January 2021

NEWSLETTER

Happy New Year!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MARINA BERNHEIMER

     As we enter the New Year with high hopes for moving out of the difficult challenges we faced in the last one, it is clear that empathy and compassion are critical in order to move forward and tackle the many issues that need to be solved.  It is easy to identify the anger and division among us.  At Child Advocates, we are focused on mending struggling families and developing nurturing relationships with clients and children in order to promote a healthier community.  While CASA volunteers provide caring and advocacy for abused and neglected kids, Home Visitors offer strength-based and non-judgmental support for struggling parents to ensure they have the tools they need to raise children in safe and loving homes. 

     In an increasingly complicated and challenging historic moment for our country, we will continue to model kindness and empathy through our work with the hope that it plants seeds of unity and compassion.  Our work is love in action. 

Child Advocates' Healthy Baby Program welcomes

a new home visitor, Jackelin McCoy.

Jackelin is currently working in the Child Advocates Healthy Babies office in Truckee as the Family Assessment Worker and Home Visitor. Her passion for assisting families was first discovered while working at Tahoe Forest Hospital as a bilingual patient advocate. Her ability to connect and understand, coupled with her desire to help the community led her to seek a role where she could have a larger impact. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and strongly believes in the power of neuroplasticity, which is the ability to grow new neural pathways in the brain in both childhood and adulthood. Through the process of rewiring the brain we can build new healthy pathways and allow these changes to affect our families and their future generations.

Jackelin has lived in the North Tahoe area for over 3 years and has fallen in love with the mountains. During the winter, she and her two boys can be found skiing through trees and getting as much air time as possible. During the summer, they are seeking adventures on their mountain bikes, discovering new hiking trails, and enjoying the emerald waters of the lake. Welcome, Jackelin!

Give Cupid a little help this Valentine’s Day!

Child Advocates has See's classic Valentine’s treats for sweethearts, family members, and best friends! It's easy! Just click on the link below, fill your cart with love and your items will be shipped straight to your door, pronto!

Keep these important dates in mind:

Candy available to ship 1/16/21 | Store closes 1/30/21

All proceeds go to support Child Advocates mission that all children in Nevada County can grow up safe, secure and ready for the future. Thank you.

VOTE CHILD ADVOCATES "BEST OF NEVADA COUNTY"

It’s that time of year when we ask the community to take a few minutes to vote for and celebrate the work of Child Advocates of Nevada County.

With all of the challenges we’ve experienced in recent months, Child Advocates knows that the families we serve need our support now more than ever and we have not missed a beat in sustaining services under the chaotic backdrop of the pandemic. It’s possible that families will decompensate and more children will need to be detained from their homes as a result of the pandemic and related events. We remain steadfast in our efforts to provide support and advocacy for each and every one of these children as they navigate the complex roads ahead.

Thank you for your support of Child Advocates. We have worked hard to earn your recognition this year and ask you to show your love by voting for us in this year’s Best of Nevada County competition.

Highlights from Child Advocates CASA Holidays

Warm Jacket Give Away

CASA volunteers Margaret Witman, Larry Loper, John Burgasser and Ellen Clephane pick out beautiful new jackets for their CASA child. We thank Edward Jones employees, clients, families and friends for their most generous donation to children in dependency court. 

A hearty thank you to the United University Association of Women (UUAW)

who came together to donate Christmas stockings for our CASA

volunteers to deliver to their children.  

The generosity and dedication to the children we serve is greatly appreciated!

CASA staff Jane Houston and Melinda Douros coordinated this wonderful gift event for our CASA children.

What is a CASA volunteer?

CASAs are Court Appointed Special Advocates. They are community members from all walks of life with a common pledge to dedicate about ten hours a month towards helping a child in the foster care system.

 Melinda Douros, Nevada County’s CASA program manager said, “We are so proud to be the only county that serves every kid in the foster care system. We also have good retention when it comes to volunteers — about half have been with us more than four years. Some have been with us more than 10, and one for 22 years. But volunteers cycle in and out and there is always a need for more. There are currently about 50 active CASAs.”

The next CASA training will be held by zoom meetings from 5:30- 8:30 on Monday and Wednesday January 25 thru February 24. Contact Melinda Douros if you are interested by email at [email protected] or call 530 265-9550 ext. 222.