Tag: community

  • Point-In-Time (PIT) Count

    Point-In-Time (PIT) Count

    A Point-In-Time Count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a determined date. Some PIT counts are conducted over a one night period, while others are counted as long as 10 days. It always depends on your community’s needs and resources!

    The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, requires PIT counts of “sheltered” individuals yearly, and “unsheltered” individuals at least every two years to receive any federal funding. These counts can be done more often, but PIT counts require a lot of volunteers and cooperation from individuals experiencing homelessness. Both these funds and the data help state and local jurisdictions create strategic plans to combat the homelessness in their area.

    We want to be able to fill in this chart, and more!

    This is why Wayne County Family Connection would love your assistance! One of the biggest challenges when executing a PIT count is having enough volunteers who are willing to be trained and participate in the counting. It is also important to build genuine connections to those experiencing homelessness; Often individuals have a desire to stay hidden or not to share personal information with unknown community members, which could be vital for them receive aid. Volunteers must be willing to put in the effort to build a relationship with those experiencing homelessness in order to more accurately collect data.

    Mr. Jeff Clark, Director of Street Outreach for Safe Harbor Children’s Center

    Interested in learning more information regarding Wayne County Family Connection’s goal to conduct a Point-In-Time Count? Please join us on Monday March 28th, at 9:30 am to be a part of our in-person meeting located at 367 Bamboo Street, in the Pine View Housing Authority Area just off of Pine Street. We will have a guest speaker: Mr. Jeff Clark of the Safe Harbor Children’s Center.

  • Head Start and Early Head Start Now Recruiting!

    Do you want to give your child the head start for school?! Coastal Georgia’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs are now open for enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year. Children three (3) (on September 1st, 2022) to four (4) years old who live in Bryan, Camden, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Tattnall, or Wayne Counties are eligible for free quality pre-school and family support programs, through Head Start. Children six (6) weeks up to three (3) years old, as well as expectant mothers, in Bryan, Camden, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Tattnall, or Wayne Counties are eligible for family support programs through Early Head Start. To qualify, families need to submit an application and provide eligibility documents. The application and documents should be submitted to the Head Start or Early Head Start center located at 724 N. 4th Street Jesup, GA 31545. Space is limited so it is important that families apply today! Applications and information regarding eligibility documentation is available by calling the center at (912) 427-4527.

  • Give Your Child a ‘Head Start’ for Fundamental Success

    Give Your Child a ‘Head Start’ for Fundamental Success

    Head Start is a quality child care service provided to three, four and five year olds founded by the Georgia Head Start Association to help these students become prepared for kindergarten. Fortunately, they have partnered with other agencies including Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority, Inc. to provide services in Wayne and surrounding counties. Since 1967, Coastal GA Area Community Action Authority, Inc. has been providing a pathway to self-sufficiency for individuals facing challenging times. With the COVID pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, Head Start gives children the opportunity to continue to learn.

    Head Start students are provided educational activities using the Creative Curriculum and children’s knowledge is tracked with outcomes provided to parents. When speaking with Tanisha Towns, Center Supervisor for Wayne County, we talked about how the enrollment is a little low this year. She states, “We can fully operate at a maximum capacity of 102 students but with the COVID virus, we currently have 63 enrolled.” She also states that they do require all students to wear masks, sanitize appropriately, and social distance. Another factor that comes into play is that parents are not allowed in the facility. Head Start staff meets the parents outside for drop off and pick up each day. Considering the circumstances, 63 students is still a great number to foster an enjoyment for learning, developing a positive attitude about school and helping each child reach their maximum potential.

    So you may be wondering…who is eligible for this Head Start Program?

    • Families who meet income requirement
    • Homeless and foster children
    • Children with special needs

    Nutritional meals and snacks are provided and mind you – all of this is at no cost to you! After all, they want to stick to their motto of ‘Helping people, changing lives, and building families’. Everyone deserves the best life possible. Reach out to someone you may know that could benefit from this impactful organization.

    More information about Wayne County Head Start can be found in our Resource Directory. We encourage anyone to use the resources available on our website to meet your needs and help others do the same.

    Find us on social media to send us your latest news and updates to share!

