Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

PCC Welcomes New Employees 2-3

Beacon Center Highlights 4-5

Mental Health Minute 6

Play Therapy & ECW News 7

$23 Million for Homes in Lake Worth 8

Gift Certificates for PYEA Youth 9

Child Life Valentine’s Day Event 10

Top Hats & Tiaras 11

Partners for Change Angel Tree 12

ADT Donates $15,000 to Safe Kids 12

Fundraising at PCC 13

Client Satisfaction 15

Last Christmas Housing Partnership’s

foreclosure intervention guru, Don

Mason, presented his foreclosure

teammates, Tanya Lawson and

Vanessa Kingdom, with T-shirts em-

blazoned with Winston Churchill’s

quote ―Never, Never, Never Give

Up.‖ The team took the motto to

heart. Between January 5 and Febru-

ary 5, 2010, they

had assisted more

than 35 families in

r e s cu i n g t h e i r

homes from mort-

gage default and

pending foreclosure.

The families had

their mortgage payments reduced to

31% of their household income, the

amount research shows a family can

sustain over the long term. In some

cases, the payment reduction was as

much as $1500 per month.

The benefit does not end with the

families. The modification returned

more than $25,000 per month to the

local economy, as families had more

money to spend on other necessities.

In addition, the Congressional Over-

sight Panel, which oversees bank

bailout funding, estimates that each

home saved from foreclosure brings

$80,000 in value to the neighborhood.

Under this calcula-

tion, these modifi-

cations alone added

2.8 million dollars

of value to our dis-

tressed real estate

market.

Since the foreclosure intervention

program started in August 2008, the

foreclosure trio has helped save more

than 175 homes from foreclosure.

This in turn has kept approximately

14 million dollars of real estate value

in our local communities. Now that’s

community impact.

Persistence Pays Off with

35 Homes Saved in 32 Days by Bonnie Conrad, Housing Division Director

HUD

Housing Partnership

&

Parent-Child Center

are members of the

Community

Partnership

Group

2001 W. Blue Heron Blvd.

Riviera Beach, FL 33404

(561) 841-3500

Fax: (561) 841-3555

www.gocpg.org

Questions, comments, and

other matters concerning the

CPG Newsletter should be

emailed to info@gocpg.org .

CPG

NEWSLETTER

Connect with

Housing Partnership &

Parent-Child Center!

Dr. Mira Sachdev by Renée Layman, LMHC,

Division Director – Clinical Services

Last month, Parent-Child Center welcomed a new

Medical Director to the team! Dr. Mira Sachdev is

board-certified in child, adolescent and adult

psychiatry. She recently moved to Palm Beach County

from the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She was

employed as an adolescent psychiatrist at the

Cheltenham Youth Facility. Dr. Sachdev completed her

training in General and Child Psychiatry at Stony

Brook University Hospital in New York and she

attended medical school at the University of Miami

School of Medicine.

Parent-Child Center

Welcomes New Employees

Michele Goldberg By Shelli Appelbaum, Program Director, ECW

The ECW Program is proud to welcome our new

Pediatric Nurse Specialist, Michele Goldberg, BSN,

RN. She has her Bachelor of Arts degree in

Psychology and Bachelor of Science degree in

Nursing from Florida Atlantic University. She has

been a Pediatric Nurse for the last 11 years with

experience in hospital, pediatric office, after-hours,

and pre-school settings. Michele currently lives in

Boynton Beach with her husband and 2 daughters.

She joined our ECW team as a Pediatric Nurse

Specialist in January.

Amy Hoffmann by Marla Berger, Outpatient Program Director

Amy Hoffmann is the newest therapist within the

outpatient department. Amy was a student intern

from Florida Atlantic University and following her

graduation, she was hired to provide therapy to

children and families. Amy has provided Behavior

Analysis for children with special needs for over 15

years. Her interest in helping the whole family make

positive changes led her to completing her Master’s

degree in Mental Health Counseling. Amy has

attended trainings on Trauma Focused Cognitive

Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Process Outcomes, and

Play Therapy. She is a wonderful learner and has a

passion for the field. We are so proud to have her

here at Parent-Child Center.

