Winter 2021 by Family Building Blocks

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WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ORGANIZATION VALUES OFFICERS Rich Schultz, Chair Cherry City Metals Jeff Moore, Vice Chair Saalfeld Griggs, PC Brian Johnston, Past Chair Dallas Glass & Window Jody Rowell, Secretary Community Service Mike Blanchard, Treasurer Johnson, Glaze & Co.

ORGANIZATION VALUES • We respect the unique personhood of each child. • We believe in the power of a securely attached family. • We are family-centered, caring and supportive. • We strive for equity and celebrate diversity. • We are collaborative and ambitious. • We emphasize strengths and assume positive intent. • We honor vulnerability and courage. • We offer optimism and hope. • We express gratitude for our community’s generosity.

FROM PATRICE How has COVID-19 impacted Home Visiting? As we continue to navigate the best way to support families during the second year of the pandemic, we would love to share with you how we have adapted our Home Visiting services—the cornerstone we provide to all partnering families. Our work focuses on a two generational approach to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Historically all Home Visits were conducted in person, usually in the family’s home. During COVID-19, in person visits were suspended and Home Visits occurred in a variety of other formats. In person, in Home Visits still remain the best approach. All of our dedicated and loving direct service staff conduct home visits. The term “Home Visitors” can encompass both “Teachers” and “Home Visitors.” As we prepare to resume in person, in Home Visits safely, we aim for these to be the most frequent, with other options offered as exceptions. What qualifies as a “Home Visit?” Three of our programs (Relief Nursery, Early Head Start, and Healthy Families) require that each Home Visit, whether in person or remote, include a focus on at least one of these components, with the child present: • Promotion of positive parent child interaction/attachment • Completion of a parent child activity • Promotion of healthy childhood growth and development • Enhancement of family functioning • Providing/following up on resources and referrals We are proud to report that over 9,200 Home Visits were conducted in 2020. What other types of support are offered during a “Home Visit?” Certain family engagement activities, such as food box deliveries and other porch drop offs, are provided in addition to Home Visiting services. These have also occurred more frequently during the pandemic to ensure we continue to engage parents when we have had limited personal interaction with them. What support do home visitors receive? Every Home Visitor participates in weekly or biweekly case conferencing sessions with their supervisor. Case conferencing includes discussions about family dynamics, service delivery planning, and documentation, as well as emotional support for the Home Visitor. Home Visitors also participate in Group Supervision with a therapist from our Family Mental Health Program team. What were some key takeaways for Home Visits in 2020 and 2021? • Families appreciated, valued, and used the basic resources and supports provided • Emotional and social supports were needed during this critical time • Parents appreciated increased frequency of “check ins” from Home Visitors, as well as more flexible options for visits • Flexible options for times and durations of visits increased family participation • Shifting to virtual services led staff to creative ways of engaging children • Support provided to staff was key to successful service delivery, especially mental health services for staff and tending to staff emotional needs We are so grateful to our inspiring families, incredible staff, and remarkable community for continuing to adapt while prioritizing “Keeping Children Safe and Families Together.” Thank you!

Patrice Altenhofen, Executive Director

FEATURED STORY MEET JUANA’S FAMILY AND GIVE BY DECEMBER 31, 2021! “The moment I felt my baby kick, I began to have hope. It was the inspiration I needed to not give up—to keep going for my daughter.” Not long before Juana found out she was pregnant, she was in recovery from a surgery that kept her away from school for almost a year. She didn’t believe she was going to be able to catch up to her peers and thought her academic achievements might be over, causing her to experience severe depression and hopelessness. After learning she was also pregnant, Juana was terrified, anxious, and overwhelmed. She was 17 years old.

Meet Juana’s Family

Juana knew she had a choice to make. She could walk away from school and find a job, or she could find the courage to keep going, accomplish her academic goals, and give her daughter the life she wanted her to have. Juana chose to have hope. That’s when she found Family Building Blocks.

