Reports from the front lines

of serving residents in need.

Be listening for the next NCSSA meeting time……

Hope to see you there!

Volume 1 4 Issue 63

March /Apri l

201 5

You can also check out the NCSSA web-site at

www.ncssa.net

Inside this Issue

1 Child Abuse Preven-tion Month

2 Celebration of Life

3 Team Spotlight

4 Spotlight continued

5 Spotlight continued

6 Employee Spotlight

7 New Employees

8 Personnel

9 Retirement

10 Employee Recognition

11 Wellness

Caldwell County Department of Social Services

D S S PA TC H

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH 2015 THEME:

“MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES”

National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time to

acknowledge the importance of families and communities work-

ing together to prevent child abuse and neglect and to promote

the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

During the month of April and throughout the year, communities

are encouraged to share child abuse and neglect prevention

awareness strategies and activities and promote prevention

across the country. This year, 2015 is the 40th Anniversary of

the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

In keeping with the Clinton Administration’s emphasis on collab-

oration and integration among child and family-serving systems,

a new grant program, Community-Based Family Resource and

Support (CBFRS), was created in 1996. These grants reflected

the belief that public and private child abuse prevention and

treatment programs must work together toward common goals.

The CBFRS program (now known as Community-Based Child

Abuse Prevention or CBCAP) requires State lead agencies to es-

tablish statewide networks for family support programs, support

a coordinated continuum of preventive services, and maximize

funding for those services.

North Carolina law requires all adults to report suspected child

maltreatment. You do not need proof that maltreatment has oc-

curred; you only need reasonable cause to suspect maltreat-

ment. You do not need anyone’s permission to file a report and

reporters can remain anonymous.

P A G E 2 Celebration of Life 2015 D S S P A T C H

It’s that time of year when the Adult Services Teams, along with help from

others across the agency, are gearing up for Celebration of Life. This marks

the 45th year of Celebration of Life. The one day event recognizes and hon-

ors the senior citizens of Caldwell County and the contributions they’ve

made to our community over the years.

Celebration of Life 2015 will be held again at Mountain Grove Baptist

Church on Connelly Springs Road. It will be on Friday, May 15th beginning at

8:30 a.m.

We’ll start with a health and information fair where agencies and business-

es from across the region will be on hand to talk about services they pro-

vide to seniors.

The Neighbors will be providing the musical entertainment. Door prizes are

handed out, lunch is served, and it’s all free to those Caldwell County resi-

dents 60 or better.

Months of planning and preparation go into making this event a success

each year. We want to thank all those who help make it a fun and well de-

served “thank you” for our seniors. We’re looking forward to Celebration of

Life 2015 and hope to see you there on May 15th.

-Jack Daulton

P A G E 3 TEAM SPOTLIGHT D S S P A T C H

Susan Barnett-I was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Asheville, North Carolina as my father was a Highway Patrolman in Florida and it was getting too dangerous so he transferred to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department when I was about 5 years old. I have a twin sister, Sandy who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She and her husband have two grown kids. I have a younger sister, Karen who is married with two boys and lives in Asheville. My mom lives in Asheville also.

I have two fantastic kids: Megan is my daughter who is 19 years old and is a Freshman at UNC-G and is a drama queen! She is appropriately majoring in Marketing and Design and loving col-lege. She is doing very well and I am real proud of her! Matthew is my son who is 13 years old, and a swimmer for the Marlin Swim Team here in Lenoir. He excels at the backstroke and 50 Free-style. He wants to be like his cousins who both swim and be a lifeguard when he gets old enough to earn money! Then he wants to be in architecture when he goes to college.

I have my BS in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University and also attended Lenoir-Rhyne College for two years prior to ASU. Before coming to DSS, I worked at a daycare in Morganton and prior to that I worked as at the Children’s Home in Winston Salem for about 3 years as a House Parent. I have worked at Caldwell County DSS for 28 years in May 2015. I did foster care for 25 years and am now a supervisor for the past 2 years of a great team!

I love spending time with my family, finding bargains at thrift shops (especially in Asheville!), and I used to ride horses in dressage and cross country jumping and also fox hunting. I would love to do that again as I really miss it! I played volleyball in high school and college and had a scholarship to Appalachian State University. My twin sister had a full scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill! We played against each other twice and it is obvious who won but we gave them a hard time!