Marinela Masters

by Kristina Scimeca, Crossroads Program Director

Crossroads has a new resident manager!! Marianela Masters has joined our team. Marianela began working with

Crossroads on January 11, 2010. Marianela and I have worked together in the past when she was employed as a

therapeutic foster parent. Marianela worked with severely emotionally disturbed youth as a therapeutic foster parent

for the last 7 years. Marianela was born and raised in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica she worked with troubled youth for

many years. She moved to the U.S. in 1989 at the age of 25. She continued to work with troubled youth and shortly

after coming to the U.S. earned her A.A. degree in accounting. Marianela also has a background in international

sales. Marianela is bilingual which adds a great component to our program. She is a very detailed and organized

person who is self motivated and consistent. Marianela has one daughter, Chelsea, who is a junior at Duke

University. In her spare time Marianela enjoys crafts and gardening. Welcome aboard!!

Brittnee Patience by David Tkac, Program Director, Child Life

Brittnee Patience, CCCLS has a Bachelors of Science

degree in Child Life and is a Certified Child Life

Specialist; she has recently joined the Child Life

Program. Brittnee is currently working with the

patients and families on the hematology/oncology unit

and pediatric emergency room. It is Brittnee’s goal to

establish a stress free hospital environment for both the

patients and their families.

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 2

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 3

Case Management at PCC by Tracy Speranza,

Director of Targeted Case Management

The Case Management staff has been very active in helping keep kids in the community. We

are very excited about kicking off the summer a little early!! We have started linking clients to

spring break and summer camp programs throughout Palm Beach County to secure placement.

These clients will have the opportunity to improve socialization and communication skills

while having a fun outlet during the summertime. Applications for services can be found in the

TCM room daily. We have also had many more referrals from the Belle Glade area as the

resources there are increasingly growing in Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay. In West

Palm Beach we have teamed up with Palm Tran Connection, who provides PCC clients with a

wonderful supply of bus passes. Thanks Palm Tran! We are now able to help our clients and

their families with transportation and in turn, parents are able to secure needed appointments

and can take advantage of employment opportunities.

Thanks so much to the TCM team for being strong and devoted advocates for our clients and

their families! Your hard work is greatly appreciated by all! Yohaira, Argentina, Shanya,

Cheryl and Rachel - you are all awesome!!

CPG Welcomes New HR Director

by Patricia Bremekamp

Chief Operations Officer

Please welcome Marty Pearson aboard as the new Human Resources

Director at CPG.

Marty has a Bachelor of Science degree backing up twenty years of

Business Management experience. She has nine years of Human

Resource experience and is very excited to join the team at

Community Partnership Group.

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 4

A Hopscotch by Kids for Kids

by Diedre Williams, WRBC Beacon Director

At the request of the West Riviera Elementary VPK teachers, the West Riviera Beacon Center teens drew a hopscotch on

the sidewalk for the preschoolers. Hopscotch is a children’s hopping game which is often found on playgrounds,

sidewalks, and in parks. After outlining the hopscotch on the pavement, the teens painted the drawing in vibrant colors:

red, yellow, and green. Then, they used stencils to number each square, example, 1, 2, 3, etc. The size of the squares is

just right for the preschoolers’ little feet. In addition to having fun playing the game, the four year old kids can learn the

numbers and the colors at the same time. The teens enjoyed this project so much that they are willing to draw a larger

hopscotch with more squares for the bigger kids at West Riviera Elementary. (Pictures on next page.)

Beacon Center Highlights Bridges Wellness Center

by Kathy Wall, Bridges System Director

One vital missing link in the Lake Worth community is

the lack of a medical home in the proximity of Highland

Elementary School and the residential community as a

whole. Partnering with the Palm Beach Health

Department, Bridges has

identified the need to re-

open a ―retired‖ community

health center in the heart of

Lake Worth.

