News Archive

7/16/2011

Radio Interview with Emily Pike, Program Director

Emily Pike, Program Director of Families for Children our adoption and foster care program in Rhode Island was recently interviewed on WPRO Newstalk. The interview was in regards to our first Annual Foster Care and Adoption Awareness Day festival at Roger Williams Park on August 27th at 12:30 pm. Listen to the interview here.

6/30/2011

6 fun things to do with the kids this summer:

  • Take them to the zoo. The zoo is always a great learning experience as well as a great way to get outside. Take advantage of Stoneham Zoo or Franklin Park Zoo.
  • Go to the park and have a picnic. Kids love to pack up snacks and camp out next to the swings. Kids will get involved in making and packing snacks. A few fun park toys and your ready to go.
  • Look for fireworks in your hometown during 4th of July weekend. This is family fun for the whole town. Grab some sparklers and lemonade and sit back and enjoy.
  • So often we neglect the tours and history in our hometowns. However MA and RI are both rich with compelling histories that make for all kinds of enjoyable tours.
  • Utilize the services of Boston Harbor Cruises. You can go on a whale watch, relax on a Harbor Cruise or catch a speedy ride on Codzilla. For a longer adventure catch a ferry to Provincetown.  This is an affordable way to enjoy our oceanside city. RI offers many great boating experiences too, but Boston is very close too.

These are just five ideas, but Boston has lots to offer including the Aquarium and all the museums. Always take advantage of websites offering great deals like Groupon.com, Levelup.com, Buywithme.com, Livingsocial.com, and Dealfind.com. Sites like Goldstar.com discount tickets to lots of events. Always look for a coupon online, there is a good chance you will find some sort of discount.

10/22/2011

CFP's Adoption and foster care awareness day

  CFP hosted its first Adoption and Foster Care Awareness Day. Despite being postponed from August to October due to hurricane Irene, the event was a success. It was open to the public and free, and we had a good turnout. 

We intended to educate the public and raise awareness about the need for foster and adoptive families in Rhode Island through this annual event. Ultimately we hope we helped to increase family recruitment for Rhode Island’s children in care.

The day’s events included:

  • 25 family-focused exhibitors sharing information
  • Live music provided all day by RI-based cover band Transmission
  • Display of portraits from the Adoption RI Heart Gallery.
  • Presentation of awards to foster and adoptive families by various agencies.
  • Brief recruitment appeal.
  • Recognition of sponsors.
  • Performance by Mastery Martial Arts.
  • Appearances by the Neighborhood Health Plan and Pawtucket Red Sox mascots.
  • Bounce houses, carnival games, face painting.
  • Speed-Raffle of over 40 items including

12/18/2010

CFP Wraps presents at Newbury St.'s Holiday Stroll

On December 18th CFP participated in Newbury Street's Holiday Stroll by wrapping presents. All proceeds were donated to benefit the youth in our programs. This was a good opportunity to support local small businesses and be charitable this holiday season. Thanks to Marimekko for donating so much of their beautiful signature print wrapping paper. BJ's Wholesale club in Dedham also sponsored some of our supplies. Also thank you to the Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill who also donated an amazing raffle prize of a 2-night stay with free breakfast. Thank you to the New England Historical Genealogical Society for hosting us in their gorgeous building and The event raised money and awareness.

8/24/2010

CFP House manager Hanna Ricciardi is Honored

Hanna Ricciardi, House Manager of one of CFP’s all girl residential programs is the recipient of the 2010 Provider’s Council (Massachusetts Council for Human Service Providers, Inc.) Gerry Wright Direct Service Employee Award. As a House Manager for the past 18 years Hanna has proven how important direct care is. Hanna’s dedication to the field, management of staff and recognition of the importance of family engagement for clients makes her one of CFP’s most valued employees. She has been able to run her site like a well-oiled machine by leading through example.  Her staff shares the same dedication and passion and enjoys working for her which results in very low turnover. Hanna encourages family participation in birthdays and graduations because she knows that strengthening families is just as important as strengthening youth.