We have two dogs at home, and one is a new puppy (what was I thinking!!??) and a cat. I hope

to retire in Asheville as soon as I can do it! Asheville is where my heart is, but Lenoir is and has

been very good to me and my family! I love my job here at DSS, and have seen many come and

go, and realize that this job is not for just anyone, and I am just honored to a small part of it for

the last 28 years.

Meet The Barnett Team

D S S P A T C H Team Spotlight continued P A G E 4

My name is Meredith Hildebran. I was born and raised, right here in Caldwell County. I’m the middle child between two very protective brothers who have loved me and been the best friends a girl could ask for. I attended high school at South Caldwell and graduated in 2009. From there, I moved to Boone and attended Appalachian Stated University for the next four years and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work, in 2013. While in college I worked part-time for the Watauga Campus of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in the “Employability Lab.” There I helped students and other individuals apply for jobs, create re-sumes, and prepare with job-readiness skills. After graduation, I obtained a job with Head Start in Catawba County. I worked there for almost a year and a half as a Family Service Worker until coming to work for Caldwell County DSS in October 2014. Since working at DSS I have mainly had the responsibilities of an Investigator/Assessor. I was married just 6 months ago, on August 9, 2014, to Jonathan Hildebran! We currently reside in Granite Falls and are enjoying our new life together! We also have a new puppy, Maggie, who always keeps us on our toes! When we are not working or taking care of Maggie, you will find me at Zumba or my husband on the golf course. We’re also very involved in our church and loving helping with our youth group and at-tending our weekly small group.

Hi my name is Kimberly Maddox. I was born in Shelby, North Carolina and moved to Vale, North Carolina when I was one year old. I attended and graduated from Fred T. Foard High School in 2002. In August of 2002 I went on to attend Livingstone College located in Salisbury, North Carolina and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Social Work in 2007. After graduating I worked in the education field and relocated to Concord, North Carolina until March of 2009. In March of 2009 I had my daughter Ja’Liyah who is now 5 years old. I have raised my child as a single mother, which lead to my determination to pursue my dreams of becoming a Social Work-er to provide a better life for my daughter, and to become an example for my daughter that once you set goals you must make a way to accomplish your goals. In July of 2012 I first began my career in Social Work at Burke County Department of Social Services as an Investigator, and later moved on to Caldwell County Department of Social Services as an Investigator. I have a true passion for Social Work and the families I serve. I have now been in Child Protective Ser-vices field for 3 years, and enjoy my job as an Investigator and look forward to the years to come. I am also very active in my church and a member of our Praise Team. I am also very ac-tive with my daughter as she participates in local and state beauty pageants. Thanks for reading a little about me!

Hi my name is April Sisk. I was born in Caldwell County and currently reside in Catawba Coun-

ty. I have one sister and I am the oldest sibling. I attended Western Carolina University with a

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. I have been employed with Caldwell County Department of

Social Services for 15 years. I have worked as an Investigator in Child Protective Services as well

as a High Risk Case Manager. I have been married for 14 years to Jacob Sisk. We have one

child, Cole Alexander, whom is 10 years old. He attends Viewmont Elementary School and is in

the fifth grade. When I am not at work, I enjoy attending golf tournaments and shopping.

P A G E 5 Team Spotlight continued D S S P A T C H

Nakeidra Nivens born in Hickory, North Carolina and is the oldest of three. I attended Appala-chian State University and obtained a BSW in 2007. I have been married for 7 years and we have one child, Chandan who is three years old. I started working at DSS in October 2008 and started as a Foster Care Social Worker and I remain in that same position today. Prior to my employment at DSS I did my internship with Caldwell County Schools as a school Social Worker and was hired on part-time for the remainder of the 2006-2007 school year where my home school was Valmead Elementary. I enjoy going to the beach, singing, shopping and spending time with family.

Angela Colbert-born and raised in Caldwell County. I am the oldest of three children. I graduat-ed from West Caldwell High School in 1990. I attended Winston Salem State University for 2 years before obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Gardner Webb University. I have a daughter, Raven Carter age 20, who attends Caldwell Community College where she plays bas-ketball.