“I felt lost. I wanted to be a good mother, but I didn’t know what babies needed or where to start.” Upon entering her senior year of high school, Juana’s Student Resource Support Teacher introduced her to our staff at Doris’s Place in Stayton. She began receiving Home Visits and was eager to learn as much as she could. When it was time for her baby, Elena, to be born, she was breech and Juana underwent an emergency c-section. Fortunately, both Juana and Elena were healthy and safe. “I was so happy when I saw her. I would hold her little hands while she laid on my chest…it was so beautiful. And I cried. She was so tiny. I didn’t think about anything else. I had no worries. I was just with her in that moment.” After Juana was able to bring Elena home, she began to worry as they didn’t have access to heat. As winter was approaching, Juana reached out to Family Building Blocks for help. With support from a grant, we were able to ensure their home would be warm and safe for winter and beyond. In addition to helping Juana secure furniture and other needed items, her Home Visitor, Alicia, would check in with Juana regularly, bringing activities, information, and resources like diapers, wipes, groceries, and more. While supporting Juana in learning how to meet her baby’s basic needs, including implementing safe sleep practices, Alicia also provided information to support her with breastfeeding, Meet Elena understanding brain development, and the importance of making eye contact with and reading to your baby. Alicia also made sure to help Juana feel seen, heard, and valued. “When I was growing up, my parents didn’t talk to us about our feelings and I didn’t know it was okay to be sad, frustrated, and scared. After partnering with Alicia, I was able to identify and articulate those feelings, knowing it didn’t make me a lesser person.” Juana also began to realize that Alicia wasn’t just a wonderful support system, she was also her dear friend and greatest advocate when it came to accomplishing her goal of graduating high school. “Alicia was so encouraging and helped me build a lot of confidence. She taught me about individual strengths and helped me identify mine. Some things I love most about myself are that I am open-minded and determined. I love to learn and am reliable. While it was hard for me to ask for help in the beginning, it has always been very important to me to help others. I moved to this country when I was just eight years old and didn’t speak a word of English. I also didn’t speak Spanish, though I am from Mexico. Like my mother, I grew up only speaking a very specific dialect. I will never forget my first day of school in Oregon. My teacher welcomed my mother and me to the classroom and started talking. My mother and I just looked at each other. Neither of us knew what she was saying. I was scared and I hated that feeling. This is what inspired me to learn as much as I could, as quickly as I could. Over time, I was able to translate so well that I began helping my family. At a young age, my parents would ask me to read the mail. I became responsible for making sure they knew what bills to pay, how to cash checks, and more. I learned my work ethic from my parents. I grew up watching them work long, hard hours outside. When they came home, Continued on next page

FEATURED STORY they were so tired. They spent what energy they had left making dinner, cleaning up, and preparing for the next day. There was never much time for connection or play. I knew that if I became a mother one day, I wanted to make sure I could come home from work in the evening and play with my children.” A few years later, Juana was thrilled to become pregnant with another baby girl. However, a traumatic experience was right around the corner. During her pregnancy, Juana was in a car accident. While Juana and her unborn baby remained physically safe and healthy, she began experiencing shock, severe stress, and fear. Concerned for Juana, Alicia connected her with Ben Fennimore, Family Building Blocks’ Family Mental Health Services Manager. Juana shared that she met with Ben regularly for several weeks and that he was integral in her ability to cope with her stress. “Ben taught me the importance of breathing exercises and how they can help me stay calm in the moment. Ben was also flexible with his schedule and met with me outside of regular working hours to better support me in caring for myself. Now, when panic sets in, I practice what Ben taught me by writing down my emotions and remembering my strengths to reinforce my self-confidence. Because of the care I received from Ben and Alicia, I was able to get back on the road and regain control of my emotions.”

Meet Ana

Eventually, Juana gave birth to another healthy baby girl, Ana. Juana was overjoyed to have two daughters. When she thinks about them, she is inspired to reach new heights. “I want to be a role model for my daughters. I want them to be strong, hardworking, kind, and gentle. When I think about my role models, I think about my Student Resource Teacher who helped me find Family Building Blocks and later helped me find a career in interpreting for local students. I also think about my Home Visitor, Alicia. She helped me find my strengths and I want to do the same for others. Between my experience translating for students and learning valuable parenting skills from my Home Visitor, I discovered I have a passion for early childhood development and am proud to say I recently finished my first term at Chemeketa Community College studying just that. My new dream is to own my own childcare center someday. With the tools I gained partnering with Family Building Blocks, I know I can do it.”

Juana is right. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage and generosity of one person to remind you that you can do anything. And Juana is now able to see all her value and incredible strength as a person, mother, community member, advocate, and so much more. Because she believes, her daughters will believe. At Family Building Blocks, we see the best in people so they can see the best in themselves. Our wraparound services support parents and families every step of the way. YOU make that possible. Because of YOU, families on the brink of giving up have another option. Because of YOU, families have hope. Please give generously to “Keep Children Safe and Families Together,” providing hope for generations to come.

