Family Recovery Project

    


Family Recovery Project

September 5, 2005

Dear Friends of the Federation of Families,

The Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health along with United Advocates for Children of California have formed a highly coordinated collaboration in order to coordinate support provided to all states impacted by Hurricane Katrina. This collaborative is named the Family Recovery Project and the Project Coordinator is Conni Wells. Organizations involved in the Family Recovery Project are:

  • Alabama Family Ties Executive Director, Sarah- Ellen Thompson
  • Florida Institute for Family Involvement, Executive Director, Conni Wells
  • Louisiana Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Executive Director, Vee Boyd
  • Mississippi Families as Allies, Inc., Executive Director, Tessie Schweitzer
  • Georgia Parent Support Network, Inc., Executive Director, Sue Smith
  • Texas Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Executive Director, Pattie Derr

The Family Recovery Project is getting financial assistance as well as help with coordination from the Center for Mental Health Services.

The purpose of the Family Recovery Project is to:

  • Provide long-term coordination, technical assistance, and support to the Executive Directors of the Family Recovery Project organizational participants. These individuals will be known as Family Recovery Leaders. They will be responsible for community mobilization within their organization and state to ensure that families and children with mental health needs get the support they need to return as quickly as possible to a stable life where they can begin to rebuild hope.

At the end of this letter, are specific instructions for your organization to follow if you are interested in supporting the efforts of the Family Recovery Project. Please note that these instructions will be updated frequently as the needs of the Family Recovery Leaders change and evolve with time. Thank you for your support, thoughts, and dedication to healthy families!

Sincerely,

Sandra Spencer FFCMH

Jennifer Clancy UACC

Connie Wells FIFI

Liz Sweet CMHS

Family Recovery Project Assistance (September 5th, 2005)

WHERE TO SEND FINANCIAL DONATIONS

1. Please send all financial donations to the national office of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health at the address below:

Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
Attention: Family Recovery Project
1101 King Street, Suite 420
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

2. Please mark the memo line of your check: Family Recovery Project

3. If you wish to donate via credit card: Call the Federation at (703) 684-7710 and let them know you wish to make a donation to the Family Recovery Project. They will assist you in making a secure donation over the phone. The Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health will serve as a clearinghouse for financial donations to the Family Recovery Project. All Family Recovery Project participants will access needed financial support through the Federation. At this time, the greatest need of the Family Recovery Project is financial support. No donation is too small!

WHERE TO SEND OTHER DONATED ITEMS (CLOTHES, SHEETS, FOOD)

1. The Project Coordinator, Conni Wells, is meeting with all Family Recovery Leaders daily by conference call. During those conference calls, there is a daily assessment of need for donated items such as clothes, sheets, food, teddy bears, gift cards, etc.

2. As the need for donations arises, the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and United Advocates for Children of California will post this information via our list serves. Both organizations will post WHAT IS NEEDED. If you have something that matches the need, please contact Conni, who will assist you in determining the best way to get it to the state in need. Until the specific request comes, please do not send donated items.

3. If you have something else that you would like to donate, please notify Conni. We will match that donation with the need and let you know when, where, and how to send it.

WHEN TO SEND

1. Send as much financial support as you can NOW. Due to overcrowding and dire living conditions in the most impacted states, children and families need your support now to have the greatest opportunity to survive and thrive! Ask your partner organizations, churches, mental health programs, and other connections to assist in getting money into the Gulf area to support families of children with mental health needs.