2008 Grant Reports 
 

Battle Creek Counseling Associates

Foster/Adoptive Support Group

$1,500 
 

This grant for $1,500 allowed us to cover the expense of having a place for the monthly support group meetings and to compensate the facilitator for the time spent at the meetings as well as the preparation involved for each session. There were also incidental costs such as producing multiple handouts for each session and having supplemental materials for use in presentations. There were no unused funds.   
 

During the year 2008 the total attendance for the meetings was 73 parents. These parents have anywhere from one to ten children in their homes, many with special needs. Hopefully the support group will continue to be funded through any community resources available for the protection and welfare of children. As state funding has become more limited, there is less support for families in crisis, particularly those involved in foster care and adoption.   
 

In the support group meetings foster parents, adoptive parents and kinship caregivers were able to share their experiences, vent their frustrations and provide each other with insights. They also shared with each other valuable suggestions about parenting techniques that can be effective with special needs children. In addition, each session included a training component in order to provide foster and adoptive families with the understanding and skills necessary to parent children who have experienced neglect and abuse. The topics presented in 2008 included:  parenting sexually abused children; helping children to cope with loss, stress and anxiety; dealing with behavioral problems such as lying, stealing and aggression; understanding diagnoses, including Reactive Attachment Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder; and creating a therapeutic environment to help children heal from trauma.  
 

Adoptive parents attending the support group meetings were often dealing with adolescent children they adopted several years ago. Others were newly licensed foster parents just beginning to receive children into their home. There were also on occasion foster parents required to attend meetings due to agency concerns about their child care methods. Many parents do not understand the emotional issues underlying much of the behavior of traumatized children, often relying on traditional methods of discipline that are not only ineffective but create further tension in the parent-child relationship. A major goal of the support group meetings is to prevent the use of inappropriate discipline and cultivate a more sensitive approach to the care of traumatized children. 
 

The successes of this support group are difficult to quantify, however the fact that many parents return on a regular basis suggests that they find it a valuable resource. In addition, the newly licensed foster parents have expressed appreciation for the information they received on how to understand the behavior of children recently placed in foster care. This support group remains a needed resource for local agencies and foster/adoptive parents who need extra training and support in parenting traumatized children.  
 

Albion Recreation Department

$2,000

The Albion Recreation Department is very grateful for the $2000.00 grant they received from the CAN Council.   This money was used to fund work with the children in the critical hours between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.    The programs that were put in place gave the children an opportunity to get academic help with the use of mentor/tutors and to also have the opportunity to do some physical activity following their academic forum.    
 

Through the number of programs that we were able to offer, we served approximately 3500 children throughout the year.    We added programs to provide services that were requested and by using volunteer coaches, we were able to keep costs to a minimum.    
 

Mentor/tutors were instrumental in the academic achievement section of our program.   The children were given a goal of maintaining a “C” average or better in order to participate in the physical part of the program.   This was measured each week through an eligibility form that was sent to the teacher in the beginning of the week and returned to us at the end of the week.   They must also maintain their behavior in and out of the classroom to be able to participate in the fun part of the program.    We found that the children would work extremely hard to maintain their grades and that their behavior improved in order to be able to play whatever sport was being offered.    We also found that the parents were buying into the program and supporting the efforts of the recreation department to raise their child’s academic level as well as to teach them how to behave in and out of the classroom.    There were less referrals for behavior among the children involved within the program and the number of children who were holding “D’s” or even had a failing grade decreased. 
 

The children also had a place to go after school.   Fewer were found roaming the streets and causing problems.    They were directed in a positive manner and had interventions from the police department were less. 
 

Budget: 
 

 
 
 

Again, the Albion Recreation Department would like to thank you for helping us to help the youth of the area.    With dedication like yours to children helping organizations like ours, we can make a difference. 
 

The Haven of Rest

$2,000 
 

The $2000.00 awarded was used to provide case management and a facilitator for life-skills classes. In efforts to keep materials costs as low as possible with limited funding, Inasmuch House was able to utilize the instructional video tape set, books and DVD’s purchased from the previous grant monies from the CAN Council and were able to obtain donations of needed supplies such as folders, paper and pencils donated. 
 

How will you secure funding for this work?

