FOSTER CARE: LSG Celebrates National Foster Care Month!

In honor of May being National Foster Care Month, Lutheran Services of Georgia (LSG) would like to recognize the compassionate people who make a difference in children’s lives by serving as foster parents, advocates, social workers and volunteers. This month and throughout the year, LSG works in conjunction with these generous individuals to find and support loving foster homes for children in Georgia.

LSG provides foster care services for children who have been placed in the custody of the Division of Family and Children Services for protection from abuse or neglect, as well as for children committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice for delinquency.

According to Katherine McKenzie, senior program manager in LSG’s Savannah office, foster parents provide for the safety and wellbeing of the child while the birth family completes tasks necessary for their return home. The LSG foster parents bring the children into their homes, their lives and their hearts.

“If there is not a foster home available in a foster child’s home county, he or she often must be moved away,” McKenzie said. “In addition to being to separation from his or her birth family, this move further disrupts a child's life by forcing them to change schools and leave a familiar place. Moving the child out of county can also result in fewer visits with family members if the family doesn’t have the means to travel independently.”

Along with foster care services, LSG also works to reunify birth parents with their children in foster care whenever possible through Family Intervention Services (FIS), which offers programs such as parenting classes, supervised visitation, counseling and transportation.

May is a time to celebrate the important role that foster parents play in nurturing and caring for Coastal Georgia’s children. We appreciate all you do!

"I Just Want Somebody to Love Me:" A Message on Compassion from President and CEO Gary Danielsen

Several years ago, when I was still a parish pastor, a woman whom I had never met called to make an appointment to discuss the baptism of her soon-to-be-born child. When she arrived, I was a little surprised; she was just 15 years old. During the discussion I happened to ask in a matter of fact way, “How did you come to decide to become pregnant?” I was expecting an answer such as, “It was an accident;” or, “My boyfriend and I got carried away.” I predicted an impulse control issue. Instead, without hesitation and in all sincerity, she replied, “I just wanted somebody to love me.” Quite frankly, my heart missed a beat – I was stunned. On so many levels it was a gut-wrenching reply. My heart went out to her, and especially her child. That is a tall order for a newborn child to fulfill! I wondered about her home life, the safety of both her and her child. What were their long-term prospects? And why did she come to a church she had never been to before? What was she really looking for? Was she only there to discuss baptism? She taught me something that day about the importance of the role of the church to be compassionate, merciful, and available in addressing the complex needs of people in our community.

I was reminded of this incident this week when I learned that, in the past month, two pregnant teenage girls came to LSG to place their unborn child up for adoption. For each of them, it was their second child. People of faith and the church need to be both an available resource and a compassionate witness to God’s love in addressing the many difficult needs of people in our community. We are all called to bring hope, healing, and strength to a broken and hurting world – to the many whose anguish declares, “I just want somebody to love me.”

FIS: Prevent Child Abuse with Six Protective Factors

LSG's Family Intervention Services recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, FIS encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Georgia a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children’s social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities. Research shows that when parents possess six protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted. The six protective factors are: • Nurturing and attachment

• Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development

• Parental resilience

• Social connections

• Concrete supports for parents

• Social and emotional developmental well-being

April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children. In our country, a child is abused or neglected every 36 seconds, and, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, only 40 percent of abused children receive the services they need. Focusing on ways to build and promote the protective factors, in every interaction with children and families, is the best thing our community can do to prevent child maltreatment and promote optimal child development.

ADOPTION: The Importance of Play for Traumatized Children

Often when families decide to adopt an older child, they envision past memories of engaging in play activities they enjoyed as children with their new child. Sometimes children, who have been traumatized in the early years, have not connected with what we perceive as a child’s natural ability to play. Childlike play is creative, imaginative, and very active. Play encourages children to use their imagination and that can help the child’s brain to heal. Adoptive families are surprised when they take their new child to the park or skating or to a sporting event and they may discover the child has no idea what to do or how to initiate play. The stress of traumatic early experiences can cause short term impact to a child’s ability to engage in childlike play. The brain immersed with trauma functions on a survival response to the perceived threat.  This is the opposite of play. The stress is restricting and confining to the child, separating them from their natural ability to play.

