FCFC Newsletter

With school quickly approach-

ing and budgets getting tighter.

Some bargains can be found at

local thrift stores, discount

stores, couponing and clear-

ance racks for your back to

school needs.

You can receive assistance

from nonprofit organizations,

churches and some national

retailers. Here are a few ideas

to help your family with the

cost of school clothes and sup-

plies:

Ruth’s Closet is a free cloth-ing giveaway open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm-7pm at 93 Jefferson St., Union-town PA. Email ruthsv.closet@gmail.com . Parents of students in the

Connellsville area can receive

free clothing, backpacks and

shoes on Aug 11 from 9am-

1pm at the Trinity Lutheran

Church Social Room, 126 E

Fairview Ave, Connellsville

PA.

Dress for Success offers free

clothing to women for inter-

views and employment. They

are located at 82 West South

St., Uniontown PA. Please call

724-437-1341 for more infor-

mation.

The Salvation Army has a

back to school clothing givea-

way each year. Please contact

them at 724-437-2031 for more

information. They also operate

a thrift store on 54 N S Mount

Vernon Ave, Uniontown PA.

St Vincent De Paul also can

help with emergency needs and

they operate a thrift store

where clothes and shoes can be

purchased at 62 N S Mount

Vernon Ave, Uniontown.

Please call 724-439-9188.

BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAYS

Fayette County Family Council

AUG/SEPT 2018

Volume 1, Issue 3

Suicide Warning Signs

and Risk Factors

2

Health & Hygiene Drive 3

County Leadership Team

Updates

3

FCFC Information 4

Inside this issue:

UPCOMING

EVENTS

8/7 hoops and scoops,

storey square, Union-

town pa 6p-9p

8/8 Communities that

care meeting, Fayette

county health build-

ing100 New Salem Rd,

Uniontown pa, 9a-11a

8/11 back 2 school

clothing giveaway,

trinity Lutheran

church social room,

126 Fairview ave,

Connellsville pa 9a-1p

(must be Connells-

ville resident, id re-

quired)

8/11 hiller vol fire

dept hog roast 8a-

11pm

FCFC SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH

The Fayette County Family Council with the help of the Advocacy Network sponsored Free Bingo

at Grant Street Park in Uniontown. Over 40 youth enjoyed free bingo, prizes, snacks and fun. Even

when the rain showers came our way they were still determined to win some prizes. Some prizes

included a game system, headphones, Bluetooth mini speakers, bath bombs, Nike socks, grooming

items, games, and toys.

The youth were given information on suicide prevention and information on bullying. They really

enjoyed themselves and we can’t wait to do it again before school starts.

We would like to thank the Advocacy Network and Alice Coleman for making donations. We

would also like to give a special thank you to Damita Jones of Grant Street Park.

The Family Advocates surveyed youth in the coun-ty recently. We wanted to know what were their im-mediate needs.

We were concerned to see that the top immediate need amongst youth ages 15-24 were emotional sup-ports.

Today, youth are faced with stressors in life from bully-ing, depression, PTSD, drug addictions and dealing with behavioral health issues.

In Pennsylvania, suicide claims nearly 2000 lives per year. We must do all we can to safeguard our youth and our entire community. Here is a list of warning signs and risk factors for suicide.

Warning Signs

Talking about suicide,

wanting to die, kill one-

self

Looking for a way to kill

oneself, such as search-

ing online or buying a

gun

Talking about feeling

worthless, hopeless, or

having no reason to live

Talking about being a

burden to others

Suddenly happier and

calmer, especially after

a period of depression

or sadness

Giving away prized pos-

sessions

Getting affairs in order,

making arrangements

Increasing alcohol or drug

use

Preoccupation with death

Acting anxiously or agitat-

ed; behaving recklessly.

Sleeping too little or too

much.

Withdrawal from or

change in social connec-

tions/situations

Showing rage or talking

about seeking revenge.

Displaying extreme mood

swings.

Anger or hostility that

seems out of character or

out of context

Recent increased agita-

tion or irritability

Risk Factors

Diagnosis of Depression

Previous suicide attempt

Family history of suicide

Loss of job, home, money

Death or terminal illness

of a loved one

Divorce or loss of major,

significant relationship

Loss of health, either

real or imagined

Someone close to the

person has completed

suicide

Recent disappointment

or rejection

Being expelled from

school/fired from job

Sudden loss of freedom/

fear of punishment

Victim of assault or bul-

lying

Questioning gender

(PreventSuicidePA.org

2018)

If you need help with your-

self, friend or loved one

please call 1-800-273-TALK

(8255)

If you would like your organi-

zation, employees or first

responders trained in QPR

Suicide Prevention please

contact QPR trainers Alice

Coleman or Roxanne John-

son at 724-430-4907.

