We have just finished a great year and

we are ready to embark upon a brand

new year of new and exciting opportunities

for kinship families. The Kinship Navigator

newsletter launched with the May-August

issue. It is a Newsletter for and about kin-

ship care and caregiving. The newsletter has

been instrumental in reaching out to families

to keep them informed and locate community resources and upcoming

events that they may not know about.

My role as Kinship Caregiver Navigator has been for me a learning expe-

rience. As the Navigator I connect with families who may have questions

after they have obtained custody of their relative child/children. They may

have had the children for a while but suddenly find they are confronted

with some challenges or bumps in the road and just need a little help sort-

ing through it all. Whatever the reason, locating resources including sup-

port groups or answering the question “What now”, we are here to support

them.

Summer Camp - It’s not too early to start thinking about summer camp

opportunities for your child. In years past DSS has had a Summer Camp

Fair to get you started in your search. Vendors from various organizations

and agencies come together in one place for your convenience. Details of

the camp fair and if or when we will have it are pending. Check back with

us in February about the Summer Camp Fair if you are looking for a camp

for your child.

Welcome

July 2012

Continued on 2

NOV-JAN, 2017-18QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Values Statement:In keeping with the

vision and mission of The Mecklenburg County Department of Social

Services we will strive for the following:

• Respect and Trust• Do the Right Thing• Serve with Compassion• Strive for Excellence

IN THIS ISSUE...Drumming Up Fun ........2 October Kinship Support Group Meeting

Kinship Mtg Schedule ....2

D-A-S-H Mentoring .......3

S.T.A.R.S Program ........3Now Accepting Students!

Grandson to Donate .....4hair to Cancer Patient

Our Advisory Board ......4

LIEAP .......................5Low Income Energy Assistance Program

M E C K L E N B U R G C O U N T YKINSHIP NAVIGATOR

Lavern Weathers

2

KINSHIP NAVIGATOR

Drumming up Fun at October's Kinship Support Group Meeting

David Drum is a social worker with Mecklen-burg County DSS, Youth and Family Services

who recently brought drumming activities to the Kinship Caregiver Support Group meeting. David uses drumming in his social work. Communal drum-ming is an ancient wisdom that has many benefits. When groups of people drum together, they build community with one other, they enhance their emo-tional and physical health, and they creatively ex-press their individual and group spirits. Drumming allows people to immediately create music together. David has collected rhythm instruments from all around the world. He facilitates events for people with a range of musical experience ranging from no musical experience to trained musicians. When people play in a drum circle, they become light hearted, centered in the moment, and connected to the people around them.

David got started as a drum-set drummer in his early teens. After playing with bands, he put the drums aside for 20 years. In 1999, he was invited to a class with the Charlotte Community Drummers. The music was from Guinea, West Africa. The music had a profound

effect. David noticed that it helped him dissipate stress from work and make strong connections with supportive people. In 2000, David and Phil King from the YFS FACET Unit ran several groups with At-Risk Teens at Jackson Park Ministry. The participants supported each other and produced a documentary film of the event. David knew he was on to some-thing. In 2007, David started volunteering for the drumSTRONG.org Cancer Charity. David learned a variety of new skills with Village Music Circles and Jim Donavan. David currently volunteers at the an-nual drumSTRONG event in May of each year. Ad-ditionally, David runs a drumming cancer support group at Novant’s Buddy Kemp Cancer Center, (704)

384-5223, on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. The event is free to the community for anyone impacted by cancer (caregivers, survivors, and fam-

ily members). David also supports a variety of com-munity groups that include substance abuse treat-ment centers, personal growth groups, camps, and retreats. David states that Mecklenburg County DSS has been progressive in allowing the use of rhythm activities with consumers and staff in direct services and conferences and celebrations. David encourag-es everyone to pick up a drum and find your rhythm!

Finally I invite you to contact me and share your

thoughts about the newsletter. Wishing you and your

family a Happy, Hopeful and Prosperous New Year!

Lavern WeathersKinship Navigator980-314-7076

KINSHIP SUPPORT GROUP MEETING SCHEDULE

(3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC)Meetings are the 2nd Monday of the Month

5:30-7:00 p.m.

Upcoming Meetings:

Feb 12, 2018 Mar 12, 2018Apr 9, 2018 May 14, 2018

3

KINSHIP NAVIGATORD-A-S-H- Mentoring Assists Kinship Navigators in Mecklenburg Co.

Life Connections of the Carolinas, Inc., a leader in life skills programming and coaching in the Carolinas, is assisting DSS Kinship families through

-D-A-S-H- Mentoring. This program provides youth and their families with an exceptional natural support mentoring experience. If Kinship youth can’t identify a natural support mentor at initial intake, -D-A-S-H- mentoring matches them with one who will work with them until they can identify a mentor within their natural supports.