Partnering with Housing

Partnership and Highland

Elementary School, Bridges

and the Palm Beach County

Health Department are

working together to reopen

the F Street site as a full-

service clinic. There will be

an adult medical clinic,

maternity and family

planning clinics, pediatric

and immunization clinics, as well as a laboratory. And,

with the support of the Health Care District, pharmacy

services will be provided. WIC and Health Education

services will also be available. Supported by parent

capacity workshops, nutrition workshops and food

demonstrations, the site will be used as a comprehensive

wellness center, named Bridges Wellness Center at the

Palm Beach County Health Department. Thanks to

Palm Health Foundation, we now have a big sign up on

the Lucerne side of the site

at 110 North F Street.

With the cooperation of staff

at the Health Department,

Bridges has already hosted

three parenting workshops, a

focus group, and a Lake

Worth Census Outreach

meeting at the Wellness

Center. And coming soon,

the Bridges Wellness Center

will have evening and

Saturday usage of the space.

We are eager to continue our

work toward the opening,

and look forward to updates

from the Health Department and the City as to the

construction negotiations. Big thanks to all the partners

involved for their continued commitment to the Bridges

Wellness Center!

West Riviera Beacon Center Participates in the MLK Jr. Parade

by Diedre Williams, WRBC Beacon Director

You can feel the spirit when the city of Riviera Beach

celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an

impressive parade including musical groups, grand

marshals, honorees, military troops, dignitaries,

celebrities, pageant beauties, marching bands, and

splendidly crafted floats. This year's grand marshal

was Dan Calloway. Floats

carried Senior of the Year

Earl Davis, Citizen of the

Year Mary Brabham, Youth

of the Year Alexander

Thompson, and a variety of

groups throughout the city.

Riviera Beach's annual

Martin Luther King Jr.

celebration was held at the

beginning of January. It concluded with its parade on

Saturday, January 16th from 11a.m until 2 p.m. “His

Vision, Our Mission, Making It Real” was the parade’s

theme and highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s

vision of one America, one world, one race...the

human race, and illustrates that the real color of unity

is black, white, brown, red, and yellow.

This annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, as

expected, captured the attention of thousands of

observers along its 2.5 mile path beginning on Blue

Heron Boulevard at Congress Avenue. The parade

proceeded east to Avenue H West ending in front of

City Hall.

The West Riviera Beacon

Center participants honored

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s

legacy by participating in the

parade. Organized by the

Teens Advisory Council, the

teens decorated the Beacon

van. While making the

decorations, the youth

discussed Dr. King and his

accomplishments. Of course, along with everyone

else in attendance at the parade, the teens could see

that cultural diversity is America's strength and not her

weakness, and they realized that we all have more

things in common than we know or think.

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 5

“West Riviera

Beacon Center teens

drew a hopscotch

on the sidewalk

for the preschoolers.”

Beacon Center Highlights

Play Therapy by Marla Berger, LMHC, ATR

Outpatient Program Director

What is Play Therapy? Play is a way for your child to be engaged in the therapy process. Play is how children learn. You may have

seen your child playing and they appear to be practicing behaviors they will use later in life. They may play

―house,‖ or talk on the phone, play cops and robbers, etc. All these experiences are teaching them how to grow

up. What the therapists do is use the child’s play to teach them new skills.

What age group does Play Therapy work with? While many people think that play is exclusively for pre-school to elementary school children, older children

and adolescents can often benefit from play. Sometimes a child is traumatized at a young age. They can get

―stuck‖ at that age if they do not receive therapy. You may know a 15 year-old adolescent who acts like a 7

year-old, because they had a difficult experience at that age. Play therapy may be appropriate for that child

because they are still 7 on the inside. Other times that play is appropriate is when the child is ―shut down‖ or has

difficulty talking about emotions or issues. Play is non-threatening and children are able to open up.

Directive and Non-Directive Play There are two types of play therapy techniques—directive and non-directive. Directive play usually includes the

therapist giving directions to the child and dictating the game that they will play. Directive play helps to

specifically target an issue during the session. The issue may be focusing, talking about grief and loss,

discussing anger. Non-directive play has the therapist allowing the child to play with art, toys, or with figurines

in a sand tray. Non-directive play is often used for those children who are young and/or have difficulty talking

about their feelings. Non-directive play is successful because the child knows inside what they need to work on

and they are able to ―play it out‖ until the issue is resolved. Therapists help the child with their play by using

reflective speech. Reflective speech involves the therapist acknowledging what the child is doing and what they

may be feeling. This helps children build a ―feeling vocabulary,‖ feel empowered, and feel that the therapist

really understands them. Therapists include both the child and the family in the play therapy process. They may

teach parents directive and non-directive techniques and teach reflective speech. Play therapy can help address

many types of issues, including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, stress, conflict, anger and other life issues.

