Helping Girls SHINE!
Dressed in a cheery yellow sweater and jeans, Brittany Adkins stands in front of a small group of animated 4th grade girls in the cafeteria annex at Milton Elementary School and asks them how they shine. A dozen hands shoot up in the air. One says, "If people say something mean, you can walk away." Another girl chimes in, "It's OK to be different. It doesn't matter if you have a different skin color or wear glasses."
 
Children & Families First"s new SHINE program, now being piloted with 4th and 5th grade girls at Milton Elementary, is a structured education group designed to support the development of strength, courage, confidence, honesty, and communication skills among girls. The SHINE program uses the researched-based model known as Girls Circle, which has been recognized as a "promising approach" by the federal Office of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Funding for the SHINE pilot was provided by the Fund for Women of the Delaware Community Foundation, which works to address the unmet needs of women and girls in Delaware.

Brittany, who coordinates the SHINE program along with Functional Family Therapist Tara Adams, knows first-hand about the importance of helping girls SHINE. When she was 13, a young woman at her church invited her to join Children & Families First's Lil Sis program. Supported by Fund for Women a decade ago, Lil Sis was a community-based, life skills program targeting adolescent girls who were at risk due to substance abuse themselves or by a family member. Brittany participated in Lil Sis for two years, and then became a mentor to younger girls in the program. What she remembers most about the program is that it offered her a safe environment where she could be herself, at a time in life that can be so confusing. Brittany explains, "Lil Sis helped me shine, and now I have the opportunity to help a new generation of girls shine." Her eyes light up when she says, "We try to make these girls feel good about themselves because they deserve it."

As the 4th grade SHINE group draws to a close, Brittany looks out over the faces of the girls and says, "I think you girls shined when we first met, but now you shine even brighter. Keep up the good work so you can help other girls shine." Brittany is truly an example of how to make that happen! less...

Adoption Through the Generations
Hannah Draper believes in the power of creating families through adoption - which makes sense, since adoption is a tradition in her family. Hannah was adopted as an infant through the Children's Bureau (which is now Children & Families First), her mother was adopted as a young girl in Dover, and her grandmother was adopted too. Now it seems that even her great-grandmother may have been adopted as well.

Hannah loves to talk about adoption, and was excited to let her mother take the spotlight to share her own story. Jane Draper, born in Crisfield, Maryland, was the daughter of an Eastern Shore waterman. r birth mother grew weary of life on the water, so moved out with Jane and her younger brother to a small house by the railroad tracks when Jane was just three-years old. Shsays, "I it weren't for the men on the trains, my brother and I would have starved to death. They made sure we had food and milk." One day, a social worker, Mrs. Rawlins, came and placed her with a new family, who loved her dearly and offered her wonderful opportunities. In fact, Jane was one of the first women to graduate from the Law School of William and Mary. In Hannah's words, "It was a real rags to riches story." Sadly, Jane has never learned what happened to her baby brother.

When Hannah and her partner Debbie Jones were ready to become parents themselves, calling Children & Families First was only natural, thanks to Hannah's personal connection with the agency. The couple began working with Mike McHugh, a social worker in CFF's Foster Care and Adoption Unit. Hannah and Debbie were open to parenting all different kinds of children, but were clear on one detail: the children had to be school-aged. So when Mike called looking for a placement for three school-aged brothers, Hannah and Debbie were ready. That placement only lasted 24-hours - the birth father was able to take the boys. Not long after, Mike called asking Hannah and Debbie to provide respite for three school-aged sisters - but again, the placement was short-lived.

Mike wasn't about to give up - he knew the right match would come along. In spite of the couple's stated restriction against young children, Mike called them about a 2-year old boy and his 8-year old sister. Hannah and Debbie didn't think twice about it - without even seeing a picture of the kids, they agreed to open their home. They met the kids for the first time on July 21, 2010, and by the time school started that fall, the siblings, Hayden and Elizabeth, were with them full-time. On January 1, 2012, Hannah and Debbie were among the first couples to have a civil union when Delaware's new law went into effect. On January 18, 2012, Hayden and Elizabeth's adoption was finalized.

