Winter 2019/20 by Family Building Blocks

IL I

F E & FA M

R K E E PI N

H I LDREN

SA E S TO G E T

WINTER 2019/20 NEWSLETTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FROM PATRICE Family Building Blocks was founded 23 years ago, with humble beginnings in a church basement. Because Jack and Pam Scott donated “Chelsea’s Restaurant and Pie Shop” 20 years ago, we were able to move our services into Chelsea’s Place in 1999. This beautiful facility has since provided a welcoming, therapeutic environment for thousands of children and their families, volunteers, and staff. With Jack Scott’s passing last month, our Board of Directors paused to reflect on this incredible act of generosity and vision. We cannot help but wonder where would all those children would be if not for this generous gift, and we are very grateful.

OFFICERS Rich Schultz, Chair Cherry City Metals R. Taylor, Chair-Elect Chemeketa Community College 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.

Jack and Pam continued to support Family Building Blocks as Miracle Makers, consistent, loyal donors. Their dedication to the well-being of children by strengthening families was steadfast. Their support built the community’s confidence in Family Building Blocks, and was the foundation upon which we have grown to establish five Relief Nursery sites in our region. They started the tradition of naming our sites after loved ones of those that make the sites possible–Chelsea’s Place is named after Jack and Pam’s daughter. Likewise, Gracie’s Place and Helen’s Place are named after the mothers of those generous donors. To me, Jack represented all that is inspirational about our community’s support of our mission. He understood that for children to thrive, it takes serious investments in children and their families. He made meaningful investments consistently yet quietly, without fanfare or bluster. Thank you, Jack. You have transformed the lives of children and families for generations to come.

Leilani Slama | Salem Health Ernesto Toskovic | KeyBank Conrad Venti | Venti’s Restaurants Patrice Altenhofen | FBB Executive Director

Patrice Altenhofen, Executive Director

FAMILY STORY Quintin circa 1977

MEET QUINTIN: GIVE BY DECEMBER 31

When I first met Family Building Blocks over 10 years ago, I was broken and alone. As a recovering addict, I received custody of my 16-month-old son, Derik. I was a single dad, and was overwhelmed. As a child, I remember feeling scared and anxious all the time. I was mostly raised by my single mother as my father struggled with substance abuse. He was often violent with me which led me to feel sad, insecure, and helpless. I wanted to help my mother, but couldn’t. After I turned 21, my father passed away from an overdose. While his passing brought me some closure, it also taught me a lot about life and death at a young age. Before long, I began struggling with addiction. When I was staying at a local Oxford House, I met and fell in love with my girlfriend who was also experiencing challenges with addiction. After learning she had become pregnant, I was excited. I knew I could learn to become the father I never had and I was determined to raise my son differently than I was raised.

Our relationship ended before our son, Derik, was born. When Derik was still an infant, his mom returned to her addictions and he was removed from her care. I had been living on my own and continued to remain clean and sober. Ultimately, it was decided that I was the best possible person to raise my son. When I first received custody of Derik, I was living in a small room with very few belongings. It was an incredibly stressful time. I was so happy to have him with me but I had close to nothing and no support. I was alone. When Derik would cry, I would cry with him. That’s when I found Family Building Blocks. They were there to support us right where we were. They didn’t care that I had a past. They told me they believed in me. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear that, and everyone at Family Building Blocks made me feel safe and like I was “home.” Their care for my son included making sure I was secure as well. They understand that in order for children to thrive, the entire family needs support.

Quintin’s son Derik

Quintin and Derik

Our Home Visitor came to wherever we were and always made sure I was okay. We had conversations that were very therapeutic for me and I always felt heard and validated. If I could give advice to a family who is in a situation like I was, I would say that there are good people out there who want to help you. And those people are at Family Building Blocks. Today, Derik is 15 years old and I am grateful for so many things. I have been with the same company for 14 years, I own my home, and I am thriving in my recovery from addiction. Derik is a very respectful young man and I am so proud of that. Because of the support we received from Family Building Blocks, we were able to stay safe and together. We have a beautiful relationship and, best of all, we are happy—an emotion I rarely felt as a child. This time of year, we are all concerned for children and families. Please give generously and ensure more children have bright futures like my son Derik. Your support also gives more parents the opportunity to believe in their abilities to give their children the best possible start in life. I know it made all the difference for my family.

Quintin and Derik today

Thank you and best wishes,

Quintin, Family Building Blocks Graduate Visit Family Building Blocks online to watch a powerful video of our story!

