23449 Newsletter - Family Service of the Piedmont

2
newsletter
A Letter From The
President & CEO
I have a quote by Helen
Keller on the wall outside
of my office which
states, “Alone we can do
so little; together we
can do so much.” This
statement continues to
inspire me and reflects
the synergy that was evident
within the agency’s
Strategic Planning Committee—made up of
staff and Board members—in completing
the framework for our five-year Strategic
Plan. This plan focuses on five critical goal
categories which spotlight maintaining our
financial stability, controlled program
growth, improved marketing and development,
nurturing an exceptional workplace
for staff, and reaching out to the
Hispanic/Latino community and other
emerging populations through culturally
competent services [see story on front
page].
One way Family Service continues to bring
services to those who need them most is by
identifying opportunities to collaborate
with other local organizations. Our newest
partnership, with the Greensboro Housing
Coalition and Open Door Ministries, is a
good example of this. Together, our combined
Housing Support Team will better
serve the area’s homeless with serious mental
health problems [see story on front
page].
We know we are doing well when we see
the tremendous response from the commu-
Family Service of the Piedmont, Inc.
2007-2008
Board of Directors
Lynn Black, Board Chair
Elizabeth Finch, Vice Chair
Reid Marks, Treasurer
Jim White, Secretary
Jim Gooding, Immediate Past Chair
Thomas R. Bonney,
President/CEO
Terry Aiken
Missy Akin
Aaron Clinard
Doug Copeland
Chris Greene
Linda Ilderton
Paul Jeffrey
Paul Kennedy
Kim Ketchum
Jennifer Lynch
Carroll Ann Miller
Justo Nunez
Cindy Rice
Meredith Scott
Denise Turner
Sally Weeks
Family & Children’s Service of
Greater Greensboro Foundation, Inc.
2007-2008 Board of Trustees
Meredith Scott, Chair
Missy Akin, Vice Chair
Nathan Duggins, Treasurer
Lee Presson, Secretary
Sylvia Merritt, Guild President
Jay Haldeman, Immediate Past Chair
Thomas R. Bonney, President/CEO
Eric Calhoun
Lynne Gladstone
Debby Kern
Phyllis Lancaster
Allison Manning
Carlyn Myers
Dottie B. Nutt
Anne Osborne
Hoyt Phillips
Elizabeth Rankin
Leigh Sudbrink
nity in the way of donations, volunteering
and fundraising in support of our agency.
Greensboro’s Oyster Roast [see page 3] and
High Point’s Middle School Dance [see page
5] are just two examples of the fabulous
level of support we receive from dedicated
individuals and businesses who share
Family Service’s vision of building safe and
healthy families. You will find many further
examples of such giving throughout this
newsletter - including the efforts of Levolor
Kirsch, the Mom’s Club of Greensboro,
Furnitureland Rotary Club and our own
Guild of Family & Children’s Service, as well
as the numerous donors to our Annual
Campaign. We are truly grateful to all our
supporters—there simply isn’t room
enough to list or to thank you all.
Most of all, I am grateful for Family
Service’s hard-working and committed staff,
who daily go above and beyond to bring
much-needed services to families and children
in need. I don’t think any of us would
be able to our jobs so effectively without
the support of recent CARE Award winner
Joe Martin, who as IT Manager provides us
with the technological tools and know-how
that make our work possible [see story on
page 4].
I am excited about the limitless potential for
our organization, and about the positive
changes that are happening as we move forward
in our mission to build safe and
healthy families throughout the Piedmont.
Family Service of
High Point Foundation, Inc
2007-2008 Board of Trustees
Cindy Rice, Chair
Terry Aiken, Vice Chair
Jef Morgan, Treasurer
Leslie Culp, Secretary
Thomas R. Bonney,
President/CEO
Carol Andrews Ackerman
Stephanie Beaver
Stan Belk
Courtney Best
Kim W. Brown
Candace Fenn
Pam Greene
Judge Tom Jarrell
Wes Keever
Donna Nottoli
Cathy Procton
Maria Puschinsky
Mariana Qubein
Douglas Witcher
New Team Targets Area’s
Homeless Continued from page 1.
According to that Task Force’s report, on January
24, 2007 there were over 1,100 homeless people
in Guilford County. Over 200 of these people
had been homeless for more than a year, and
some for as long as twenty years. Last year, 243
people moved from transitional living facilities
into permanent housing, but for others homelessness
has become a chronic condition.
Long-term, chronic homelessness is often associated
with mental illness or substance addiction.
Accordingly, the Housing Support Team’s primary
focus will be on homeless people with
serious mental health or substance abuse disorders.
These individuals are frequently identified
as “high use” repeaters in the various institutions,
such as psychiatric units, emergency
rooms, and jails.
“Currently, about 10% of homeless folk are using
up a large percentage of the resources,” McGee
explains. “This program targets these individuals
directly.” By helping such “high use” individuals
achieve stability, more resources will be made
available to assist others.
Referrals to the program will come through hospitals,
law enforcement and social service agencies,
McGee said. To be eligible, clients must be
homeless at the time they are enrolled, or else
living in a homeless shelter or transitional program.
The team will also meet with potential
clients prior to discharge from jail or hospital, if
it is believed that they will be homeless upon
discharge.
There are already 14 clients enrolled in the program.
Ultimately, the Housing Support Team
will serve upwards of 75 people.
Guild Celebrates Successful Year
The Guild of Family & Children's Service of
Greater Greensboro Foundation held its Annual
Meeting on May 8th at the pavilion at
Greensboro Country Club. David Mazzola,
Family Service of the Piedmont’s Director of
Substance Abuse Services, was the keynote speaker,
introducing the agency’s newest division serving
adults and adolescents struggling with alcohol
and drug addiction.
Family Service President/CEO Thomas R.
Bonney thanked outgoing president Libby
Gabriel for leading the Guild through another
tremendous year of fundraising and awareness
building for Family Service of the Piedmont in
Greensboro, including the successful Golf
Tournament, Love Serving Love and Game Days
that together brought awareness of Family
Service’s programs to more than 600 people, and
raised over $68,000 for Greensboro children and
families.
“The Guild truly embodies the spirit of fundraising
and friend-raising,” Bonney said, “We are so
very blessed to have Guild members serve as
ambassadors for our agency!”
Incoming Guild President Sylvia Merritt welcomed
her new board for 2007-08. Executive
officers are 1st Vice President Carlyn Myers, 2nd
Vice President Leigh Ann Safrit,Vice President
of Membership Lori Aycock, Secretary Eva
Cooke, and Treasurer Judy Roy. Libby Gabriel
will serve as Ex-Officio Advisor.