    Please consider liking/following us on our social media to stay up to date with our community news and events. We can be found on Facebook at Family Connection – Wayne County, GA and Instagram at wcfamilyconnect. Also, if your organization would like to educate, inform or update Wayne County citizens on a topic or event you’ve been working on – reach out to us so you can be featured here on our website! Other promotional shout-outs will be in the Family Connection column of the Press-Sentinel, our social media, and an email sent to our collaborative members.

    Additionally, the Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150.  Our meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month with the next meeting being held at the end of January. Stay safe Wayne County community!

  • BeThe1To Campaign Recap

    The BeThe1To campaign offers awareness of how you can help people through their struggles of everyday life.

    The following images are for Wayne County Family Connection’s social media pages. You can view them and read the 5 Steps of the BeThe1To campaign on the Articles tab of our website.

    BeThe1To title page

    Our community can help one another with asking their friends and families about their mental health when they see them struggling:

    BeThe1To campaign ask

    Show someone in your life how much you care for them and that you’re glad they’re in your life:

    BeThe1To campaign be there

    Keep our community safe by knowing about the resources available to help people through difficult times:

    BeThe1To campaign keep them safe

    Let them know you are there for them through all the ups & downs of life by getting them connected with support in our community:

    BeThe1To campaign help them connect

    Lastly, follow up with someone in your life that you know has been facing some challenges:

    BeThe1To campaign follow up

    We know that mental illness, emotional struggles, and other concerns can hinder someone from living life to their fullest. We have professional help available through our Mental Health Task Force team. If you or someone you know needs to speak to someone today – give this number a call.

    mental health task force #

    We encourage you to share these steps with your friends and family. If there is someone in your circle that could use help, put these steps into practice. You can be part of making a difference in our Wayne County community.

    If your organization would like to educate, inform or update Wayne County citizens on a topic or event you’ve been working on – reach out to us so you can be featured here on our website, in the Family Connection column of the Press-Sentinel and be given a special shoutout to all our collaborative members!

    Join our Collaborative Team

    Additionally, the Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150.  Our meetings are the 4th Monday of each month with the next one being this upcoming Monday (10/26) at 9:30am. Visit our Family Connection tab if you have questions.

  • Resource Directory Serving as Help Desk for Community

    Families and friends all over Southeast Georgia are in search of more resources to support themselves through this difficult year. With over 120 listings in our Resource Directory, people can search for their needs using keywords or the advanced search option. After that, it will populate a list of customized resources based on your search along with contact information. The directory also gives you 36 different categories to choose from based on the assistance you are looking for. They include:

    • Children & Youth Services
    • Education / Training
    • Disabilities
    • Mental Health
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Senior Citizens
    • Teen & Young Adults
    • Job Assistance
    • Veteran Services

    You can view all the categories in the Resource Directory here.

    Pam Holmes, Executive Director of Tri-County CASA, states, “As a social worker for many years, I highly recommend this directory as a great resource for Wayne County and surrounding counties.” 

    Tri-County CASA Inc. volunteers have been advocating for the foster children of Appling, Wayne and Jeff Davis counties for more than 20 years. CASA volunteers are also court-appointed special advocates. This means they are specially trained community citizens. For instance, they advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system with the child’s best interest in mind. 

    listings in resource directory

    If your organization would like to be part of our Family Connection Collaborative like Tri-County CASA, you can submit a listing by clicking on the Resource Directory tab at the top and select ‘Create A Listing’ below the search.

    Criteria for Resource Directory Listing

    There is criteria an organization must fit to be listed in the Resource Directory. Additionally, programs must have an office in or serve residents of Wayne County. Lastly, and most importantly, if your agency is for profit, they must offer free or low cost services to the community. Some examples of organization are:

    • Advocacy groups related to health and human service issues.
    • Civic and business associations.
    • Information and referral services.
    • Community groups.
    • Chambers of Commerce.
    • Licensed childcare facilities.
    • Self-help support groups.
    • Administrative offices of public schools in Wayne County

    Therefore, do your part in showing your friends and family our free Resource Directory. You can access the directory by going to the Resource Directory tab. 

    If you are a part of an organization that is currently listed in our directory, we encourage you to view it and see if there are any changes that need to be made. After that, you can update the form by hovering over the ‘Resource Directory’ tab and clicking the Update Form button. 

    Above all, our goal through this is to connect people to the resources they need to help improve our community overall.