Why does my child play board/card games with the therapist? Playing games such as Uno, Mancala, Connect Four can be therapeutic. Children get to experience lots of pro-

social behaviors in real time. They can work on playing fair, telling the truth, focusing, impulse control, anger

and frustration management and other skills while playing a game. Games also allow children to open up and

talk about issues while their hands and minds are busy. This lets them feel more comfortable which allows for

better results in therapy.

Parent-Child Center is proud to announce our 30th anniversary serving all of Palm Beach County’s mental

health needs. For more information about therapy or to start mental health services, please contact Parent-

Child Center, 561-841-3500 X 1038, Luisa Sanchez. If you have a suggestion for future Mental Health

Minutes, please contact Marla Berger at mberger@gocpg.org.

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 6

Liana Lowenstein

The Early Childhood Wellness Program would like to

congratulate Natalie D’Abate, M.Ed for passing her licensure

exam in Mental Health Counseling in January and Lena

Andersson, MSW for

passing her Clinical Social

Work exam in February.

As soon as they complete

their supervision hours,

they will both obtain their

licensure credentials.

Way to go, ladies!

Parent-Child Center

Becomes a Play Therapy CEU Provider

by Christine I. vonBallmoos, LCSW

Assistant Director, Clinical Services

Parent-Child Center can now offer CEUs for play therapy! Parent

-Child Center brought internationally acclaimed Author,

Consultant, and Lecturer, Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW, CPT-S,

to Palm Beach County to provide two trainings at the Children’s

Services Council for therapists at Parent Child Center and the

community. On Thursday, February 4th, 55 people attended a

training on Clinical Interventions with children and families

which included assessment and treatment activities. On Friday,

February 5th, 60 people attended a training on Innovative

Techniques for Sexually Abused and Traumatized Children which

included an overview of trauma research, step-by-step

demonstration of the trauma assessment model as well as

treatment interventions. These training efforts help enhance the

level of care we provide to children and their families.

ECW News by Shelli Appelbaum, Program Director, ECW

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 7

The damage inflicted by Florida’s

foreclosure crisis does more than devastate

families; it also destroys neighborhoods. But

thanks to a collaboration between Housing

Partnership, Adopt-a-Family, the Lake

W o r t h C o m m u n i t y

Redevelopment Agency,

Habitat for Humanity and 18

other partnerships, our Lake

Worth Census tracts will

receive 23 million dollars to

turn 130 vacant, foreclosed

homes into sustainable and

a f f o r d a b l e r e n t a l a n d

homeownership housing.

The group collaborated on an

application under HUD’s

Neighborhood Stabilization Program and

was one of only 56 funded out of more than

500 applications. The Community

Redevelopment Agency will purchase 130

foreclosed houses and transfer most of the

properties to Adopt-a-Family

and Habitat for Humanity. The

houses will be rehabilitated with

a particular emphasis on energy

efficiency. Most of the houses

will be sold or rented to low and

moderate income buyers with

Housing Partnership providing

housing counseling and special

mortgages. Some properties will

be used to provide affordable

rental properties.

Partner Spotlight: Early Childhood Wellness by Leslie Zucker, ECW

The Early Childhood Wellness Program is proud to partner with Bridges Beacon Center! In a

collaborative effort, Early Childhood Wellness and Bridges Beacon Center are providing social-

emotional and physical health services to the children and families of Highland Elementary’s

Pre-K program. Services include social/emotional developmental screenings, physical health

assessments, center and home-based services (peer play groups, individual, and/or family

therapy), parent workshops, and teacher/classroom support. All services provided by the Early

Childhood Wellness Program are designed to increase the child’s ability to grow, develop, and

learn in ways that enhance their social, physical, and emotional health.