VISIT FAMILYBUILDINGBLOCKS.ORG/DONATE TO GIVE BY 12/31 OR TEXT FBB TO 91999!

SPOTLIGHTS DONOR SPOTLIGHT

TeamLogic IT, Donors “It is a privilege to serve Family Building Blocks. Their contribution to young children and families warms our hearts. When we learned that less-than-ideal circumstances in a young child’s life can permanently affect that child’s brain development, we were ‘all in’ to support this amazing group of people on a mission to partner with families in need, so those families can help their children reach their highest potential. And when we consider that Family Building Blocks’ success rate of ‘Keeping Children Safe and Families Together’ is at an astounding 99%, we know any support from us is incredibly productive for helping these families and our community! Thank you, Family Building Blocks, for the honor of supporting you while you serve children and families in our community.” - Cindy McPike, Owner of TeamLogic IT

INSPIRE YOUR COMMUNITY AND BECOME A CLASSROOM VOLUNTEER! Join us for a tour of the Relief Nursery this fall and learn how you can “Keep Children Safe and Families Together.” Wednesdays, Dec 18, Jan 15, and Feb 19 from 11:00 am-12:00 pm at Chelsea’s Place, 2425 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem Contact Camille Stricklin to sign up for a tour at 503.798.4744 or volunteer@familybuildingblocks.org.

HIGHLIGHTS for

TIPS

HOME VISITING HELPS BUILD CONFIDENCE

Home Visiting helps strengthen the bond between parent and child through personal attention and age-appropriate activities. By engaging the entire family, parents receive individualized support to help build their confidence which they can then teach to their children. A mom partnering with us recently shared she always feels heard and is never judged. She looks forward to Home Visits and feels more confident in her parenting.

TOTS

CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM TIPS FOR TOTS

The Tips for Tots fundraiser where local servers donate their tips to families in the community is celebrating its 25th year! Family Building Blocks is among area non profits to benefit from this generous community initiative. In the years since Rob Drinkenstein started this annual community tradition, more than $100,000 has been raised to help bring happy holidays to families in need in the Willamette Valley. Thank you, Rob!

COMMUNITY INSPIRES HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Thank you to all area businesses and our incredible community of supporters for participating in our annual Hope for the Holidays Giving Program! Because of you, nearly 800 children and parents received gifts this year including gift cards for groceries, pajamas, books, coats, and educational toys. Want to support families through December? Contact Esmeralda at 503.566.2132 or echantuyub@familybuildingblocks.org.

OREGON ASSOCIATION OF RELIEF NURSERIES RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR

Earlier this year, Senator Ron Wyden nominated the Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries as an Angels in Adoption® honoree from the Congressional Coalition of Adoption Institute (CCAI). CCAI’s Angels in Adoption® program honors a wide spectrum of individuals and organizations making extraordinary contributions to adoption, permanency, and child welfare. Each year, the Angels in Adoption® honorees travel to Washington, D.C. to both celebrate their hard work and dedication to the issues and participate in special events designed to engage them in using their personal experience to effect change on behalf of children in need of families. Executive Director Patrice Altenhofen was proud to attend and represent Family Building Blocks and our community. While a Relief Nursery’s focus is not on adoption, but on the prevention of child abuse and neglect, Senator Wyden’s office shared, “Seeing firsthand the incredible work being accomplished at Relief Nurseries, Senator Wyden was inspired to develop the Family First Prevention Services Act in order to allow for federal child welfare funding to be used to help struggling families and prevent kids from entering foster care when it is safe to do so. Now that this landmark bipartisan bill has become law and states could begin implementing the Family First Act on October 1, 2019, there is no better time to honor the impact the Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries has had on Oregon and the development of Family First.” Thank you, Senator Wyden!

GIVE Thank you for your support in “Keeping Children Safe and Families Together!”

YEAR-END GIVING

NEW SUSTAINER REVENUE MATCHED!

Please prioritize ”Keeping Children Safe and Families Together!”

To become a sustainer or increase your monthly gift, please contact Julie Hilty at jhilty@familybuildingblocks.org or 503.566.2132!

Thanks to a generous grant from the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, $40,000 of NEW sustainer revenue will be matched! Give Before 12/31/19 MAKE A ONE-TIME GIFT DONATE MONTHLY DONATE STOCK MATCHING GIFT FROM EMPLOYER GIVE IN HONOR OR MEMORY OF SOMEONE

familybuildingblocks.org/donate

TEXT TO GIVE!