    The Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would also like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150 or familyconnection@waynehelp.com.  Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on collaborative meetings and other events. Our next meeting is October 26th at 9:30am!

  • Wayne County Schools educate students on suicide awareness

    wayne county suicide prevention

    115 Columbia Suicide Rating Scales were completed on students who were referred to the Counseling Department this past school year. As a result of the rating scale evaluations, 31 students were hospitalized for further evaluation. Over 150 students were referred to outside counseling services for ongoing treatment. 

    As we near the end of September, Wayne County High School Crisis Counselor, JoAnne Roach, and School Psychologist, Kori LeFree, created a way for students to get involved and learn more about Suicide Prevention month. 

    With the recent pandemic, mental health conditions continue to rise in this unprecedented time. They saw this as the perfect opportunity to spread suicide awareness and prevention at Wayne County High School as well as both Wayne County middle schools. 

    Wayne County High School holds ‘Buzz Block’ for students

    On Friday, September 11th, Wayne County High School had a ‘Buzz Block’. It featured the #BeThe1To campaign that we’ve been talking about in our previous articles this month. The #BeThe1To is a national campaign. It helps spread the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide and be more aware of harmful behavior.

    JoAnne Roach states, “We are aware this is a very sensitive subject that often times everyone is not comfortable talking about. To ease the process, we created a brief statement for each teacher to read and provided them with some simple uplifting activities for the students to complete.”  She also noted that the counselors were available throughout the event if the teacher noticed a student becoming upset or needs to speak with someone privately. 

    WCHS students create suicide awareness videos

    Another area that Mrs. Roach and Mrs. LeFree wanted to focus on were prevention efforts. Last year, high school students created videos that helped bring awareness to suicide. One video shows a friend reaching out to someone who is struggling. As the troubled teenager contemplates taking his life, his phone buzzes with his friend asking him how he is doing. The video states, “Everybody needs somebody to be there for them. You could be that someone.” To watch this video and more, scroll down to the bottom of the article.

    Lastly, the counselors wanted people trained about this topic. This is important because suicide takes the lives of many each and every year. In order to do that, Wayne County purchased a research based curriculums called Signs of Suicide to implement at each school. They will first train the staff and then offer virtual training to parents. The main takeaways from this curriculum are to acknowledge and act accordingly if you see signs of suicide. By being aware of the signs, you can provide resources and get students help. All 8th and 10th graders in Wayne County will go through an assessment and be discussing this topic in depth with counselors and psychologists.   

    If you have any questions about the Buzz Block or the Signs of Suicide curriculum, you can contact Mrs. JoAnne Roach at the high school. Her number is (912) 427-1088 ext. 829. 

    Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative sponsored this article. Its partnership with the Wayne County Board of Education allows us to bring awareness to the needs of the community.  If you would like to become a part of the Collaborative, please contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150. You can also contact Lana for more information regarding our Mental Health Task Force.

    View videos from the High School students below:

  • #BeThe1To – Follow Up

    As we come to the end of discussing the 5 Steps in the #BeThe1To campaign, we can only hope that our articles have made an impact in our community. Last week, we talked about the importance of helping people connect. Connecting with resources in their community ensures they get the help they need. For this last week, we will consider the ways one can follow up. Following up with a person can provide a further feeling of being connected.

    steps in the #BeThe1To campaign
    Visit the #BeThe1To Website

    The follow up step is similar to the principle of being there because all the steps are interconnected. It’s challenging to be there for someone especially during a physically distanced time like we are currently in. After forming a good relationship with them, establishing a regular schedule to check in on them would keep you connected while also keeping them safe.

    The first piece of advice is to purposefully set aside a time and date that you will follow up. This can provide them something to look forward to and send a message that you care. You could also send a Thank You postcard in part of the #BeThe1To Say Thank You campaign. Go to bethe1to.com and click on the Stories tab. You will find the ‘#BeThe1To Say Thanks’ highlighted in blue to follow up with someone. Thank them for their vulnerability in speaking with you about their current challenges.

    Distractions can cause disinterest.

    The next piece of advice would be to make sure you clear your calendar of all distraction for that time – maybe even put your phone away. If the follow up happens to be over the phone or video, just make sure that you are present so you can focus on your conversation with the person instead of other things that will cause them to think you don’t have their best intentions.

    ways to follow up with someone after crisis

    Never under estimate the value of showing up and checking in.

