Saluting Commissioner Gist

Photo by Frank Curran

Haven't updated the blog for a little while because I've been working on our upcoming Brighter Futures luncheon, which this year honors Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Deborah A. Gist.

It starts at noon on Tuesday, October 2, which really isn't that far away, as the summer, I'm sorry to say, begins slipping away!  But late summer, early fall is a great time in New England!  Something to look forward to.

The Brighter Futures award luncheon started back in 2005 as a way to recognize people and organizations helping to build Brighter Futures for Rhode Island's children.  It's also an important fundraiser for us, too. Past recipients include the PawSox and the Boston Red Sox, Senator Jack Reed, and Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children's Zone, an important inspiration for our work in South Providence.

Read more about the event here.  Hope you can join us!

And hope you get outside before the summer passes!

--Stephen L. Hug

Collaborating, on the Farm, to Improve Life for Children

Family Service of RI has an outstanding program called "Early Intervention," which helps very young children experiencing delays in one or more areas of development.

Recently, our Early Intervention team partnered with our friends at the Southside Community Land Trust and their City Farm to help children improve their communications skills and experience a farm setting.

All chronicled in a lovely story called "Future Farmers Get a Kick Out of City Farm" by Eco RI News.


--Stephen L. Hug

Walking School Bus Creating Buzzzz

It was really great to hear all of the positive comments about the Walking School Bus program launched by the Providence Children's Initiative, a program of Family Service of RI.

Here's a TV report put together by a new reporter in our area.

He's Andrew Adamson from WPRI and he did a particularly good job capturing the Walking School bus concept.

Wish I could embed in this blog post, but Blogger's not letting me. So here's a link.  Please check it out.

--Stephen L. Hug

Have You Heard of a Walking School Bus?

Family Service of RI's Providence Children's Initiative program introduced their school attendance map and the "walking" school bus today.  A walking what?

It's all about promoting school attendance.

To learn you have to show up!  It's fundamental.

Read more here.

Looking for a Great Cause? Walk to Fight HIV/AIDS!

Sunday, September 23 will see hundreds of dedicated walkers on the Rhode Island State House lawn walking to fight HIV/AIDS.

Will you join them?  Will you form a team of family and friends?

Help a great cause, AIDS Project RI, which is a division of Family Service of RI.

Take the first step by clicking here for more information.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Reports on Children in Immigrant Families

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is a terrific resource for child welfare information.

Recently they did an "issue brief" on children in the state's immigrant families, a report which received a lot of media coverage.

Read it yourself right here.

We salute our friends at RI KIDS COUNT and thank them for the important work they're doing!

--Stephen L. Hug

Do You Facebook? Do You Tweet?

Family Service of RI has a robust presence in the world of Facebook and Twitter.

We have about 950 followers for each, and we hope you will be one of 'em.

To connect to our Facebook page please click here.

If you are on Twitter, check us out here.

We provide updates several times a week, depending on what's going on.

Please join us!  Thanks!

--Stephen L. Hug

At the Renacer Festival & Family Fair on Saturday

Family Service of RI's Providence Children's Initiative team will be at the Renacer Festival and Family Fair on Saturday, starting at 3:30 p.m., passing out information related to the work of "PCI" as it is known.

Takes place at Roger Williams Park, off Broad Street, in Providence.

According to a flyer, the event is "a sign of hope, unity, faith, family and support.  Our hope is to somehow motivate the families in our cities to not give up under current diffficulties and pressures of life."

Couldn't find a webpage, but did find a volunteer page that does have more info.  Check that out here.

AIDS Walk for Life "Pre-Event" Tonight!

Thank to our friends at Cuban Revolution, tonight AIDS Project RI, a division of Family Service of RI, will be signing up folks for the annual AIDS Walk for Life, coming in September.

You might call it a "pre-event" or "prequel" I suppose.

Starting at 6  tonight at Cuban Revolution's 60 Valley Street, Providence location, teams will be forming and money will be raised.  All to fight HIV/AIDS!

More info about tonight's event can by found by clicking right here.

Thank you Cuban Revolution!

--Stephen L. Hug

Kids in the Wake of Tragedy

There were a number of interviews with Family Service of RI's Dr. Susan Erstling in the wake of the tragedy in Colorado.

Dr. Erstling, who heads our trauma and loss center, has a wealth of experience in dealing with trauma and other issues after violent incidents. 

Since we, of course, are many miles away from Colorado, the interviews focused primarily on how best to help children deal with the intense media coverage that is common after such events.

I have compiled below links to various interviews for your convenience.

GoLocalProv's here.
ABC 6's here.
WPRO's here.
Patch's  here.
Providence En Espanol here.

If there are others, I will add to this list.

We appreciate the media's help in raising awareness of children's issues following this terrible event.