SCAN THE CODE BELOW TO GIVE ONLINE BY DECEMBER 31, 2021! DONATE ONE TIME, DONATE MONTHLY, OR MAKE AN ANNUAL PLEDGE. H I LDREN

R. Taylor, Past Chair, Board of Directors

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Patrice Altenhofen, Executive Director

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Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

SPOTLIGHTS GALA OF TREES RAISES OVER $100,000 TO BENEFIT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Thank you for supporting the 31st annual Gala of Trees benefiting children and families partnering with Family Building Blocks. We have so much gratitude for our community’s commitment to “Keeping Children Safe and Families Together.” The 22 full-size and tabletop trees and eight wreaths, all thoughtfully and beautifully decorated, included truly outstanding gifts, trips, wine, self-care packages, toys, and more. Winning bidders get to enjoy these festive features in their homes while they plan for their getaways, delight in their new treats, and celebrate our community’s commitment to supporting children and families. Bo Ho Ho Merry Christmas We’d like to give the most heartfelt thank you to our tree decorators and by Phil and Amanda DuPont volunteers for your countless hours perfecting every last detail. Your efforts are the foundation of this beloved event. Thank you to our sponsors, including presenting sponsor Mountain West Investment Corporation, donors, Holiday Tree Tour hosts, and to you, our community, for your dedication to the youngest among us.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN 2021 THANKS TO YOU!

Our annual Hope for the Holidays in November and December is what holiday dreams are made of. This giving program ensures our families’ basic needs are met during the holidays. It also provides them priceless opportunities to bond, give and receive gifts, provide food for their families, and create memories together for years to come. Each year, we partner with local businesses and individuals to collect donations of winter coats, age appropriate educational toys, pajamas, books in multiple languages, and gift cards for food for local Judson Middle School Students families raising young children. Because of your generous support this year, Family Building Blocks was able to provide gifts and needed items and help create sweet holiday memories with over 400 children and their parents in our community. YOU made all of this possible! Thank you to our many Giving Tree hosts, donors, and all who encouraged others to participate in this important opportunity to give and provide hope. HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE NEXT YEAR? DONATE ONLINE AND HOST A “GIVING TREE!” In November, visit us at familybuildingblocks.org/hopefortheholidays to fulfill the need for these gifts and make an online donation. To participate as a business and collect needed items, please contact Julie Hilty, at 503.566.2132 or jhilty@familybuildingblocks.org.

GIVE GIVE BY DECEMBER 31, 2021! HOW CAN I “KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AND FAMILIES TOGETHER?” Donate a one-time gift, donate monthly, make an annual pledge, and more!

GIVE ONLINE: familybuildingblocks.org/donate TEXT TO GIVE: Text FBB to 91999 GIVE BY MAIL: Checks can be mailed to 2425 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, OR 97305 Because of your support, when families bravely ask for help, we are there. YOU are changing the trajectory for over 1,200 children and 800 families a year, for generations. We envision a world where children are safe and families stay together. YOU make it possible. Please give generously to “Keep Children Safe and Families Together.” QUESTIONS ABOUT GIVING? Contact Julie Hilty at jhilty@familybuildingblocks.org or 503.566.2132

GIVE THROUGH YOUR IRA WONDERFUL YEAR-END IRA TAX PLANNING FOR FAMILY BUILDING BLOCKS Qualified Charitable Distributions for Traditional IRA Accounts by Jeff Moore, Saalfeld Griggs, PC and Family Building Blocks Board Member