    We also like to remind you of the great resource that we would highly recommend to Wayne County. It is our online resource directory located on our website. Go to www.waynehelp.com. Click on Resource Directory to find a group, organization, or a number to call today of your interest. Get involved to have the opportunity to follow up with someone in the future and make a difference in their life!

    Become a part of Wayne County Family Connection

    Additionally, the Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150.  Our meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month. The upcoming meeting will be next week at 9:30am. Our website is www.waynehelp.com and our email is familyconnection@waynehelp.com if you have questions.

    If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, call the number below to speak with a professional in Wayne County.

    Mental Health Task Force # for Wayne County: 

    Business Hours 9am-5pm: 912-530-8889

    After Hours: 912-256-2150

    As always, if you see warning signs of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911.

    Check back with us next week for a recap of what the Wayne County schools have done in effort of September being #SuicidePrevention Month!

  • #BeThe1To Help Them Connect

    #BeThe1To campaign
    bethe1to.com

    We are coming to the end of discussing the 5 Steps in the #BeThe1To campaign with the 4th step this week. Last week we talked about the importance of keeping them safe. This week, we will give you a few ways of how to help someone connect with resources in the community to get the assistance they need.

    Ways to Help Someone Connect

    Helping someone connect with ongoing supports like groups, organizations, or our Mental Health Task Force number (912-530-8889) can help them establish a safety net for those moments they find themselves in a crisis. Additional components of a safety net will give them resources in their communities they can know and trust. If you feel comfortable enough, explore some of these possible supports with them. Some questions you could ask are:

    –     Are you currently seeing a mental health professional? 

    –     Have you seen one in the past? Is this an option for you currently? 

    –     Would you like to participate in any groups that focus on what you are struggling with?

    –     How would you feel about psychotherapy or being a part of a clinical trial?

    Then, it’s important to help them find mental health resources in the community that can effectively fulfill the help they are requesting.

    One way to start helping them find ways to connect is to work with them to develop a safety plan. Having a safety plan in place includes a list of individuals to contact. With the world being so digital today, there are plenty of online resources as well as apps on your mobile devices that can help. The My3 app is a safety planning and crisis intervention app that can help develop these supports and is stored conveniently on your smartphone for quick access.

    ways to help someone connect
    RESOURCE DIRECTORY

    Another great resource that we would highly recommend is our online resource directory on our website. Go to www.waynehelp.com > Click on Resource Directory to find many different resources right here in Wayne County! Find a group, organization, or a number to call today so that they can get the help they deserve.

    Join the #BeThe1To Movement

    You can also go to www.bethe1to.com/join and download a #BeThe1To poster. Help people connect and bring awareness to Suicide Prevention Month by printing them out and hanging them in your communities. We can all take action in one way or another and sometimes something small like hanging up a poster can be big in helping someone through their day.

    The Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150.  Our meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month. Our website is www.waynehelp.com and our email is familyconnection@waynehelp.com.

    If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, call the number below to speak with a professional in Wayne County.

    Mental Health Task Force # for Wayne County: 

    Business Hours 9am-5pm: 912-530-8889

    After Hours: 912-256-2150

    As always, if you see warning signs of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911.

    Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on collaborative meetings and other events. We have another meeting coming up on Monday, September 28th!

    Facebook

    Instagram

    In addition, please like and share. We’d love for these articles to reach everyone in the Wayne County Community!

  • #BeThe1To – Keep Them Safe

    bethe1to.com

    Last week, we discussed the importance of being there for someone in need. This week, we are discussing ways to keep them safe while they are going through this hard time in their life. So, you’ve asked them questions and you let them know you are there for them. Now it’s important to find out a few things to establish immediate safety if needed. Questions such as, “Have they already done something that could be harmful?” or “Do they know of something that might happen?” would be great to know so that you can take precautionary measures.

    Their answers to your questions will help you.

    Next, the answers to questions you may have asked can tell you the severity of the situation. For example, you found out that the person has immediate access to a firearm. This is very serious and should be treated like so. Extra steps (like calling the authorities) would be necessary. Another example would be if someone has been depressed and talking about how they want to get out and volunteer to feel less lonely. You could offer to drive them to a place in town where they can use their skills to help others.