The household bustles with activity. Hayden wakes up from a nap, and starts playing with action figures. Elizabeth hops off the bus with a smile, ready to have her picture taken. And remember how Hannah and Debbie only wanted school-aged children? They are now proud foster parents to a 6-week old baby boy. As we gather three generations of adoptees- Jane, Hannah, and Elizabeth- under the blooming crape myrtle in the front yard, we take a moment to marvel at the wonder of family. less...

Meet Kavia

Kavia is the mother of eight-year-old Sabrina, a second-grader at Stubbs Elementary. Stubbs is one of three schools in our Eastside Community Schools initiative (ECS). Kavia can't say enough about ECS and the Parent Resource Center at Stubbs, where she is an active volunteer.

She explains: "I am able to do things at the Parent Resource Center that I can't do other places, like take computer classes or look up information online. And, I have received help from the ECS case manager for everything from housing to school supplies. I have also made lots friends, and have enjoyed adult conversation over coffee, discussing things like the stages kids go through. All events and activities are family-centered, and Sabrina and I attend almost all of them. This is part of my family and I'll miss them terribly when Sabrina is done at Stubbs."

Kavia sums it up this way: "It really takes a village."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

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Strengthening Families One Parent at a Time
Robert Berry, 36, never imagined he’d be a single dad. But when he found himself raising his infant daughter Cheryl on his own, he knew he needed help. When he learned about Children & Families First’s Strengthening Families Program (SFP), he thought it might be just what he needed.

SFP is a family skills training program based on research that shows that children grow up best when parents provide both emotional support and consistent discipline. Participants in the 12-14 week training series learn to make these two concepts the foundation of their family life. What makes this program such a rewarding experience is that the parents learn together with their children. Skills are not just taught, they are also practiced in class. SFP is available for families with children of all ages – from birth to age 17.

Robert found SFP to be incredibly helpful. “Cheryl always needs something,” he says, “like to be held, or fed, or played with. Sometimes I’m so tired, but I know I still have to take care of my girl.” Robert continues, “I really liked what I learned in SFP. It taught me to be calm even when I’m stressed out so I can take care of Cheryl and myself.” You can see the love that Robert has for Cheryl, especially when he sings to her and she responds with a hearty belly-laugh.

Robert and Cheryl both graduated from the Strengthening Families Program in early
September and are excited to put to practice everything they learned. Many thanks to our funders for their support of this important program!
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Summer fun + math = AWESOME!
No "Lazy Days of Summer" Found at Eastside's Summer Camp!


Tia Bryant is a single mom to three school-aged kids. She also works part-time at the University of Delaware. Juggling her responsibilities can be a challenge under the best of circumstances, but it’s especially tough during the summer months.

This year, summer camp at Stubbs Elementary came to the rescue for Tia’s eldest child, daughter Ashantay. The six-week long summer camp, in its first year, was a collaboration between Children & Families First’s Eastside Community Schools program, the Girl Scouts and the United Way. It not only offered Tia much-needed child care but, even better, Tia says, “The summer camp allowed Ashantay to stay mentally and physically active while I was at work.” The camp, provided free to Stubbs students (thanks to our generous supporters!), included a combination of academics, outdoor fun, and field trips.

Tia wasn’t the only fan of the program. Ashantay, a shy but quick-to-warm-up nine-year-old, had a blast at camp. She says, “I got to see my friends from school and it made me better at math.” Her favorite memory from camp? “Going to Sam’s Water Park!”
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Johanna & Jeremy
A Bright New Future

Johanna Santiago wants what all caring parents want for their children – to provide her son with whatever he needs to be safe and healthy with a future filled with promise.  And she is determined to make this happen.

But Johanna’s life wasn’t always so focused. In 11^th grade, she decided to stop attending school, choosing instead to work during the day while taking GED courses at night.    She began working part-time as a Teacher’s Aide at a day care in Wilmington and took classes sporadically.  However, she eventually grew disinterested in completing her education. In order to make ends meet, full-time employment became the priority.   

