Headlines
- Public News Service-AZ
- Accessing Stimulus Funds
- Volunteer Turns Time into Dollars for Refugees
- Employee of the Quarter
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News
Public News Service-AZ
July 06, 2009
AZ Foster Kids Get Help in Difficult Transition to Adulthood
MESA, Ariz. - When foster children turn 18 in Arizona, they often find themselves alone, without the parental support and guidance most teens take for granted. Mary Blessington, clinical director of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, says a new community-based transition center opening next month in Mesa will provide help, starting with a menu of emergency services.
"It's a place to come if you are homeless, if you are pregnant, if you need a job, if you're trying to get into school. At the same time, we plan to offer special components to meet their mental health needs, their spiritual needs and their relationship needs."
The typical foster child will move seven times during his or her final two years in the state system, Blessington says. One of her goals is to give kids the opportunity to establish what she calls a "forever mentor" - someone in the role normally filled by family.
"They don't get that support. There's no place to go have dinner on Sunday. There's no one to call when you're lonely or sad or scared. There's nobody to celebrate your successes with."
Mental health services will be a major focus at the new center. Blessington points to studies showing that more than half the teenagers graduating from foster care have mental health disorders, and that former foster kids suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder at nearly double the rate of U.S. war veterans.
"Losing their parents and moving from place to place just kind of reinforces their inability to form relationships, and that can lead to all kinds of mental health problems."
Blessington says many of the staff at the privately-funded Road to Independence Center will themselves be former foster kids. The plan is to gradually expand such centers statewide.
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ACCESSING STIMULUS FUNDS
By Sabra Barnett, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest
A group of voluntary agencies in Maricopa County have put together an Employment Working Group, which incorporates a partnership with a children’s hospital, the City of Phoenix, and local community colleges. The Working Group’s success has enabled us to access stimulus money in order to set up new vocational training programs.
In the fall, the local GateWay Community College will be accepting qualified refugees into a Certified Nursing Assistant Program. They’ve reserved 25 slots specifically for our clients, and the program is 100% tuition-free. Stimulus funds will pay for the refugees’ pre-enrollment testing, background checks, drug tests, fingerprint cards, CPR certification, the actual tuition, books, uniforms, shoes and stethoscopes. After the course is finished, clients will receive certification and job placement services for one year. We are currently working to put together similar vocational trainings in caregiving, phlebotomy, and pharmacy technology.
These training and job placement services will build morale, especially among the most well-educated refugees. Increased competition for medium skill jobs (e.g. cashiers, administrative assistants, etc.) has kept some of our best-educated clients in low-skill, entry-level positions, such as janitorial and food service. We hope these trainings will address that issue. Additionally, city job placement services will help lighten the caseload for employment specialists, who don’t always have time for in-depth job searches in clients’ fields of expertise.
Stimulus program assistance ranges from providing funding for language and vocational training (e.g. green jobs and healthcare), to housing assistance, unemployment benefits, and VISTA volunteer recruiting. A fact sheet with resources is available on RefugeeWorks’ website at refugeeworks.org/downloads/recovery.pdf. For further information, contact Sabra Barnett at sbarnett@lss-sw.org.
Click here to download LSS_2009 Spring Update
Volunteer Turns Time into Dollars for Refugees
“The first time I visited the Burmese refugee family, I was very nervous because I knew they didn’t speak English and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. But by my second visit, we figured out ways to communicate and ended up laughing and having a good time together,” said Jill Coughlin, a member of Community of Grace Lutheran Church in Peoria, Arizona.
Community of Grace first co-sponsored a refugee family in 2007 and Jill stepped in to begin weekly visits to the family. In July of 2008 they co-sponsored another family and again Jill was on board. After one year now, Jill’s relationship has developed into a friendship with the family and they call to say hi when she has not been by for a visit. She has spent many hours helping them learn English and they have taught her to speak some Burmese. “It’s been a great learning experience for me as well,” Jill commented. As a result of this relationship, Jill was introduced to other Burmese families and she now is helping them to practice their English. She spends several hours a week working with the refugee families. These hours recently benefited the refugee resettlement program with a volunteer grant award.
Jill is an employee of Wells Fargo and applied for a volunteer service award with her company. Employees who volunteer 25 hours per quarter for a year are able to apply for a grant for the non-profit agency they work with. Jill’s hours easily surpassed that amount. She contacted Donna Buckles, church sponsorship developer for Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest Refugee and Immigration Services Division to say she had a check for $1,000 for the agency. In the application, Jill shared her experiences and made suggestions of ways the money could help refugees.
“I’m so excited to present this check to the agency,” Jill commented. “With all of the current needs of refugees, this money will help several families,” Buckles said. “Partnerships with churches and church volunteers provides assistance on so many levels for our refugees. They play a very, very important role in helping refugees to become self-sufficient and comfortable in American culture, and their friendship with refugees is an added benefit to our clients,” Buckles added.
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Employee of the Quarter
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Basim Al Khafaji, Employee of the First Quarter 2009 Refugee Resettlement Division, Phoenix Office. Basim was selected as Employee of the First Quarter 2009 because of his superior work in assisting Iraqi refugees establish new lives in Phoenix. Basim has conducted his work with a passion and sensitivity for the new refugee arrivals. Basim remains calm and professional even in strained and volatile situations. Basim is a respected leader in the Iraqi Community.
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Amy Tingey, Employee of the Second Quarter 2009 DayBreak Quality Care Division, In-Home Services for Pinal/Gila/Maricopa. Amy was selected as Employee of the Second Quarter 2009 because she goes above and beyond to service our clients. When called at a moments notice, she jumps at the opportunity to serve. She is a Family Attendant Care Provider that services her son. On the two days he is at Adult Day Care, she cares for a client that numerous other caregivers had declined to care for. Amy treats the client with the upmost respect, care and compassion. Amy is also known for her on time and accurate paperwork.
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Marie Rutan Employee of the Third Quarter 2009 Community Development Division, Tucson Office. Marie was selected as Employee of the Third Quarter 2009 because when the Community Development Division recently reorganized the ROSS program and added the management of a convenience store located in the Tucson House, Marie rose to the challenge. This housing complex is home to senior citizens and community members with disabilities whom depend on the store for their daily needs. Marie Rutan was asked to manage the store along with her other duties as Program Manager of Transportation. Marie has had to endure long hours doing shopping, pricing inventory, and managing the store while overseeing volunteers. The store celebrated its Grand opening in September and LSS closed the books with the first month showing a profit. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of Marie. She continues to learn and grow with the organization.
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Marta Arias
Employee of the Fourth Quarter 2009
DayBreak Quality Care Division, Marta was selected as Employee of the Fourth Quarter 2009 because the relationships that Marta has built with the Care Providers, Clients, Families and other Community Organizations have been a significant part of the success of our In-Home program. She has been a dedicated employee with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest since August 2004, beginning her career in the Daybreak Adult Day Care in Tucson. She is currently a Home Care Supervisor with the Tucson In-Home Services Program; her co-workers describe her as the “Heart” of the department. Marta exemplifies the mission of Lutheran Social Services, and her continued compassion and kindness is an inspiration to those around her.
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Grace Zatarain Grace was selected as Employee of the First Quarter 2010 because of her selfless dedication to ensure agency payroll is accurate and on time every pay date. Grace does all this hard work with a helpful attitude and a smile. |