For further information, please contact Bridges Beacon at 561-202-0526 or your child’s Pre-

K teacher.

Collaboration Nets $23,000,000

for Homes in Lake Worth by Bonnie Conrad,

Division Director, Housing Services

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 8

PYEA Youth Receive Gift Certificates by Erickia L. Abrams, YEA Program Coordinator

On Tuesday, December 22, 2009, students from the PYEA after school program each received

$100 gift certificates to shop at Wal-Mart. Gift certificates were given by the Anquan Boldin

Foundation. Anquan Boldin is a professional football player, and a Pahokee native who plays

for the Arizona Cardinals.

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 9

Child Life Program Organizes Valentine’s Day Event For Patients, Nurses

by Beth Eyestone, LMHC, Senior Therapist, Child Life

Pediatric patients and the nursing staff at St. Mary’s

Children’s Hospital received surprise Valentine’s

Day goodies at a celebration planned by Child Life

Program staff. During a Valentine’s Day-themed

event on Feb. 11, hospitalized children were visited

by firefighters, who distributed the gifts and handed

out firefighter hats. Nurses received a special

caregiver’s package in appreciation of what they do

to care for children and their families.

The gifts were arranged by members of the Parent-

Child Center’s Child Life Program, a team of child

life specialists and behavioral medicine therapists

who works with the nurses to help decrease

children’s anxiety and trauma related to a hospital

stay. The Safe Kids program also provided items

for children and parents promoting safety.

While the song ―Rescue Me,‖ played, the

caregivers’ packages for nurses were also

distributed by members of Palm Beach County’s

Fraternal Order of Leatherheads, Society (or

FOOLS), a group of local firefighters who support

community events. The FOOLS have collaborated

with St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital and the Child

Life Program to bring cheer to the children and

staff several times in the past.

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 10

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 11

On Tuesday, December

15th at the Pediatric

Oncology Support Team

hosted the annual

Holiday Party for POST

clients at the West Palm

Beach Marriott. The

theme was Top Hats and

Tiaras: A Hollywood

Holiday.

Over 100 POST families – more than 300

people, including 129 children enjoyed holiday

music, dancing, food, arts and crafts, and visits

from superheroes. The highlight of the night was

a visit with Santa Claus. The party is a great time

for families to come together to spend a few

hours away from the hospital. There was

laughter while the children got their faces

painted or were given their favorite balloon

character by the Balloon Man. For the first time

since some the children were diagnosed their

parents were watching their children have fun

and just being a ―kid.‖

Top Hats and Tiaras: A Hollywood Holiday for Children with Cancer

by Barbara Abernathy, Program Director – POST

This was the first

holiday party

since POST joined

the Parent-Child

Center in August

2009, and many

CPG employees

donated their time

to help, making it

P OS T ’ s b es t

holiday event ever.

On this night a community of people came

together to make this celebration happen,

including our wonderful sponsors and

volunteers. Our Major Sponsors include United

Order True Sister #61, Older, Wiser, Loyal

Seniors (OWLS), Club Latino De Century

Village, and the Marriott of West Palm Beach.

We are lucky to have them. Many more

organizations had toy drives so each family

could have presents for their children to put

under the tree.

G

I

S

S

E

L

L

E

Partners for Change “Angel Tree” by Amy DiBartolo, Supportive Housing Director

The clients at Partners for Change (PFC) are

starting their lives over and have very few

possessions. So before the holidays,

Vivian Villa, Case Manager at PFC, had

the idea to have an ―Angel Tree‖ for the

clients. On this tree she put one

ornament for each client with a list of

items needed, like shampoo, socks,

razors, etc. We hung it by the elevator

on the third floor. I sent out an e-mail

to the entire organization asking for

donations for the clients at PFC.

I must admit that I was skeptical in the

beginning. I thought, ―There are clients

in need in every CPG program. Why

would staff want to donate to our program??‖

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong! We

received more donations than I could have

imagined. We placed a large cardboard box

outside of my office and it was completely filled

up within a couple weeks. Every day I ran into

someone who had questions about PFC

and how they could donate. I even

received donations after the two-week

period was over, which I was happy to

accept.