Prior to coming to DSS, I worked in the Banking Industry. I have been with this agency for 14 years. I began working at DSS in 2001 in the Child Care Unit. I moved into a Foster Care position in 2004 and that’s where I remain today. I enjoy relaxing, traveling, and spending time with fami-ly.

Hi my name is Jennifer Corpening, I was born and raised in Lenoir, North Carolina. My father passed away when I was 4 years old. My mother raised 3 boys and 4 girls. My oldest sister be-came sick at the age of 6, which left her handicapped. My mother was a strong, single and pray-ing mother.

I graduated from West Caldwell High School in 1983. I had my first child, Raven Hood in 1984 and my second child, Tyler in 1985. I raised my two children as a single parent for 10 years. In 1994, I married Michael Corpening. We have been married for 20 years. My daughter Raven is married and lives in Raleigh and they have 4 children. My son, Tyler is married and lives in Burke County they have 6 children together. Michael has 3 boys and 1 girl and together we have 17 grandchildren.

Michael works at the Blowing Rock Post Office where he has been for 15 years. I have worked at

DSS for 9 years. I also take care of my developmentally disabled oldest sister who has lived with

us for the past 9 years. I am very active in my church and my community. I serve as choir direc-

tor for the youth, treasure over the Deaconess Board and play the drums and sing in the Adult

Choir. I was a foster parent for 3 years with Carolina Therapeutic Services but gave it up to spend

more time with my sister. Thank you for reading a little about me!

D S S P A T C H EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT P A G E 6

SPOTLIGHT ON STAFF: Marta Lazo

Submitted by: Debbie Clark

Defining Marta Lazo as an Income Maintenance Case Worker for Food and Nutrition Services does not

even come close to the full picture of who she really is and what she does for the agency and her com-

munity.

Marta is a very family oriented person. Marta is married to her husband Orosmel of 21 years, who owns

his own business. They have 3 children, Michael 25, Orosmel Jr, 20 and Emmual 14. She also has a

grandson Jaden 3 ½ years old. Marta has 7 brothers and 5 sisters. Marta is originally from Spain. She

moved to Lenoir in 2006. Marta attends St. Francis of Assisi of Lenoir, and on Wednesday nights she

teaches 1st graders about the faith.

Before Marta came to live in Lenoir she worked in Florida as a medical coder for UM Miami for 14

years. Marta started working for DSS on December 11, 2007 for Food and Nutrition Services, she also

is one of the backup translators for the agency. In addition to her employment with DSS, Marta started

a non-profit organization called (Concilio Hispano), which she is president of the organization. Concilio

Hispano was incorporated May 26, 2010 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment

of the Latino community by providing free interpretation and translation services and referrals to com-

munity resources and advocating for fair and equal treatment for people with limited English skills.

Concilio Hispano is the first agency of its kind in Caldwell County. Marta also works with the Woman’s

Shelter of Lenoir as translator and helps to place homeless woman and their children in homes. Marta

helps to collect household items needed for these families.

In Marta’s spare time (which is very little), she likes working in the vegetable and flower gardens. Roses

are her favorite. She likes doing crafts (painting and pottery). She collects butterflies. She also loves

spending time with family.

Marta loves helping people and is proud of her many accomplishments.

P A G E 7 Personnel D S S P A T C H

Richard Martin

Social Worker III Assessment

Snyder Team

Shannon Brittain

Child Support Worker II

Child Support Team

Jennifer Ansley

Temporary IMC I

Conley Team

Karen Scronce

Temporary IMC I

Conley Team

Nancy Holmes

Temporary IMC I

Conley Team

Trena Riddle

Off-Site Part Time-Temporary

IMC I

Customer Service Team

Stacy Smith

Off-Site Part Time-Temporary

IMC I

Customer Service Team

Ashlee Rowe

Off-Site Part Time-Temporary

IMC I

Customer Service Team

Sandy Elder

Off-Site Part Time-Temporary

IMC I

Customer Service Team

P A G E 8 Personnel D S S P A T C H

Lauren King

IMC I

Hedrick Team

Jenna Vanhaerents

IMC I

Conley Team

Chris Conley

Buisness Officer I

Accounting Team

April Davis

Social Work Supervisor III

Davis Adult Team

Brittney Himes

Accounting Specialist I

Accounting Team

Kendra Edwards

IMC III

Spears Team

Mandy Bays

IMC I

Hedrick Team

Kristen Tufts

IMC I

Hedrick Team

P A G E 9 D S S P A T C H

A pillar of our agency, Linda Laws retired on March 31, 2015. On March 23, 2015 the

agency held a reception in her honor.

