GRG of Brevard Fall 2015 Newsletter

GRG of Brevard

Fall 2015 GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN OF BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA INC.

ISSUE # 170

CAREGIVER BREAKFAST

HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY Grandparents Day is September 13, 2015.

You provide a safe and loving home to your grandchildren or other relatives in your care. We think you are doing something grand for children every day of the year. Every one of you needs to pat yourself on the back as you are the best of the best of grandparents.

GRG of Brevard would like to thank Brevard Family Partnership for hosting a breakfast for caregivers on September 30th. They are celebrating their 10th Birthday and wanted to celebrate their accomplishments and milestones in keeping children safe and families together.

LEGAL WORKSHOP

JUNK IN THE TRUNK

For those of you who currently need assistance, we will be conducting an informational workshop on you making an effort to get custody, guardianship and adoption.

This seminar will cover:  Forms for the parents to sign  Assistance on filing your papers  Diligent search if you cannot find a parent Please contact the GRG of Brevard office for more information 321-631-7776. Please be aware we are working diligently writing grants and future fundraising so we may help more families.

ASSISTANCE WITH ACCESS Robbie Black, one of our volunteers, will be at the office every Tuesday at 10:00 AM to assist with ACCESS Inputs. Her first session will be on September 15, 2015. Please call Robbie at 6358576 to make an appointment. She will inform you of the information to bring with you to speed up the input.

On Saturday, November 14th, from 10:00 am -3:00 pm, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren will be sponsoring Junk in the Trunk, a vendor/yard sale event. Park your car, open the trunk and start selling, (get rid of all of those outgrown clothes and toys). We welcome vendors to sell your products.

The cost is $10.00 per parking space or 3 for $25.

Bring your pop up, table and chairs. All proceeds will go to provide services for our relative care families. For more information or to reserve your spot call Karen at the GRG of Brevard office 321631-7776.

Come and shop! This sale is cash only.

MEMBERSHIP Time to renew your membership?

Please renew on-line or at a support group meeting.

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Issue 170

GRG of Brevard

LETTER TO MEMBERS It is very important that we share some information with you.

GRG of Brevard is going green… With this edition we will be starting a quarterly instead of a monthly publication of our newsletter for postal mailings.

This will provide a savings of nearly $3,000 to the organization, you can sign up to receive the newsletter by email grg.brevard@gmail.com or check the website www.grg-brevard.org to download a copy.

For special events please check the website at least monthly, we will also send out email reminders.

Thanks you for your understanding.

Mary Ann

UPDATES I hope everyone has had a chance to view the new updated website. We are working to also offer an app for your smartphone to view the website.

Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association, Inc has a new kinship page on their website. http://floridafapa.org/programs/kinship-care/ There is now an integrated search feature to make it easier to find what you are looking for, and the resources are now all indexed by county, FSFAPA and DCF region as well as by what role they play.

INFORMATION ON MEDICAID Brevard Family Partnership gave GRG the information below about Medicaid When applying for Medicaid remember you will be put on the Sunshine Plan Insurance first. This will cover your grandchildren for the first six months or until the case is closed.

You will be able to transfer to:  Molina  Prestige  Sunshine Group Plan  United Health Care  Americagroup  Staywell These conditions apply to children put into your custody through DCF or if you get your grandchildren through Family Court or just by you children bring them to your home.

HOLIDAY INFORMATION If you are interested in placing your name on our Christmas Assistance List please call the GRG of Brevard office 321-631-7776. Information we will need, Name of Caregiver, Address, Phone Number, Number of Children, Names of Children, Age & Gender, Sizes and Wish.

You will need to have attended at least two support group meetings this year.

CHRISTMAS PARTY We need your assistance at the Christmas Party. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the office. If you are planning to attend please contact the office 321-631-7776. As usual please bring a covered dish. Unfortunately this year we will not be providing gifts/gift cards at the party.

MEDICARE WORKSHOP

Are You Confused About Your Health Insurance Options? Ready, Set, Medicare! Speak with Experts Before Open Enrollment! One Senior Place will host an educational event specifically designed to provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your healthcare coverage. Cost is Free.

Friday, October 9th, at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera. 12:00 – 3:00 pm Call 321-751-6771 for more information.

