Fall is nearly upon us with families wrapping up their summer vacations and preparing children for the "back to school" routine.
As The Family Center prepares for its fall schedule, we are excited to share news and information about our upcoming presentations and events. Our Summer issue of the newsletter is now available online. A warm welcome is also extended to our newly appointed 2009-10 Board of Directors and Advisory Council members.
On Sept. 29 we will offer a special substance use awareness presentation. On Nov. 3 we will offer our annual transition into college presentation. On Nov. 19 we will repeat our annual kindergarten preparation presentation. All of these presentations will feature professionals who are experts in each of the topic areas listed.
Our Circle of Friends has been busy working on two events for the fall: a hayride on Oct. 16 in recognition of our CELEBRATE 9!! birthday and our seventh annual HOLLY FEST benefit on Dec. 3. See our Presentations page and Calendar page for more information.
We are pleased to be a part of the Kroger Community Rewards Program, which will contribute $5 million to charities this year. Show your support to The Family Center by becoming a member and using your Kroger Plus Card each time you shop at Kroger. More info...
The Family Center's newly formed Association of Professionals has been developing into an extensive online resource directory utilized by both families and professionals. This fall we plan to offer our second Meet & Greet for School & Mental Health Professionals. Our first in May was very successful!
Having a centralized hub for information, resources and referral like The Family Center is more important now than ever before. Stress from uncertainty and increased demands challenge families in so many ways. The Family Center provides solutions by serving as a conduit to services, professionals and resources that families need.
You can help The Family Center. Make our upcoming programs better than ever by making a contribution today. Thank you!
From the Director: Summer 2009
From the Director: Celebrate 8!!
This fall marks a special CELEBRATE 8!! birthday celebration for The Family Center. Yes, we have turned EIGHT!!
The Family Center was founded in October 2000. Next year at this time, we'll be turning NINE and quickly approaching TEN: a full decade of providing enrichment programs & resources to our community!
Since our first year, we have worked hard to bring you accessible, quality, community- based programming. We have only been able to do this because of the strong partnership support received from individual donors, family foundations, organizations, businesses and you, "our friends of The Family Center." By strong request, we continue to offer the following programs and resources:
- Play Central: a place for parents and all caregivers to play with their children while socializing with others.
- Special Community Enrichment Seminars that cover topics relevant to child development from infancy through adolescence, such as:
- Kindergarten: Get Ready!!
- College: Planned Choices for a Successful High School to College Transition
- Partners In Parenting series featuring pediatric professionals
- Annual Symposium for Parents & Professionals
- Family Central Quarterly Newsletter Download the Latest Edition
- Ask the Experts weekly columns in the Grosse Pointe News
New initiatives in the coming year will include:
- New 2009 edition of Navigating the Adolescent Years: A Road Map. The Family Center's exclusive resource guide for parents and professionals is currently available.
- Improvements at www.familycenterweb.org. Our Web site will have a new look very shortly and will allow The Family Center to better serve as the true hub of information, resources and referral we are! It will provide new access to our weekly Ask the Experts collection of articles in the Grosse Pointe News; it will feature a new Professional Academy; it will allow us to accept donations and registrations online; access to flyers, the Road Map and more!
- Circle of Friends: a newly formed group is busy creating a new benefit for The Family Center - stay tuned!
- The 2009 "Partners In Parenting" series has doubled from four to eight sessions with participation from both Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe and St. John Hospital and Medical Center pediatricians. It includes topics for parents and professionals related to childrearing from infancy through late adolescence.
- Special February presentation: Eric Hipple's "Hopeful Goal." Since losing his teenage son to suicide seven years ago, the former Detroit Lions quarterback has led a crusade to recognize and treat the signs of depression, especially in young people.
Many thanks to Tom Quinn for his endless support as past president; and to The Family Center's founder, Diane Strickler, who remains an active, passionate volunteer. Welcome to Helen Landuyt who now serves as our new Board President and to our new Advisory Council members. Our goal for CELEBRATE 8!! is to raise $80,000 over the next year! Please consider becoming a CELEBRATE 8!! partner this year to help continue and enhance the work of The Family Center. With challenging times for all of us, our services will be depended upon more than ever. On behalf of the Board, Advisory Council, all of our volunteers who give of their time to make the programs happen, I ask you to support this year's annual appeal, CELEBRATE 8!! Names of all celebration partners who make a contribution will be listed in our upcoming newsletters over the next year. We have created several celebration gift levels, which are listed on the remittance envelope enclosed. Teaching values through philanthropic efforts is a great way to have your entire family involved in CELEBRATE 8!!
I look forward to meeting many of you at our 6th annual HOLLY FEST signature holiday benefit on December 4. Wishing all of you a warm, wonderful autumn season!
Deborah A. Liedel
Executive Director
Visit our website: www.familycenterweb.org
From The Director
What a great beginning to the New Year! The excitement of participating in the 5th annual Parenting Symposium, the Partners In Parenting series and the 8th annual Month of the Young Child celebration was a great way to get acquainted with The Family Center’s programs and meet participants.
In my service as an advisory board member for The Family Center over the past eight years, I was able to participate in the formation of this wonderful community organization. I watched it grow under the lead-ership of Diane Strickler and am pleased to further its development. I thank Diane for her endless support with the transition process. In her new role as founder, Diane will remain as an active volunteer, helping to preserve the foundation that has been laid and continuing to serve as an ambassador for an expanding circle of supporters.
Over the past 3 months, it has been my pleasure to meet over 50 active members consisting of board members, advisory council members, community volunteers and professionals. The collaborative effort displayed by this group of dedicated individuals is evidenced in the teamwork of planning educational programs and events. The Family Center is a unique organization with an excellent reputation for quality programs and the ability to respond to community needs.
The Family Center also recognizes Beth Quinn for her seven years of excellence as our newsletter editor. This is Beth’s last newsletter edition. She has decided it is time to step down and pursue other interests. Thank you Beth for sharing your talents over the years! We welcome John Minnis as our new newsletter editor.
I look forward to meeting many more of you in the months ahead. The Family Center prides itself on providing educational enrichment and resources to parents, caregivers, educators and professionals. Our accessible, community based programs help to build healthy, resilient, successful kids…in turn helping to build stronger families and a stronger community!
As with any nonprofit organization facing today’s challenges, we ask for your continued suggestions and support so that The Family Center may continue to expand its mission with enhanced community programs. Please feel free to contact me directly with your suggestions, I look forward to hearing from you!
Deborah A. Liedel
Debbie.Liedel@familycenterweb.org or 313.432.3582