Brighter Futures Award Lunch 2015 Honoring Malcolm Farmer, III Oct. 20

Malcolm Farmer III will receive Family Service of Rhode Island’s Brighter Futures Award, given annually to a person or organization making an outstanding contribution to the well-being of children.

“Mac Farmer helped change Rhode Island and the nation,” said Margaret Holland McDuff, Family Service of Rhode Island’s CEO.  “His is a life of building brighter futures for people suffering from hatred and injustice and for children and families in crisis from abuse, homelessness and other issues.”

The event takes place Tuesday, October 20, beginning at noon at the Rhode Island Convention Center.  Seats and sponsorship opportunities are available by clicking here or visiting  www.familyserviceri.org, phoning Johnnie Chace at  401-519-2289 or emailing her at chacejo@familyserviceri.org.

Mr. Farmer is an attorney and a partner at law firm Hinckley Allen. As a young lawyer in 1965 he left Hinckley Allen and went to Mississippi where he represented civil rights workers and organizations as well as local African-American citizens in efforts to obtain and protect their constitutional rights against state and local governments which endorsed and enforced racial segregation and discrimination. Returning to Rhode Island in 1967, he continued to work for fairness as the executive director of the Governor’s Commission on Crime Delinquency and Criminal Administration. Later, as a member of the Providence City Council he was a strong and early advocate for racial equality and to end discrimination due to sexual orientation.  He and his late wife Susan created the “Malcolm Farmer III and Susan L. Farmer Fund” at the Rhode Island Foundation promoting equality in issues involving race, sexual preference, gender, education, immigration—any area where discrimination takes place.

“As our longtime board president, his compassion and idealism were complemented by a commitment to accomplishment,” Ms. Holland McDuff said.  “He has provided tireless leadership to improve the agency’s services and fundraising capacity,” she said.

The Brighter Futures Award Luncheon has become over the past eleven years a signature fall event for the state’s business community. IGT is the Diamond Sponsor of the event; other major sponsors include: Malcolm G. Chace, Jr.; the de Ramel Foundation; Hasbro, Inc.; Hinckley Allen; Citizens Bank; Amica Insurance; Capitol Securities; Cooley Group; Deepwater Wind; Bank of America; Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island; Cornerstone Group; Christopher and Heather Crosby; CVS Health; Elizabeth Z. Chace; Thomas and Debra Chase; Customers Bank; Delta Dental of Rhode Island; Dimeo Construction Company; Malcolm Farmer, III; Foundry Associates; Fuller Box Company; H. Carr & Sons; William F. Hatfield; KLR; Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island; Joseph R. Paolino, Jr.; Residential Properties.

Family Service of Rhode Island is a non-profit social service and educational organization. More information is available at www.familyserviceri.org.

Body and Mind Workout at Central Falls High School

Family Service of Rhode Island, in partnership with the Central Falls School District, the Youth Restoration Project and other partners, has instituted "Restorative Practices" throughout the Central Falls School District.

Joshua Reis is a "Restorative Coach," and provides an early morning CrossFit program at Central Falls High School as part of "Restorative Practices" to foster community building and healthy relationships among participants.

"Restorative Practices" work to provide students with the supports they need to be successful. In addition to CrossFit, Restorative interventions include "circles," to address behaviors such as tardiness and bullying; "mediation," in which Restorative staff serve as facilitators between parties having a conflict; and "walk-talk," to help defuse conflicts occurring in a classroom.

Recently, WPRI TV did a "Street Stories" segment about the program.  See it below:

Body and mind workout at CF High School

WPRO Radio Interview: Speaking with Children After Boston Marathon Tragedy

Family Service of RI's Sarah Kelly-Palmer LICSW was interviewed by radio station WPRO News Talk 630/99.7 on its morning show regarding speaking with children in the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy.

Sarah helps run Family Service of RI's child trauma center. Family Service of RI is the Rhode Island site for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Listen here.

