Supporting Relative Caregiver Families of Brevard County, FL Fall 2016
Support Group Meetings Friday Sept 2 & Oct 7 – North Brevard Indian River City United Methodist Church, 1355 Cheney Hwy. Titusville 9:30–11:00 am (This meeting is always the first Friday of each month)
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard will host the 1st Annual Golf Tournament on September 24th. Please make consider attending as a player or volunteer. We also have “chance” tickets for a $5 donation ~ enter to win theme park tickets for a family of four, you can purchase tickets at support group meetings or by stopping by the office. You do not need to be present to win!
Storybook Village For those of you that missed our inaugural Storybook Village it was a great event for families and volunteers alike. GRG of Brevard would like to thank all of the organizations that provided the amazing exhibits, especially The Early Learning Coalition of Brevard for donating books for all of the children and Barnes & Noble of Melbourne for bringing Curious George. The most awesome part of the event was the businesses, organizations, and community leaders all coming together to provide a ‘no-cost’ event. Everything was donated! Sonny’s BBQ and Pizza Gallery provided wonderful food; Publix Charities and Publix of Melbourne provided fresh fruit and veggies; Harris Corporation & Wells Fargo provided funding for all the entertainment for the event: DJ Tunes of Florida, snow cones from Bounce Around Brevard, popcorn from Harris Security, track-less train from King Party Rental, Disney Princesses from Santa by Scott Entertainment, face painting from Nonnie’s Fancy Faces and Tinker Bell from Princess for a Day. We are so very grateful to East Coast Christian Center for providing backpacks and school supplies, Chick-Fil-A & Menchies for the gift cards, and Wal-Mart & BJ’s provided bottled water and juice boxes. Also the Calvary Chapel of Melbourne for sending us the ONLY 4 HIM Puppet Co. and Allstate Insurance, Mimbs Associates for providing the Fire Safety coloring books! The highlight of the event was each of the community leaders that shared a special book with the children: County Commissioner Curt Smith, District 18 Judge Kelly McKibben, Katie Guemple, DCF Family Safety Operations Manager, Tom Shipley, Brevard Family Partnership, and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Thursday Sept 8 & Oct 13 – Club Esteem Club Esteem 3316 Monroe Street, Melbourne 10:00 – 11:30 am (This meeting is always the second Thursday of each month) Tuesday Sept 13 & Oct 11 – Cocoa Beach Riverside Presbyterian Church 3400 N. Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach 9:30–11:00 am (This meeting is always the second Tuesday of each month) Tuesday Sept 20 & Oct 18 – Central Brevard GRG of Brevard Office, 123 Barton Blvd, Rockledge 9:30 -11 am (This meeting is always the third Tuesday of each month) Wednesday, Sept 21 & Oct 19 – South Brevard Memaw’s Restaurant, 4916 Babcock Blvd, Palm Bay 6:00–7:30pm (Dinner is available at member's expense) (This meeting is always the third Wednesday of each month) Thursday, Sept 29 & Oct 27 – Melbourne Beach Side 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)
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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL www.grg-brevard.org Phone: 321-631-7776 Email: grg.brevard@gmail.com
A Note from Mary Ann To all of you who attend support group meetings and GRG events, I would like to extend my gratitude. We try so hard to give you the information and available services that you may need. It is very rewarding when we can meet and greet you. We have been very busy, meetings with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Brevard County School Superintendent Dr Blackburn and the State of Florida Secretary of DCF Mike Carroll. In all of these meetings I enjoyed positive support and enthusiasm on the part of the public officials. Over 50 families received assistance with school supplies thanks to the The Chandlery in downtown Melbourne and East Coast Christian Center. The holiday planning is underway and we are asking the members who request holiday assistance to try and attend at least three meetings and events per year. Grandchildren going back to school can be a welcomed time and give you a time to rest and do some things for yourself. We need to take care of ourselves to enable us to be the best grandparents we can Thank you! Mary Ann
E-NEWSLETTER Are you interested in receiving an online version of our newsletter rather than a printed version? Please send an email to grg.brevard@gmail.com and include your name, email address and mailing address to insure we update your record accordingly! Thank you for helping us save on printing costs so that more of each dollar can benefit children and families. We are looking for sponsors for the printing of the newsletter if you are interested or know of someone please contact the office.
TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF Sometimes the best thing you can do for your child is take some time for yourself. What is respite? The word respite means “break” or “relief.” Respite services offer families a break from caring for their child with developmental delays or disabilities. Respite allows parents time to take part in activities that they find relaxing
Mary Ann Sterling, Executive Director GRG of Brevard 123 Barton Blvd. Ste 102 Rockledge, FL 32955 (321) 631-7776 (o) (321) 868-8004 (c) (321) 631-7776 fax email: grg.brevard@gmail.com
Fall 2016
HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY Sunday, September 11th is Grandparents Day! You provide a safe and loving home to your grandchildren or other relatives in your care. We think you are a HERO for children every day of the year. GRG of Brevard recognizes, honors, and thanks all of our relative care families!
GREAT NEWS GRG of Brevard received funding from the United Way of Brevard and the City of Palm Bay again this year. We were also the recipient of a grant from the Shirley E Noland Foundation. GRG of Brevard staff and board of directors are always looking for funding opportunities to enrich our services that we provide to relative care givers and their families. Please continue to support our efforts by attending events and support group meetings. GRG of Brevard is a finalist for the 2-1-1 Brevard Stars of the Space Coast Awards – awards will be presented Sept 16th. Mary Ann Sterling has been named a finalist for Space Coast Public Service Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award and GRG is a finalist for the nonprofit award. The first annual Space Coast Public Service Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Gala will be held Saturday, September 24 inside at the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne.