At age 24, Johanna found out she was pregnant.  While her day care experience had given her some sense of what to expect as a parent, she still felt unprepared. She was referred to our Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program and was one of the first clients enrolled after the program launched in 2010.  NFP, an evidence-based program, uses registered nurses to provide structured home visits to low-income women pregnant with their first child, serving the moms until the child is age two.  NFP has been shown to have significant positive outcomes, including reductions in both infant mortality and child abuse/neglect. 

Tanya Allen-Simpson, one of six NFP nurses statewide, began working with Johanna.  Tanya and the other nurses provide a delicate balance of encouragement, mentoring, education and “real world” guidance to their clients.  Regular home visits include health checks for both mom and baby, education on parenting and developmental stages, and hands-on training.  Johanna admits that she was hesitant to join the program at first:  “I thought Tanya was going to come into to my house and tell me exactly how to raise my baby.  But she respected me from the beginning and helped me make the right decisions along the way for me and my baby.” 

Today, Johanna is a motivated, proud mom of 6-month-old Jeremy, a bright-eyed, energetic bundle of a boy. She will complete her GED this spring and plans to take evening courses in the fall towards the Training for Early Care and Education certificate program.  Certification will mean increased opportunities for employment and self-sufficiency.

Some weeks, Johanna admits, the schedule of work, school and single motherhood can be overwhelming.  That’s when she relies on support from family members and Tanya’s regular visits to make it all work.  But it is clearly her motivation from within that keeps her focused on achieving her goals so her son’s future has potential.

“Having Jeremy changed my life.  I always thought I would go back to school one day, but now I have the inspiration. Tanya gave me the encouragement I needed and I realized I had no more excuses for not getting my education.  I know I need to take better care of myself so I can provide for my son. This program has taught me not just how to be a better parent, but so much more.” 

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A Leader in the Making
Foster Youth Sharpens Skills at National Forum

The way 16-year-old Bryan Samuel's face lights up when you ask him about his summer says it all.  With activities like football camp at Wesley College, a sports and leadership camp in Maryland and landscaping and painting projects as part of his job at Blades Elementary School through the state's Youth Summer Employment Program, it was hectic and sometimes tiring. But a trip to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in Washington, DC in July was the highlight of the summer and "a life-changing experience."

For the past three years, Bryan has lived with Children & Families First (CFF) foster parents John and Michelle Mosely in Bridgeville along with four other foster teens he calls his brothers. Despite the changes and uncertainties in his life as a child, Bryan is an A-student and star athlete who has developed a quiet resiliency.  He is a determined young man who believes that "failure is not an option." 

Kelly Duncan, one of Bryan's teachers at Woodbridge High School, recognized his potential and nominated him for a spot at the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, the premiere program in pre-med education for the nation's highest-achieving high school students.  Bryan joined peers from across the country at the 10-day forum, learning from renowned speakers in the field, discussing pertinent topics with fellow students, and viewing live surgeries at some of the top medical centers.  Bryan's trip was made possible by generous financial assistance from his school, the 21st Century Fund, the state's Division of Family Services and Office of the Child Advocate as well as our own Children Special Fund.  The Children's Special Fund, supported by a number of local funders, allows us to meet special needs of the children we serve, and provide opportunities that would not otherwise be available to them. 

Bryan's interest in medicine stems from his desire to help people. "To be able to help people feel better and possibly live longer is an amazing power, an amazing gift." Brenda Smith, his social worker at CFF, attributes his accomplishments not only to his own will power, but to the strong supportive network in his life. She says that the Mosleys are advocates for their foster kids, creating a close-knit family environment that encourages academic and athletic achievement as well as conflict solving skills among the boys in their home. "It is a powerful thing to see how much it changes a person when they have people in their life who care about them. I know Bryan can continue to succeed."

Bryan plans to take what he learned during the summer and continue to strive in his academics and sports. But Bryan won't soon forget his experiences at the Forum.  "The trip was an incredible experience. I feel like a more confident leader now," he shares. "The skills I learned and the bonds I developed with other students are things that will always be with me."   less...