--Stephen L. Hug

Dr. Susan Erstling on WPRO Monday Morning

Family Service of RI's Susan Erstling, Ph.D. will be on the WPRO Morning News with Tara Granahan and Andrew Gobeil Monday morning at 8:10 a.m. taking about the psychological aftermath of the tragedy in Colorado.

Dr. Erstling heads the Family Service of RI trauma and loss center, and is a founder of the RI State Victim Assistance Academy, which just kicked off its 4th year a few days ago.  She has a wealth of experience working with victims, witnesses and responders in the aftermath of violent incidents, including shootings.  She and her team also provide trainings to professionals across the state regarding the effects of trauma.

WPRO is located at 630 on the AM radio dial, and 99.7 on the FM dial.  It streams live here.

--Stephen L. Hug

Parent Tips on Media Coverage in the Wake of the Colorado Tragedy

Family Service of RI is the local site for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, offering  tips for parents regarding media coverage in the aftermath of the recent tragedy in Colorado:

 --Limit your child's exposure to media coverage. The younger the child, the less exposure s/he should have. You may choose to eliminate all exposure for very young children. Consider family activities away from media, including the Internet and social media, such as Facebook and Twitter.

--If they are watching, watch what they watch. Read what they read. Discuss the news stories with them, asking about their thoughts and feelings. Ask what they've seen on the Internet, including in social media.

For more, please click here.

Whooping Cough Vaccination Clinics

The RI Department of Health is holding vaccination clinics today and Monday, 4 to 7 p.m. in North Kingstown.

The department has confirmed six cases of pertussis, often called "whooping cough."

Details on the where, when and why of these clinics available here.

Say You Want A Revolution?

You’re invited to a CHARITYRevolution, Thursday, July 26, at Cuban Revolution, 60 Valley Street, Providence to support AIDS Project RI and the 27th Annual AIDS Walk for Life.

The event focuses on raising money and getting teams and individuals to sign up for the walk, Sunday, September 23, starting at the State House lawn.

The CHARITYREVOLUTION event July 26 begins at 6 p.m., and there will be light refreshments and plenty of free parking.
 
For more information please click here.

Many thanks to our friends at Cuban Revolution! Please support them all year long!

AIDS Project RI is a division of Family Service of RI.

Improving Care for Crime Victims

The fourth-annual Rhode Island State Victim Assistance Academy starts this Wednesday, July 18, with an opening session focusing on the justice system.
 
Family Service of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University Justice System Training and Research Institute have partnered to provide this statewide effort to improve the quality of service to crime victims.

Day-long classes, beginning at 8:30 a.m., take place July 18, August 1, August 8, August 15 and August 22 at the University’s Baypoint Inn and Conference Center in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

Topics include “Impact of Crime on Victims: Trauma, PTSD, and Direct Services,”“Working with LGBTQQ Youth,” “Cultural Competency in Working with Victims,” “Ethics in Victim Services,” “Victim’s Issues in Mental Health,” “Caring for Elder Victims,” and more..

The Academy is attended by professionals who work with victims and survivors of crime.

Have a Cool Drink and Help Homeless Women & Children

 Starbucks at 99 East Main RI, Middletown, RI loves Family Service of RI affiliate Lucy's Hearth!

They are collecting summer fun things like sunscreen, beach towels, bug spray, sunglasses, swim diapers, bathing suits and similar items for the moms and children living at Lucy's Hearth.

Also looking for twin size mattress bedding, formula and diapers.

So if you're in that area, why not stop by and bring along a little something to help homeless mothers and children.

A big thank you to our friends at Starbucks!

MSNBC Cares

The network of "Morning Joe" has picked up NBC 10's Barbara Morse Silva's report regarding our AIDS Project RI's division "Testing Together" program.

Don't know if MSNBC aired her report, but it made it to the website at the very least.  Check it out here.

We appreciate the support in getting the word out about this important, life-saving program.

NBC 10's Report on HIV "Testing Together"

NBC 10's Barbara Morse Silva visited our AIDS Project RI division on Monday to learn more about "Testing Together," the new program in which couples are tested for HIV at the same time.

To see the report, please click here.

Many thanks to Barbara and NBC 10!

Our Condolences

We are greatly saddened by the recent passing of Family Service of RI's Leo Sime, a Restorative Specialist/Coach based at Central Falls High School.

We extend our condolences to his family, his friends, the Restorative Team and all members of the FSRI community who had the opportunity to know him.

We also extend our condolences to the Central Falls High School students, families, faculty and staff whose lives he enriched through his work in the community.

"Testing Together" Praised by Leading HIV/AIDS MDs

In late June we announced that Fanily Service of RI's  AIDS Project RI division was launching a couples HIV testing program called "Testing Together."

We were pleased to see today that two leading HIV/AIDS doctors have praised the program in an article on Edge on the Net.

Congrats to AIDS Project RI's executive director Tom Bertrand and his team on this recognition.  More importantly, thanks Tom and team for fighting HIV/AIDS through this and other innovative programs.

--Stephen L. Hug