The gifts were divided up, put into gift

bags, and then distributed to each client

at the holiday party where they also

enjoyed food, music, and friendship.

The clients were so appreciative of the

donations. For some, it was the only

gift they would receive all season.

I want to thank all CPG staff for their generous

donations, and Vivian Villa for the wonderful

idea. We hope to continue the tradition next

year!

ADT Donates $15,000 to Safe Kids

Safe Kids Coalition for Palm Beach County

has been serving our community for more

than 20 years. Recently, we received a gen-

erous donation of $15,000 from

ADT. This donation is to educate

families about home safety. As

one of the leaders in the industry,

ADT is all about home safety and

security.

SafeKids Palm Beach County is

producing Home Safety Kits which will be

distributed through our partnerships here at

the Housing Partnership Inc. These kits

contain a variety of safety items (no assem-

bly required) and a comprehensive guide of

home safety advice and tips. We

will be working with the Beacon

Center representatives, Targeted

Case Managers and others to assist

us in our efforts. These kits will be

going to low income homes that

cannot afford these much needed

and very important safety items.

Our goal is to improve safety in these

homes.

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 12

In a West Palm Beach music hall on a recent

evening, the Parent-Child Center Inc. began a

new chapter.

Amid national sports figures and local nonprofit

supporters, one of Palm Beach County’s oldest

social services organizations took in proceeds

from the auctioning of sports memorabilia,

golfing packages,

concert tickets, and

many other items.

It was the first major

fund-raising event in

the history of the

Parent-Child Center

s i n c e t h e

o r g a n i z a t i o n ’ s

dramatic turnaround

started in 2001.

Fortunately, former

M a j o r L e a g u e

Baseball player Brad

Wilkerson, generously

agreed to support

Parent-Child Center

through his annual

Celebrity Golf Event,

which began with an auction and party at the

new B.B. King’s Blues Club at CityPlace.

The agency participated in the fund-raiser at a

time when nonprofits in South Florida and across

the country are scrambling for funds, said

Patrick McNamara, President and Chief

Executive Officer of Community Partnership

Group in Riviera Beach, which is comprised of

Parent-Child Center and Housing Partnership.

Created in 1979, the Parent-Child Center aims to

promote social-emotional health and well-being

of children and their families. It was the premier

behavior health provider for children in the area

in the 1980s and 1990s until rapid growth and

mismanagement pushed it to the brink of closing

At PCC, Fund-raising is Essential, Modern Necessity

by Leon Fooksman

in 2001. At that time, the Florida Department of

Children & Families became concerned about the

serious void that would be left if this community

asset no longer existed. To prevent this from

occurring, the department assisted Parent-Child

Center to connect with Housing Partnership,

which was known for responsible management.

Under the umbrella of Community Partnership

Group, the two

o r g a n i z a t i o n s

c o m m i t t e d t o

responsible fiscal

management and

e f f e c t i v e

programming.

Focusing on quality

service delivery, the

Parent-Child Center

has been fortunate in

its return to fiscal

health over the past 8

years. However,

McNamara states

that, in the midst of a

difficult economic

climate, the agency

must ensure that

services continue to be available for children and

families dealing with social and emotional

challenges. He believes that a sound, diverse mix

of funding support, including private fundraising,

makes this possible. Up to this point, the agency

relied on grants, fees, and other service revenues

to provide their essential services. ―We’ve had a

great reputation and have always gotten the

support we needed from our partners,‖

McNamara said.

But in the current recession, local nonprofits like

the Parent-Child Center, often the first

organizations to aid people in trouble, are seeing

an increased demand for services coupled with

(Continued on page 14)

Patrick McNamara & Brad Wilkerson

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 13

―The Parent-Child Center expects to weather the

recession, but it is turning to fund-raising to make

it less averse to economic downturns,‖ states

Renee Layman, Clinical Division Director. The

organization has formed a fundraising committee

to work with individuals passionate about its

mission, and hopes to eventually hire a

development manager with a proven track record

in building and implementing a comprehensive

fund-raising plan. One major goal of the new

initiative is strengthening relationships with

donors by meeting with them regularly, thanking

them, and keeping them engaged with the

organization.

