FFCR Hosts Our First Volunteer Summit

On Saturday, May 5th, FFCR held our first ever FFCR Volunteer Summit at the Key Biscayne Community Center. With 33 FFCR volunteers in attendance, the Summit provided an opportunity for volunteers to learn, network and celebrate their accomplishments. FIU assistant professor, Natalia Giordano, LCSW, led a session on trauma-informed care and effective communication, and FFCR’s Program Director, Vanessa Muñoz, facilitated a session on reasonable efforts and permanency. The day started with an eye-opening panel presentation by three Florida Youth SHINE members that was facilitated by FFCR’s Training & Engagement Manager, Marissa Leichter, and Permanency Roundtable Specialist, Melissa Taylor. Florida Youth SHINE (Striving High for Independence and Empowerment) is a youth-run organization advocating on behalf of youth and young adults whose lives have been touched by Florida’s child welfare system.

The Summit also provided an opportunity to celebrate FFCR volunteers who have reached service milestones and to recognize volunteers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Special thanks to Anne Bacall, Janice Barefoot, Annie Bensuaski, Susan Birriel, Jennifer Gross, Lynne Kafka, Kaisa Levine, and Stephanie Rosen for their 5 years of service, Susan Davila, Lucia Estrella, and Ana Maria Lichter for their 10 years of service, Glenda Whatley for her 20 years of service and Ann Swaner for her 25 years of service. Congratulations as well to Citizen Review Panel Program Volunteer of the Year Awardees Lynne Kafka, Thomas Oglesby and Stephanie Rosen and Permanency Roundtable Program Outstanding Service Awardee Mike Samway for their exemplary service and commitment to children in foster care.

We are also grateful to Ken Tannenbaum of KiT Photos for his in-kind photography services that so beautifully captured the day’s events. To see additional photos, visit: https://tbomb.smugmug.com/KiTPhotos/FCR-Awards-5-5-2018/

For more information on volunteering or upcoming trainings contact Marissa Leichter, Training and Engagement Manager.