents.org, ‘Schoolwork.’
Kinship Connection is a publication of The Bair Foundation 217 Executive Park, Asheville, NC 28801 (877) 213-0723 bair.org