The Haven will secure funding for this work through a diversified support base. Money from the Haven’s Annual Campaign will be secured from sources such as individuals, churches and businesses from the community. The Haven is also continuing to pursue several grant opportunities as well as partnerships with corporations and community stakeholders.  
 

What kind of successes?

Inasmuch House has been able to reach clients effectively through life-skills classes that are teaching parents important behavioral techniques to prevent abusive actions toward their children. Parents are applying the information they have gained through parenting classes toward several different healthy lifestyle techniques such as nutritious diets, alternative methods in disciplining and setting structure in the family unit. As a result of implementing healthy lifestyle techniques learned in parenting classes, self-esteem is rising in both the children and parents. Inasmuch House is extremely excited to report a continued reduction in chronic cyclical homelessness as in 2006, 63 individuals who stayed at Inasmuch were repeat visitors, 2007 there were 26 individuals who were repeat visitors and in 2008 there were even fewer totaling only 23 repeat visitors.  
 

Setbacks?

Inasmuch House is a 30 day temporary shelter for women, children and families. Even though there has been an improvement in reducing the number of child protective services cases seen at Inasmuch and there continues to be a decrease in number of repeat visitors, there is still a great need for our services and a decrease in the amount of funding support due to the economic climate.  
 

Progress made with project?

As stated in the previous grant report to the CAN Council, Inasmuch House encounters a population of individuals who are homeless and face economical challenges which bring stress to the “every day” life and are unaware that parenting is one of those challenges. Inasmuch has been able to bring awareness to parents through materials, case management and life-skills classes with the assistance of funding from the Calhoun Child Abuse/Neglect Prevention Council. These materials have given Inasmuch an innovative approach to educating the parents on nutrition, alternative methods in disciplining, setting structure in the family unit through life-skills classes and one-on-one case management. The classes have resulted in a noticeable rise in self-esteem and decrease in negative behavior in clients. Progress also continues to be made in the decreasing number of repeat visitors and number of child abuse cases seen at Inasmuch House.  
 

How many individuals were served through this project?

Through this project 302children, 166 mothers and 19 fathers were served; totaling 487 individuals. The total number of individuals has decreased from the previous year; however the number of children and fathers has stayed approximately the same. The decrease in total served comes from Inasmuch House serving single mothers with more children per family. Inasmuch House continues to be at capacity with rare vacancy in any family room.  
 

Sexual Assault Services

$2,000 
 

In 2008, $2,000 was awarded to Sexual Assault Services of Calhoun County by the CAN Council for sending child victims of sexual abuse to “Summer Fun Camp” at Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Recreation Center. 
 

All funds were used to send 10 children (6 girls & 4 boys) 8 - 13 years of age to the 5-day camp. The cost from Sherman Lake was $2,208.00. The grant from the CAN Council paid almost all of this cost, ensuring that our successful Summer Fun Camp program for child survivors continues.  
 

This is a special project of Sexual Assault Services that we hope to provide for child survivors of sexual abuse annually with the cooperation of Sherman Lake YMCA, which discounts its cost for our campers and provides excellent trained staff to assist us. SAS staff attends with the children to supervise, provide therapeutic interventions and emotional support. This project is fully funded by local grants and donations, and it is our hope that the CAN Council will see fit to fund this project in the future. 
 

The children who attended Summer Fun Camp in June, 2008 had a very important experience through this program. All were able to challenge themselves physically through swimming, kayaking, rock climbing, archery and a variety of outdoor games. Each child was able to partake in more reflective art and counseling interventions, designed to assist them with self-esteem and social skills. Trust-building, as well as safety were also addressed in the planned activities and interventions throughout the week. Children who have experienced sexual abuse have much to overcome, and all of the camp activities serve to strengthen their self-esteem and relational skills. 
 

Many thanks to the CAAN Council for supporting the work of SAS. 
 

Calhoun County Community Corrections

$4,000 
 

The $4,000 given to CCCC due to an inability to carry out the program for the cost indicated in the grant application. All funds were returned to the CAN Council and put into 2009 grant fundinig. 
 

Huron Potawatomi

Positive Parents Program

$4,000 
 

This program was unable to carry out this proposal and will be returning the money to the CAN Council.