Already a sustainer? No problem! If you increase your monthly gift, that added revenue will help us reach our goal! If you donate to Family Building Blocks annually as a Dream Builder or Miracle Maker and want your gift to apply to this, simply request that your donation be made in monthly increments. Please share with your friends and family that giving monthly will help DOUBLE the impact. THE $40,000 IN REVENUE RECEIVED FROM NEW SUSTAINERS AND INCREASED SUSTAINER GIFTS WILL BECOME $80,000 - that’s 16 more children who could benefit from our Therapeutic Classrooms!

FBB

TEXT FBB TO 91999

THANK YOU SPONSORS, DONORS, AND VOLUNTEERS! We welcomed 900 guests to our Dream Builders Luncheon on October 24! We are very grateful to our sponsors, table captains, volunteers, and guests for making this event a success. We saw a powerful example of the transformation of lives by meeting Quintin and his son Derik, a family who said YES to partnering with us over 10 years ago. Special thanks to our guest speakers Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson, BMW of Salem General Manager Jon Taylor, Family Building Blocks graduate Quintin, Patrice Altenhofen, Heather Hawkins, and, for the first time, the Family Building Blocks Intake Team including Michelle Guzman, Stephanie Sanchez, and Gabriela Cervantes. Thank you! PRESENTING SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

ENGAGING SPONSORS

DALLAS GLASS AND WINDOW NW NATURAL PACIFICSOURCE HEALTH PLANS SUMMIT WEALTH MANAGEMENT U.S. BANK

YOU’RE INVITED! JONATHAN HAWKINS IN CONCERT

Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 7:00 pm | eventbrite.com Salem First United Methodist Church, 600 State St, Salem The Muse Presents, Jonathan Hawkins in Concert - a Benefit for Family Building Blocks! With only 420 tickets available, get yours while they last. Jonathan Hawkins in Concert will feature local musicians Madison Hall, Shawn Hanowell, The Cascadians from Cascade High School, and UnitedHarmony from South Albany High School. All proceeds benefit Family Building Blocks to help “Keep Children Safe and Families Together” in Marion and Polk Counties. “Thrilled” to be giving back to the community where he grew up, Hawkins is “honored to get to come home and present a concert for such an incredible organization for the second year in a row.” “A perfect way to celebrate the holidays,” the concert will feature not only your favorite holiday classics, but will also include some of the most beloved pieces from opera to musical theatre and pop music. A Willamette Valley native, Jonathan graduated from Cascade High School in 2005. Since then, he has toured the globe from the Cathedral of Notre Dame to Lincoln Center, the ancient Greek Theatre at Epidaurus to the world famous Birdland Jazz Club. Hawkins has become one of the most sought after crossover tenors with his “tour de force” voice. With a vocal performance career spanning the globe, directing and producing credits, and features in television and theatre, Jonathan’s performance is a must see! Purchase your tickets today at eventbrite.com. See you there!

SUSTAINERS HAPPY HOUR MARCH 19, 2020 | 5:00-7:00 pm Salem Convention Center | FREE Celebrate the power of prevention in Marion and Polk counties. jhilty@familybuildingblocks.org

UNCORKED REVELRY UNCORKED LIVE MAY 15, 2020 | 7:00-10:30 pm MAY 16, 2020 | 5:30-10:00 pm Zenith Vineyard | Tickets: TBA Zenith Vineyard | Tickets: TBA Join us for Uncorked Revelry benefiting Join us for Uncorked Live benefiting children and families in our community. children and families in our community. echantuyub@familybuildingblocks.org echantuyub@familybuildingblocks.org

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

2425 Lancaster Dr. NE Salem, OR 97305

PRINTING SPONSOR:

HILDREN C G

IL I

R HE

F E & FA M

K E E PI

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

E S TO G E T

GRACIE’S PLACE DORIS’S PLACE BROADWAY PLACE DALLAS ACADEMY HELEN’S PLACE WOODBURN CLASSROOM CHELSEA’S PLACE Santiam Center 1255 Broadway St. 182 SW Academy St. 180 18th St. NE First Presbyterian Church 2425 Lancaster Dr. NE 1135 Edgewater St. NW 11656 Sublimity Rd. SE Salem, OR 97301 Salem, OR 97304 Suite 210 Salem, OR 97305 Salem, OR 97301 950 N Boones Ferry Rd. Woodburn, OR 97071 Sublimity, OR 97385 Dallas, OR 97338

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