The happy news is that children never lose their ability to learn – and to learn to play. It is important to help them recapture a sense of childlike playfulness. The play they may engage in without modeling can seem focused on control, winning, losing, and rules. The parent can teach the child to play and incorporate opportunities for play in daily life. Model  childlike pleasure and fun in engaging in activities yourself. Design environments that create the opportunity for silliness, laughter, and expression of childhood enjoyment. Being outside, running and games without winning or losing contexts are wonderful to provide this experience.

Play can provide healing in its purest form. So, as the weather is warming up, the parks are full of chances to explore and engage with one another. Take the time to GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY with one another. Have fun with your new child and help them learn the games that will help them heal and recapture the silliness and goofiness of being a child.

J. Anne Boyte Program Coordinator Heritage Adoption.

FACES: A Safe, Happy Home for Tim!

Tim is an 18-year-old who has a diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, which causes him to experience delayed growth and development.  He and his siblings were adopted as young children, and as he grew older he began having aggressive episodes toward his family.  Tim did well in school, so the Behavioral Specialist and Psychiatrist felt Tim may do better behaviorally if he lived outside of his home.  His Planning List Administrator contacted LSG to see if there was an available home.  LSG found a home that met CPA requirements and began the matching and pre-placement process, and found a home seemed to be a good match for Tim.  Since his move two weeks ago, Tim has not had any aggressive episodes in his new home and has made a smooth transition to his new school.  Tim not only has the support of his “new” family, but he is able to maintain contact with his biological siblings and adoptive family. LSG is thankful to be able to have found a happy, healthy, and safe home for Tim!

LSG Volunteers Donate Record Service Hours in March!

Thank you volunteers for LSG!  In March of 2012 you donated a record 3, 400 hours of service to help all of the programs of Lutheran Services of Georgia. This surpasses the previous record set just last year. Since April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, it's the perfect time to say how much we appreciate you. "It's very inspiring to all of us at LSG to see the continued outpouring of support from our volunteers," said Bob Gibeling Volunteer Coordinator for the agency. "My colleague Melanie Johnson has been especially effective in boosting the volunteer service in Refugee Services."

On top of this success comes the record level of participation in the 2012 Hunger Walk on March 11.  Approximately 600 people walked with Lutheran Services of Georgia in the agency's largest fundraising event of the year.

We have a wide variety of sources who give volunteer service, ranging from individual members of congregations, board of directors members, student interns and college groups donating service during break times to people doing job related public service work. LSG is especially happy to become a popular destination for college service teams from all over the East Coast of the United States, ranging from Maine to Florida. The Lutheran Campus Ministry in Atlanta has provided volunteers to run the LSG registration desk at the Hunger Walk for many years.

Last October, LSG held a Volunteer Appreciation Night. We plan to hold another appreciation special event next winter. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime we say thank you by featuring some photos of volunteers who have contributed greatly to the mission of serving people in need.

REFUGEE SERVICES: College Students Spend Spring Break Helping LSG's Refugee Clients

In March, LSG welcomed 31 students from four universities – Xavier University, Eastern Michigan University, Georgia State University, and Bowdoin College – for Alternative Spring Break Service with Refugee Services.  These dedicated, compassionate and fun-loving students helped us clean out our donation storage to prepare for and host our annual yard sale fundraiser, tutored refugee students in our ASAP afterschool programs in Clarkston, visited refugee families, and spruced up the grounds of the church that hosts the LSG Refugee Clothes Closet. Each group was here for a week and the in-kind value of their service totaled more than $30,000 for Refugee Services.  A large portion those funds will count towards our matching grant program, through which the Office of Refugee Resettlement matches every dollar with $2! Thank you to all the kind, hard-working students who so generously donated their time and talents to LSG’s Refugee Services!

DISASTER RESPONSE: Assistance Needed for Reconstruction Projects

We are approaching the one-year anniversary of the severe storm outbreak that affected 27 counties in Georgia in April 27, 2011. A year later, more and more disaster victims are reporting unmet needs as FEMA funds prove to be insufficient in covering their recovery costs.  LSG’s long-term recovery efforts will continue to help these communities and families recover and rebuild their lives. Your assistance and funding will help LSG reach out to those families and provide tangible assistance by sponsoring volunteer projects and helping cover the costs home reconstructions. A few key areas of need are as follows:

• LSG needs support with two reconstruction projects in Spalding County to assist two families in building a new room in their homes. Both projects total $4,000 dollars.

• In Dade County, LSG is working along with other volunteer organizations to raise funds to cover multiple recovery projects totaling $17,000 dollars.

• In Meriwether County, LSG needs assistance from congregations to provide housing for 30-50 student volunteers who will be participating in reconstruction projects in June.

Any assistance is welcomed. We encourage you to get involved by volunteering if you have construction skills, by making financial contributions, or by working with your congregation to sponsor fundraising events for LSG’s long-term recovery efforts.

For more information on how you can help, contact disasterassistance@lsga.org or call 404.875.0201.

LSG is a tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your gift makes a difference in those families affected by the disaster. To make a tax deductible contribution today,donate online or contact Lorraine Dorough (678 686-9613).

You may mail contributions to:

LSG 2011 Georgia Tornado Recovery Fund Lutheran Services of Georgia 1330 West Peachtree Street, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30309-2943

FOSTER CARE: Epiphany Lutheran Donates Outfits and Goodies for Easter Morning!

Epiphany Lutheran Church in Conyers made Easter Sunday a little brighter for Lutheran Services of Georgia’s foster care children by generously providing them with outfits, shoes, stuffed animals, and candies for Easter Sunday. These gifts brought smiles to the faces of 30 of our foster care children, ranging from infants to teenagers, not to mention those of the foster care parents that got to share in their joy. Thank you, Epiphany, for this incredible Easter blessing!

CEO and President Gary Danielsen: LSG is on the move!

Reducing overhead, to be as efficient as possible in order to provide maximum support to serving people, is always a challenge for non-profit service agencies, especially when economic times are difficult.  Last month, LSG signed a 10-year lease with United Way in Atlanta, located at 100 Edgewood Ave., in the center of the city. We will occupy the entire 18^th floor – the top floor of the building. The expiration of our current lease at the Arthritis Foundation building in May afforded us the opportunity to identify an office location that not only provided easy access to MARTA and state offices, but did so at a considerable cost savings as well. Our parking capacity is increased, safety is enhanced, our interior space is more efficiently designed, and the lease comes with a year of free rent spread out of over the first two years. In the 10^th year of our lease, our cost per square foot will be less than we pay currently! Good stewardship of resources is an ongoing factor in determining how well we are able to serve those in need. Hopefully, this move will enable LSG’s next decade  to be marked with continued growth in bringing hope, healing, and strength to people in need in Georgia.  

Join us for the Christian Community Leaders Luncheon on May 3!

The next eight years will see an unprecedented pace of change in the world of business.  Changing demographics, technology, and boomer retirements will reshape the face of leadership that we see today.  Will your business be prepared or will you be hit by a 'Talent Tsunami?'

Join us for the Christian Community Leaders Luncheon, where keynote speaker Jeffery Tobias Halter will discuss how to keep your business afloat in stormy waters.  Jeffery is the former of Director of Diversity Strategy at The Coca-Cola Company.  He is currently a consultant, author, gender strategist and the President of YWomen, a strategic consulting company focused on helping men and women to understand and unleash the power of women in organizations.  We look forward to seeing you at this engaging and education event!

Christian Community Leaders Luncheon Thursday, May 3, 2012 Capital City Country Club 53 West Brookhaven Drive, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30319

Fellowship begins at 11 a.m., lunch will be served at noon, and the day will finish around 1:30 p.m.  Cost of attendance is $25 per person, and can be paid online by clicking here. If paying online, please select "Other" under fund and type in CCLL in the comment box.  Payment can also be made over the phone by calling 678-686-9601, or by mailing a check to Lutheran Services of Georgia at 1330 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309, with CCLL in the memo line.

Please RSVP by April 27 to Mary Kay Kates at mkates@lsga.org or 678-686-9601.

UPDATE: April 2011 Storm Relief Efforts

Almost a year to the anniversary of the severe storm outbreak of April 2011, Lutheran Services of Georgia’s long-term recovery efforts continue. As families and communities continue the slow process of bringing their lives back to some sense of normalcy, LSG calls on congregations and individuals to support these communities and the rebuilding efforts in Georgia. LSG, a long-term disaster recovery assistance agency, works with partners in local communities, faith-based organizations, long-term recovery committees, and other Georgia voluntary organizations active in disaster relief to find resources to help communities affected by disaster. Victims are often confused or unaware of the assistance available to assist with the recovery. LSG’s goal is to assist communities with the long-term recovery. We encourage individuals affected by the 2011 tornado or the 2009 floods who need assistance to contact LSG at 678.852.8560. Your assistance in disaster relief is critical. Cash assistance and skilled constructions volunteers are essential in supporting long-term recovery reconstruction efforts. LSG seeks volunteers with skilled construction experience for six large roofing projects in Spalding County. More cash assistance is needed for the reconstructions efforts in Dade County.

If you would like to provide skilled, voluntary, or financial assistance for our response efforts, contact LSG at 678.852.8560 or e-mail Alex Azuero at aazuero@lsga.org.

You may also mail contributions to: LSG 2011 Georgia Tornado Recovery Fund Lutheran Services of Georgia 1330 West Peachtree Street, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30309

Happy World Social Work Day and Social Worker Appreciation Month!

The month of March is National Social Work month, and this year’s theme is Social Work Matters.  Some social work matters include but are not limited to: adolescent development, aging and family caregiving, poverty reduction, non-profit management, and community development. Social Workers care for people in every stage of life, from childhood to late life, by helping families and individuals overcome life’s most difficult challenges. Some of the troubles that Social Workers work to alleviate include: poverty, stress, discrimination, addiction, abuse, depression, physical illness, unemployment, underemployment, divorce, disability, death, medical conditions, intellectual challenges, and mental illness. Social Workers help ensure the personal well-being of their clients; they prevent crises and counsel individuals and families, as well as make sure people get the help they need from the best resources available. For more than 100 years, Social Workers have been catering to the needs of lower-income families and individuals.

LSG is active in providing superior services in each of the areas listed above, and we would like to recognize all of our exceptional Social Workers at the agency. To celebrate the hard work of these Social Workers at LSG, Foster Care and Family Intervention Services recognizes National Social Work month and invites everyone to make a Social Worker at every level feel appreciated on March 20, 2012, World Social Work Day.

REFUGEE SERVICES: LSG Refugee Services Yard Sale 3-17

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Yard Sale Hours: 7 AM to 1 PM Donation Drop Off: 7 AM to 11 AM Rock of Ages Lutheran Church 5135 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Time for spring cleaning at your house? It is at LSG! We are cleaning out our storage facilities and having a yard sale of items we can't use for refugee apartments and items from our refugee clothing closet that don't fit our current refugee population. The morning of March 17 you can drop off donations of gently used furniture, household and kitchen items, pots and pans, bedding, and towels and then take a browse at items for sale. Please note that per the IRS, donations must be in good or better condition in order to be tax-deductible. Receipts will be provided at donation drop-off. We'll fill up our storage with the items refugees need and sell the rest to raise funds for our refugee programs.

LSG will resettle up to 800 refugees in 2012 and we set up apartments for every refugee family or group of refugee singles.  Sometimes a congregation or group will partner with LSG to resettle a family and collect all the furniture and household items needed for the apartment.  But the more common scenario is that LSG sets up the apartment with furniture and household items donated by generous folks like you who might be cleaning out a basement or attic, moving or replacing things that are still in great shape.  There is actually a list developed by the U.S. Department of State of furniture and household items that we must put in every refugee apartment.  (Click here to see our Refugee Services Wish List)  Any items on the list that we don’t have from donations must be purchased out of the refugee’s one-time resettlement grant – money that would otherwise go to pay for rent while the refugee is learning English and seeking employment.

So, donate any items you have from this year’s “spring cleaning” to the Refugee Services Yard Sale on March 17 or hang on to the Wish List and keep LSG in mind for future donations!  You can help us fulfill our mission of …empowering refugees from arrival to self-reliance as they create a new home in America.  Thank you!

FACES: Introverted Client Blossoms in New Home

When Steve first came into the care of Lutheran Services of Georgia, the only home he had ever really known was the hospital where he had lived for the past 40 years – the one his family left him at when he was only 13 years old.  Autistic and non-verbal, at first glance Steve appeared to be a lost soul. He had no close friends, few interests, and spent most of his time ambling aimlessly around the hospital grounds.  As Steve’s case managers worked to match him with a home, they were unsure about how he would cope with leaving the place he had lived almost his entire life. But on the day of the move, Steve walked out the door with a smile on his face and didn’t look back.  Since moving in with his new family, Steve has blossomed. He has a new job where he earns his own money, enjoys playing basketball with the other guys in the house, and has developed a healthy appetite. Most importantly, for the first time in his life Steve has developed personal attachments with his new family.  It seems after a lifetime of wandering, Steve has finally found a place where he belongs.  One man, one new family, one agency fulfilling its mission to bring people home.

REFUGEE SERVICES: School Success for Refugee Students

Burmese Student Masters Math

Paw Gaw is a Karen Burmese student who arrived in the United States just four short years ago at the age of 13 after living for 11 years in a Thai refugee camp with her family. In the camp, Paw Gaw attended school for six years, completing the U.S. equivalent of about 4th grade. It's a huge adjustment for refugee students to find them shelves in American schools and Paw Gaw was no exception.

After arriving in Georgia, Paw Gaw spent a year in intensive study of English at the DeKalb School System's International Student Center and then a year at Clarkston High School (CHS). Overwhelmed by the adjustment to school in America and still struggling to learn English, Paw Gaw had the opportunity to attend the Global Village School (GVS) for Refugee Girls for the 2010-2011 school year for continued studies in  English and instruction geared towards helping her catch up in school to her American peers.

Paw Gaw, back at Clarkston High School this year with continuing support by her GVS Mentor and attending LSG's ASAP After School Academic/Arts Program, is taking on the rigors of high school with great success. In her first semester back at CHS, Paw Gaw was one of 2 students in her math class to pass the Math I "End of Course Test"! But Paw Gaw has much more success ahead of her! She is a hard-working and self-motivated student who continues to improve her English skills and plans to graduate from high school and attend college to become a nurse.

Sibling Success 

Welcome Divine and Innocent! Powerful names for two outstanding students from Africa who have been in Lutheran Services's ASAP After School Academic/Arts Program at Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston since January 10, 2012. Neither sibling knew any English upon arrival to the states. Divine Uwineza and Innocent Mfitumukiza are now writing and spelling their names and recognize many of the alphabet letters and sounds.

Divine and Innocent have perfect attendance, exemplary citizenship, and a strong desire to learn.  They are truly a joy to teach and tutor! They look forward to working in the Computer Lab.  Websites such as starfall.com enables them to hear the sounds of the alphabet and listen to a variety of alliteration, which increases phonemic awareness.  We are proud of how much progress these students have shown in such a short amount of time. Kudos to Divine and Innocent!

FACES: LSG Client Headed to the Special Olympics!

LSG is thrilled to announce that Brenda Blalock of Loganville,GA, will be attending the 2012 Special Olympics U.S. National Unified Sports Bowling Invitational in Baton Rouge, LA, from Feb. 15-16, 2012. Brenda is a part of LSG’s FACES (Facilitating, Advocacy, Care, Education, and Shelter) program, which helps individuals with developmental disabilities find supportive host homes in which they can thrive.