For those who own a traditional Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”), make charitable gifts, and have already started your “required minimum distributions” for your IRA, there is a wonderful year-end tax planning strategy for charitable distributions from traditional IRA accounts. As you may know, once you turn age 72, you must—at a minimum—start withdrawing from your IRA the “required minimum distribution” amount each year. This is true whether you need the income or not. And any distribution from your traditional IRA is, of course, subject to the ordinary income tax rates. However, a tax-smart way to make a charitable gift to Family Building Blocks is to do so using funds from your traditional IRA via a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” or “QCD.” In the past, if you wanted to use IRA money to make a charitable gift you first took a taxable distribution from the IRA, paid the tax due, and then gave the post-tax money to the charity and claimed a deduction. But with a Qualified Charitable Distribution, you can instruct your IRA custodian to distribute directly to a charity such as Family Building Blocks with two advantages: (1) the distribution counts towards your required minimum distribution amount for the year (applicable once you turn age 72), and (2) the distribution will not be taxable to you and will not be includible in your adjusted gross income. There are a few rules and limitations you should be aware of when considering a Qualified Charitable Distribution: • The QCD must come from a traditional IRA; it is not available for retirement plans (such as a 401(k) plan), or SEP or Simple IRAs; however, you could potentially roll amounts from these other retirement accounts into a traditional IRA and then proceed with a QCD (note that it wouldn’t make a lot of tax sense to distribute from a Roth IRA because Roth IRA distributions are not taxable); • The QCD must be transferred directly from the IRA custodian to Family Building Blocks and not to you personally and then to Family Building Blocks (but the IRS does allow you to personally deliver the check so long as the check was made out to Family Building Blocks); • You must be age 70½ or older to make a QCD; and • The QCD is limited to $100,000 per IRA owner per year (and if married, each spouse may transfer $100,000 for a total of $200,000); however, this $100,000 amount is reduced by any post-70½ contributions to an IRA.

GIVE GIVE STOCK AND WE’LL SELL IT FOR YOU STOCK DONATIONS AND QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS

by Mike Blanchard, Johnson, Glaze & Co. and Family Building Blocks Board Member In order to support non-profits in dealing with the uncertainty and increased demand on resources due to the pandemic, Congress has allowed a special “above the line” deduction for charitable contributions again in 2021. That means even those that don’t itemize deductions can received a tax benefit, up to $300 or $600 for a married couple filing jointly. And, with the stock market pushing to record highs this year, giving the gift of stocks is still an attractive option. For stock investments that would result in long-term capital gains (outside of an IRA or 401(k)), rather than write a personal check to the organization, transfer the stock and let Family Building Blocks sell it for you. By doing so, you “give away” the capital gain income but get a deduction for the full value of the stock. The important thing is that you must give the stock directly, don’t sell it yourself. Or, if you are over 70 ½ and have money in an IRA you would like do donate, ask your investment advisor about a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” from you account. They will send money directly to Family Building Blocks and you won’t have to include it in your income. Last year we received over $50,000 in donations from supporters using these tax smart strategies. Join them and help us work to “Keep Children Safe and Families Together.” Please note: These articles are not meant to be tax advice. Please seek proper counsel for your own circumstances. Talk to your tax or investment advisor to get started today!

THANK YOU TO OUR PREVENTION PATRONS! PREVENTION PATRONS ARE INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES THAT SPONSOR OUR RELIEF NURSERY THERAPEUTIC EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS Thank you to our summer/fall event sponsors who transferred their sponsorship dollars to our Prevention Patrons giving program. To become a Prevention Patron, please contact Julie Hilty, Director of Business Partnerships, at jhilty@familybuildingblocks.org or call 503.566.2132. HEALTH SPONSOR

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OREGON PERMIT NO. 64

2425 Lancaster Dr. NE Salem, OR 97305

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To update your physical address for our quarterly newsletter and to join our monthly IMPACT e-news list, contact Rufina Caluya at rcaluya@familybuildingblocks.org.

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CHELSEA’S PLACE (MAIN OFFICE) 2425 Lancaster Dr. NE Salem, OR 97305 503.566.2132 M-Th: 8:00 am-12:30 pm, 1:00-5:00 pm F: 8:00 am-2:00 pm

WOODBURN CLASSROOM First Presbyterian Church 950 N Boones Ferry Rd., Woodburn, OR 97071 971.701.0076 Open for Therapeutic Classroom services.

HELEN’S PLACE 180 18th St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503.798.4744 Open for Therapeutic Classroom services.

BROADWAY PLACE 1255 Broadway St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503.990.7431 Temporarily closed. Please call for assistance.

DORIS’S PLACE Office: Santiam Center Class: Wolf Ridge Community Room 11656 Sublimity Rd. SE 1351 E Santiam St. Sublimity, OR 97385 Stayton, OR 97383 503.769.1120 503.899.3690 Temporarily closed. Open for Therapeutic Please call for assistance. Classroom services.

GRACIE’S PLACE 1135 Edgewater St. NW Salem, OR 97304 503.363.3057 Open for Therapeutic Classroom services.

DALLAS ACADEMY Dallas Academy Building 182 SW Academy St. Ste 210 Dallas, OR 97338 971.301.1927 Open for Therapeutic Classroom services.

Family Building Blocks (Main Office) 2425 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, OR 97305 | 503.566.2132 | www.familybuildingblocks.org