Her passion for the Direct Care field is unmatched. She provides her clients a safe, structured, consistent, responsive environment. This type of environment is so necessary for clients who have experienced a lot of chaos. Hanna has greatly impacted the lives of the girls at her site. One client wrote in her testimonial, “Hanna, Colleen and Diane taught me so many things that go deeper than I can ever explain. These women can take a lot of credit for the person I am today. I was shown love and taught what a real home is supposed to feel like.”  Hanna’s exemplary work is evident in the successes of her clients and staff. CFP has always highly valued Hanna, and we are proud that she is now being honored within her field.

8/4/2010

CFP at the Red SoxGame

Every  kid needs a home base, so  generated awareness about our  adoption and foster care services on August 4th at a Community Homestand kiosk in Fenway  Park. Our staff will be  shared information about how to adopt or become a foster parent with  all the fans. Fans had a chance to enter for a chance to win a free 2-night stay in the heart of Boston  at the Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill. We were there rooting and recruiting! Go Sox!If  you know of anyone who is interested in adopting or becoming a foster  parent please have them call 617-801-4662 or email  recruitMA@communities-for-people.org.

5/28/2010

CFP's 2010 annual Joe Kersey Memorial Golf Tournament

CFP's golf tournament this year was a success. Our annual golf tournament is in honor of Joe Kersey a former CFP employee who embodied everything CFP believes in. We were fortunate with the weather; 90 degrees is better than rain! The staff at Franklin Park Golf Course made excellent hosts. We raffled off some great prizes including tickets to sporting events, electronics, golf gear, and many gift certificates. There were a lot of happy winners. We were fortunate this year to have all four of Joe Kersey's children there, as well many of his extended family members. It was a fun day full of golf, barbecue and raffle prizes in honor of Joe Kersey.

5/16/2010

2010 Mare walk

Congratulations to the team that made it all the way out to Taunton early Sunday morning for the MARE Walk for Adoption. The weather was great and there was a very large turnout. In total, the event raised just under $45,000!!! Three of the top 30 fundraisers were from CFP (Sue, Jen P, and Sarah Jane). CFP finished in 2nd or 3rd place overall out of the 63 teams registered, with a grand total of $2466.00 raised. If you have a chance today, come back to the lunch area and marvel at the team prize for 3rd place (yep, it's a giant box of crayons).

5/25/2010

BOWLING FUNDRAISER

CFP's 1st Bowling fundraiser was a sucess. We gave out prizes for the 1st and 2nd place scores. Lanes and Games were great hosts for the evening. CFP staff and friends came out to show their support and try their luck at our raffle drawing. We gave out some great prizes including a MY Oilcloth handbag, Equinox Gym one-month membership, gift certificates to One World Cuisine Restaurants, and much more. Congratulations to our raffle winners and top score bowlers.

5/13/2010

CFP Professional day: Pawsox game

CFP hosted a Professional Day for staff on May 13th. Staff were treated to a tail-gating good time with a BBQ and entry to the Paw Sox game. They started out the day at 10am. The weather was perfect and staff hung out well in to the afternoon. CFP's PawSox tradition has become a staff favorite.

4/15/2010

Recommended Reading

Author Elizabeth Loughran has written a compelling book, Finding Home, detailing Massachusetts role in the transition from institutionalizing people in state care to community-based programs. Deinstitutionalizing state care for mental illness, developmental disability, child abuse or delinquency lead to the creation of a multitude of small nonprofit agencies offering community-based programs as treatment. These programs allow people to live in their homes, or communities, and work or go to school while receiving treatment.

Communities for People was on the forefront of this movement and pioneered many community-based residential programs. CFP’s President Joe Leavey’s role in this change is outlined in the book as well.

If you are interested in buying this intriguing book about the history of state care in Massachusetts please visit: www.loughranconsulting.com.

11/2009

The Boston Region STARR program opens its doors

Communities for People proudly opened the doors to its new Boston Regional STARR (Stabilization, Assessment, and Rapid Reintegration) Program. It is a 45 day program intended to help stabilize youth and quickly assess their needs. The primary goal of the program is for youth to return to his family and community. The STARR Program provides services for up to 9 males between the ages of 13-17. Under the guidance of the Program Director Ulyen Coleman, these boys attend school and participate in program activities. The program helps the youth, to gain independent living skills that will foster their future success.