SUICIDE PREVENTION IN YOUTH

Volume 1, Issue 3

Fayette County Family Council

P a g e 2

8/2, 9,16, 23 –

2018 storey

square summer

concert series ,

Uniontown

8/4 Connells-

ville’s farmer’s

market, every Sat-

urday, pnc park-

ing lot 8a-12p

8/5, 12, 19, 26–

Power of music

summer concert

festival, down-

town Browns-

ville cast iron

amphitheater 3p-

6p

8/13 creative

clay came, Appa-

lachian creativity

center, Con-

nellsville

8/23 COMMUNI-

TY SPIRIT DAY,

East end united

community cen-

ter, 150 Cool-

spring st, Union-

town, 11a-3p

9/12 free skate

night, swaney’s

roller rink , rte.

857, 6p-8p

The most common way

people give up their

power is by thinking they

don’t have any. –Alice

Walker

Fayette County possesses the

2nd highest rate of poverty in

Pennsylvania. Join us to help

our area youth in need of

health and hygiene products.

Some basic essentials we take

for granted are sometimes hard

to come by for some families

struggling to make ends meet.

You can help by collecting

items, running workplace

drives and asking for dona-

tions. Every donation can help.

Items Needed: Soap or body

wash, shampoo, lotion, hand

sanitizer, toothpaste, tooth-

brushes, deodorant, feminine

hygiene products, wipes, laun-

dry detergent and toilet paper..

Drop-off location is located at

Adelphoi Village, 6 Oliver

Road, Oliver Square Plaza, Suite

103, Uniontown PA 15401

Monetary donations are also

accepted. Please make checks

payable to: Adelphoi Village.

For questions please call Fayette

County Family Advocates

Roxanne Johnson or Adrienne

Russell

Office: 724-430-4907

Thank you so much for your

support.

cussed. Services are working

together to address these needs

properly.

The Fayette County Behavioral

Health Administration will be

sponsoring an Infant Mental

Health Conference, October 30,

2018, 8:30am-4:30pm at the

Park Inn by Radisson, 700 W

Main Street, Uniontown PA.

Children & Youth is partnering

with East End United Commu-

nity Center to bring a free train-

ing to parents and children. PP

or Positive Parenting in the fall.

The Gay Straight Alliance or

GSA will be meeting on the 2nd

and 4th Wednesday of the

month at 6 pm. For more in-

formation please contact

fayettecountygsa@gmail.com.

There will be no CLT meeting

in August.

The next CLT meeting will be

held September 13, 2018 from

11:30am-1:00pm at the Chil-

dren & Youth services build-

ing.

Fayette County Leadership Team Updates

“The goal of the Fayette Coun-

ty Leadership Team (CLT) is

to gather youth, families and

system partners to work to-

gether toward effective service

intervention for youth and

families in our community.”

At the July 12, 2018 meeting

the Family Advocates an-

nounced they are planning a

conference in April of 2019for

families and service profession-

als “Celebrate the Family” and

that they are planning to have

free Family Road Map training

for parents this fall.

The Family Assessment Imme-

diate Needs survey was dis-

“Acts of Kindness:

A random act of kindness, no matter

how small, can make a tremendous

impact on someone else's life.”

― Roy T. Bennett,

Volume 1 , Issue 3

Fayette County Family Council

P a g e 3

HEALTH & HYGIENE DRIVE

Donations Needed

Fayette County has the second

highest rate of poverty in Penn-

sylvania.

KEYWORD OF THE DAY

FAPE (Free Appropriate

Public Education– Your

child’s right, under the feder-

al IDEA 2004 law, to an edu-

cation “designed to meet his

or her unique needs.” Guar-

antees the right to special

education services when the

regular education program

cannot meet a child’s needs

because of a disability.

P a g e 4

We are a group of families sharing our concerns and experiences with county

services. These county services may include…

Behavioral Health

Juvenile Probation

Drug & Alcohol

Education

Children and Youth Services

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Or any other Fayette County Child Serving System

The FCFC works together with county professionals to improve and achieve

positive outcomes in system services. We do this by…

Supporting each other

Sharing our stories and experiences

Participating in trainings and outreach events

Advocating for families

Using our voices to make a difference

Primary Address

6 Oliver Road, Suite 103

Uniontown PA 15401

Phone: 724-430-4907

Fax: 724-430-4909

Email: adrienne.russell@adelphoi.org

roxanne.johnson@adelphoi.org

Your Voice Can Make A Difference!

Fayette County Family

Council

Bring a friend to our August 16 and September 20 meeting at

the Connellsville Carnegie Free Library, 299 S Pittsburgh Street,

and enter a chance to win a FREE Back to School Backpack

or a WALMART GIFT CARD!! *Meeting starts 11am-12 pm, refreshments will be served.