    Always be sure to check in on them and make sure you don’t notice anything out of the ordinary.

    One effective solution that Wayne County high schools students have been using is the StopIt app. It is a simple, fast, and most importantly anonymous way to report problems. You can use the mobile app, web or hotline number. This communication would be between a person and an administrator in real-time. If needed, they could turn it over to emergency services.

    There are also ways to personally keep yourself safe as well as others. An app that has been highly recommended is the Circle of 6 app. You pick six friends or family members to be in your circle. They can be notified if you’d like them to text or call you at a certain time. It even has a danger button that be activated to reach hotline numbers in situations such as domestic abuse.

    Follow these guidelines to help keep your community safe:

    • Don’t leave a person alone in a lethal situation
    • Check for signs of drug or alcohol overdose
    • If it’s an emergency, call 911 and notify a family member or friend
    • Get help from a trained professional
    • Make sure they have numbers to call/hotlines if they have talked or behaved in a manner that makes you believe they may put themselves in danger

    Your intervention may help the person see that other options are available to stay safe and get help. Follow us on social media to keep up with events, volunteer opportunities, meetings, and other news at wcfamilyconnect on Instagram and Family Connection – Wayne County, GA on Facebook!

    Become a part of Family Connection

    The Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would also like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150. Our meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month. Browse the rest of our website to learn more & connect with us if you have any questions.

    If you or someone you know is struggling today, call the Mental Health Task Force # for Wayne County to speak with a professional: 

    Business Hours 9am-5pm: 912-530-8889

    After Hours: 912-256-2150

    If you see warning signs of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911.

    Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on collaborative meetings and other events.

    Facebook

    Instagram

    In addition, please like and share. We’d love for these articles to reach everyone in the Wayne County Community!

  • #BeThe1To Be There

    Be The 1 To

    The next step in our campaign consists of a simple way to show those around you that you care. We are going to be there for them during this hard time. By simply being there for them, either physically, through a phone call, text, or a special little written note, etc., you are showing your support to their need. An important aspect of this step is to make sure you follow through with what you said you were going to do. If you support the person, make sure that they know what it is you are doing. It can be easy for them to feel alone, pushed away, vulnerable, or that nobody cares.

    Don’t commit if you aren’t 100% sure you can fulfill the duty.

    It’s important that you don’t commit to anything you are not willing or able to accomplish. There also may come a time when you aren’t able to be there for somebody that is asking for help. One way you can still be involved is talking with them to develop some ideas for others who might be able to help. This shows them that you can help them in a different way than being physically there.

    Make sure you’re still listening.

    Although we are talking about how to be there for someone, listening is still just as important as it was when we discussed #BeThe1To Ask previously. Find out what and who they believe will be the most effective sources of help. Then, you can come up with a plan of how to make those sources available to the person without putting a burden on them.

    Being there for someone with thoughts of suicide or any kind of need can be life-saving. They desire for a need to feel connected to someone. They may even try to be involved more to make their problems seem less daunting while they get the help they need. By limiting their time spent alone, you have the opportunity to protect them from causing harm to themselves or others.

    Be There

    Check out this story from Savannah Lloyd. She wrote it in hopes that it can help others. In an article titled “To The People I Met on my Mental Health Journey” she writes, “Thank you for passing the tissues when it was all too much and my eyes finally poured the tears I tried so hard to hold back.” We would be naive to think there aren’t people in Wayne County that need some tissues as well. By Being There, we have a chance to alleviate the stress and anxiety that comes with making life altering decisions in significant situations.

    Be a part of Family Connection

    The Wayne County Family Connection Collaborative would like to invite anyone in our community to be a part of our group.  For more information, contact Lana Wright at 912-256-2150.  Our meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month. Browse the rest of our website to learn more & connect with us if you have any questions.

    Mental Health Task Force # for Wayne County: 

    Business Hours 9am-5pm: 912-530-8889

    After Hours: 912-256-2150

    If you see warning signs of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 911. 

    Article Source: bethe1to.com/stories

    Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on collaborative meetings and other events.

    Facebook
    Instagram

    In addition, please like and share. We’d love for these article to reach everyone in the Wayne County Community!

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