The reception allowed Linda’s friends, family and co-workers to express their apprecia-

tion for 23 years of dedicated service to the agency.

Former Directors Mr. Sam Haithcock and Ms. Joyce Edwards were present along with nu-

merous agency retirees.

Linda has supervised our Accounting Department, and also worked in Child Support and

Eligibility during her agency career. Linda has worked in banking and retail also, prior to

working at DSS.

Linda is looking forward to spending time with her two children and four grandchildren

and has some home repair projects and gardening work awaiting her attention. “I am just

excited about having the opportunity to explore the things I never seem to have time to

do.” Best wishes to Linda and thanks for keeping us solvent for all these years.

Tom Watson

Retirement Reception

P A G E 1 0 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION D S S P A T C H

Congratulations to Nelson Fernandez on being named March

2015 Employee of the Month. The nomination form reads: “ We

have a new client who came to us through Adult Protective Ser-

vices. This young woman is severely disabled and functions on

the level of an infant. Her parents are willing and caring but,

struggled to meet her demanding needs. Due to a serious lan-

guage barrier this family had fallen through the cracks. In comes

our hero for the day, Nelson Fernandez! Nelson worked with

three different Adult Services Social Workers (APS, Guardianship,

and CAP) to help this struggling family. Several times he adjust-

ed his schedule to meet with the Social Worker and family,

sometimes after hours, and he always did so with an enthusias-

tic, respectful, and caring attitude. Simply put, without Nelson’s

flexibility and assistance we could not have provided the services

this family so desperately needed. Because of his tremendous

help with this client, and I’m sure with many others throughout

the agency, I’m nominating Nelson for the employee of the

month.” Congratulations again Nelson!

March 2015 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Beulah Coley on being a Quarterly Nominee for the County Customer Service

Award. The nomination form reads: “Beulah has been so very helpful and patient with all of her cli-

ents. Beulah is not afraid to assist her co-worker's with any help that they may need. She is resource-

ful and always puts forth her best effort in helping her clients get what they need. Beluah demon-

strates impact in many different ways. She has always had professionalism not only with her clients,

but with her co-workers as well. She always has a positive outlook and attitude for her clients by en-

couraging them to do the necessary actions to meet their goals. Beulah is always communicating with

her clients and responding back to them immediately. She is definitely a team player for the Roger's

Team. Beulah is always going out of her way for her team members by helping them anytime that is

needed. For the past month I have been shadowing Beulah's work as an investigator. Not only has

she made an impact on her clients, but she has made one on me as well. She has been so helpful

and taught me so much, along with my other team members. Beulah deserves this award for the

quality of care and time she puts into her clients as well as her team.“ Congratulations again Beulah

on the nomination.

Quarterly County Customer Service

Award Nominee

P A G E 1 1 Wellness Moment/Trivia Tidbits D S S P A T C H

Make 2015 green!

REDUCING YOUR CONSUMPTION

In order to go green, you must reduce your amount of

consumption. When you are shopping, think about if

you really need it. By reducing your consumption, you

in turn reduce your waste production.

Think before you print or photocopy

Turn off unnecessary lights

Purchase only energy efficient products

Turn off your computer when it’s not in use

Dress appropriate to season to reduce energy use

Circulate documents instead of making individual copies

Send an email instead of printing everything on paper

Caldwell County Department of Social Services 2345 Morganton Blvd S.W. Suite A Lenoir, NC 28645 Phone (828) 426-8200

Caldwell County DSS is a United Way and Fam-ilies for Kids agency. It is an

accredited social services agency.

Visit our website:

www. caldwellcountync.org/depart/dss

To make address

changes or change

your recipient status,

call 426-8323

Board Meetings Televised!

Check for listings in the Lenoir News-Topic or visit the county website at:

www. caldwellcountync.org/caldwelltoday/schedule

We’re always looking for new members.

Please see any of the members listed for more

information on how you can be a part of this committee.

The DSSpatch is published by the Information and Marketing

Committee of Caldwell County DSS.

D S S P A T C H