We help guardians and the youth, who are living with DSS grandparents and other family members, who who need additional support. Youth identify principles by which they want to live, set individualized goals, self-evaluate and work towards becoming the person they really want to be. Boys attend mandatory month-ly Boys to Men meetings, girls attend mandatory monthly Proud & Pretty Girls meetings, and all -D-A-S-H Mentoring youth, their mentors, family members, and -D-A-S-H- Mentoring staff come together once a month. Field trips and other special events are provided for the youth.

D-A-S-H- Mentoring is open to any youth, 7-17, who believes they can better their best. DSS Kinship Naviga-tors must make the referral. We work with the youth for 12 months. We also receive referrals from juvenile court counselors, behavioral health care agencies or any agency that feels that they have a young person who would benefit from such an experience.

For more information, call Alma Moore-Program Coordinator, -D-A-S-H- Mentoring Mecklenburg County at (980) 999-DASH (3274) -Extension 4.

Good news! Kinship Support group and other Kinship Caregivers will be allotted 10 slots for the S.T.A.R.S. tutorial program. The S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy provides academic enrichment,

tutoring and mentorship for students in grades 3-12 by equipping students with essential learning skills to make improvements in English, math and reading. The application packets, flyers, schedule and guidelines for the program will be available soon. With each applica-tion, the following information is required, EOG scores, grades, IEP's and any 504 plans if applicable. Some of these items can be requested through CMS liaisons with a release or caregivers can request copies from the school. Children are given a pre and post test to measure math and reading levels. Transportation will be provided for all 10 children. S.T.A.R.S. contracts with a van service to pick up our students exclusively. There are no expenses for the family. Breakfast and snacks are provided for our students.

If you are interested in applying for this program for your child and you do not have a Youth and Family Ser-vices Social Worker you may contact Lavern Weathers, Kinship Navigator at 980-314-7076. Remember, Slots are limited!

Accepting Students for the S.T.A.R.S. (Striving Together Achieving Real Solutions) Math & English Academy Program!

Good news! Kinship Support group and other Kinship Caregivers will be allotted 10 slots for the S.T.A.R.S. tutorial program. The S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy provides academic enrichment,

tutoring and mentorship for students in grades 3-12 by equipping students with essential learning skills to make improvements in English, math and reading. The application packets, flyers, schedule and guidelines for the program will be available soon. With each application, the following information is required, EOG scores, grades, IEP's and any 504 plans if applicable. Some of these items can be requested through CMS liai-sons with a release or caregivers can request copies from the school. Children are given a pre and post test to measure math and reading levels. Transportation will be provided for all 10 children. S.T.A.R.S. contracts with a van service to pick up our students exclusively. There are no expenses for the family. Breakfast and snacks are provided for our students.

If you are interested in applying for this program for your child and you do not have a Youth and Family Ser-vices Social Worker you may contact Lavern Weathers, Kinship Navigator at 980-314-7076. Remember, Slots are limited!

Accepting Students for the S.T.A.R.S. (Striving Together Achieving Real Solutions) Math & English Academy Program!

4

KINSHIP NAVIGATOR

� Lavern Weathers, Kinship Navigator, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Shandra Umazar, Librarian, Exceptional Children's Assistance Center

� Anissa Rhyne, Youth and Family Services, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Jared Keaton, Director of Operations, Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, Head Start

� Teresa Taylor, Family Advocate, CMS Idlewild Elementary School

� Barbara Baker, Family Support Specialist, Mental Health America of Central Carolinas

� Vicki Day, DSS Nurse, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Alma Moore, Mentor Coach, Life Connections of the Carolinas – D.A.S.H.

� Dan Thornton, Elder/Minister, University Church of Christ @ Charlotte

� Terri Stowers, Division Director, Mecklenburg Co. Park and Recreation

� Amina Lee, Family Success Program Social Worker, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Denise Syles-Ballard, Social Work Supervisor, Youth & Family Services, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Montaria Clawson, Social Work Supervisor, Economic Services Division, Kinship Care Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Patricia Mayhew, Family Caregiver Support Specialist, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

� Jennifer Peele-Adderley, Program Manager, Economic Services Division Kinship Care, Mecklenburg Co. DSS

The Kinship Advisory Board

Grandson To Donate His Hair to Cancer PatientWritten By: Karen Lemert (As told by her grandson, Ott)

Ott raised by his grandparents since infancy, is a very active, happy and compassionate teenager. He likes to read, play video games and play with

his dogs Chloe and Bingo. Ott is currently enrolled at Central Piedmont Com-munity Collage (CPCC) in a three year course for the challenged. He is involved in a youth group at his church, Boy Scouts, and attended the national Boy Scout Jamboree with a mentor this past summer. Ott volunteers at a food pantry twice a week and participates in Special Olympics, especially basketball, his favorite sport. His long term goals are to volunteer at the Humane Society and donate his long, thick pony tail to a young cancer patient who has lost her hair.

Best of luck to you!

For more information on the Kinship Caregiver Program visit:https://www.mecknc.gov/dss/adults/Pages/KinshipCare.aspx

5

KINSHIP NAVIGATOR