TRAVELING BY CAR • Make sure each passenger is buckled and that children use the
appropriate car seat. • All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. • Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has an airbag. • Plan to stop driving and give yourself and your child a break about every two hours. • Never leave your child alone in a car, even for a minute. Temperatures inside the car can reach deadly levels in minutes.
RENEW YOUR GRG MEMBERSHIP! Don't miss out! Join GRG of Brevard for important support and events focused on informing and improving the lives of relative care families in Brevard County GRG of Brevard provides programs and services to meet the urgent and ongoing needs of grandparents and other relative caregivers raising children at risk. Page 2
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL www.grg-brevard.org Phone: 321-631-7776 Email: grg.brevard@gmail.com Fall 2016 Congratulations to Sabrina! Granddaughter of Arbie (Mac) McInnis! Sabrina won a $5,000 scholarship, this was sponsored by the Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). She is enrolled in South Eastern University, in Lakeland, FL.
Fall 2016
Kids + School = Flu Season
Community Service
by Elizabeth Sabrina Douglas Growing up in a smaller community and going to a small, Christian school has given me many opportunities to serve. Ever since I was very young, I couldn’t wait to be old enough to serve in my church’s nursery or lead a Vacation Bible School group. These smaller service opportunities led me to participate in larger service events to help my community. The service opportunities that have impacted me the most were the ones that could be looked at as minor things. Things like volunteering to help tutor students with math on a Saturday morning, volunteering at the library, or even painting a school with my friends. Math tutoring on a Saturday morning was an opportunity provided to me by my church. When the church presented this opportunity, I knew I had to serve. This was a public school where my grandfather used to substitute teach and where I used to take speech class. I remember when I was young going to speech and having groups come in and help us. These people who came in, along with my speech teacher, impacted my life greatly. They put love of the English language in me. When I went and severed these children by helping them with math, I knew that this simple one-on-one interaction could make their whole weekend. When they walked in and saw a new group of people there for them, their faces lit up, and it was wonderful to see. Volunteering at the library started out as a chore for me. I didn’t want to spend my Saturday mornings at the library straightening and shelving books. I went anyway and did my job. Then, the day came where they had an event that the youth volunteers would help with. It was an arts and crafts opportunity for under privileged children. These kids impacted me more than they will ever know. They made my service work meaningful. Like I said, I go to a small, Christian school. This school sets a week aside for us to do community service. In December of last year, I was with the group that was assigned to paint a school. The school that we painted was a rundown elementary school about a half a mile from my school. These younger students were so grateful to us that they came to our school with freshly baked cookies. It was wonderful to see their smiles. It was as if a newly painted school made their lives so much better. Community service for some people tends to be a chore. It started that way for me. I chose to serve my community now because I know that it sets an example for those who watch. Serving is important to me because this community has presented me with so many wonderful opportunities. I want children to have those same opportunities even when I’m away at college.
Kids are back in school, and with more time spent indoors in a contained area, chances of contracting the seasonal flu increase. The flu, also known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza viruses. On average, 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu. People who become infected with the flu generally recover anywhere from a few days to two weeks. Certain populations that are at a higher risk of complications from the flu include those ages 50 years and older, very young children, those with chronic medical conditions, and those who live or care for people at high risk. Recommendations for these populations include a vaccination. Do NOT give aspirin to a child or teenager who has the flu. Most antihistamines cause sleepiness. If a child still has a stuffy nose when she returns to school, parents may want to ask their child's doctor to prescribe a non-sedating antihistamine. Encourage children to cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently, and keep hands away from eyes, nose and mouth. A sick child is advised to stay at home during the first days of illness when symptoms are most severe and the infection is most contagious. Children can return to school when symptoms are improving and no fever has been detected for 24 hours. If you have questions regarding a flu vaccination contact your pediatrician or the county health dept.
BUG SAFETY • Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child. • Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom. • Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied. • Use insect repellents containing DEET when needed to prevent insect-related diseases. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, and mosquitoes can transmit West Nile, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus and other viruses. Page 3
Go it ALONE or Join OTHERS
Why not get CONNECTED?
Support Groups provide advocacy, resources and great friendships.
GRG of Brevard holds support groups throughout the county at 6 locations days and evenings.
Improve your outlook one step at a time by using the resources provided by GRG Sharing with others is a great way to learn new ways to help you on your journey to raising a successful grandchild! Parenting classes provide tools for coping with the stress of parenting again.
Get HELP! GRG of Brevard is an ACCESS provider; we can assist with your application for TANF, Food Stamps, and Medicaid.
Visit on your computer, grg-brevard.org smartphone or tablet
HELP THE GRANDPARENTS AND CHILDREN OF GRG OF BREVARD BECOME A MEMBER AND/OR FRIEND 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:
I am raising children who are not my own I am their: [ ] Grandparent [ ] Aunt / Uncle
Address:
[ ] Sister / Brother [ ] Other (please specify)
City/State:
[ ] I am not in this situation but I want to join GRG of Brevard because I am interested in what you do.
Zip: Phone: 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
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