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Issue 170

GRG of Brevard

POST ADOPTION SUPPORT GROUP MEETING There is a post adoption support group that meets every first Tuesday of the month at the Brevard C.A.R.E.S. resource center from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Light refreshments and drinks are served, with activities for kids. There may be more services and programs available to you and your adoptive child. Our postadoption services are provided by the Post Adoption Support Coordinator at Brevard C.A.R.E.S, Kristin Pirozzi, by email at Kristin.pirozzi@brevardcares.org or by phone at 321-752-4650 x 3054.

The Space Coast Foster Adoptive Families Alliance Support Group Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month from 630p-8p at New Hope Lutheran Church in West Melbourne FL.

DCF CHILD PROTECTION SUMMIT

Karen Mills and Mary Ann attended the DCF Conference in Orlando on Sept. 9, 10 and 11. There were workshops on most of the issues that DCF considers important for children in state custody.

We also attended a Board Meeting for the Florida Coalition of Children. The meeting was mainly concerning Foster Children; however, it was arranged at this meeting that Mary Ann will be talking to the CEO of Florida Coalition of Children on Sept. 10th about possible funding for children in Relative Care Placement.

We will share information that we obtained at the upcoming support group meetings.

DCF-IMPOWER-BREVARD FAMILIY PARTNERSHIP QUARTERLY MEETING

Another quarterly meeting was held on August 21st at our office. Twenty-five (25) grandparents attended this meeting held at our office. This affords us the opportunity to bring to DCF's attention issues that are of a concern to grandparents. Ashley Carraro with Brevard Family Partnership, Katie Guemple, Mary Setterbo, Tim Slaven and Attorney Diane Billington with DCF, and Gina Russell with Impower attended the conference.

We will be calling all of the participants to see if DCF followed up on their concerns. Our next meeting will in November – you will be notified of the date, please call if you would like to attend.

GOOD GRADES

The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren organization is so proud of our grandchildren's improvement in their endeavor to improve their grades. Kids bring your honor roll report cards to our office and you will receive your $25.00 gift card. Keep up the good work! We are so proud of our A-B Honor Roll (limit the students to two (2) gift cards a year).

We are stronger when we are together!

FALL 2015 ~ SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS Titusville Support Group Meeting (Tuesday, September 8th / October 13th / November 10th) 805 Century Medical Dr, Building B, Titusville. This group is partnered with Parrish Senior Solutions. 10:00 – 11:30 am (This meeting is always the second Tuesday of each month) Club Esteem Support Group Meeting (Thursday, September 10th / October 15th / November 12th) Club Esteem 3316 Monroe Street, Melbourne 10:00 – 11:30 am.

(This meeting is always the second Thursday of each month) Central Brevard Support Group (Tuesday, September 15th / October 20th / November 17th) GRG of Brevard Office, 123 Barton Blvd, Rockledge 9:30-11:30 am (This meeting is always the third Tuesday of each month) South Brevard Support Group Meeting (Wednesday, September 16th / October 21st / November 18th) Memaw’s Restaurant, 4916 Babcock Blvd, Palm Bay 6:00 – 7:30 pm (Dinner is available at member's expense) (This meeting is always the third Wednesday of each month) Beach Side Support Group (Thursday, September 24th / October 29th / November 19th – due to Thanksgiving) Memaw’s Restaurant, Indian Harbour Beach, 9:30 – 11:30 am (Breakfast is available at member's expense) (This meeting is always the last Thursday of each month) Page 3

The Child First!

ARE YOU RAISING YOUR RELATIVE’S CHILDREN? ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL HELPING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RELATIVES RAISING CHILDREN? Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County FL, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

All gifts are deductible on corporate, foundation and individual tax returns to the extent provided by state and federal laws.

Members of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL, Inc. receive our newsletter and invitations to events where they can meet others in similar situations Name Date: Address:

I am raising children who are not my own I am their: [ ] Grandparent [ ] Aunt / Uncle [ ] Sister / Brother [ ] Other (please specify)

City/State: Zip: Phone:

[ ] I am not in this situation but I want to join GRG of Brevard because I am interested in what you do.

Email: [ ] Annual Membership $20 per family or $10 per caregiver [ ] Annual Corporate Membership $500 I want to be a friend of the GRG of Brevard and enclose an additional donation of: [ ] $25 [ ] $50 [ ] $75 [ ] $100 Other: $

Please make your check payable to: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard