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Engineering a Future Toward Prosperity

By Krista Piferrer

Prathapan Jeyanantharajah has a mind for machinery. The teen became part of BCFS' overseas program, Children's Emergency Relief International (CERI), three years ago after his father passed away and his mother abandoned him. Today, he is taking advantage of new opportunities that few Sri Lankan orphans ever get to experience: college.

This exciting endeavor was set in motion when Prathapan’s CERI case worker, Kajanthan Ramanathapillai, noticed that he was always repairing electronic devices at home. Recognizing his passion for engineering, Kajanthan encouraged him to continue his studies in a more formal setting. That support was just the push Prathapan needed.

This year, Prathapan began attending a 4-year graduate program at Open University in . Thanks to his CERI sponsors, he has roughly 40,000 Rs. (or $400) in savings to help him purchase textbooks.

CERI sets aside a portion of the funds sponsors give to each child in a savings account so that, after they become adults, youth have some financial resources to start a business, secure a home, or in Prathapan’s case, attend college.

In addition to his savings, Prathapan is also earning money by doing electrical repairs. His hard work and dedication makes CERI’s National Director in , Basil Fonseka, especially proud.

“We always try to instill in our children that they need to become self-sufficient and independent adults,” said Fonseka.

“Prathapan has produced fruitful results and is becoming an excellent example to other youth.”To learn more about how your contributions can forever make a difference in a child's life, like Prathapan, please visit www.bcfs.net.

Baptist Standard: Family Services Agency, hospital team up for mobile medical partnership

Published: October 07, 2010

Baptist Health System and Baptist Child & Family Servcies have launched a mobile medical partnership organizers say is focused on “driving health forward” in the area.

Conducted via a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit, the program will offer cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and body mass index screenings, as well as provide risk

assessments for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Screenings will be open to the public for free or at low cost.

“For decades, Baptist Health System has demonstrated its commitment to caring for our community by building hospitals around the city, near where people live and work,” Baptist Health System President Graham Reeve said.

“Now, by expanding our relationship with BCFS, we are able to improve access to health care by actually taking screenings and care into neighborhoods. We want to eliminate barriers to good health."

According to the Texas Diabetes Institute, more than 73,000 people in suffer from diabetes.

The disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in and the fourth-leading cause of death in . Chronic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and renal failure also are found in high numbers across the county.

“Our goal is to end this trend by offering easily accessible screenings and raising awareness of available resources for healthy living.”

Screenings will be offered at high-volume commercial locations such as shopping malls, community centers and housing projects, as well as at community health and wellness fairs, senior centers, corporate wellness events, churches and school events.

If a serious condition is detected during the screening, the individual will be referred to his or her physician for follow-up medical care. Educational materials will be provided so residents can reduce their risk of developing chronic disease.

“Taking affordable health care screenings … directly into neighborhoods can have quite an impact on the health and well-being of our community,” said Fernando Guerra, director of health for the Metropolitan Health District. “The greater understanding individuals have of their health status, the more willing they may be to change it.”

“Our goal is to end this trend by offering easily accessible screenings and raising awareness of available resources for healthy living.”

Hicks Joins BCFS as Senior Program Director for Preparedness & Response

Peter J. Hicks has joined BCFS’ Emergency Services Division as Senior Program Director for Preparedness and Response. In this role, Hicks will be responsible for executing federal, state and local contracts calling for alternate care site capacity building, medical sheltering, and incident management. Additionally, he will managing the Emergency Facility Support Services contract, which provides logistical support to the State of Texas during disasters, and conduct logistics for deployment of resources nationally and internationally.

“Peter’s extensive background in emergency management and response makes him an excellent asset to our team,” said Kari Tatro, Executive Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division. “As BCFS continues to expand our services throughout the U.S., Peter will play a key role in building much needed medical sheltering and response capacity so states and jurisdictions are well prepared to care for their citizens when disaster strikes.”

Hicks is a certified EMT-Paramedic with 17 years of experience in pre-hospital emergency medicine. He has managed emergency medical response efforts in a variety of markets, including urban, rural, and frontier EMS settings. Most recently, Hicks served as the Wireless System Manager for Bastrop County and was a County Commissioner from 2008-09. Through BCFS, Hicks will continue to serve as an adjunct professor at Texas A & M University’s Texas Engineering Extension Service. He is also a member of the Emergency Management Association of Texas. Hicks lives in Bastrop with his wife and six daughters.

BCFS’ nationally recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the U.S. The agency conducts trainings and serves as a consultant to jurisdictions regarding various aspects of emergency management and response, including community capacity building, medical shelter operations, and incident management. Most recently, FEMA contracted with BCFS to develop the national guidance for integrating individuals requiring functional needs support services into general population shelters.

BCFS was tasked by the State of Texas during previous emergencies and disasters, including the Eagle Pass tornado, hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Dolly, Gustav, Ike and Alex, the FLDS situation in San Angelo, and the outbreak of H1N1 Flu.

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please call 1-800-830-2246 or visit www.bcfs.net/emergencyservices.

CERI Continuesto Heal Orphaned Children in Africa through "Memory Box" Work

Children’s Emergency Relief International’s (CERI) Executive Director, Dr. Dearing Garner, and his team recently took part in a three day meeting in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, where the focus was all about building resiliency and healing in children affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

CERI, headquartered in Houston, works with the Sinomlando Centre of Oral History and Memory Work at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, on its innovative “Memory Box” project. The Memory Box methodology works with dying parents and their children to preserve memories—both intangibly, in the form of oral history and family stories; and tangibly, in the form of objects, written stories, photographs and letters that can be placed inside a “Memory Box”—before it’s too late. By doing so, the project helps build the children’s resilience and nurture their sense of identity.

“Many grandmothers, aunts and uncles told me about the difference our Memory Box project is making in the lives of their young family members, who they’ve taken to caring for after their parents passed away,” said Garner. “It’s a remarkable feeling to hear how our efforts are truly bringing about peace and hope in times of tremendous sadness.”

The Memory Box project is currently being scaled up across South Africa in partnership with CERI and with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This project is part of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Since 2008, the Memory Box program has provided training in psycho-social rehabilitation to more than 2,400 HIV prevention and treatment caseworkers in six South African provinces. This success far exceeds the targets set at the beginning of the program.

“It is our hope that, given the tremendous success we’ve seen, this project will continue to grow and lift up more orphaned children throughout South Africa who are coping with the loss of their parents,” said Garner.

Emergency planners discuss sheltering resources

Tim Goff, Multimedia Journalist
As seen on WLBZ 2

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Emergency management officials, representatives of non-profit agencies and advocates for people with disabilities met to discuss resources available to provide shelter for Mainers with functional and medical needs in the event of a disaster.

"Lack of preparedness and planning absolutely is the biggest mistake that we make," stated Kevin Dinnin, President and CEO of BCFS, a non-profit group which works with communities around the world affected by crisis.

"It is far easier to plan and enact a plan that we know what we are going to do, then to be encountering some unknown and unpredictable event with catastrophic ramifications that we are trying to figure out what to do in the middle of the night."

Dinnin was the featured speaker at a symposium held at Maine Emergency Management Headquarters that addressed the broad spectrum of needs people have when they have to leave their homes and move in to a temporary shelter.

With an aging population, Dinnin sees Maine as a state that could be overwhelmed by the medical and functional needs of people seeking shelter. Federal laws, such as the American's with Disabilities Act, require all shelters be accessible and that all shelter residents be given access to the same types of resources.

"It is far better to plan for the worse and hope for the best," added Dinnin. "When you plan for the worse, you have enough resources to meet the needs, typically. It is where we have fallen short in this country, at times, for example, Hurricane Katrina, where we did not lean forward far enough. We did not push resources fast enough. We did not have catastrophic plans in place."

"We are trying to figure out how we can come up with a mechanism that will allow us to move forward planning on sheltering persons with functional needs," explained Eunice Mommens, Disaster Liaison with the Red Cross.

Mommens says the goal of the symposium was to get people thinking and planning for people with a broad base of needs. She says advance planning and collaboration are key at creating preparedness plans which will work when needed.

BCFS Awarded Grant to Continue Val Verde Family Violence and Victim's Services Program

More than a year after BCFS stepped up to fill the void for services to victims of family violence, the organization has been awarded approximately $95,000 from the state to sustain efforts for the next two years. The grant is part of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Family Violence Program – Special Projects Fund.

“I am proud and grateful for how we, as a community, worked together to ensure that victims’ calls for help were never left unanswered,” said Jackie Hanson, Executive Director of BCFS’ Western Division. “These funds now give BCFS and Val Verde a more solid foundation from which to continue and grow these much needed services.”

In the past three years, Del Rio has experienced a 26% increase in family violence; a sharp contrast to a statewide increase of 1.7%. Last year, the community’s only domestic violence shelter closed, leaving victims without a safe haven to find help and seek refuge from their abusers.

BCFS was approached and encouraged by elected officials, school board members, business leaders, churches and other community partners to provide stop-gap services to victims. Until now, efforts to provide crisis response, counseling, case management, coordination of safe shelter, and other forms of assistance were supported purely by philanthropic community members and the volunteered time of BCFS staff.

The HHSC grant will allow BCFS to continue providing services to abuse victims, as well as launch a community awareness campaign aimed at preventing future violence. The program will work with law enforcement officers to establish a better understanding of the issues that contribute to family violence, and lead community education efforts for adults that focuses on identifying family violence and how victims can access help. Additionally, BCFS’ program will stretch into the classroom, where students will learn how to avoid risky behaviors that could lead to dating violence or other unsafe circumstances. High school senior girls in particular will receive self-defense and personal safety training from local law enforcement and border patrol officers.

BCFS’ efforts are congruent with Gov. Rick Perry’s STOP Violence Against Women Plan. The governor’s plan acknowledges the distinct challenge faced by rural victims of intimate partner and acquaintance violence and prioritizes services that address rural needs. The plan also emphasizes the need for accommodations to serve victims with limited English proficiency – a common characteristic found in Val Verde County.

If you or someone you know is being abused or needs assistance, please call BCFS’ 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 830-768-2755.

BCFS Names Mosley as Controller

BCFS has named Kaye M. Mosley, CPA, MBA to serve as Controller. In this role, Mosley will be responsible for directing the agency’s worldwide financial operations, which includes overseeing foreign reporting requirements, financial planning, budgeting, financial statements and internal controls.

“Kaye has the experience and expertise needed for managing BCFS’ complex financial functions, and I am confident in her ability to maintain the integrity with which our agency’s financial operations are run,” said Claudia Oliveira, CPA, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “We are pleased to have her as a member of our team.”

Most recently, Mosley served as an Audit Supervisor at BKD, LLP (formerly The Hanke Group) in San Antonio. She has extensive experience in A-133 Federal audits, which is a major aspect of BCFS’ work. Mosley earned her bachelor’s in Accounting and MBA with an emphasis in Accounting and Finance, with honors, from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

September is national Infant Mortality Awareness Month; BCFS is helping families

By Jesus Reynoso de Córdova, BCFS Program Director

Published in the Laredo Morning Times – Sunday, September 5, 2010

While BCFS’ Healthy Start program works each day to ensure expectant mothers in Laredo’s Colonias give birth to strong babies, we especially recognize September as national “Infant Mortality Awareness Month.”

Infant mortality represents the number of babies who die before their first birthday. This rate, calculated per 1,000 births, is considered the barometer by which the health of a country’s population is measured.

Here in Webb County, 5.4 out of 1,000 of babies never reach this one year milestone. This tragic statistic is a result of a number of factors.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, high rates of infant mortality are especially prevalent in communities with large minority populations, high rates of unemployment and poverty, and limited access to safe housing and medical providers. That’s where BCFS and our new medical partners, Doctors Hospital, come in.

Since 2001, BCFS’ Healthy Start program has led efforts to decrease disparities in access to maternal and child healthcare by providing mobile, community-based medical care and case management services to Colonia residents. Women who are pregnant or have a child or children younger than two, and reside in one of Webb County’s colonias are eligible for services free of charge.

Our mobile medical unit is stationed at community health centers four days a week, providing critical pre-natal and wellness care. Our clients are required to participate in trainings where they learn proper nutrition, nurturing and safe parenting skills. We also make frequent home visits to ensure families who are expecting or have recently given birth are living in safe environments.

Thanks to these accountability measures, more than 150 children are born healthy and 150 more grow to celebrate their first birthday. As most of the mothers in our program never received prenatal care before BCFS’ Healthy Start, we’re confident our program is making a positive impact on the health of Laredo.

During national Infant Mortality Awareness Month, we hope you’ll help spread the word about the importance of prenatal and postpartum care. If you or someone you know is in need of services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (956) 712-4700 or www.bcfs.net.

CERI Teams up with GlobalGiving to Raise Funds for its 2010 Winter Boot Drive for Orphans

Decade-long Mission Protects Thousands of Children from Frostbite and Illness

Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) is participating in a web-based fundraiser through GlobalGiving.com in support of its annual winter boot mission in Eastern Europe. GlobalGiving is an international fundraising network for non-profits that has had tremendous success in helping organizations sustain and grow their charitable work around the world. Supporters can make donations to CERI through GlobalGiving at http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/provide-warm-footwear-for-orphans-in-moldova/.

CERI’s partnership with GlobalGiving comes as the organization prepares for its annual winter boot drive. The decade-long ministry provides warm winter boots and socks for more than 8,000 orphans throughout Moldova. Priced at approximately $20 per pair, CERI’s boots play a critical role in protecting children from losing parts of their feet to frostbite during harsh Moldovan winters.

“I hope that this partnership with GlobalGiving will not only generate the funding we need for this important mission, but also introduce new supporters to the faithful and inspirational work CERI leads around the world,” said CERI Executive Director Dearing Garner. “Once you look into the eyes of one of the children who are so grateful for the warm boots we provide, you’re called to this mission for life.”

Before I received my pair of shoes, I had had a bad week. But when I received the new pair of shoes, I thought to myself: ‘Good things do happen to me,’ and I was suddenly filled with hope,” said one young child who received boots during the 2009 CERI mission.

CERI relies on the help of volunteers and generous contributors not only to protect these orphans from illness, but to also secure a future for them as they are released into the world at the young age of 16.

Make a difference in the life of an orphan in Moldova today by donating to CERI through GlobalGiving: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/provide-warm-footwear-for-orphans-in-moldova/.

Also, help CERI spread the word by uploading widgets, logos or buttons for your website or blog: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/provide-warm-footwear-for-orphans-in-moldova/share/.

BCFS Names Richardson and Rodriguez Program Directors

BCFS has named Raquel F. Rodriguez Program Director for its Families for a Future program, and promoted Tracy Wayne Richardson to Program Director for Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR). In these roles, Richardson and Rodriguez will oversee important counseling programs that strengthen and stabilize families throughout Del Rio and surrounding communities.

“Raquel and Wayne have been strong members of our BCFS team for years,” said Jackie Hanson, Executive Director of BCFS’ Western Division. “Their passion for helping others, coupled with their expertise in charting more positive courses for struggling youth and families, make them both great fits for their new positions.”

Rodriguez has been with BCFS since 2006. Most recently, she served as the program director for BCFS’ STAR program, working to reduce family conflict and to prevent runaway, truancy, delinquent behaviors and child abuse. Rodriguez earned her bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Since 2007, Richardson has been a case manager and universal child abuse prevention specialist with BCFS. He is a Certified Family Counselor and licensed Alcohol, Chemical, and Substance Abuse Counselor. Richardson is also an ordained minister and counselor with United Pentecostal Church International.

BCFS has led innovative community-based programs in Del Rio for more than a decade. The global health and human services organization has locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. BCFS is a national leader in medical sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. The agency also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

BCFS' Healthy Start Launches New Partnership with Doctors Hospital of Laredo to Serve Colonia Families

Announcement Comes as September Marks “Infant Mortality Awareness Month”

BCFS announced a new partnership with Doctors Hospital of Laredo, which will provide medical services via the organization’s comprehensive mobile health unit. The partnership comes at a key time, as September is nationally recognized as “Infant Mortality Awareness Month.”

“BCFS and Doctors Hospital share a common philosophy in our work with Laredo’s most at-risk families: It’s a mission – not a job,” said Cindi Garcia, Executive Director of BCFS’ Community-Based Services. “Together, our two organizations will make a difference in the lives of the children and families we serve, treating them with the compassion, respect and encouragement they need and deserve.”

Since 2001, BCFS’ Healthy Start program has led efforts to decrease disparities in access to maternal and child healthcare by providing community-based medical care and case management services to Colonia residents. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, premature birth, low-birth weight, and shorter gestation periods account for more than 60 percent of infant deaths in the country. High rates of infant mortality are especially prevalent in communities with large minority populations, high rates of unemployment and poverty, and limited access to safe housing and medical providers.

Thanks to BCFS’ Healthy Start program, more women in Webb County are receiving prenatal care than ever before.

“This partnership helps expand health care where it’s needed in the community,” said Elmo Lopez, CEO of Doctors Hospital.

Women who are pregnant or have a child/children under 2 years of age and who reside in one of Webb County’s colonias are eligible for services free of charge. Services provided include:

Prenatal and postpartum care via mobile unit
Health education and parenting education
Laboratory services
Pharmacy services
Outpatient case management services to address the medical, social, financial, educational, legal, housing, parenting and employment needs of the families served

Additionally, BCFS’ partnership with Doctors Hospital will support the following services:

Pregnancy testing
Adequate prenatal care, including vitamins
Heart Doppler and standard exams, including weight and blood-pressure
STD and high-risk pregnancy testing
Medications and inoculation as needed
Referrals and arrangements for sonograms and hospitalizations for childbirth
Postpartum referrals to a pediatrician

Healing Inside and Out

By Ashley Luttrell

CERI’s recent week-long medical mission to Nigeria stayed true to the organization’s goal of “caring for vulnerable children and families in crisis throughout the world.”

Amid the lush, green landscape of Otutulu – a result of the active rainy season – locals eagerly awaited the arrival of CERI’s medical team. As one volunteer recounted, the beautiful surroundings of the town and joyful attitudes of the children seemed like a gilded façade. The harsh realities of poverty and illness are hidden, yet plague the people of Otutulu daily.

As a result, CERI’s presence is seen as a blessing.

The team of nine volunteers, which included three doctors and three college students, ran daily clinics at the local Ministry of Mercy orphanage. The bare, concrete home cares for more than 300 African children, many afflicted with malaria and other painful disabilities. Villagers also came to the clinic seeking care for various diseases. Many expectant mothers received their first ultrasound from CERI’s doctors having had little or no prenatal care beforehand.

In just four days, the team saw nearly 1,000 patients and gave out more than 2,200 prescriptions.

Healing in Other Ways

Team members without medical training assisted at the clinic during part of the day, and then led separate activities to lift the spirits of the children. Volunteers used everything from soccer matches to Bible Study to heal in other ways.

“Each volunteer brought something new and beneficial to the mission,” said Brianne Moore, daughter of legendary San Antonio Spur, Johnny Moore, who led sports activities after working in the clinic pharmacy.

Emily Cammarata, another volunteer, shared Christ with the villagers. Some were already believers, and some came to know Christ for the first time. Cammarata teared up when she spoke about Amneta, a young girl whose skin was peeling off. “She looked really frail and just exhausted; my heart went out to her,” she recalled. “I got her to the doctor quickly. But I heard him say that this skin condition was the result of a kidney problem, and her only hope was getting to a hospital. I was heartbroken.”

Cammarata asked her translator for help in talking to the girl. “I knelt down and laid my hands on her and prayed the hardest I have ever prayed. She couldn’t understand my words but I know she felt the Lord.”

Cammarata laid awake one night wondering if the team had really made a difference in the lives of the struggling Nigerian villagers. As she was falling asleep, another volunteer whispered to her, “Do you hear that?”

It was quiet. “Hear what?” she asked.

“They aren’t coughing and crying like they were last night.”

The team had made a difference, healing inside and out.

BCFS Names Krimmel Assistant Vice President of Program Development

BCFS named Ashley Krimmel Assistant Vice President of Program Development. In this role, Krimmel will work with internal and external project team members to expand the organization’s portfolio of services through grants and contract generation.

“In the last five years, BCFS has grown significantly throughout the state and the nation,” said Kathryn Holland, Vice President of Program Development. “Ashley’s addition to our team allows us to continue this forward momentum and further our reach to more individuals, families and communities in need.”

Krimmel has been with BCFS since 2004. Most recently, she served as the Director of Annual Fund Development & Marketing. Prior to joining BCFS, Krimmel worked in the special events department at The Children’s Hospital Foundation in Denver. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver.

BCFS was founded in San Antonio in 1944. Today, it is a global health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. The organization is a national leader in medical sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

Baptist health System and BCFS are "Driving Health Forward"

Mobile Screening Program will Focus on Prevalent Illnesses Plaguing San Antonians

Baptist Health System and BCFS today announced a new mobile medical partnership that will impact the lives of thousands of San Antonians. Conducted via a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit, the program’s mission has been coined “Driving Health Forward,” and will offer cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and body mass index screenings, as well as provide risk assessments for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Screenings will be open to the public for free or low-cost.

“For decades, Baptist Health System has demonstrated its commitment to caring for our community by building hospitals around the city, near where people live and work,” said Graham Reeve, Baptist Health System President and Chief Executive Officer. “Now, by expanding our relationship with BCFS, we are able to improve access to health care by actually taking screenings and care into neighborhoods. We want to eliminate barriers to good health.”

According to the Texas Diabetes Institute, more than 73,000 people in San Antonio suffer from diabetes. The disease is the 6th leading cause of death in Texas and the 4th leading cause of death in Bexar County. Chronic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and renal failure are also found in high numbers across Bexar County.

“Early detection and education regarding how to control these common health issues are paramount. For any number of reasons, hundreds of thousands of people throughout our city are suffering from diseases both known and unknown,” said Kevin Dinnin, BCFS President and CEO. “Our goal is to end this trend by offering easily accessible screenings and raising awareness of available resources for healthy living.”

“Driving Health Forward” screenings will be offered at high volume commercial locations, such as shopping malls, community centers and housing projects; community health and wellness fairs; senior centers; corporate wellness events; churches; and school events. If a serious condition is detected during the screening, the individual will be referred to their physician for follow up medical care. Educational materials will be provided so that residents can reduce their risk of developing chronic disease.

Today’s announcement was made at a back-to-school health fair held at the Boys & Girls Club – Calderon Branch, where nearly 1,000 children and families showed up to be screened and participate in the day’s events. Dr. Fernando Guerra, Director of Health for the Metropolitan Health District, served as the keynote speaker. In the past year, Dr. Guerra has pinpointed cardiovascular disease and diabetes as the two most critically important health issues facing San Antonio.

“Taking affordable health care screenings, especially those that include BMI, directly into neighborhoods can have quite an impact on the health and well being of our community,” said Dr. Guerra. “The greater understanding individuals have of their health status, the more willing they may be to change it.”

To request a screening service visit by the Mobile Health Screening Unit, please visit www.bhsscreening.com and complete the request form.

To find out where the Mobile Health Screening Unit will be conducting free, public screenings, call (210) 297-7005 or visit www.bhsscreening.com.

BCFS Names Davis Associate Executive Director of Teen & Youth Services

BCFS today announced the promotion of Gayle Davis to Associate Executive Director for Teen & Youth Services in San Antonio. In this role, Davis will supervise a portfolio of local, state and federal programs that focus on transitional living and restorative justice for young adults.

“Gayle has become a true leader within our organization and throughout San Antonio,” said Terri Hipps, Executive Director of BCFS Teen & Youth Services. “Her passion for helping others, coupled with her expertise in charting more positive courses for struggling youth and families make her a great fit for this position.”

Since 2008, Davis served as a senior program director for BCFS’ Transitional Living Services. She will continue to oversee operations at the agency’s San Antonio Transition Center, the only facility in Texas where foster youth and young adults in the juvenile justice system can access counseling, life skills training, tuition assistance, probation services, and more in one location.

Davis has been with BCFS for 7 years. She earned a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University and undergraduate degree from Texas Lutheran University. Additionally, Davis is certified and trained in postmodern approaches to life skills, family group conferencing, residential youth care and clinical case management. She has conducted numerous trainings and workshops nationwide aimed at empowering foster youth to become successful adults.

BCFS is a leader in transitional living services. Ten years ago, BCFS partnered in establishing Texas’ first transition center in San Antonio. The organization was also the first to establish a rural transition program for youth aging out of the foster care system in the State of Texas. Recognized as a trailblazer in this greatly needed field, the state has asked BCFS to serve as a consultant to developing rural transition programs. Today, BCFS operates multiple transition centers throughout the state and is a resource to every young adult moving out of foster care into life on their own.

Makin the World a Brighter Place

By Daniela Ceri, CERI Chief Social Worker and Krista Piferrer

Independence calls for more than just taking care of oneself. A truly fulfilling adult life requires opening your heart to serve others as well.

This was Children’s Emergency Relief International’s message to a group of young adults participating in its Transitional Living program in Moldova. The teens, many who are “graduating” from the country’s impoverished orphanages, are learning how to make safe and responsible decisions once they’re out on their own.

The idea that caring for others is part of adulthood seemed to penetrate. Within days of CERI’s lesson, the youth got busy organizing an innovative project to benefit local kindergarteners.

The government-run school chosen by the youth, known as “Nr.135,” serves children with visual disabilities. On one side of the older concrete building is a generously-sized playground (as city playgrounds go), where the children can play outside during the warm summer months. While there’s plenty of room to run around, the grey and tan-colored scenery makes it difficult for the children to maneuver the area so they can play safely. The youth’s solution: paint the grounds in bright, easy-to-see colors.

“We thought, the brighter the colors, the more chances that the children will be able to recognize their surroundings and use the playground,” said Connie Belciug, CERI National Director in Moldova.

Armed with paint, brushes and sandwiches, the group of young adults rolled up their sleeves and got to work. By the end of the day, the playground beamed with fresh, cheerful colors. As soon as the paint dried, a throng of eager kindergarteners burst out of the school doors. Filled with excitement and energy, the children leaped onto the vibrant new tires and declared themselves kings and queens of the playground. Other youngsters grabbed shovels and monster trucks and let their imaginations run wild in the neon yellow and green sandbox.

As the team looked around it was clear that the joy and enthusiasm was mutual. The young adults embraced after a long day’s work, satisfied with the empowerment they gained through service to others (just as their CERI teachers had told them they would).

“Using their blessings to help others builds confidence and improves the quality of relationships in our youth’s own lives,” said Belciug. “I’m so proud of our youth for not only learning – but living – this important lesson.”

Bridging the Gap: How BCFS is Helping Pamela Sanchez Continue Reaching for her Dreams

By Haley Smith

Pamela Sanchez was placed into foster care when she was 14 after reporting to a school counselor that her mother was physically abusing her. She spent a short time living with a foster family in Kerrville before making the move back to San Antonio to live with her aunt and uncle.

Pamela had always excelled in school and had a knack for keeping personal turmoil away from interfering with her goals. Life back in San Antonio, even though she no longer had her mother around, seemed more stable and promising. That was, until Pamela found out she was pregnant her junior year of high school.

As if the shock of her pregnancy wasn’t hard enough to handle, Pamela was taken aback when her aunt and uncle gave her a stark ultimatum: have an abortion or move out. Pamela, a faithful young woman, chose the latter. Once again, she packed up her bags; this time to move into a group home for young mothers and mothers-to-be.

It was there that Pamela was introduced to BCFS’ Preparation for Adult Living program. While most young adults have parents or guardians to help them transition into adulthood, or in Pamela’s case, motherhood too, children in foster care generally do not have that kind of firm support system once they age out of state custody. BCFS helps fill this void for thousands of Texas youth, including Pamela.

With BCFS’ assistance, Pamela gained the skills and resources she needed to graduate early from high school and take steps toward making a future for her and her little boy, Paul, who is now 3.

“Over the years, my BCFS caseworker has been a huge encouragement to me. She has helped me set and achieve goals, while making sure I don’t lose my ambition when I come up against hurdles. BCFS has been there in a way that parents are usually there for their kids,” said Pamela, now 19 years old.

Paul, or Paulie as the beaming young mom calls him, was born the day after Pamela graduated from high school. Unlike many of her foster care peers, Pamela went straight on to college. Given the challenges she already had ahead of her, she knew an interruption in her momentum could be too much to overcome. Thanks to BCFS, Pamela was able take advantage of the state’s Education Training Voucher program, which allowed her to continue on to higher education.

While balancing work at Whataburger and becoming a good mom for Paulie, Pamela completed her Community of Health Certificate from Northwest Vista College. The next step: pursuing a two-year degree in Sociology from Northeast Lakeview College in San Antonio.

“My education counselor at BCFS has been a great resource, helping me find and apply for the program that is right for me. She not only matches what I want to do, but also caters to my unique circumstances,” Pamela said. “That’s a huge help.”

Pamela’s long-term goal is to work with at-risk youth like her. She hopes to steer young adults in the foster care system and teen parents toward resources and support systems that will help them create bright futures for themselves, just as BCFS has done for her.

Making Lemonade

Growing up in foster care wasn’t ideal; but that won’t stop Calvin Carter from bettering his life with what resources he has.
By Haley Smith

While Calvin Carter still feels an underlying sadness when his classmates talk about their families, he is able to look past his sometimes sorrowful childhood by recognizing the unique benefits he now receives as a result.

Calvin entered the foster care system at age 8 after both his parents passed away. He spent the next few years between orphanages and various foster families, until finally settling in with one family from eighth grade through high school graduation.

When it came time for Calvin to make the transition out of state care and into adulthood, he was presented a long list of resources available to him and other foster throughout the state. The most exciting benefit, he remembers, was financial support to continue on to college.

The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) initiative is a Texas program operated statewide by BCFS. Where parents or families generally lend financial support to students pursuing post-secondary educations, young adults aging out of foster care don’t have the means to continue on in their studies. The ETV program aims to bridge this gap.

“BCFS has reduced the stress of having to entirely fund my education on my own. The ETV grant has helped fund my books, transportation and school supplies,” said Calvin. “It’s been a real blessing.”

While an undergrad, Calvin accessed close to $25,000 through the ETV program. Between this assistance and working himself through college, Calvin was able to reach a milestone many students, regardless of their backgrounds, never realize: college graduation. In 2010, Calvin earned his degree in Management Information Systems from Angelo State University.

“Even normal kids in normal families often have to take out loans for college, and I consider myself lucky to have been able to finish debt-free,” said Calvin. “There are resources and support out there, and they are worth taking advantage of.”

The next step for Calvin? Working on his master’s in Computer Science from Texas State University; again, with the help of the ETV program. Once finished with his formal education, Calvin plans to enter the IT field as a software engineer.

“I always tell other foster care alumni to focus on their grades and their education; programs like ETV will take care of the rest,” said Carter. “It’s tough growing up without a ‘normal’ childhood, but there is lemonade to be made from the lemons of being in foster care.”

In 2009-10, BCFS helped more than 900 students receive more than $1.5 million through the ETV program. Education is the cornerstone to self-sufficiency. As foster youth make the transition to independence, these funds are critical to allowing them to pursue a college education or vocational training not otherwise covered by another funding source.

To find out more about the Educational and Training Voucher program, please visit www.bcfs.net/etv.

Mi Casa es su Casa

CERI’s mission to give one family a home lifts the spirits of an entire community
By Ashley Luttrell and Krista Piferrer

When CERI led a fact-finding mission to assess the humanitarian needs of the children and families in Chiapas – one of the poorest states in Mexico – team members expected to encounter scenes of poverty similar to other countries served by the organization. Yet when the team ventured to the rural Mexican countryside, what they found was indescribable.

On the outskirts of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas, Señor Salomon, a 50-year-old widower, and his two young daughters were living a difficult life in their 10’ x 10’ makeshift home. Inside the tattered and tilted walls were dirt floors, cluttered with trash and rotting food. Old street signs and leftover scrap metal from local construction projects were laid overhead to block out the hot Mexican sun. Yet the mismatched materials left holes in the roof where even the mildest rain would quickly turn the living space into a slough of mud. The girls, who, lacking birth certificates, have never attended school, suffered routine bouts with lice and were constantly exposed to other health ills due to their home’s unclean environment.

In an instant, the priority of CERI’s fact finding effort was established. God had presented the organization with its mission: to build the Salomon family a new home and find a way to document the girls in their home country so they might have access to education.

The drawing (and re-drawing) table

CERI Project Director Russ Massey had prior experience in construction and was able to reach out to former architect associates for help designing a new home for the Salomon family. According to Massey, the planning stage was easy. The team even built a "practice house" on the site of a Montgomery, TX church in order to fine-tune the material list. It wasn’t until the construction team returned to Chiapas that the real challenges began to arise.

The first task for the construction team, comprised of volunteers from Houston, was to remove the Salomons’ old, dilapidated home and pick up the trash that was scattered over the small property. After hours of clean-up, the space was finally cleared and a wooden floor was assembled on the property, which had a considerable slope. There was one catch moving forward, however. Most homes in Mexico are built with cinder blocks, yet CERI’s building plans called for wooden construction in order to get a house built in the time the team had. “Casa de madera?,” the locals asked.

The longest material available at the local merchants was 8 feet, but 12 foot and 16 foot material was needed to follow the design. “We were able to find a lumber mill that actually cut the material we needed from rough stock. God always provides,” said Massey.

Support beams were custom-cut by the local lumber mill and pre-made windows were able to be retrofitted specially for the home. The team worked from daylight to dark under the hot sun in order to finish the home. Once the walls were lifted to form four corners, the roof was constructed, with the rafters forming a natural ventilation system. Unable to find a pre-hung door, the team designed and built a custom door for the residence.

“This trip was on the extreme end of physically demanding,” said Chuck Abernathy, a CERI volunteer. “But without a doubt, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

A house becomes a home

When the project was complete, Señor Salomon and his two young daughters, Adriana, 8, and, Norma, 5, stood in awe outside their new 12’ x 20’ house. No longer were there holes torn in the walls. No longer would the struggling family, who had mourned the loss of a wife and a mother, have to live amid filth and garbage.

The completion of the home was the climax of several “firsts” in the family’s lives. Only a week before, the CERI Mexico staff was able to secure birth certificates for the little girls. Mexico requires documentation to attend public school, a criteria that, to this point, has excluded them from receiving an education. For the first time in their lives, Adriana and Norma had the opportunity to attend school.

After a moment, Massey gestured to the door, inviting the Salomon family inside for a closer look. As the girls and their father stepped up into the entryway, their mesmerized eyes swelled with tears.

Thanks to the generosity of CERI supporters, the girls not only received their first mattresses to sleep on, but were blessed with toothbrushes, combs, new clothes, and little girl toys.

“It’s quite possible that these girls had never been given a gift before. So, when they saw all the presents in front of them, they didn’t know quite how to react,” said Massey. “What a humbling sight that was to experience.

“These two little girls finally had a home.”

Raised up

For the Salomon family, their new home has physically elevated them several feet off the ground. Yet, CERI’s true impact on this mission trip could be seen in the lifted spirits, confidence and faith of the entire community. The final affirmation came as Don Salomon came forward to Pastor Carlos and said, “If this is what Jesus does through people who love him, I want to know who he is.”

It Takes a Team Effort

A wonderful combination of people and programs made this project possible. The work and effort supplied by the volunteers from Conroe, Willis and Kingwood, Texas was monumental. The building materials for the house were purchased through the Reeder Global Emergency Fund, a CERI fund established to address just such critical needs around the world. Construction tools were purchased locally through the generous donations of CERI supporters who have a special heart for this kind of project in Mexico. The tools remained in Mexico awaiting the next team.

Local coffee house to provide free summer lunches for kids

as seen on News 4 WOAI

SAN ANTONIO -- A local coffee shop is making sure kids get a lunch while they are out of school for the summer.

The Guadalupe Street Coffee House was founded as a community development project. It's a place students can hang out and have access to the internet. And during the summer months, anyone 18 or younger can stop by between noon and 1:00 p.m. and get a healthy lunch.

"Our site, as well as other sites around town, were selected because we are in close proximity of those neighborhoods where at least 50% of the student population is on the federal free lunch program," explained Krista Piferrer, Communications Director of BCFS.

The coffee house also serves a free afternoon snack between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m.

BCFS' Guadalupe Street Coffee Provides Free Lunch to Youth this Summer

All youth, ages 1-18, can receive a free lunch and snack daily

This summer, BCFS’ staple West Side coffee house, Guadalupe Street Coffee, will offer free lunch and an afternoon snack daily to youth ages 1-18. The Summer Food Service Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and coordinated locally by the Texas Hunger Initiative and San Antonio Food Bank.

Free lunches at Guadalupe Street Coffee will be served brown bag-style, consisting of a sandwich, piece of fruit or vegetable, and milk or juice, in addition to a healthy afternoon snack. The free lunch program is open to all children, regardless of income or home neighborhood.

“A high percentage of children who participate in the free lunch program often go without lunch when school is out,” said Catarina Velasquez, BCFS Program Director for Community Development. “This program fills that void and ensures children and teens continue to receive healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer.

“At the same time, Guadalupe Street Coffee also offers a hip, safe place on the West Side for youth to hang out with friends and take part in social and educational activities.

According to the USDA, a lack of nutrition during summer vacation can set up a cycle for poor performance once school begins again. Hunger also may make children more prone to illness and other health issues.

Meal distribution sites are located in areas where more than 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. In 2008, more than 12.6 million meals were served to Texas children through the program. This is the first year Guadalupe Street Coffee is serving as a meal site.

Guadalupe Street Coffee is a community development project operated by BCFS. Located in the heart of San Antonio’s West Side – where less than 3% of homes have a computer – the coffee shop provides free computer and Internet access, as well as college readiness and cultural arts programs for local youth that are aimed at increasing school retention and enhancing students’ likelihood of graduation.

Kerrville Youth Take Part in their Own "Independence Day"

Conference aims to help young adults build successful skills for life on their own

BCFS held its 3rd Annual “Independence Day” conference for foster and at-risk youth in Kerrville and surrounding areas. The yearly event aims to help young adults learn how to build the skills and confidence they need to lead successful, healthy lives.

“While on some levels the youth in BCFS’ foster care and juvenile justice programs are “typical teenagers,” many have had to deal with difficult issues that are foreign to most young adults,” said Terri Hipps, BCFS Executive Director of Teen & Youth Services. “Our annual Independence Day conference strives to empower youth to rise beyond past obstacles by recognizing their personal strengths and looking at adulthood as the next step; not the last step.”

Motivational youth speaker, Ryan Kohnen, sent a practical message to the young adults in his keynote address. After prodding a few youth for examples of their dream jobs, more young adults began to speak up about their career aspirations. One wanted to be an engineer. Another, a language arts teacher. The room buzzed with ideas until Kohnen then posed the question, “But are you prepared for success?”

The rest of the day’s activity surrounded around answering that question with a firm, “yes.”

Workshops were held throughout the day, focusing on time management, job skills, abstinence/sexual ethics, and life coaching. In one break out session, youth took quizzes that provided insight into their communication strengths and styles. This knowledge was then applied to the real world, linking the young adults with careers that best fit their unique personality type.

Other workshops took a team approach to learning. The “Ropes” session, for example, challenged groups to work together through interactive drills. “In the real world you have to not only pull your weight, but also rely on others to follow-through on the mission too,” said Hipps. “This was a good exercise that the youth will remember in the future when they find themselves on a team at work.”

BCFS’ Transitional Living Services prepare foster and at-risk youth for life on their own. While most young adults have parents or guardians to help them navigate the process of buying their first car or renting their first apartment, children in foster care generally do not have that kind of firm support system once they age out of state custody. BCFS helps fill this void.

State and Local Leaders Join BCFS for the Grand Opening of San Antonio's New Transition Center

BCFS’ innovative transition center is the first of its kind in Texas

State and local leaders today joined to together to celebrate the grand opening of San Antonio’s new transition center. The center, operated by local health and human services organization, BCFS, houses and partners with several government and community organizations to ensure comprehensive, yet non-duplicated, services for youth transitioning into life on their own. It is the first transition center statewide to expand its services beyond foster youth to include young adults returning to their communities from out-of-home placements such as the Texas Youth Commission (TYC).

“Youth returning home from juvenile justice placements without a strong network of support face many of the same challenges as foster youth: where will I live; how do I find a job; how will I make something of myself?” said Terri Hipps, BCFS Executive Director of Teen & Youth Services. “Transition centers help youth find the answers to these questions in a manner that is both efficient and easily accessible.

“Thanks to the support and shared vision of many, we are setting a new bar for transitional services not only in Texas, but throughout the nation.”

In 2000, BCFS, in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, established Texas’ first transition center in San Antonio to help youth aging out of the foster care system move successfully onto life on their own. Efforts to expand services to other at-risk youth facing similar life challenges came to fruition last year when TYC, Bexar County Juvenile Probation and BCFS partnered together and were awarded a $2.9 million grant through the U.S. Department of Labor. Only three other states received funds for this type of project, making San Antonio’s new transition center the first and only one of its kind statewide.

The San Antonio Transition Center will serve nearly 2,000 youth this year, offering a wide array of services that include:

Life skills training
Job placement
Conflict mitigation courses
Counseling for individuals and families
Parenting classes
Rehabilitation and community service programs for offenders
College and vocational school tuition vouchers
Mentoring
Use of a computer lab
Community violence prevention training
Case management; and more.

On hand to cut the ribbon today was Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Anne Heiligenstein; TYC Commissioner Cheryln Townsend; commissioner of the Texas Workforce Commission Ronald G. Congleton, and Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department Chief David Reilly.

“With the opening of this one-of-a-kind center and the partnership between BCFS, state agencies, the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department, and area non-profit organizations, we are giving our youth the opportunity to change their lives. Our foster and at-risk youth deserve the chance to create better lives for themselves,” said Sen. Van de Putte.

Pamela Sanchez, a former foster youth served by BCFS’ transition center for the past three years, also spoke about the need for one-stop-shops to access services. “For me, like many youth, having to run from one side of town to the other while juggling nontraditional work hours, a child and school would be impossible,” said Sanchez. “Having everything in one spot eliminates those barriers and makes it easier for me to stay on track and reach the goals I’ve set for myself and my son.”

McQuiston Joins BCFS as Regional Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

Eric L. McQuiston has joined BCFS as a Regional Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, responsible for

identifying alternate care facilities (ACFs) and preparing jurisdictions throughout the state to respond to a public

health emergency.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has contracted with BCFS to increase alternate care facility capacity by more than

20,000 beds across the state. ACFs can serve as a medical surge capacity for local hospitals, medical shelters, primary triage points,

designated community-focused care clinics, or points of distribution for medications or vaccinations during a public health emergency.

Building ACF capacity aims to prevent local healthcare systems from being overwhelmed with demand for services during disaster.

These facilities enhance State of Texas’ ability to respond to emergencies by pre-identifying sites before disaster strikes.

“BCFS has developed the largest alternate care capacity in the nation, allowing states and jurisdictions to quickly initiate safe,

reliable ACF operations when emergencies happen,” said Kari Tatro, Executive Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division.

“However, capacity remains underdeveloped in many cities.

“Unlike many states, Texas has keenly identified this unmet need and is ensuring better preparedness for our communities and

our citizens. BCFS is proud to be part of this effort.”

McQuiston served 20 years as a medic in the United States Air Force, managing and training rapid response teams. He has developed

evacuation courses and provided medical readiness training to more than 1,500 health officers. Additionally, McQuiston earned a

master’s in human resource development and has extensive experience developing and managing complex contracts.

BCFS’ nationally recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has

garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the U.S. The agency conducts trainings and serves as a

consultant to jurisdictions regarding various aspects of emergency management and response, including community capacity building,

medical shelter operations, and incident management. Most recently, FEMA contracted with BCFS to develop the national guidance

for integrating individuals requiring functional needs support services into general population shelters.

BCFS was tasked by the Texas Department of State Health Services during previous emergencies and disasters, including the Eagle

Pass tornado, hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Dolly, Gustav and Ike, the FLDS situation in San Angelo, and the outbreak of H1N1 Flu.

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please call 1-800-830-2246 or visit

www.bcfs.net/emergencyservices.

SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS JOURNAL: San Antonio’s BCFS extends relief reach

Nonprofit’s budget expected to soon reach $50 million

by W. Scott Bailey

Five years ago, BCFS, a nonprofit health and human services organization, had an operating budget of roughly $12 million. By next year, that budget is projected to be nearly triple that amount.

As the organization has grown in size and stature, it has expanded its role and its footprint. Originally constituted by the Baptist General Convention of as an orphanage for Mexican American children in the 1940s, BCFS — with the help of a system of nonprofits it controls — has since grown to become a nationally recognized leader in the areas of emergency services and medical sheltering.

BCFS has its headquarters in . When , its current president and CEO, came on board in the early 1990s, the agency had roughly 30 people on its payroll. Today, BCFS has a staff of more than 600 people. It has offices in a number of cities and in multiple states.

BCFS’ funding comes from a variety of sources, including governmental entities and private foundations — even from some oil and gas interests willed to the agency. The organization, with the help of the five nonprofits under its umbrella, provides an array of health and human services, including foster care and humanitarian aid. But it is BCFS’ work in crisis situations in the and on foreign soil that has captured the attention of government officials and others.

“When the board of directors asked me to be CEO in the early ’90s, we had the vision for creating a health and human services agency that was not necessarily bounded by the () city limits,” says BCFS President and CEO . “We developed a 10-year strategic plan. We began thinking of ourselves as what we wanted to be.

“This last year, we can document serving about 200,000 people with health and human services,” Dinnin adds. “Those are real numbers. We actually touched those lives somehow.”

BCFS says its 2010 operating budget is just over $30 million — and is expected to be $35 million for 2011. It’s projected operating budget for 2015 is $50 million.

Leading experts

How has BCFS expanded so dramatically its operations and its reach?

“One of the things that I believe we have done well is that we have attempted to put many legs under our stool,” Dinnin says. This diversification, he adds, “has allowed us to weather economic challenges, weather societal trends and meet more human needs.”

BCFS has especially excelled in the area of emergency services. Through a combination of BCFS staff and contracted personnel, the agency provides medical assistance and sheltering, as well as management and logistical support, in times of crisis.

“That area has really mushroomed,” Dinnin explains. He says that work is the result of BCFS “identifying unmet health and human services needs” in the wake of hurricanes Rita and Katrina, which ripped through parts of and the Gulf South.

BCFS was called in to help with some 1,700 special needs patients in the aftermath of those deadly hurricanes. Afterward, Dinnin says BCFS put together a team that wrote and copyrighted a medical special needs/sheltering manual.

“It has become one of the most comprehensive manuals in the country,” Dinnin says.

“Now,” he adds, “there is not a week that goes by when we don’t get a request from some city, state or health department seeking consultation in this area. We have become one of the leading experts in the country in sheltering people with medical special needs.”

BCFS has worked to station national emergency preparedness coordinators in strategic locations across the And it has provided international assistance, too.

BCFS stepped in to provide help after was shaken by a deadly earthquake in January. The agency assembled a team that helped stabilize a Haitian hospital overrun with patients. Dinnin, who was in , says the situation at Hopital Adventiste d’Haiti was “beyond description.”

He says the team nearly left. “I thought my team was in danger.”

But the team stayed. It staffed the emergency department at the hospital and implemented an instant command system, helping regain control of the facility.

“BCFS has clearly become the national leader in emergency management and sheltering of medical needs patients,” says Dr. David Marks, chief medical officer for the agency. “This is a complex task that few states or organizations know how to do well.”

Marks, who has made multiple trips to since the earthquake, adds that BCFS’ work in that nation is a “great example of how we essentially changed the care at a hospital and provided incident management.”

Remembering its roots

BCFS has not forgotten its roots. The agency is partnering with Baptist Health System to establish a new mobile medical screening program in the . That program will allow health care professionals to check individuals for a number of chronic illnesses, including diabetes and cardio-vascular disease.

BCFS is providing the mobile unit, a medical technician and a driver. Baptist is providing the medical director, the nurse staffing and follow-up consultation. The service will be provided free to the public. Dinnin says BCFS and Baptist hope to screen some 12,000 individuals during the first year of the program.

“They are an energetic source of help,” says Dr. , vice president of Mission & Ministry for Baptist Health System, about BCFS. “Their availability during crisis events has been incredibly important.”

And Dinnin, he adds, “is an inspiring leader.”

“In , we are seen as the Baptist Children’s Home on Highway 90,” says Dinnin, pointing to the place where it all began.

“We are still proud of that facility,” he adds. It is part of our heritage. But it is a very, very small part of who we are today and of what we are going to be.”

OUR HOUSE AND BCFS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRING TRANSITIONAL SERVICES TO AT-RISK YOUTH IN ABILENE

– Our House and BCFS have announced plans to work together to provide much needed transitional services to struggling young adults in . Together with Our House’s proven track record serving homeless youth in Abilene, and BCFS’ position as Texas’ leader in providing transitional living services to at-risk youth, the two agencies offer mutually beneficial services to young adults in need.

“Making the transition into adulthood is a big step for every young adult; but it can be an even tougher move for those who do not have a parent or guardian to look to for guidance and support,” said , BCFS Executive Director Teen and Youth Services. “That’s why we are excited to get the wheels turning on plans to establish ’s first transition center for at-risk youth. With the support of community members, I know we’re going to make a big difference in the lives of youth who are struggling to survive.”

BCFS has been provided $25,000 from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to plan ’s first . Transition centers offer case management, counseling, sheltering, and basic life skills training to local young adults. Additionally, centers serve as a fully comprehensive facility where at-risk and foster youth can receive information on healthcare, housing, the job market, education and finances. The goal of transitions centers is to prepare young adults to lead independent, lawful lives once they are out on their own.

“Our older foster youth desperately need a bridge to help them get from where they have been in life, to where they are going. This transition center can serve as that bridge, and we are hopeful that through this program they will get some of the tools they will need to retain their individuality and become productive, generous adults,” said Bit Whitaker, Regional Director for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Within 18 months of aging out of the state foster care system, 50 percent of foster youth become homeless. However, does not presently have the resources to support and serve this unique population. To fill this void, Our House is constructing a new youth homeless shelter in . At the request of Our House, BCFS will provide guidance on the project. Homeless youth could also benefit from services provided through transition centers.

“We are excited that BCFS will be working with Our House to establish the youth program. With their 66 years of experience working with and serving children, youth, and families, BCFS was highly recommended to the Our House board,” said Randy Perkins, Chairman of the Board for Our House. “Our new partnership will bring many new, sustainable and much needed services to and area youth.”

BCFS was the first to establish a rural transition program for youth aging out of the foster care system in the State of . Recognized as a trailblazer in this greatly needed field, has asked BCFS to serve as a consultant to developing rural transition programs. Today, BCFS operates multiple transition centers throughout the state and is a resource to every young adult moving out of the state system to life on their own.

For more information about BCFS, please visit www.bcfs.net.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: CERI Guides Change in Moldova

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: CERI Guides Change in Moldova

Two years ago, Dr. Jon Meyer took a leap of faith and packed his bags for an unprecedented assignment in the former Soviet block nation of Moldova. With a Ph. D. in Social Work and as senior advisor for BCFS’ overseas division, Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), he would serve as a consultant to the Moldovan government, developing guidelines for supervising the country’s first group of professional social workers.

What led you to this project?

Years ago when I was in school, I attended a worship service where I committed my life to serving God as a foreign missionary. At the time, I thought I would go the traditional route by attending seminary and applying to some type of missions organization. Turns out, God had a different plan.

I guess I’ve always been an adventurous person. When this opportunity came about, the timing seemed to be right for me on a personal level and CERI was open to it, so I jumped in. We had a plan of what I would do in Moldova, but we also recognized that we were taking on uncharted territory working with a foreign, communist government. It was a total faith thing.

What did you set out to accomplish?

My role as a consultant to the Moldovan Ministry of Social Protection was to develop a model for supervising social workers throughout the country. This was a unique project because the profession of social work in Moldova is still in its infancy. I learned about the entrenched poverty of Moldavians as well as the difficult work environment for social workers by visiting numerous villages across the country.

I also got to make home visits to assess families as part of the government’s effort to decrease the number of children living in orphanages. I also did a lot of work with CERI’s national staff, developing standards based on U.S. models that will make our work with young adults transitioning out of orphanages and into life on their own more effective.

Were you successful in your mission?

Yes, in that I think my work laid a good foundation for social work supervision upon which the country can build. At the end of my project, I produced a comprehensive model that guides the supervision of social workers at the regional and village levels. Bringing about change in Moldova at a national level was difficult though due to a number of political and cultural barriers. Many of those barriers stemmed from the government’s communist mindset. Therefore, I think my model would be most effective implemented at the local level as a step-by-step, how-to guide. There are many children in Moldova living in troubled environments, so I pray this model will ultimately help give social workers the hands-on guidance they need to effectively address many social problems impacting children and families.

What did you find to be the biggest challenge during your assignment?

Without a doubt, communication was really challenging. Luckily, CERI helped me by providing a translator. This wasn’t a real silver bullet though, especially when we were trying to talk about industry-specific issues. Because the translators were not familiar with social work, there were some points that didn’t get delivered with their full impact. Purchasing food at a local grocery store was at times tough too; especially when products didn’t have pictures to show what they were. Fortunately, like I said before, I’m adventurous.

Did the various barriers prevent you from feeling settled in Moldova?

Not really. Our CERI national staff did a fantastic job finding me an ideal apartment to live in, close to everything I needed in downtown Chisinau.
I also found a spiritual home through helping out at a rural Baptist church in Calarasi, and establishing a new church in the city. I grew very close
to the pastor of the Chisinau church and spent every Sunday with him and his family. It was a real blessing.

Any final thoughts?

The two years I spent in Moldova were unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I had my share of challenges, but at the end of the day, I am hopeful that my work will help the country’s first professional social workers provide safe, quality services for the thousands of children who need their help. The whole experience was a blessing.

Since returning home to the United States, Dr. Meyer has accepted the role as an evaluator for BCFS’ Community-Based Services Division. He is presently working on evaluation and research projects aimed at abstinence and teen pregnancy prevention.

BCFS Names Duguay Program Director of International Children's Services - Extended Care

BCFS Names Duguay Program Director
of International Children's Services - Extended Care

- BCFS' Children's
Emergency Relief
International

- International
Sponsorships

BCFS has selected Kelly Duguay to serve as a program director within the agency’s International Children’s Services program. In this role, Duguay will be responsible for directing the Extended Care program, which provides long-term residential services for children awaiting emancipation or foster care placement. BCFS’ ICS Extended Care program is the first of its kind in the nation.

“Kelly has extensive experience working with at-risk youth and families, and brings a tremendous amount of energy and passion to serving the children in our care,” said Asennet Segura, BCFS Executive Director of Residential Programs. “We’re excited to have her as part of our BCFS team.”

Most recently, Duguay was a program manger with the Hector Garza Residential Treatment Center, overseeing the delivery of care for youth placed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Texas Youth Commission, and other juvenile probation departments including Travis, Hidalgo, Tarrant, and Bexar counties. She earned her bachelor’s from California State University Fullerton.

BCFS International Children’s Services is a program of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program provides shelter and care to unaccompanied children from foreign countries while the federal government determines the appropriate next steps toward reconnecting youth with their families.

Thousands of children migrate to the United States each year; many fleeing war, violence, abuse or natural disaster, while others come to reunite with family members already here or to seek better lives for themselves. Nearly 35 percent of children are returned home to their native country, while a small percentage of others are found to have escaped from dangerous environments and are therefore granted sponsorship to stay with family members who legally live in the United States.

BCFS provides shelter, counseling, case management and educational support to children placed in the agency’s residential facilities throughout Texas and California. The campuses house boys and girls, many who are from Central and South American countries. BCFS offers English and other basic education courses as well as vocational training in areas such as minor construction, mechanics and food service to help children learn a trade so they may earn a living if returned to their native country.

In February 2008, the Women’s Refugee Commission conducted a landmark study of International Children’s Residential Programs throughout the United States and lauded BCFS’ program for its caring and humane practices.

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS: Family has kept ties to old orphanage

Family has kept ties to old orphanage
By Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje- Express-News

- Learn more about
Adoption
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adopt?

When Gloria Padilla was 4, her mother died and her father decided he could not care for her and her two young sisters.

A woman named Nannie Tynes Bailey learned of their plight and took the three little girls into her home, an arrangement that lasted about a year. But she knew they needed a more permanent home than she could afford.

The year was 1944. Bailey looked around for an orphanage for the girls, but in that segregated era there were no homes for Hispanic children.

So with the help of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, she and others helped form the Mexican Baptist Orphans Home of Texas, the first Hispanic children’s home in San Antonio. Its first residents were Padilla and her sisters.

Flash forward decades: Padilla’s daughter Belinda Peréz and her husband, Robert, had decided to adopt children, after being unable to conceive. When it came time to settle on which agency they would adopt through, the choice was easy: They picked the place where Padilla had grown up, the orphanage that has since grown into a multimillion-dollar international health and human services organization that goes by the name of Baptist Child and Family Services.

“We didn’t think of anyplace else,” said Belinda Peréz, a speech pathologist. “We just wanted that connection with my mom. I grew up going to the orphanage, visiting with the children there, because my mother wanted us to know where she came from.”

On a recent evening, Padilla, her daughter and son-in-law sat reminiscing around the dining room table at the Perézes’ home.

The living room is scattered with toys. Flittering in and out are the couple’s adopted children, Kristen, 4, and Luke, 3, two rambunctious siblings who share their adoptive parents’ Hispanic heritage.

Padilla has to be gently prodded into telling her story. She said she’s gotten more reserved as she’s grown older and that she doesn’t want to be referred to as an orphan in the newspaper. She’s a woman with a lot of pride who went on to teach in San Antonio schools for more than 30 years, touching countless children.

She said growing up in the children’s home was a wonderful experience.

“It was real homey,” Padilla said. “When I lived there, it was made up of only two cottages for children, and we had a lot of good times. They bused us to school and to church.”

In ninth grade, Padilla decided to move back in with her father and a stepmother. She graduated from Lanier High School and attended Mary Hardin-Baylor College in Belton.

It was there that she met her future husband, David Padilla, who would pick up the college women on campus and take them to church. The couple married, and after a time Belinda came along. Twelve ears later they would have a son.

Padilla said she was floored when she learned that Belinda and Robert Peréz would use her old home as the resource to find their children. But then, it made perfect sense.

Belinda Peréz said the seed was planted to foster or adopt kids after she met a little boy at one of her schools who told her he lived in a foster home. The two bonded, and Belinda Peréz became convinced: Fostering or adopting was the way to go.

They wanted a child or children between 2 and 5 years old, something unusual in the adoption world.

“Everybody wants a baby,” said Teresa Berkley, program director of adoption services for BCFS.

When Luke and Kristen, removed from their home by the state, became available, it was love at first sight.

“Luke sat on my lap and brought his toys to me,” Robert Peréz said. “Kristen was sitting in my lap, feeding me cake.”

There was no fear or hesitation on the part of the kids, Belinda Peréz said. On weekend preparatory visits, they took to the new environment right away.

They came home for good a year ago.

“There had been a void in our lives, in our hearts,” Robert Peréz said. “Now we have noise, we have love. Our family is complete.”

And the Padillas get to play the best role of all: doting grandparents, a role with roots that go back to 1944 and new hope for a little girl.

As published in the San Antonio Express-News. April 26, 2010.

BCFS Names Anderson Director of Corporate Branding

BCFS Names Anderson
Director of Corporate Branding

BCFS today announced the selection of Ron Anderson to be the agency’s Director of Corporate Branding. During the past 66 years, BCFS has seen unprecedented growth in the U.S. as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. As director of corporate branding, Anderson will be responsible for developing the image of BCFS worldwide, ensuring consistent and powerful branding for the agency’s diverse portfolio of programs.

“Ron is not only a talented graphic designer, but he also has the ability to communicate the big picture of BCFS in a way that is both creative and cohesive,” said BCFS Vice President of Communications Krista Piferrer. “Without a doubt, Ron will continue to be a valuable asset to our external affairs team as BCFS grows further here in the U.S. as well as around the world.”

Anderson has worked for BCFS for more than 4 years, most recently serving as marketing manager. He will continue to lead design and production efforts for external and internal BCFS publications, including the agency’s annual magazine; development pieces; exposition materials and more. Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications with an emphasis in Media Studies from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.

For more information about BCFS’ work around the world, please visit www.bcfs.net.

One Family, Many Generations of BCFS

One Family, Many Generations of BCFS
By: Krista Piferrer

In 1944, BCFS was founded with the mission to care for orphaned children seeking refuge in San Antonio. Three bright-eyed little girls – ages 5, 6 and 7 – were the first to call BCFS their home.Sixty-six years later, BCFS has evolved from a small children’s home to a global health and human services organization, serving thousands of struggling children and communities each year. Like the organization, so too have the families of the organization’s first beneficiaries grown by leaps and bounds.

This month, the youngest of the original three orphaned girls, Gloria Hernandez Padilla, was blessed by BCFS once more. Thanks to BCFS’ adoption program, Padilla welcomed home the newest generation of her family.

It’s in the Family

Padilla’s daughter, Belinda Perez, was no stranger to the idea of foster care and adoption. Her mother’s passion for caring for children without a home had always been part of her life.

“My brother and I grew up going to visit the children living at the BCFS campus,” said Mrs. Perez. “My mom spent 31 years teaching in San Antonio Independent School District and serving at Calvary Mexican Baptist Church, encouraging everyone she came in contact with to go out to the campus and love on the children living there.”

Yet it wasn’t until last year that Belinda truly started thinking about building her own family through adoption. One day, she said, it was so clear, as though God was sending her a message to open her heart and home to a child in need.

After meeting with Child Protective Services, it didn’t take long for Mrs. Perez and her husband, Robert, to look to the organization that had already made such an impact on their family, BCFS, for help. In the months to follow, BCFS walked hand-in-hand with the Perez family, helping them navigate the foster care and adoption process.

A New BCFS Generation

On March 18, 2010, Robert and Belinda Perez finalized their adoption of four-year old Kristen and three-year old Luke. At the courthouse, Padilla and a dozen other family members and friends beamed with joy as mom and dad raised their right hands and swore to always love and care for their new son and daughter. As soon as the judge closed their case, hugs and kisses were given all around.

“You can just feel the love Belinda and Robert have for the children,” said BCFS Director of Adoptions Teresa Berkley. “And without a doubt, the feeling is mutual!”

Kristen lit up with a smile, “Mommy says we’re going to stay now forever!”

Wrapping her arms around her new grandson and granddaughter, Padilla welt up with tears. “We are part of the generations of BCFS, and BCFS is now part of the generations of my family,” she said.

BCFS Names Espiricueta Associate Executive Director of International Children’s Services in California

BCFS Names Espiricueta
Associate Executive Director of International Children’s Services in California

BCFS has selected Ismael Espiricueta to serve as Associate Executive Director of the agency’s International Children’s Services program in California. Espiricueta joins BCFS with extensive experience working in residential settings with at-risk youth.

“With his passion for service and ambition to reach children in need, there’s no doubt that Ismael will be a strong addition to our BCFS team,” said Asennet Segura, BCFS Executive Director of Residential Programs.

Most recently, Espiricueta was the executive director for Warrenville Youth & Family Services in Illinois, where he oversaw services that included mental health counseling, case management, mentoring, and other leadership development initiatives. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin, and is presently pursuing his doctorate in leadership and organizational psychology.

BCFS provides shelter, counseling, case management and educational support to children placed in the agency’s residential facilities throughout Texas and California. The campuses house mainly boys, many who are from Central and South American countries. BCFS offers English and other basic education courses as well as vocational training in areas such as minor construction, mechanics and food service to help children learn a trade so they may earn a living if returned to their native country.

Guerra Joins BCFS as Associate Executive Director of Emergency Services

Guerra Joins BCFS as
Associate Executive Director of Emergency Services

BCFS has selected Mario A. Guerra to serve as Associate Executive Director for the Emergency Services Division.

“As BCFS continues to grow its services throughout the U.S., we rely on the expertise of our highly qualified staff to provide emergency preparedness and response consultation for local jurisdictions,” said Kari Tatro, Executive Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division. “Mario’s background and experience in command-level emergency response with the San Antonio Fire Department will further strengthen our team as we work to meet critical unmet needs during disasters.”

Guerra worked alongside BCFS in the roles of incident commander and medical and air operations branch director during hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. He comes to BCFS with more than 34 years of experience with the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD), where he served 15 years as Assistant Fire Chief and EMS Commander. He has extensive experience in writing administrative and operational directives, policies and protocols. During his career with the SAFD, Guerra developed, gained support and implemented the addition of 11 full-time EMS units, along with 132 corresponding paramedic positions and four EMS Officer positions.

He has received numerous awards for his work, including Paramedic of the Year from the San Antonio Jaycees, Citation of Honor awarded by the B’nai B’rith Commission, Citation of Honor and Appreciation from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Outstanding Field Paramedic selected by the EMS Committee Local 624.

Guerra holds an Associate of Applied Science degree from San Antonio College and a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree from Southwest Texas State University. He is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program, National Fire Academy, earned Master Structural Firefighter Certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and is a Licensed Paramedic by the State of Texas.

BCFS’ nationally-recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the U.S. The agency conducts training and serves as a consultant to jurisdictions throughout the nation regarding shelter operations, emergency preparedness and community capacity building. Most recently, FEMA contracted with BCFS to develop the national guidance for sheltering individuals requiring functional needs support services. The agency is also currently leading relief and recovery efforts in Haiti following the January earthquake.

BCFS was tasked by the Texas Department of State Health Services during previous emergencies and disasters, including the Eagle Pass tornado, hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Dolly, Gustav and Ike, the FLDS situation in San Angelo, and the outbreak of H1N1 Flu.

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please call 1-800-830-2246 or visit www.bcfs.net/emergencyservices.

BCFS Appoints Dr. David Marks Chief Medical Officer

BCFS Appoints Dr. David Marks
Chief Medical Officer

BCFS today announced the appointment of San Antonio critical care physician, Dr. David Marks, as chief medical officer. In this role, Marks will direct BCFS’ care of thousands participating in programs throughout the U.S. as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa.

“David has proven himself to not only be a superb physician, but to also be fully dedicated to the mission of caring for those who are struggling,” said BCFS President/CEO Kevin C. Dinnin. “We are pleased to have him as part of our team that brings relief to individuals and communities facing crisis around the world.”

Marks has worked with the agency for more than 3 years, providing medical care and oversight during several emergencies including the recent earthquake in Haiti, during which the BCFS IMT was asked to provide incident command of a local hospital. He has also travelled with BCFS to Eastern Europe, Africa, and Mexico, rendering critical medical care to children and villagers living in desolate conditions. In addition to overseeing medical efforts for BCFS’ international and emergency response programs, Marks will also direct the care of those in the agency’s residential youth program, emergency sheltering for abused and neglected children, mental health programs, and pre-natal and post-partum health services.

“I am honored to be part of a team that never waivers in answering the call for help,” said Marks.

Marks will deploy to Haiti with BCFS for a second time beginning March 26. At the request of Hospital Adventist in Haiti, BCFS will support medical rotations and fulfill other unmet needs. The agency is also working with a number of Texas universities, hospitals, and human service organizations to coordinate long-term recovery efforts in the country.

For more information about BCFS’ work in Haiti or to volunteer as a medical professional on a future mission trip, please click here.

KSAT 12: Coffee Shop Provides Extra Boost

Coffee Shop Provides Extra Boost
Guadalupe Street Coffee Helps Community
Reported by Eileen Gonzales, KSAT 12 News Reporter

Check out the video: http://www.ksat.com/video/22879296/index.html

SAN ANTONIO -- In the heart of San Antonio's West side, you won't find a Starbucks for miles, but Guadalupe Street Coffee is more than filling the void.

Along with designer coffee drinks at affordable prices, it provides valuable services to the community.

Opened in 2006 by the nonprofit group Baptist Child & Family Services, the shop is an oasis for many in the area. BCFS studies showed only 3 percent of homes on the Westside have computers, so they provide free access.

Krista Piferrer, a BCFS spokeswoman said, "Students can come in after school, do their homework, do research on the computers, all for free."

On a Thursday afternoon during spring break, every computer was being used by area youth.

During the week, college readiness classes and parenting classes are held at the shop. Art shows are also held to help promote local artists.

Violet Ramon, a customer, said, "I think what they're doing is pretty awesome."

The coffee house recently began employing teens through the juvenile justice program so they can get work experience, as well as build a resume.

As for the baristas, they don't just serve coffee, they also work as mentors for local students and help put together resumes.

Program Director Catarina Velasquez said, "We have people come in daily looking for that kind of assistance."

In an area that's economically challenged, the profits are slim, but the payoff to the community is priceless.

Donations to the shop are always welcome. For information on how to volunteer or make a donation, contact 210-212-6508.

BCFS’ GUADLAUPE STREET COFFEE LAUNCHES “OPERATION JAVA”

By Haley Smith

– BCFS today launched Operation JAVA (Juveniles Advancing through Vocational Attainment), a one-of-a-kind program that provides at-risk teens with innovative on-the-job training opportunities that aim to deter juvenile crime. The program will be run out of BCFS’ staple coffee house, Guadalupe Street Coffee, and is in partnership with BCFS’ juvenile justice program and supported by the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department.

“It is so important that we provide kids, especially troubled kids, with meaningful options so they have good choices available to them. Combining the skills learned at the coffee house with one-on-one mentors is another example of the innovative, on-the-ground interventions that make BCFS such a valuable partner for our agency,” said David Reilly, Bexar County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer. “It is programs like this that make a difference not only in a young person’s life, but in the community as well. And when that happens, it’s a win-win for everyone.”

Operation JAVA teaches youth hands-on lessons in business operations, such as running inventory, learning customer service and basic accounting through jobs at the coffee house. The program also provides professional development trainings such as resume writing, perfecting interview skills and personal money management in order to prepare youth for the real world.

“Youth who have gotten into trouble with the law are often written off before they are given the chance to prove themselves,” said , BCFS Executive Director of Community Based Services. “BCFS’ Operation JAVA will not only offer teens the opportunity to build a practical skill set, but they’ll also develop long-term mentoring relationships that will keep them on-track and out of trouble as they enter the real world.”

West Side middle school students who hang out at the coffee house will also benefit from building relationships with students who have “been there and done that,” learning about the consequences of negative decision making.

Guadalupe Street Coffee is a community development project operated by BCFS’ Inner-City program. Located in the heart of San Antonio’s West Side – where less than 3% of homes have a computer – the coffee shop provides college readiness and cultural arts programs for local youth that are aimed at increasing school retention and enhancing student’s likelihood of graduation.

BCFS has more than 10 years experience and a proven track record in navigating juveniles away from lives of crime and toward the path of becoming law-abiding adults. To find out more about BCFS’ programs for at-risk youth across the world, go to www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS is a health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . The organization is a national leader in medical special needs sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, residential services for emotionally disturbed children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

BVT Throws "A Night to Remember"

By Haley Smith

– Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) faith-based residential community, Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), celebrated “A Night to Remember” at the KE Bushman’s with over 800 of its closest friends. Raising to date more than $46,000 for the special campus for developmentally disabled adults, additional donations continue coming in daily.

“We are so grateful to the community for their support of what we do and who we serve,” said , BVT Director of Development. “It felt like all of was out with us in rolled up jeans, poodle skirts and saddle shoes, helping us raise money to ensure our residents are able to continue calling BVT home.”

Guests were sent back in time, experiencing the sights, sounds and music of the 50s and 60s. The gala featured the local talent of TJC’s Harmony & Understanding, the Kilgore Rangerettes, Dale Cummings as “The C,” Class Reunion Men’s Quartet, One Heart Ladies Trio, the young men’s quartet from All Saints Episcopal School and James Wages as “Sincerely Elvis.” Several actors and actresses from local acting troupes and BVT’s own special residents shared center stage too.

The event was made possible by the support of Ed King of Chick-Fil-A, Pierre de Wet of Kiepersol Estates, Brookshire Grocery Company and CSM Inc.

For more information on Breckenridge Village of Tyler, please visit www.bcfs.net/bvt.

###

BVT is a faith-based residential community offering a variety of services to meet the unique needs of adults with mild to moderate cognitive/developmental disorders. BVT programs are thoughtfully designed to help residents achieve and maintain developmentally appropriate skills which enable them to function successfully in family and group living, and community settings. The agency is dedicated to empowering each resident as he or she develops spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially in a safe, loving and closely supervised environment.

A Perfect Fit Right from the Start

By: Haley Smith

When Jackie Grayson and Dale first met in 2002, she was working as an assistant to the executive director at Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) residential campus in .

At the time, Dale was a traumatized 10-year old boy. After being removed from an alcoholic mother and placed into BCFS’ extended care program, Dale’s life was turned upside-down between stints in foster care homes and temporary housing. As a result, Dale struggled with finding a sense of security and trust.

Jackie and her husband, Bill, were already licensed to foster and when it came time for Dale to be placed back into foster care, BCFS’ Director of Residential Services, , knew that God wanted him in the Grayson’s home.

“It was always in our hearts to foster teenage boys since we already had two biological sons of our own; though we were not planning to go the adoption route at the time,” said Mrs. Grayson, BCFS’ Residential & Medicaid Billing Manager.

Yet, like life often does, the Graysons were thrown a curve ball the first time Dale came for an overnight visit at their home.

“It was so natural the moment he stepped into our house; it was as if he had always been there. He hit it off with our boys almost immediately,” Mrs. Grayson said. “Before we even legally adopted him, he was already calling us mom and dad.”

Today, Dale is a strapping 18 year old Private First Class in the Army in .

“My decision to go into the military came from a desire to give back to a government that I feel has already given so much to me,” Dale said.

Dale has not only been giving back in military service, but in a mentoring role within BCFS. He recently returned to the agency’s residential campus to speak with some of the children and youth who are facing the same challenges and uncertainty he once struggled with.

“I wanted to remind them that God has not forsaken them, and he still has a plan for their lives, just as it was God’s plan for me to be part of the Grayson’s family,” said Dale.

“Often times, these kids assume that no one understands what they’re going through and where they’ve been. As they listened to Dale’s story, he was able to encourage them from experience to make the most of the life they’ve been given,” said Mike Denning, BCFS Counselor.

“There’s no greater reward as a parent to see a child grow up to be a faithful man,” said Mrs. Grayson. “Fostering and adopting Dale was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”

To find out more about BCFS’ foster and adoption services, please visit www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS is a health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . The organization is a national leader in medical special needs sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

Walking in their Shoes: Julie Parra

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

By: Haley Smith

Julie Parra could have given up on her dreams at a young age. She could have cursed the hand she was dealt and turned her back on the world. But Julie Parra has a light inside her.

Julie was removed from her home at the age of 15 along with three siblings when physical abuse and neglect was discovered. She spent three months in 1999 at Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) residential campus before being placed in foster care. Yet, despite her tragic circumstances, Parra went on to graduate from and today is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology with hopes to make a difference in the lives of other struggling children and families.

Parra has already gotten a head start on her life’s passion. She returned to BCFS in 2007 as a direct care worker, where she supervises and counsels children at BCFS’ residential campus who struggle with the same feelings of anxiety, loneliness and sadness she once faced.

“Many children say ‘you just don’t understand what it’s like to be in a shelter or foster care,’ but then they talk to Julie and understand that they too have control over what happens to them,” said Mike Denning, BCFS Counselor.

Parra spends her time cooking for the children and teaching youth how to make home-cooked meals. She also leads group discussions, applying a biblical perspective as issues arise.

“I always tell the kids that you can’t change where you’ve been, but you can change where you’re going,” said Parra.

“Julie has had to overcome tremendous challenges in her life and is now giving back to the community by helping numerous children and adults face obstacles in their lives,” said Denning. “The thing that makes her so effective in her role is the fact that she has walked in their shoes and come out the other side with hope and a life that makes a difference.”

To find out more about BCFS’ residential services, please visit www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS is a health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . The organization is a national leader in medical sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

BCFS NAMES KING ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

By Haley Smith

– BCFS recently tapped to serve as Associate Executive Director of its Residential Services Division, responsible for overseeing the agency’s 106 acre residential campus in .

“Kevin has a gift for identifying needs and resources for youth that have lasting and life changing impact,” said , BCFS Executive Director of Residential Services. “With his passion for service and ambition to reach children in need, there’s no doubt that he will be a strong addition to my executive management team, leading BCFS’ residential program toward more good work and growth in the future.”

King will celebrate five years with BCFS in 2010. Most recently, he was the senior program director for the agency’s International Children’s Services program, where he played a key role in expanding the program nationally.

Previously, King served as outreach coordinator for a teen emergency shelter through The Bridge Association in . He was also program director for the children’s residential center through .

King earned a master’s degree in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from .

For more information about BCFS’ residential services, please visit www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS is a health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . The organization is a national leader in medical special needs sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

Following the Crowd in the Wrong Direction

By: Haley Smith

As seven teenage boys filed out of the van into the parking lot of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) lockup in Giddings, TX, they saw just where “following the crowd” would take them if they continued down a path of crime.

Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) Juvenile Justice Program is designed to ensure that a life of uniforms and cinder block cells doesn’t become a reality for these young men.

“One aspect of our program is to get these kids outside their neighborhoods, showing them not only where they will end up if they continue on their current path, but we take them to college campuses, allowing them to see the possibility of a bright future if they stay in school and out of trouble,” said , BCFS case manager supervisor.

The young men on the trip, all facing charges of theft, substance abuse, possession, assault or truancy, are getting their lives back on track with the help of BCFS.

Treyvon Barnes, who went on the trip, is one of those cases. After being arrested for bodily assault and possession in 2008, Barnes was sentenced to participate in BCFS’ program as part of his probation. With the agency’s help, he completed his probation this month and has completely turned his life around.

Today, Barnes plays the drums in his high school band and is on the basketball team. His future looks bright with plans for college. In addition, he speaks openly about the tough trials that come with making bad choices, encouraging his siblings and peers not to make the same mistakes he did.

“It’s really hard to climb your way out once you fall in a hole with school and the law,” said Barnes. “After visiting my cousin who ended up at TYC for gang-related activity, I knew I had to make a drastic change.”

Barnes knows that following the wrong crowd is what got him in trouble in the first place, and thanks to BCFS, he has been given a fresh start as he starts off the year right in 2010.

For more information about BCFS’ Juvenile Justice Program or to find out how to help troubled teens, visit www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS is a health and human services organization with locations and programs in the United States as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . The organization is a national leader in medical special needs sheltering and provides critical emergency support services to state and local governments during disasters. BCFS also provides residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

A Decade of Delivering Hope

By Haley Smith

Each winter for the past decade, volunteers from across the country have spent their Christmas vacations in Eastern Europe with Houston-based Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), the overseas division of Baptist Child & Family Services (BCFS), distributing snow boots, thick socks, hats and scarves to orphans. The warm wear protects against painful frostbite that is common during the harsh winter months.

This year, volunteers from , , and delivered the winter-wear to nearly 3,000 residents living in government-run orphanages and homes for the physically and developmentally disabled in the country of Transniestria.

In addition to meeting the physical needs of the country’s children and destitute, CERI uses the trip to bring hope to an often-forgotten and sometimes mistreated population. At each facility, volunteers take turns sharing the gospel to residents.

At one particular orphanage with more than 200 children of all ages, a CERI volunteer and student from Mary-Hardin Baylor shared her personal testimony. She spoke of a father she never knew who left her mother before she was born, and the questioning and grief she carried as a child because of it.

“There was not a dry eye in the place as she described the hope and love she found when she was introduced to her heavenly father who gives her endless love and heals her every hurt,” said CERI Project Director . “Often children in these orphanages wonder how Americans can relate to what they have experienced, but each year we witness how God transcends cultural and geographical barriers in unique ways.”

Shoe missions to Transniestria and began in 1999 when a mission team from noticed widespread frostbite on the feet of orphans throughout the country. Since then, CERI has provided more than 83,000 new winter boots and socks to protect the region’s most vulnerable. Today, every orphan in and Transniestria has received a new pair of boots thanks to CERI and its faithful supporters.

“For children who are told how to spend every moment of every day, being able to have something of their very own means the world to them,” said Leslie Mitchell, BCFS Senior Program Director of Residential Services and CERI volunteer. “We made sure each child got the opportunity to pick out their own boots, socks, hat and scarf.”

CERI relies on the help of volunteers and generous contributors not only to protect these children from illness, but to also secure a future for them as they are released into the world at the young age of 15. To make a difference in the life of a child or young adult in , please become a sponsor by visiting www.CERIKids.org.

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Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) is the overseas division of BCFS, a faith-based health and human services organization with locations and programs throughout as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . CERI provides community development, medical attention and spiritual guidance to struggling regions, cares for children who have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, teaches youth aging out of orphanages how to make it on their own and avoid becoming victims of human trafficking, and helps orphaned children find safe, loving homes.

GRIMM JOINS BCFS AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COORDINATOR

BCFS named Dee Grimm, RN, JD, as National Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Western Region, providing training, consulting and coordination of response efforts for jurisdictions throughout the region. The agency will have National Emergency Preparedness Coordinators based strategically throughout the .

“BCFS has built the largest Alternate Care Facility capacity in the nation to ensure jurisdictions have adequate plans in place to rapidly respond to increased demand for medical services both at medical facilities as well as in sheltering events during emergencies,” said Kari Tatro, executive director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division. “As we continue to grow our services throughout the , our highly qualified National Emergency Preparedness Coordinators will serve as a local resource for governments looking to bolster their preparedness and response efforts.”

Grimm has served on BCFS’ Incident Management Team since the 2008 hurricane season, when the agency responded to hurricanes Dolly, Gustav and Ike. She has held many positions, including CEO of Emergency Management Professionals, Project Manager for the Nevada Mass Fatality Preparedness Initiative, and Western Regional Director of Pets America. Previously, Grimm worked as the Program Manager for the Nevada Statewide Evacuation, Mass Care and Sheltering Initiative.

BCFS’ nationally-recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the The agency conducts trainings and serves as a consultant to jurisdictions throughout the nation regarding shelter operations, emergency preparedness and community capacity building. Most recently, FEMA contracted with BCFS to develop the national guidance for sheltering individuals requiring functional needs support services.

BCFS has been tasked by DSHS during previous emergencies and disasters, including the tornado, hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Dolly, Gustav and Ike, and the FLDS situation in .

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please call 1-800-830-2246 or visit www.bcfs.net/emergencyservices.

CERI NAMES NATIONAL DIRECTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA MEMORY BOX PROJECT

By Haley Smith

BCFS News & Information

– Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), the overseas division of BCFS, has tapped Natasha Parkins Maliko to serve as National Director responsible for overseeing the organization’s Memory Box Project and other initiatives in .

“Natasha’s professional experiences and passion for South African culture makes her the perfect candidate to manage CERI’s ongoing projects that serve families affected by the AIDS crisis and suffering from abject poverty in Africa,” said Dr. Dearing Garner, CERI Executive Director.

Maliko joins CERI with extensive experience in non-profit project management, administration, budgeting and new business planning. Most recently, Maliko served at the Deputy Director of Operations for Engender Health Inc, coordinating day to day supervision of the operations team, ensuring compliance with donor requirements, monitoring grant funding and budgets, and overseeing development and timely submission of financial reports. Previously, Maliko served as the Operations Manager for Family Health International, Program Officer for Wits Palliative Care, and was the Senior Manager of Human Rights for the Association of Persons with Disabilities and the Deaf.

Maliko is currently studying for her MBA at the Management College of South Africa and for an advanced diploma in South African Sign Language from the University of the . She currently has a MA in Psycholinguistics from the University of the and a degree in South African Sign Language from the . She is proficient in English, Afrikaans, and South African Sign Language.

Among other initiatives, she will oversee the operations of CERI’s Memory Box Project, which works with dying parents in South Africa and their children to preserve memories—both intangibly, in the form of oral history and family stories, and tangibly, in the form of objects, written stories, photographs and letters —that can be placed inside a “Memory Box” before it’s too late. CERI counselors work with orphans in who have lost parents or caregivers to AIDS in efforts to build resilience and nurture a sense of identity.

The Memory Box Project is accomplished in partnership with the Sinomlando Centre for Oral History and Memory Work, an organization based in that specializes in training caregivers to provide the psychosocial support needed to support the children living in the wake of the AIDS crisis.

For more information about CERI’s work in , please visit www.CERIKids.org.

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Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) is the overseas division of BCFS, a faith-based health and human services organization with locations and programs in the as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . CERI provides community development, medical attention and spiritual guidance to struggling regions, cares for children who have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, teaches youth aging out of orphanages how to make it on their own and avoid becoming victims of human trafficking, and helps orphaned children find safe, loving homes.

BVT Residents Teach UT Tyler Nursing Students

BRECKENRIDGE OF RESIDENTS TEACH NURSING STUDENTS

By Haley Smith

BCFS News & Information

– For the past three years, residents from BCFS’ faith-based residential community, Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), have served as subject matter experts for nearly 100 nursing students each semester at the of at . Speaking to students during their Community Nursing course, the developmentally disabled adults who call BVT their home provide students with an accurate perspective of the daily workings of their special community.

“Our residents love speaking to the nursing students, and BVT staff always receive rave reviews from the nursing faculty about the value this experience provides for their students,” said Charles Dodson, Executive Director of BVT.

Three residents shared how BVT had improved their quality of life, while discussing the challenges they face as developmentally disabled adults.

A parent of one of BVT’s residents also spoke to the class, giving the group an idea of the care these special individuals need and how BVT meets those needs.

“Parents discuss how BVT becomes their life line, especially as their special needs children begin the aging process,” said , BVT’s Registered Nurse.

In addition to the educational presentation, BVT provides a mentoring program for 50 UT Tyler nursing students each semester. This experience provides students a day of practicum observation and the opportunity to interact with residents on the BVT campus. BVT staff and residents, led by Matthews, have the opportunity to teach nursing students firsthand about persons with developmental disabilities.

“Having BVT residents come to our campus is the highlight of our semester. Students are able to recognize a perfect example of wellness in the residents as a result of quality care, which is exactly what we’re trying to teach them in this course,” said Nancy Ballard, UT Tyler Clinical Instructor and Co-Coordinator for Community Health Nursing.

For more information on Breckenridge Village of Tyler, please visit www.bcfs.net.

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BCFS is a faith-based health and human services organization with locations and programs in the as well as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and . Programs managed or offered through BCFS include residential services and emergency shelters for abused or neglected children, residential services for emotionally disturbed children, assisted living services and vocational training for special needs adults, mental health services for children and families, foster care and adoption services, pre-natal and post-partum health services, emergency care for special needs victims of disasters, and international humanitarian aid for children living in impoverished conditions in developing countries.

BVT Celebrates 4th Annual Christmas in the Village

OF CELEBRATES

4TH ANNUAL “CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE”

By Haley Smith

BCFS News & Information

TYLER – BCFS’ faith-based residential community ministry, Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), was recently joined by more than 1,200 of its closest friends to celebrate its 4th annual “Christmas in the Village.” The campus for mentally disabled adults was transformed into a Christmas wonderland for the event, turning its chapel into a colorful shopping bizarre, featuring items handcrafted by residents and friends of the Village. Entertainment included live music from the band, dance performances from Candy Crocker Dance Studio, a petting zoo, and an opportunity for children to have their pictures taken with Santa.

“Christmas in the Village is a great opportunity for our residents to showcase their talents through art and music, all the while giving back to the community and giving our neighbors a better understanding of the special individuals we serve at BVT,” said , BVT Director of Development. “Our residents are so proud to invite friends and family into their home.”

Throughout the event, BVT residents took part in selling t-shirts, hand-knitted winter hats, framed drawings decorated with their artwork, homemade goodies, candles, Christmas décor and more. Many residents also showcased their talents on stage, singing Christmas carols along to the melodies of their guitars.

The 4th annual Christmas in the Village raised more than $25,000 which will go toward the scholarship fund established to help residents continue calling BVT their home.

Residents repeatedly expressed how much they loved life at BVT and how much they enjoyed helping out at the event.

“My wife and I searched all over the country for a place for our daughter. We know first hand that there is no place better than BVT,” said Dan Tracey, whose daughter Deborah has called BVT home for the past 11 years.

The event closed with a live manager scene and a memorable rendition of O Holy Night, as the campus chapel was illuminated in a bright, holiday glow.

For more information on Breckenridge Village of Tyler, please visit www.bcfs.net.

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Texas Taps BCFS to Manage Public Health Emergency Response Efforts

By Krista Piferrer

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has awarded a contract to San Antonio-based BCFS to provide comprehensive statewide emergency management support during public health events at any time, including during emergencies and disasters.

At the request of DSHS, BCFS will be called upon to support the following:

§ Provide professional Incident Management Teams to support health and medical response activities

§ Establish Medical Special Needs (MSN) shelters for individuals who require personal medical attention

§ Deploy emergency response vehicles, which include mobile clinics, mobile incident command post and transportation units that house a cache of durable medical equipment and shelter push packs

§ Coordinate logistical support for MSN shelters, including acquisition of medical consumables, medical specialty equipment, staple and dietary food commodities, specialty command and communication equipment

§ Build medical surge capacity through the establishment of alternate care facilities in communities throughout the state

Provide and participate in training and exercises relating to medical special needs persons, disaster preparation, response, and public health emergencies
Provide other health emergency activities, including medical response and preparation

“This unique contract allows BCFS to activate at moment’s notice to provide vital public health emergency support whenever and wherever needed in ,” said Kari Tatro, Executive Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division.

“Adequate alternative care facility capacity continues to be a nationally unmet need,” continued Tatro. “We are proud to be part of the State of ’ charge to lead the nation in filling this void.”

BCFS’ nationally-recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the The agency conducts trainings and serves as a consultant to jurisdictions throughout the nation regarding shelter operations, emergency preparedness and community capacity building. Most recently, FEMA contracted with BCFS to develop the national guidance for sheltering individuals requiring functional needs support services.

BCFS has been tasked by DSHS during previous emergencies and disasters, including hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Dolly, Gustav and Ike, and provided emergency support during the FLDS situation in .

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please call 1-800-830-2246 or visit www.bcfs.net/emergencyservices.

San Antonio Foster Youth Give Thanks at BCFS’ Annual Thanksgiving Feast

By Krista Piferrer

More than 200 young adults who are getting ready to or have already aged out of the state foster care system gathered to give thanks at BCFS’ 5^th annual Thanksgiving luncheon. The event, held at in , gives youth a place to go to celebrate the holiday and spend time with their peers and mentors.

“BCFS has been like a family to the foster youth we’ve served. That’s likely why so many young adults come here year after year to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends and case managers,” said , Senior Program Director for BCFS’ Transitional Living Services. “Now some of the youth who have aged out of care have children and families of their own, and we feel tremendously blessed to be with them as they create their own memories and traditions.”

This year’s celebration brought together young adults, foster parents, CPS case workers, Casey Family Programs and other organizations that support BCFS’ Transitional Living Services. The theme was “A Time to Give Thanks,” and thanks, indeed, was in the air.

As youth entered the dining hall, they were asked to write down what they were most grateful for this Thanksgiving. Some said they were thankful for the opportunity to receive an education; others were thankful for friends and family. One youth kept their message simple, “I am thankful for God’s blessings.” The messages were displayed for all to see on a display featuring a cornucopia and a bounty of fruit and vegetable-shaped handwritten notes.

“I’m happy to be able to share the holidays with friends,” said Ernesto Olivares, 19, a former foster youth and student at . “We’ve all be through a lot, and it’s good to be surrounded by people who really support you and know where you’re coming from.”

BCFS’ Transitional Living Services reach youth across the state. The program provides services such as healthcare, housing, job training, education and financial support to foster youth between the ages of 16 and 21 to better prepare young adults for life on their own. While most young adults have parents or guardians to help them navigate the process of buying their first car or renting their first apartment, children in foster care generally do not have that kind of firm support system once they age out of state custody. BCFS helps fill this void.

To learn more about BCFS’ Transitional Living Services, please visit www.bcfs.net/transitionalliving.

Influencing the Leaders of Tomorrow

By Haley Smith

BCFS News and Information

This month, Children’s Emergency Relief International’s (CERI) Executive Director, Dr. , spoke as part of a panel addressing the issue of international health and human services for a group of students in the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work.

“Our goal is to promote awareness about international social work through experienced professionals like Dearing so students can have a better idea of how they too can practice social work internationally,” said ifer Connatser, Co-Vice President of Students for Advancement of International Social Work (SAISW).

Garner presented on the mission of CERI, the overseas division of Baptist Child & Family Services (BCFS), and the overarching goal of the organization: caring for vulnerable children and families around the world. He specifically spoke about the roles that Orphan & Vulnerable Children (OVC) psychosocial work, foster care, child protection, and orphan and transitional care play in CERI’s work overseas.

Garner showed photographs of the faces of those CERI has helped through its international programs, and discussed how the organization’s dedicated national staff, donors, grants, churches and volunteers make the work possible. He also talked about the challenges that come with international social work, including the unfamiliarity of the industry in many countries.

“The only way to overcome the challenges we experience in changing the face of social work in other countries and ultimately helping hurting families and children is continued training of our national workers and beneficiaries and challenging the universities and governments of countries that we work in to embrace and implement social work systems and practices,” said Garner. “It will be this future generation who continues the work long after we’re gone.”

As an example, as part of Moldova’s efforts to move the country closer to joining the European Union and as Eastern European governments, in general, are working to downsize the number of children placed in antiquated orphanages and moving toward family-type homes, CERI’s Dr. Jon Meyer, an American, is playing a key role in the standardization of the social work profession. Meyer has been serving as the government’s senior advisor to determine national guidelines for social workers as well as a professional supervision mechanism for the approximately 1,000 newly hired government social workers.

For more information on how to get involved in international social work, go to www.CERIKids.org.

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Equipping Moldova’s Foster Parents

By Haley Smith, BCFS News and Information

Since children don’t come with instruction manuals, all parents need training and advice from time to time. This is especially true for foster parents caring for children who have faced tragedy at a young age.

Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), the overseas division of Baptist Child & Family Services, recently held a training for foster parents in to help them navigate the parenting experience.

Social workers and former foster parents, Mike and Diane Leach, who are long term CERI supporters from , traveled to Eastern Europe to provide training to 28 foster parents in two different cities in . The couple taught topics such as the stages of grief and loss, understanding the differences between biological and foster children, how children develop healthy attachments, and how spiritual gifts function in foster parenting.

“I believe the families left with an understanding that children are greatly influenced by their past, and were relieved to know that other families struggle with similar issues,” said CERI National Director for , Connie Belciug.

The course was such a success that families were requesting more tips and lessons to help them provide good homes for their foster children. In response, CERI is planning future seminars to discuss topics such as relationships between males and females, encouraging godly habits and breaking cycles of destructive behavior.

“We have a great appreciation and respect for the work CERI is doing in and are honored to be allowed to help. We will return as often as possible,” said Mr. Leach.

BCFS’ RIGHT CHOICES FOR LIFE “CONNECTS” WITH DEL RIO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS

– With a new school year underway, BCFS already has more than 90 percent participation in its 8th grade abstinence education program at . BCFS’ Right Choices for Life (RCL) program has been a staple at the school for the last four years. But this year, the program is trying something new to get its message out to pre-teens on the importance of avoiding risky behaviors: social media.

“RCL decided to get onto Facebook and Twitter because these websites are very popular among the students in our program,” said Griselda Marino-Gaytan, one of BCFS’ Abstinence Facilitators. “Since we knew students were talking to each other on these sites, we figured this would be a good way for BCFS to join the conversation and get our message out.”

The RCL program uses the social media sites to announce upcoming events and meetings, and send shout outs to students for their achievements. Parents and teachers are encouraged to log on as well.

RCL’s S.W.A.T. Team (Students with Abstinence Training) has also set a new record with more than 80 students from RCL participating in the extracurricular leadership program. The group has already started planning special events benefiting both the school and community, including a Halloween Bowling Night and holiday service projects.

The S.W.A.T. Team has also taken on a new project called the “Peer Helper” program. Thirty S.W.A.T. students are partnering with the school’s guidance counselors to serve as one-on-one mentors to help incoming students adjust to a new school.

BCFS continues in its 65 year mission to reach at-risk youth through programs like RCL. For more information on BCFS and its RCL program, please visit www.bcfs.net, or log onto Facebook and check out “Rcl Right ChoicesforLife” or Twitter for “rclswatkids.”

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An Unlikely Partnership

By BCFS News and Information

– Bernard Rodriguez (Jr.), president of ’s Tone City Lifestyle Car & Truck Club, was searching for a unique local charity that could benefit from his organization, when he drove by Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) South Texas Centre in . Not knowing much about BCFS but wanting to give back to a local cause, Rodriguez stopped by the office to learn more about the campus.

“I can tell you one thing: the kids love when the Tone City Lifestyle Car & Truck Club comes to visit,” said , BCFS San Antonio Campus Intake Coordinator. “The volunteers are amazing and the cars are a thrill to see. Their visits give our youth the opportunity to take their minds off their struggles and focus on something fun.”

The children at the campus were thrilled when the Tone City Lifestyle Car & Truck Club along with car and truck clubs across first hosted a Back to School drive in their honor. Members of the clubs lined up their flashy vehicles for show as they delivered a bounty of school supplies for the students in BCFS’ care. In addition to giving out school supplies, club volunteers also hosted a barbeque full of entertainment and goodies for the youth. They even gave away donated bikes and gift cards for birthdays.

“They literally thought of and took care of everything. The kids were mesmerized by all the activity,” said Garcia.

Both BCFS and the car and truck clubs across were so pleased with the success of the school drive that, on October 24, the organizations hosted a Fall Festival that included a DJ, food and entertainment for the youth.

The Tone City Lifestyle Car & Truck Club will continue in their joint venture with BCFS in December for a Christmas Toy Drive benefiting the children and youth living at BCFS’ residential campus.

“We plan to make these events an annual thing, contributing to the well-being of these kids in whatever way we can,” Rodriguez said.

For more information on how to volunteer or contribute to BCFS, please visit www.bcfs.net.

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BCFS NAMED TOP WORKPLACE BY SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

BCFS was recently named one of the Top Workplaces in by the San Antonio Express-News. BCFS was ranked #20 of the Top Large Employers (100-299 employees).

"We are honored to be ranked as one of the best places to work in ,” said President/CEO Kevin C. Dinnin. “It has always been our goal to create a positive environment for our employees so we can encourage creativity and compassion as we serve children and families in need.”

The companies indentified as the top workplaces were selected based on comprehensive analysis conducted by Workplace Dynamics LLC. Employees from throughout the region were surveyed anonymously, measuring qualities such as company leadership, compensation, training, workplace flexibility and diversity.

The rankings and overall results were published in the Top Workplaces special edition of the San Antonio Express-News on Sunday, October 11. A complete list of the 2009 Best Places to Work in can be viewed at http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/List_of_the_2009_Top_Workplaces.html.

For more information on BCFS, please visit www.bcfs.net.

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BVT RESIDENTS BRING WARMTH AND COMFORT TO THE ORPHANS OF EASTERN EUROPE

By Haley Smith

Three special need adults and residents of Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT) recently delivered 175 knitted caps to Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI) to be given to orphans in during the organization’s “Operation Cross the River (OCR09)” Christmas mission.

BVT is BCFS’ faith-based residential community offering a variety of services for adults with mild to moderate cognitive/developmental disorders. Eight residents began knitting the winter hats in January under the direction of Day Program Staff member, Diane Stone, and completed and delivered them in September to CERI, the overseas division of Baptist Child & Family Services (BCFS). The three residents knitting the most hats, Anne Marie, Laci and Brynne, proudly transported their hand-knitted work to CERI staff in .

“It made my heart feel so good to send a little piece of love to someone in need,” said Anne Marie, who helped deliver the winter hats.

Parents and members of the BVT Women’s Auxiliary donated money, yarn and knitting looms to make the project possible. Although it was the residents’ first year to contribute to the mission, BVT fully expects it to become an annual project.

“The women would ask every day when we could get back to knitting; they loved doing something for others,” said Stone.

Each December, CERI alternates between the two Eastern European countries of and Transniestria to lead mission teams that distribute warm winter shoes, socks, hats and scarves to orphans. This year, OCR09 will take place December 4-20 and will have 10 volunteers on two separate two week teams with members of churches from , , and participating. CERI has ordered 2,700 pairs of winter boots for this year’s mission. Volunteers across the country have been working since January to ensure that each child receives new boots and socks along with knit caps and scarves.

Shoe missions to began in 1999 when a mission’s team from noticed wide-spread frost bite on the feet of orphans throughout the country. Since then, CERI has provided more than 80,000 new winter boots and socks to protect the country’s most vulnerable. In 2006 and 2008, every orphan in and Transniestria received a new pair of boots thanks to CERI and its faithful supporters.

CERI relies on the help of volunteers and generous contributors every day to carry out the work of serving children and families in crisis around the world. To contribute to CERI’s OCR09 or to donate funds to help pay for boots, checks can be mailed to CERI - 1406 Stone Hollow, Suite 400 Kingwood, TX 77339 with OCR09 in the memo line.

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BCFS AWARDED MORE THAN $225,000 TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY AND REHABILITATE JUVENILES IN KERRVILLE

– BCFS was recently awarded joint grants totaling more than $225,000 from the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to begin a delinquency prevention and rehabilitation program serving at-risk youth in the community.

“This program will satisfy an unmet need in our community by ensuring these rural youth receive the highest quality of services and the intervention they need to stop them from making mistakes that will either get them into trouble or land them behind bars,” said , BCFS Executive Director of Teen and Youth Services.

Based on BCFS’ successful juvenile justice program that has served youth in San Antonio for 10 years, the new program will provide weekly home-based case management, counseling and around-the-clock crisis services to 100 juveniles and their families aimed at bringing stability to households. Case managers will help families connect with available community resources such as substance abuse programs and anger management courses.

As a testament to the effectiveness of BCFS’ juvenile justice program, since 1999, youth completing the program have demonstrated recidivism rates of less than half that of youth placed on waiting lists. Bexar County Juvenile Probation estimates that BCFS’ program in saves the county more than $409,000 per year that would otherwise be used for residential treatment.

“I believe the reason for this high mark of success is that the families sent to these programs usually have multiple issues in addition to the legal issue at hand regarding their child,” said Dr. Jeannine Von Stultz, director of Mental Health Services for Bexar County Juvenile Probation. “Programs such as BCFS’ juvenile justice program are good strategies in our efforts to prevent kids from being removed from their homes.”

BCFS will hire an array of local professionals to provide counseling, case management, family assistance and other services to the youth and their families. BCFS’ staff will focus largely on getting youth back in school and helping them overcome any obstacles that might stand in their way of success. The organization will also help families find the root of the problem through in-home counseling sessions, and connect youth with activities such as sports and community service opportunities in order to prevent future offenses.

Services will be free to youth and families who are referred through the Kerr County Juvenile Probation Department and Truancy Courts. BCFS will work closely with the Juvenile Probation Department and other agencies to provide quality resources to its clients.

The program will be operated out of the which is a partnership between BCFS, the Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Cailloux Foundation, Hal and Charlie Peterson Foundation, The Perry & Ruby Stevens Charitable Foundation and The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country aimed towards investing in the community by bringing jobs and services to Kerrville, specifically for at-risk youth. Last year, the center served 300 youth and BCFS estimates that it will now serve 400 youth and their families in the coming year with the introduction of the delinquency prevention program. Families in the program will have access to services already offered at the center including life skills training, job training, small business development coaching and transitional housing.

BCFS is a global health and human service organization with over 65 years of experience serving children and families in crisis.

To find out more about BCFS’ programs for at-risk youth across the world, go to www.bcfs.net.

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BCFS NAMES BERKLEY NEW DIRECTOR OF ADOPTIONS

BCFS has named Teresa Scott Berkley as the agency’s new Director of Adoptions. In this new role, she will be responsible for matching potential adoptive parents with children eligible for adoption; developing, training and certifying adoptive parents; as well as facilitating continuity of services for children moving from foster care to forever homes.

“Berkley’s ’s experience and passion for working with children and perspective parents will provide our clients with the support they need to make a smooth and exciting transition into becoming a family,” said , BCFS Executive Director of Residential Services.

Berkley joins BCFS with more than 13 years of experience in the field of child welfare, working with children and youth in foster care, foster and adoptive parents and biological family members. Most recently, worked as a social worker for Casey Family Programs, where she provided case management and service plan development for foster families. Previously, served as a family developer for Casey Family Programs, a Family Services Director and Crisis Intervention Specialist for the Methodist Mission Home, and Social Worker for , System and .

Berkley earned a master’s degree in Social Work from Our Lady of the and a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from . She is a Licensed Master Social Worker.

Many adults do not realize how easy it is to adopt. BCFS helps educate families about adoption, and walks them through the process of expanding their family for a child in need. The State of provides financial support to many families who adopt, including waiving court fees during the adoption process, insuring the child through Medicaid, and providing free college tuition to any public university. Families who adopt sibling groups, minority children older than 2, Caucasian children older than 6, or children with special medical needs are also eligible to receive a monthly stipend of up to $400.

For more information about BCFS’ adoption program, please visit www.BCFS.net.

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Attachments:

BCFS' New Director of Adoptions

Men Making a Difference

By Linda Taylor and

BCFS News and Information

“What a tremendous sight it was to see the parade of cars as they rounded the corner and headed to the Village!” declared Linda Taylor, Director of Development, as a line of antique and classic cars rumbled in for the 1^st Annual Robert L. Breckenridge Men’s Benefit Breakfast on Saturday, August 1.

The antique/classic car show began the morning festivities for more than 200 men who came together in benefit of the Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT) Scholarship Fund. As attendees viewed the cars, Dale Cummings, known better as the “C-Man.” brought a little nostalgia to the event as he sang songs from the 50’s and 60’s.

Breakfast in the BVT chapel began as the C-Man sang “I’m Proud to be an American,” while BVT resident, Jonathan, proudly carried in the American flag. BVT Executive Director Dr. Charles Dodson welcomed the men to the event and asked how many were first time visitors to the Village. He was amazed as more than two thirds of the attendees raised their hands.

Dr. David Dykes, pastor of , voiced a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for BVT and its ministry. Guest artist, Kyle Leslie, sang a heartfelt song written about special people.

Robert “Bob” Breckenridge was remembered by his former student, Dr. Paul Powell. Dr. Powell shared stories about Bob as his high school shop teacher. “I am amazed at God’s plan. To know that later in life we both ended up in , I became his and Jean’s pastor and eventually had a role in the development of .”

Items auctioned and sold netted a total of $8,825. Auction items included 3 mini football helmets autographed by Coach Gene Stallings donated by Gary & Susan Smith, an exquisite rocking chair lovingly handcrafted and donated by Bob & Nancy Holsomback, and a beautiful classic 1968 Ford Thunderbird donated by Pierre de Wet.

However, the highlight of the breakfast came when guest speaker, Coach Gene Stallings, addressed the men. As former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Texas A&M Aggies, the and Phoenix Cardinals and former assistant coach to Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys, Stallings stated that the biggest accomplishment of his life was being the father of his beloved son, Johnny, who was born with Down Syndrome.

Coach Stallings encouraged men to love God, love their families and love their country. He shared from his heart about his passion for the special individuals God placed on this earth whom we must care for. “Do what’s right because it’s the right thing to do,” he said to a captivated audience.

Representing all the BVT residents, Brooke & Brien closed the event by signing and singing their thanks. There was not a dry eye in the chapel as each man in attendance stood to his feet and applauded.

The day was a huge success as men gathered from all over in benefit of the residents. More than $66,000 (including a $10,000 grant from the Willingham Foundation) was raised for the BVT Scholarship Fund, which helps roughly 95 percent of residents continue to call BVT their home.

# # #

CERI Names New Project Contract Administrator for South Africa Memory Box Project

HOUSTON – Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), the overseas division of Baptist Child & Family Services, has tapped to serve as Project Contract Administrator responsible for overseeing the organization’s Memory Box Project in .

“Marianna’s expertise in international business development will be a huge asset to CERI’s ongoing projects in ,” said Dr. Dearing Garner, CERI Executive Director. “Her depth of experience in both professional and academic settings will help her cross cultural barriers as she ministers to those affected by the AIDS epidemic.”

Gurtovnik joins CERI with more than ten years of experience in project management, administration and new business development with international non-governmental organizations. Most recently, Gurtovnik managed budgeting, logistics and human resources for USAID-funded projects in , , , and . She also supported proposal writing efforts for ARD Inc in . Previously, Gurtovnik served as Grants and Special Projects Consultant for the International Rescue Committee and was a Program Development Officer for Catholic Relief Services.

Gurtovnik earned a Master in Public Administration from in and a Bachelor or Arts in Political Science from the Baku Institute of Social Management and Political Science, . She is proficient in English, Russian, French and Azeri.

She will manage CERI’s Memory Box Project, which works with dying parents in South Africa and their children to preserve memories—both intangibly, in the form of oral history and family stories, and tangibly, in the form of objects, written stories, photographs and letters that can be placed inside a “Memory Box”—before it’s too late. CERI counselors work with orphans in who have lost parents or caregivers to AIDS in efforts to build resilience and nurture a sense of identity.

For more information about CERI’s work in , please visit www.CERIKids.org.

###

BCFS AWARDED $85,000 FOR ABSTINENCE EDUCATION RESEARCH

– BCFS was today awarded an $85,000 grant from the Federal Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention to measure the successfulness of the agency’s Decisions for Life (DFL) abstinence education program in .

“For ten years now, BCFS has been a leader in promoting and providing abstinence education to students in ,” said , BCFS Executive Director of Community Based Services. “This opportunity to research the effectiveness of our program will ultimately assist BCFS and other organizations in our efforts to establish successful abstinence education programs, ultimately, reaching young adults more effectively.”

BCFS will work in conjunction with national evaluators to measure the effectiveness of its abstinence education program, which targets local middle schoolers and at-risk youth. The results will be published in the Peer Review Journal and are projected for publication summer of 2010.

“The Decisions for Life (DFL) program has been a well-respected Adolescent Family Life (AFL) grantee for many years, successfully meeting the needs of the community,” said Allison Roper, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Public Health Analyst with the Federal Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (OAPP). “The OAPP is highly supportive of the DFL program disseminating their findings to better inform the field regarding what works and what doesn’t when implementing a pregnancy prevention program for teens. Through these publications being developed, DFL will be able to directly contribute to the field of adolescent health and well being influencing the practices of future programs.”

BCFS’ Dr. Jon Meyer and Dr. Art Vega will collaborate on the project, evaluating and reporting on the overall successfulness of the DFL program. Meyer has successfully served the past two year’s as the Moldovan government’s senior advisor researching and observing current conditions in to help determine national guidelines for social workers throughout the country. In addition, he has served as Principal Investigator of other BCFS programs for four years. Vega has been contracted by BCFS for the past two years to evaluate the ongoing success of the DFL program. He has been a key component to the successful programming.

To find out more about BCFS’ programs for at-risk youth across the world, go to www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS Partners with TYC and Bexar County for “One-Stop Shop” for Juveniles Returning Home

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $2.9 million Juvenile Offender Implementation grant to the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) to launch a new program that will provide 450 youth returning home from correctional facilities with job counselors, education support, life skills classes, mentors and community service opportunities in order to ensure their success following their release. The community-based program will be a partnership between the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and BCFS.

“BCFS is proud to partner with the Bexar County Juvenile Probation and Texas Youth Commission to establish ’ first ‘one-stop shop’ for youth returning home after serving time in correctional facilities,” said Terri Hipps, BCFS Executive Director of Teen and Youth Services. “BCFS has more than 10 years experience and a proven track record in navigating juveniles away from lives of crime and toward the path of becoming law-abiding adults. Combined with our long-time work with youths transitioning into life on their own, we are confident that this program will make a positive impact both in the community and in the lives of many youths trying to move on toward a brighter future.”

“The Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department is proud to be an official partner to TYC on this project, along with the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and BCFS,” said David Reilly, Chief of the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department.

The centerpiece of the project will be the downtown Youth Transition Center operated by BCFS. The Center will house all transitional services, including:

Employment Strategies - An Employment Specialist will be on-site to help youth develop opportunities to obtain sustainable employment with local corporations, working closely with the Texas Workforce Commission’s local regional system staff that office at the Center.

Case Management – Case management will be based on a hybrid of two highly successful BCFS programs: Kids Averted from Placement Services (KAPS) - an intensive intervention program aimed at deterring juvenile’s patterns of troubled behavior; and Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) - a modular life skills curriculum designed to ensure that Texas foster youth are prepared for adulthood and life on their own.

Educational Strategies - Youth who have not completed their educational goals in placement will receive the support needed to do so from an Education Specialist. Youth will be provided opportunities to complete high school or attend GED classes at the Center, enroll and find financial support for completing higher education, and participate in hands-on career exploratory programs.

Mentoring - Every youth will have a mentor to provide support and guidance as they participate in the program.

Restorative Justice - Two Restorative Justice Coordinators will collaborate with Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, as well as the City of ’s Parks and Recreation Department and other local entities to ensure a variety of opportunities for continued community service.

Community-Wide Violence Reduction Efforts - Training courses on non-violent methods for conflict resolution and other methods for eliminating domestic violence between youth and their loved ones will be available for youths and their families.

BCFS will run the and hire 31 new staff to work closely with the youth and execute each facet of the curriculum. The grant establishes the program for 18 months with an opportunity to renew.

For more information on BCFS’ programs in and throughout the world, please visit www.bcfs.net.

# # #

BCFS AWARDED CONTRACT TO ADMINISTER TEXAS’ EDUCATION & TRAINING VOUCHER PROGRAM

– BCFS was recently awarded a $2.5 million contract through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to administer the state’s Education & Training Voucher (ETV) program. The program provides funding to foster youth for higher education or vocational training and is available to foster youth throughout the state.

“’ ETV program is a linchpin to eliminating the barriers that often keep foster youths from completing their education,” said Terri Hipps, BCFS Executive Director of Teen and Youth Services. “By establishing an easy-to-use application process online and ensuring college or vocational program funds reach youth in a timely manner, we are bettering the chances that they will enter independence and adulthood with a strong foundation for the future.”

Young adults eligible for ETV funding are those who have remained in the foster care system through age 18, youth adopted after age 16, and foster youth who have already earned a GED or high school diploma at age 16.

Eligible youth must claim the benefit before age 21 and can receive up to $5,000 a semester through age 23. Funding goes to any education-related cost that will help keep young adults in school, including dorm fees, rent, daycare, books, gas and other associated expenses.

BCFS has representatives in , and who will administer the ETV program and provide easy access to funding and resources for youth across the state.

BCFS’ Teen and Youth Services provides resources and education to help young adults make a smooth transition from foster care into the real world with education and resources relating to healthcare, housing, the job market and financing to better prepare young adults ages 16 to 21 for life on their own.

To find out more about the ETV program or to apply for funding, please call 877-268-4063 or visit www.bcfs.net/etv.

# # #

BCFS Names New Emergency Services Division Executive Director

Campbell to continue to serve with BCFS as Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

BCFS named Kari Tatro as the new Executive Director for its Emergency Services Division.

“Kari has a proven track record of effectively managing disaster response and recovery efforts, and has played a key part in expanding BCFS’ Emergency Services Division throughout the nation,” said Kevin C. Dinnin, BCFS President/CEO.

Tatro recently served as Senior Program Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division. She has extensive experience in emergency response on local, state and federally-declared disasters. Previously, Tatro served as a regional liaison officer with the Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management, and was a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tatro graduated from St. Michael’s College in .

After taking a short absence to tend to personal commitments, Bill Campbell will return to BCFS as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Most recently, served as Executive Director of BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, and currently serves in the Texas State Guard Medical Brigade HQ, Plans and Operations (G-3) SGM.

BCFS’ nationally-recognized expertise in providing preparedness consultation, incident management and response support has garnered the attention of local, state and national agencies throughout the The organization’s unique multidisciplinary, seasoned team of emergency management professionals have been called on to rapidly respond to large-scale disasters across the globe.

BCFS is the premiere organization for caring for medically fragile individuals during disasters. The agency holds trainings and serves as a consultant to jurisdictions throughout the nation regarding shelter operations, emergency preparedness and community capacity building. Most recently, BCFS was contracted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop the national Standard Operating Procedures for sheltering individuals requiring functional needs support services.

For more information about BCFS’ Emergency Services Division, please visit www.bcfs.net.

CERI provides medical care to orphaned children in Africa

by Haley Smith

Children’s Emergency Relief International’s (CERI) team of doctors, a nurse, social worker, hospital administrator and dentist recently spent more than a week providing much needed medical care to struggling children and families throughout Nigeria. The majority of the trip was spent treating the residents of Ministry of Mercy (MOM) orphanage and the villagers in Otutulu, Nigeria.

“The need for medical care in rural villages throughout Nigeria is tremendous. Each time CERI leads a mission trip to Africa or other impoverished countries, we are reminded how important it is that volunteers, like the team members on this trip, share their healing gifts with struggling children and families throughout the world,” said Dearing Garner, CERI Executive Director. “While we can’t heal the whole world on a single trip, but our organization and our devoted supporters will continue to reach as far as we can to touch the lives of those who are hurting.”

The team, comprised of volunteers from San Antonio, Houston and Brownsville, Texas, Rome, Georgia and Colorado Springs, Colorado, cared for nearly 1,200 people. The team distributed more than 500 pounds of medication and provided care ranging from neo-natal to geriatrics, dealing with issues such as typhoid, malaria, abscesses, chronic pain and wound care.

“It was a life changing experience to see the satisfaction and smile on each person’s face after receiving the care they needed,” said David A. Marks, MD, FCCP of San Antonio. “It was all worth it for them to know that someone cared about them. It really is a testament that people can make a difference in this world.”

MOM orphanage grew out of the needs of unloved and unwanted children in Nigeria. Many families send their crippled and afflicted children there for help, and more than 230 children and youths reside at the orphanage in Otutulu. CERI partners with MOM in an effort to care for this grossly underserved population.

To schedule an interview with Dr. Marks or one of the other volunteers who participated in the trip, please contact the BCFS communications desk. For information on how you can support CERI’s work in Africa and around the world, or to participate in an upcoming mission trip, please visit www.CERIKids.org.

Seminar aimed at ending child abuse

By Jennifer Killin
Del Rio News-Herald

Published April 9, 2009

Child abuse is striking Val Verde County at an alarming rate, say local officials, and Baptist Child and Family Services hopes to put an end to the trend.

As part of the agency’s effort to end abuse, BCFS hosted an all day training titled “Preventing Abuse One Child at a Time”, led by Wendel Teltow, the executive director for Prevent Child Abuse Texas, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending child abuse.