Brenda has been an avid bowler for several years now and proudly displays her numerous bowling and softball trophies in her home. Brenda is a delight to have in the FACES program and we are proud of her success!

Good luck, Brenda!

REFUGEE SERVICES: LSG Kick-Starts Two New Afterschool Programs in Clarkston

Thanks to a grant awarded by the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers, Lutheran Services of Georgia has started two exciting afterschool programs at Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston and Clarkston High School.

The Afterschool Academic/Arts Program (ASAP) strives to improve academic achievement through a variety of fun, hands-on activities.  Enrichment activities will include homework help, reading and vocabulary development, journal writing, a book club, music and art classes, field trips, and other activities.

The program will run during the DeKalb County School System’s calendar year Mondays through Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Indian Creek Elementary School, and 3:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at Clarkston High School.  On Fridays, Indian Creek students will meet from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Clarkston High Schoolstudents will meet from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

For more information about participating in this program, please contact ASAP Site Coordinators Deborah Blythwood (dbythwood@lsga.org) for Indian Creek Elementary School and Gail Harper ( gharper@lsga.org) for Clarkston High School.  If you are interested in volunteering as a tutor, please contact Melanie Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator for Refugee Services, at mjohnson@lsga.org or 678-686-9619.

FIS: Healthy Families Have Hobbies

Thanks to New Year’s resolutions, January is typically the start of new habits and goals. It also just so happens that January is National Hobby Month. How convenient it is for all Foster Parents and children to take up new hobbies for the New Year. There are many hobbies that families can take up together that include, but are not limited to, sports, reading, games, art, learning an instrument, and/or karate. There are many benefits to taking up new hobbies for children. Hobbies can help with self-esteem development by allowing children to explore their own personalities, talents and creativity. Learning a new skill can lessen stress and help children easily define their purpose, especially during awkward period in their lives. Hobbies can also act as a bridge between parents and children who might experience a hard time connecting. Examples of bonding activities include cooking together, playing board games, or outdoor activities. Hiking and biking s are also examples of hobbies that can help make a family more physically healthy while promoting familial bonds.

Discuss with your family which hobbies interest each member of the family, then make time to do those activities. The more your family enjoys a hobby, the easier it is to stick to it. It is important to remember when taking up a hobby with your children that you should maintain a positive attitude and reward the children for their accomplishments. Children who are engaged in activities outside the school day are much happier than children who might become bored due to a lack of participation in the community. Boredom leads to poor decisions; hobbies lead to self esteem and positive personal development.

ADOPTION: LSG Case Manager Reconnects with Adoptive Child after 40 Years

Working in adoption and focusing on permanency for children with a family that will always be theirs, we have the blessing of seeing “Love in Action.” Many of the older children we place are operating from an emotional basis of fear. When the adoptive parent can respond to fear with love, the relationship will be the transporter for the child to begin to trust in LOVE IN ACTION. Healing happens on an individual level with no specific timeline. Sometimes it is necessary for the family to actually make their family world a little smaller for a time. That would mean narrowing in to the household and not going here and there with classes, festivals  and activities that demand every single minute of the day. In December, I was contacted by someone who randomly reconnected with me, having seen my name in adoption papers after his adoptive parents passed away. As it turned out, I had placed this gentleman with his adoptive family in the late 1970s when he was almost two years old. He called to thank me for “the best decision ever made” because he stated his adoptive family were “the best parents a child could ever have.” In remembering this placement, this had been a child who felt the separation and trauma of leaving his birth family as a toddler and coming into foster care. His adoptive family had responded with patience and LOVE IN ACTION, helping him learn to trust the new family as they developed their bonds without a time frame for attachment in mind.

Adoption is an ongoing social process, not just the legal finality of a court order. All of us in the Adoption department feel grateful when we hear these stories and see children move successfully into placement with a new permanent family.

Written by Anne Boyte, Adoption Case Manager for LSG