During the agency’s turnaround, Layman helped

developed an array of programs, among them: a

transitional living program for mentally ill

teenagers aging out of foster care; counseling for

women with postpartum depression; crisis therapy

for youth in the juvenile justice system, and

support for children dealing with severe physical

illnesses.

Now the recession is presenting new challenges.

Yet as dreadful as it may be, the economic slump

is in some sense a way to strengthen organizations

like the Parent-Child Center which must pursue

new sources of support, develop concrete

sustainability plans, and devise creative fund-

raising strategies, McNamara said.

So the auctioning of sports memorabilia, golfing

packages and concert tickets to help balance

budgets, as distant as the concept may have been

just a few years ago for the Parent-Child Center, is

now an important and modern necessity. And

thanks to generous supporters like Brad

Wilkerson, the organization is hopeful that the

future will be bright for the children it serves.

Leon Fooksman is a journalist who writes for

Community Partnership Group. He can be

reached at leon@astorytellingcompany.com.

decreasing funds to pay for services. Donors are

cutting back to save money for their own

households, and government agencies are losing

tax revenues from plunging property values.

The Nonprofit Finance Fund, which last year

surveyed 986 nonprofits, determined that many

organizations expected to sustain permanent

financial damage from the recession. Only 16

percent of the nonprofits anticipated recovering

their operating expenses in 2009, while 52

percent expected the recession will have long-

term or permanent negative effects on their

agencies.

The organizations said in the survey they are

taking steps to adjust, including cutting

programs, reducing salaries and delaying paying

vendors. At the same time, almost all

organizations -- 93 percent -- anticipated an

increase in demand for services.

The Nonprofit Finance Fund, which provides

loans and access to grants to nonprofits, urges

organizations to team up with those who fund

them to find innovative ways to deal with the

challenges. Other nonprofit experts suggest

agencies start for-profit subsidiaries, share staff

with other organizations and rent out parts of

their facilities.

Gearing up fund-raising is also vital, experts say.

When it comes to raising money, strong

management with a solid plan, along with good

ideas and old-fashioned hard work, are critical,

Michelle Bonoan and Naree Viner, education

and nonprofit practice leaders with California

executive search firm Gary Kaplan & Associates,

wrote in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune last

year. In today’s highly charged, fast-paced, and

competitive philanthropic environment,

nonprofits must create a targeted focus on fund-

raising to ensure long-term success, they wrote.

(Continued from page 13)

Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 14

Parent-Child Center, Inc. measures the level of satisfaction of the families we serve in order to more

effectively monitor the quality of all of our services. Satisfaction of clients is measured through the use

of the Family Survey form. The form consists of 10 questions, each scored on a 5-point scale. Clients

are confidentially able to provide feedback on services received. The family has the option of providing

their name and a contact number if they prefer to have the Division Director contact them for follow-up.

Surveys are distributed randomly by the QI Department & Program Directors and during the discharge

process. Surveys are also available in the lobby in the main office in Riviera Beach.

The results from the January surveys were positive with 93% of clients reporting providers were

addressing their families needs, treated respectfully and being listened to.

Some of the comments provided on surveys in the 2009 4th Quarter:

☺ “Cheryl was wonderful!! Always flexible with her time and respects ours.”

☺ “Both my psychiatrist & therapist have helped me learn to use tools to handle my emotions.”

☺ “Our therapist worked around my work schedule to make appointments I would be able to keep.”

☺ “Ms. Tracy has been such a great help. She treated our family with the utmost respect.”

☺ My therapist was awesome. She did the most important thing for me and that was listen.”

☺ “Ms. Stitt is so helpful and supports me a lot-she also makes sure I understand everything about my

meds–that’s a plus!”

☺ “I strongly believe that this program helps many people and families like me & my family.”

☺ “Ms. Muller has been an outstanding therapist. Always concerned and available for us as a family.”

Client Satisfaction by Angie Lykins, Quality Improvement Director

CPG News Volume 10, Issue 1

February 26, 2010

Page 15

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