The seminar, which was attended by dozens of teachers, counselors, public and private school administrators and childcare workers, focused on signs and symptoms of abuse as well as leading factors of abuse and the role of adults who witness signs of abuse.

Cynthia McCrea, director of Bible Way Christian Academy, said the training was informative and, at times, shocking.

“It is shocking when you see how prevalent child abuse is,” said McCrea. “You don’t think about it…but it’s happening every minute of every day – to a child.”

According to statistics provided by BCFS, more than 83,000 allegation of abuse or neglect were confirmed in Texas last year.

Most, 50,310, were confirmed allegations of neglectful supervision, followed by 14,858 confirmed cases of physical abuse, 7,714 confirmed cases of physical neglect, 6,468 confirmed cases of sexual abuse and 2,235 confirmed cases of medical neglect.

In Val Verde County, there were 437 alleged victims of abuse or neglect, 85 of which were confirmed cases.

Teltow says part of the problem is that we, as a society, have become numb to violence.

“We’re too used to being violent…when you turn on the news it’s ‘how many people died today’. It doesn’t even faze us anymore,” Teltow told the group, who nodded in agreement.

McCrea says it’s deeper than that. Not only has society become more violent, we have forgotten the children.

“Children just have to be more important to our society,” says McCrea.

“Until we make children our priority, unless we as a society make children important, abuse will continue to occur.”

To report child abuse or neglect, Texas has a 24-hour abuse/neglect hotline at 1-800-252-5400.

Abuse can also be reported online at www.txabusehotline.org. If a child in is a potentially life threatening situation, call 9-1-1.

BCFS offers a variety of services to help end child abuse including programs available to the Del Rio community that provide counseling and training for parents and caregivers.

For more information on BCSF and its programs call Wayne Richardson, Universal Child Abuse Prevention Specialist for BCFS, at 830-768-2755.

A statement from Dr. Dearing Garner, CERI Executive Director

“CERI’s national staff is safe and closely monitoring the political unrest that is unfolding within Moldova’s capital city,” said Dearing Garner, Children’s Emergency Relief International’s Executive Director. “The suburbs of Chisinau and villages throughout Moldova have been unaffected by the violence, therefore our mission to care for the country’s orphans and at-risk children will continue uninterrupted. However, I’ve instructed CERI staff to use utmost caution and care during this time as to not put themselves in harm’s way as they carry out daily activities.

“Please keep our CERI staff and those children we serve in Moldova in your prayers.”

Harlandale senior accepted to college with help of VISTA

by Ana Gardea

SAN ANTONIO – Few West Side high school students have the opportunity to go to college and often don’t even consider college as a possibility. Ariana Hernandez is an exception. She has a plan for her future: finish high school and graduate college.

Hernandez, a senior at Harlandale High School, received assistance from College VISTA advising and was recently accepted to Angelo State University. Founded by Maria Fernandez, College VISTA was designed to overcome the prevailing conventional wisdom that keeps many West Side students from considering college as an option.

“Ms. Fernandez is a huge help,” Hernandez said. “She organizes the paperwork for the colleges we plan on applying to and gives us the extra push to meet deadlines for scholarships. She makes it so much easier.”

Fernandez started small with only five students in 2007. She has since then helped West Side students win nearly $1 million dollars in scholarships to some of the country’s best schools including Dartmouth College, Loyola University-Chicago, Columbia College-Chicago, Baylor, Texas A&M and UT-Austin.

VISTA partners with Guadalupe Street Coffee, a community ministry and development project of BCFS located in San Antonio’s west side community, which provides free computer access and a safe place for weekly advising sessions. The Baptist General Convention of Texas, San Antonio Baptist Association, Trinity Baptist Church, Woodland Baptist Church and Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church in San Antonio support the project.

VISTA and Guadalupe Street Coffee offer quality, one-on-one advising for students who need assistance with the college application process, including SAT/ACT tutoring, financial aid and career advising.

“VISTA students always have priority,” Hernandez said. “We can stay late at the coffee house if we need to and the computers help us out tremendously.”

Individual counseling partnered with convenient scheduling and location is what sets the program apart. VISTA works with students, parents, school counselors and universities for the benefit of the student.

Hernandez participates in various extracurricular activities such as National Honor Society, Speech Senate, Speech and Debate, Environmental Club and is the Unarmed Commander in ROTC. Her modest means are not an obstacle in her school involvement.

When asked about overcoming difficult times, Hernandez said that her situation motivates her to think ahead.

“I deal with my problems by looking at the future and considering what I would like to accomplish,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez plans on majoring in Education and obtaining her teaching certification. She also plans to earn a master’s degree.

“I hope to teach at the third grade level in the Harlandale district,” Hernandez said, who will be attending Angelo State University in the fall.

Students eligible to participate in the VISTA program must be enrolled in grades eight through twelve, have at least a “B” grade point average with good school attendance, be committed to attending VISTA advising sessions and have the desire and determination to go to college. Many are following a dream to be the first person in their family to attend college.

BCFS continues making college admission possible for underprivileged students. For more information on VISTA or Guadalupe Street Coffee, please visit www.bcfs.net.

A Foster Family Fights Cancer Together

by Haley Smith, BCFS News and Information

SAN ANTONIO – While it would be easy for any single mom battling cancer to justify not having the strength or resources to care for anyone else but herself, BCFS foster mom extraordinaire, Theresa Haywood-Castile, finds that her fight for life brings her closer to the boys in her care. Haywood-Castile, who has been fostering for almost three years, has had more than ten teenage boys call her house their home.

“Because I raised two boys on my own, boys are what I know,” Haywood-Castile said. “I prefer teenagers because they generally are already who they are going to be; I just help nurture and guide them in their decisions.”

Haywood-Castile, who began fostering through BCFS in 2006, wanted to make a difference in the lives of children who had suffered from abuse or neglect by providing a loving home where teenage boys could flourish.

Haywood-Castile was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in 2007 and had to send two of her 13 year old foster boys to alternate homes because of her declining health. However, one 16 year old boy in her care, Laurence, refused to leave her side.

At the end of 2007, Haywood-Castile’s cancer went into remission and she eagerly opened her home to more foster boys in need. However, when the cancer came back in September of 2008, the boys in her care insisted in staying despite the challenges ahead.

“I have been so grateful for BCFS for the support they have provided me and for helping me keep these boys in my home despite my unique circumstances,” Haywood-Castile said.

Haywood-Castile currently has four foster boys in her home and recently finished chemo-therapy. She is hopeful that she is now and will remain cancer free. Despite what life might bring, she and her foster children know that they will remain a tight knit family thanks to God’s graces to help them through it all.

For more information on fostering through BCFS, please visit www.bcfs.net.

BCFS SPECIAL FEATURE (PART 1 OF 4): April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs. There are four major types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.

Physical Abuse is physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child. The physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) can result from punching, beating, shaking, kicking, biting, throwing, stabbing, hitting, burning, choking or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child.

Suspect Physical Abuse When You See:

· Frequent injuries such as bruises, cuts, black eyes or burns without adequate explanations

· Frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury

· Burns or bruises in unusual patterns that may indicate the use of an instrument or human bite; cigarette burns on any part of the body

· Lack of reaction to pain

· Aggressive, disruptive and destructive behavior

· Passive, withdrawn and emotionless behavior

· Fear of going home or seeing parents

· Injuries that appear after a child has not been seen for several days

· Unreasonable clothing that may hide injuries to arms or legs

Neglect is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs necessary to sustain the life or health of the child, excluding failure caused primarily by financial inability unless relief services have been offered and refused.

Suspect Neglect When You See:

· Obvious malnourishment

· Lack of personal cleanliness

· Torn or dirty clothing

· Stealing or begging for food

· Child unattended for long periods of time

· Need for glasses, dental care or other medical attention

· Frequent tardiness or absence from school

Sexual Abuse is when an adult engages in sexual contact or sexual activity with a child. Sexual abuse usually involves private parts. It can be especially difficult for boys and girls to tell someone that they are being sexually abused.

Suspect Sexual Abuse When You See:

· Physical signs of sexually transmitted diseases

· Evidence of injury to the genital area

· Pregnancy in a young girl

· Difficulty in sitting or walking

· Extreme fear of being alone with adults of a certain sex

· Sexual comments, behaviors or play

· Knowledge of sexual relations beyond what is expected for a child’s age

· Sexual victimization of other children

Emotional Abuse is mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in a child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. It includes extreme forms of punishment such as confining a child in a dark closet, making them the scapegoat, belittling and rejecting treatment for a child.

Suspect Emotional Abuse When You See:

· Over compliance

· Low self-esteem

· Severe depression, anxiety or aggression

· Difficulty making friends or doing things with other children

· Lagging in physical, emotional and intellectual development

· Caregiver who belittles the child, withholds love, and seems unconcerned about the child’s problems

Tracy Wayne Richardson is BCFS’ Universal Child Abuse Prevention Specialist, providing education, awareness, and a clear understanding of how our communities can help prevent child abuse.

BCFS’ four-part special feature raising awareness about child abuse will be distributed on Mondays during April. For an interview with Richardson or another certified BCFS counselor regarding child abuse prevention, please contact 210-283-5136. For more information about BCFS, please visit www.bcfs.net

BCFS celebrates March as adolescent counseling month

Decisions For Life and Right Choices for Life serve to teach abstinence from risky behaviors

BCFS is celebrating March as National Adolescent Counseling Awareness Month by raising awareness of the resources available to youth that teach abstinence from risky behaviors, like pre-martial sex. BCFS’ Decisions For Life (DFL) program in San Antonio and Right Choices for Life (RCL) in Del Rio teach local students how to overcome peer pressure and make good decisions.

“BCFS strives to teach and encourage complete abstinence from at-risk behavior such as pre-marital sex, instead of just teaching safe sex practices,” said Cindi Garcia, Executive Director of Community-Based Services for South Texas. “Abstinence should never be left out of the conservation when you’re having a serious conversation about sex. The fact of the matter is that abstaining from sex and other at-risk behaviors is the only way to ensure our youth are being safe and living health lifestyles.”

Students at Truman Middle School in San Antonio participate in Decisions For Life, a program designed to teach abstinence from risky behavior, like pre-marital sex and running with the wrong crowd. BCFS teaches 14 classes a year as part of the DFL program, which includes in-school curriculum, after school activities and a summer program. The curriculum begins with the basics such as self esteem, positive decision making and choosing friends. Classes then move on to more in-depth topics, including date rape, sex in the media, sexually transmitted diseases and the cost of raising a child.

A key part of DFL’s program is its investment in parents, giving parents tips on how to talk to their kids about waiting to have sex and educating them on how to take part in the Parents Speak Up National Campaign, which encourages parents to share their values with their kids.

BCFS offers a similar program in the Del Rio area called Right Choices for Life. RCL, offered at Del Rio Middle School for 12 weeks every semester, also encourages students to practice abstinence from at risk behavior including premarital sex.

RCL takes place in a high energy environment and offers hands-on activities aimed to really drive the message home to students. The program engages the heart as well as the mind, and teaches students that abstinence is the best choice for life before marriage. Geared toward 7th and 8th grade students, the abstinence-based curriculum is provided to students as well as parents and other community members through lessons, presentations, events and instructional classes. The program hosts socials for the junior high students that offer youth a fun environment to hang out in with their friends, but eliminates the pressure to partake in risky activities like drinking, using drugs or having sex. The program also increases parent and community awareness in order to boost involvement in helping youth make healthier decisions.

To receive an interview with a certified BCFS counselor on the importance of adolescent counseling and sex education, please contact the BCFS communications office at 210-283-5136. For more information about RCL, DFL or other BCFS counseling programs, please visit www.bcfs.net.

BVT celebrates March as mental retardation & developmental disabilities awareness month

by Haley Smith

BVT residents are encouraged to give back to their community and learn new skills, like cultivating ferns in the campus greenhouse.

TYLER – Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), a BCFS community for adults with developmental disabilities, is celebrating March as National Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month by raising awareness on the issues affecting people with mental retardation.

BVT is sponsoring billboards around Tyler, TX that showcase local BVT residents, and will speak at local churches to educate the community about the needs of these special individuals and resources available to their families. Donation boxes will be set up at restaurants such as Chick-Fil-A, Pop’s Fried Chicken, Juicy’s Hamburgers, The Blue Store and El Charro.

“Each year, BVT takes the opportunity to raise awareness about the unique contributions people with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities make to our community,” said Linda Taylor, BVT director of development. “National Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month also offers the chance to express our thanks to those in Tyler who’ve been our strong supporters, and to invite others to learn more about us and our mission.”

BVT is a faith-based residential community offering a variety of services to meet the unique needs of adults with mild to moderate cognitive/developmental disorders. It is the only Baptist facility in Texas providing 24/7/365 residential care for this population and their families.

In August 2008, BVT celebrated its fiscal year debt free, its cottages completely filled and its financial statements in the black – all for the very first time.

BVT programs are thoughtfully designed to help residents achieve and maintain developmentally appropriate skills which enable them to function successfully in family and group living settings. Staff is dedicated to empowering each resident as he or she develops spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially in a safe, loving and closely supervised environment.

The campus houses a chapel, administrative building, vocational workshop, greenhouse, swimming pool, physical fitness room, computer lab, RV park, indoor activity areas and plenty of space for outdoor activities like fishing. Residents each have a room of their own in a group home of up to eight residents of the same sex.

For more information about BVT or to learn how your generosity can help support the General Scholarship Fund that helps residents with the cost of making BVT their home, please visit www.bcfs.net or www.breckenridgevillage.com.

BCFS awarded contract to expand PAL education program for East Texas youth

by Haley Smith

SAN ANTONIO – Baptist Child & Family Services’ (BCFS) Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program was recently awarded a new 4-year contract through the Department of Family and Protective Services to expand its transitional living training program to include East Texas. The new territory, regions 4 and 5, will serve more than 200 young adults in Tyler, Longview, Marshall, Palestine, Texarkana, Beaumont, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Crocket and Jasper. More... http://www.bcfs.net/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=721&srcid=183

BCFS Celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Baptist Church

In celebration of the Baptist Church’s 400th anniversary this year, BCFS would like to thank the churches, organizations and individuals who support our work throughout the world.

More... www.bcfs.net

For more information on Baptist history, please visit http://www.baptisthistory.org/baptistbeginnings.htm

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Healing Inside and Out

BCFS Names Krimmel Assistant Vice President of Program Development

Baptist health System and BCFS are "Driving Health Forward"

BCFS Names Davis Associate Executive Director of Teen & Youth Services

Makin the World a Brighter Place

Bridging the Gap: How BCFS is Helping Pamela Sanchez Continue Reaching for her Dreams

Making Lemonade

Mi Casa es su Casa

Local coffee house to provide free summer lunches for kids

BCFS' Guadalupe Street Coffee Provides Free Lunch to Youth this Summer

Kerrville Youth Take Part in their Own "Independence Day"

State and Local Leaders Join BCFS for the Grand Opening of San Antonio's New Transition Center

McQuiston Joins BCFS as Regional Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS JOURNAL: San Antonio’s BCFS extends relief reach

by W. Scott Bailey

Leading experts

OUR HOUSE AND BCFS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRING TRANSITIONAL SERVICES TO AT-RISK YOUTH IN ABILENE

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: CERI Guides Change in Moldova

BCFS Names Duguay Program Director of International Children's Services - Extended Care

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS: Family has kept ties to old orphanage

BCFS Names Anderson Director of Corporate Branding

One Family, Many Generations of BCFS

BCFS Names Espiricueta Associate Executive Director of International Children’s Services in California

Guerra Joins BCFS as Associate Executive Director of Emergency Services

BCFS Appoints Dr. David Marks Chief Medical Officer

KSAT 12: Coffee Shop Provides Extra Boost

BCFS’ GUADLAUPE STREET COFFEE LAUNCHES “OPERATION JAVA”

BVT Throws "A Night to Remember"

A Perfect Fit Right from the Start

Walking in their Shoes: Julie Parra

BCFS NAMES KING ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Following the Crowd in the Wrong Direction

A Decade of Delivering Hope

GRIMM JOINS BCFS AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COORDINATOR

CERI NAMES NATIONAL DIRECTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA MEMORY BOX PROJECT

BVT Residents Teach UT Tyler Nursing Students

BVT Celebrates 4th Annual Christmas in the Village

Texas Taps BCFS to Manage Public Health Emergency Response Efforts

San Antonio Foster Youth Give Thanks at BCFS’ Annual Thanksgiving Feast

Influencing the Leaders of Tomorrow

Equipping Moldova’s Foster Parents

BCFS’ RIGHT CHOICES FOR LIFE “CONNECTS” WITH DEL RIO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS

An Unlikely Partnership

BCFS NAMED TOP WORKPLACE BY SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

BVT RESIDENTS BRING WARMTH AND COMFORT TO THE ORPHANS OF EASTERN EUROPE

BCFS AWARDED MORE THAN $225,000 TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY AND REHABILITATE JUVENILES IN KERRVILLE

BCFS NAMES BERKLEY NEW DIRECTOR OF ADOPTIONS