Improving Services for Traumatized Children

Rhode Island has kicked off its efforts to transform social services across the state to being “trauma informed.”

 “Abuse, neglect, crime, violence; these are common in the personal histories of the children being served at social service agencies across the state,” said Janice DeFrances, Ed.D., director of the Rhode Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). “This new effort will provide care-givers the knowledge and skills to approach care with this in mind and will help us assess our current practices and develop more responsive systems.”

Rhode Island is one of only six areas in the nation chosen to participate in a federally funded project led by San Diego’s Chadwick Center for Children and Families. The goal of the project is to transform child welfare organizations so their services recognize the role trauma plays in the lives of children and families in their care.

 “We chose Rhode Island because of the leadership of Family Service of RI and DCYF on child trauma issues, not only in the Northeast but across the nation,” said Lisa Conradi, Psy.D. of the Chadwick Center. 

Dr. Conradi will oversee the project, which also includes two counties in California, and counties in Florida, Oklahoma and Minnesota. Rhode Island’s is the only statewide effort.

 “This will build on the work we started nearly a decade ago when we developed a partnership with the Providence police department to respond 24/7 to children at scenes of crime and violence,” said Margaret Holland McDuff, Family Service of RI CEO.

Margaret Holland McDuff
CEO, Family Service of RI

 Family Service of RI, DCYF and Providence police department staff have presented the “Rhode Island Model” at a number of national gatherings. The model includes a 24/7 response to children and families exposed to trauma; a focus on prevention and early intervention; and strong partnerships with police departments.

 Recently Family Service of RI was awarded a $1.6 million federal grant to reduce the impact of trauma on the state’s children, with a priority on military families.

“This new project with the Chadwick Center will be integrated into that grant’s efforts,” said Susan Erstling, Ph.D., who heads Family Service of RI’s child trauma center.

 Steps to be followed in the months ahead include:

 • a community assessment of the trauma-informed nature of the state’s child welfare system;

 • development of a “Supercommunity Trauma-Informed Implementation Plan”;

 • technical assistance and training to implement the plan.

 Hundreds of staff from government and non-profits from across the state are slated to participate.

RI One of Six Supercommunities for Traumatized Children

Rhode Island is one of six supercommunities for traumatized children across the nation--and the only one in New England.

Family Service of RI and the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families will be making a big announcement later this week at The Rhode Island Foundation.

More details soon.

Good Luck to the Boston Red Sox and the PawSox!

Best wishes to Family Service of RI's 2006 Brighter Futures Award recipients, the Boston Red Sox and the Pawtucket Red Sox, as they kick off their seasons this week.

The Boston Red Sox are at the Yankees today, and the PawSox at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.

We have many fond memories of the 2006 event, and remember the late Ben Mondor, who is featured in one of the event's photos.

See more by clicking here.

New Program for Moms and Babies

Have you heard about a new maternal and child home visiting program available through Family Service of RI?

It pairs expectant mothers or families with newborns (younger than two weeks old) with a Family Support Worker who provides home visiting services.

More details on this evidence-based program--called Healthy Families Rhode Island--by clicking here.

Tracking Down Help This Tax Season

If your household earn less than $50,000 a year, there's free tax preparation help.

But where?

Thanks to our friends at The Providence Plan, it's easy to track down tax preparation assistance.

For more information, please click here.

Family Service of RI is pleased to bring you this message, and we hope you will share it!

There's Still Time for Calendar 2012!

Have you donated to Family Service of RI this year?

There's still time to send in your tax deductible gift!

It's easy!  You can donate securely on-line by simply clicking right here. Put in a little info, and you're on your way.

Or, send your check by December 31, 2012 made out to Family Service of RI to:

Finance Office

Attn: Annual Drive

Family Service of RI

P.O. Box 6688

Providence, RI 02940-6688

Family Service of RI is celebrating 120 years of providing critical services to Rhode Islanders in need--abused, traumatized children, youngsters wanting to learn but facing barriers to simply going to class, families in poverty and many others.

Thank you!